47. Henry and Charlotte #2
“Hey, Dad, next time let me know when you’re off making a romantic gesture,” Josh boomed.
Effie chuckled, “Many thanks to Amy, who let us know where you two were.” Charlotte raised an eyebrow at her friend.
“Hey,” said Amy, hugging Henry and then Charlotte, “enquiring minds want to know.” In Charlotte’s ear, “I snuck out the front door as soon as I could. No need to thank me for giving you privacy.”
“Now that you’re back and Charlotte has finally arrived,” Josh announced, “we’ve got important wedding business to take care of in here.”
Effie clapped her hands in agreement. “Yes, let’s get these presents unwrapped so we can get to the fair,”
After the bride and groom opened gifts, envelopes with money, and greeting cards, the party broke up, with guests beginning to make their way over to Huron for an afternoon at the fair, which is when Trixie swept Henry and Charlotte up in a group hug.
“I’ve never been prouder of two people in my life.
And to think, none of this would have been possible without me.
” Henry and Charlotte laughed. “It’s true!
After all, I am the one who encouraged you to take your car into my brother’s shop, am I right? ”
“We may as well agree, Charlotte. My older sister isn’t often wrong, but when she is, she’s insufferable.”
“Listen, we all know that you two would still be making moon eyes at each other if it weren’t for me!”
Charlotte nodded. “You really were there for us so many times.” Henry stood behind her with his arms around her waist, resting his head on top of hers. The press of his lips to the top of her head let her know he agreed. “Are you and Brian heading over to the fair now?”
“Well, I wanted to, but he’s got a few chores he needs to take care of, so we’ll come up later.”
“Why don’t you ride with us?” Henry offered.
Trixie shook her head. “As much as you both love me, I don’t want to be a third wheel.”
“What’s this about a third wheel?” They all turned to look at Amy. “I invented the concept, didn’t I, Lottie?”
“I’m not agreeing, but she is riding with us to Huron,” Charlotte pointed out to Trixie.
Once the four of them got to the fair, Amy and Trixie wandered off to look at some exhibits, leaving Henry and Charlotte to amble hand-in-hand through the streets until they got to the midway. “Let’s ride the Ferris wheel first, Henry,” Charlotte suggested.
“Sounds perfect.” After a kiss to her forehead, he bought a strip of tickets from the nearest booth.
As soon as they were in their bucket, he draped an arm around her shoulders, and she snuggled into his side as they began their ascent.
“I remember the moment, two years ago, when I saw you from up here,” she told him.
“I had lived in Beverley for a month and hadn’t seen you around town, not since that first day outside the shop.
I was so disappointed, but then here I was, with Amy, and I looked down and you were right there. ”
He shook his head. “I couldn’t believe it either. You had haunted me since then, too. It’s funny that neither one of us knew we saw each other that first time, but then ended up finding each other not in Beverley but at the fair.”
“It’s fate…all of it,” she said quietly. “We’re so lucky to have found each other, to be together now at our age.”
“I agree.” Henry cupped her face in his hands. “That’s why I don’t want to spend another night alone, without you. Move in with me, Charlotte.”
“What?” He stunned her with his request, but it was what she wished for, more than anything.
“Unless you think it’s too soon?” Was he rushing things? He didn’t think so, not at their age, as she’d pointed out. But, he reminded himself, she had only been divorced a couple of years. He’d had years of living alone, enough to know he didn’t want that anymore, but maybe she liked it?
“Too soon? No, I just…I thought you’d need time to adjust after living alone for so long.”
“That’s why I don’t need time. I don’t want to spend another minute alone, without you. But if it’s too soon, that’s-”
“Yes! Yes, of course I’ll move in with you. I don’t want to be without you, either.” Taking care not to rock their cart, she turned her face up to his to meet his mouth. “I’m so happy,” she cried, smiling against his mouth.
After they broke apart, he said, “And just so you know, if you’d rather not live at my house, we could find our own place, or live in yours—I’m open.
Whatever you want. I just want to be with you.
This morning, waking up without you next to me, not seeing your face smiling at me, hearing your voice say my name, feeling your heart beating?
” Henry’s palm encompassed Charlotte’s pounding heart.
“It was torture, and I never want to endure that again.”
Charlotte captured his mouth with hers again, assuring him, “Never. I want to spend every night with you, too. Your house is perfect.”
Holding her chin in his hand, he said, “Our house. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. All the love you’ve put into that house?
All the memories it has, for you and Josh, rebuilding your life?
It speaks to who you are, Henry.” Behind her glasses, her endless brown eyes held tears, causing his own eyes to well up.
“Your strength, your hope, your goodness. But also your mistakes. I want the perfect, the imperfect, all of you.”
“It took you blowing into Beverley, into my life, for me to have the courage to take the chance to love again. But it was your patience, your optimism, and your heart that got us here.”
“When I moved, I never expected this. I didn’t know what would happen, just that I needed a new start.”
“We both got one, you and I…together,” Henry promised her. “Charlotte, I am in this, with everything in me. I didn’t get it right before, but the two of us—”
“—are right.” Charlotte finished for him.
“We are right.” Linking her hands with his, she continued, “When my marriage ended, all I wanted was to find out who I was and what I needed out of life. I thought that was freedom. What I discovered was that I really wanted the freedom to choose. And I choose you, Henry Livingston.”
“You know, they say love is sweeter the second time around,” Henry informed her. “What do you say we take another spin on this?”
“I’d say it sounds perfect.” Too wrapped up in each other, they didn’t notice various friends and family members watching them from below, none of whom knew any of the details but recognized the commitment being made and a second chance at love fulfilled.