13. Chapter Thirteen #2
Hannah directs us on how to exit the emergency room and we head out. Charlie puts his arm around my shoulders as we walk.
“Didn’t realize I was with a local celebrity tonight,” he says.
I playfully slap his side. “Oh, stop it.”
Raquel laughs from behind us and for a moment, I’d forgotten she was there.
Charlie and I break apart as we stand in the glow of the emergency room entrance.
“Raquel, do you need a ride home?” he asks. He always thinks of everything and everyone.
“Actually, if you could drive me back to Ramona’s to get my car,” she says, “that would be great.”
He nods. “Wait here and I’ll get the car.”
Charlie takes off across the parking lot. We watch as he gets in it and starts the engine, then whips around to the entrance to pick us up.
I climb into the front passenger seat while Raquel clambers around in the back.
It’s a wordless drive as we take off in the direction of the bar.
I pull out my phone and send a group text to my staff that due to a family emergency, the diner will not be open today.
Thea is more important than the diner and besides, a portion of the staff was involved in the emergency.
My eyes keep fluttering closed as Charlie drives. I lean my head against the window, just wanting to sleep. I’m exhausted from the night’s events, both physically and emotionally. It’s been a whirlwind.
We drop Raquel off and say our goodbyes. Then Charlie drives us back across town to his apartment. There’s no traffic at four-thirty in the morning.
The exhaustion is deep in my bones by the time we get out of the car. My legs feel like they have lead in them. He takes my hand and leads me through the entrance and up a staircase to his second-floor bachelor pad.
“Stay here,” he instructs me as I stand in his living room. I glance around the room. Framed photographs of his family line the mantle and adorn the coffee table. He returns a moment later with a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt for me.
“Towels and washcloths are in the bathroom closet. Sorry, but I don’t have any frilly-smelling shampoo or anything.”
I start to giggle. I don’t know if what he just said was actually funny or if I’m that tired.
“You can have the bed,” he says as he leads me toward the master bedroom.
“What about you?” I ask.
"I’m good on the couch.”
I open my mouth to protest but he’s already fighting me.
“Really, Beth Ann. Give me a blanket and a pillow and I’m fine.”
I don’t argue with him anymore; I just want to get out of this dress and these damn heels.
I close the door to the bathroom and kick them off.
My feet ache with relief at being on level ground again.
I take the earrings out of my earlobes and lay them on the counter.
After grabbing a towel and washcloth, I turn on the hot water and with some struggle, unzip my dress and strip it off.
I leave my belongings in a pile on the floor and step into the shower.
The tension starts to leave my body as the hot water pounds my back.
I wet my hair and reach down for the shampoo, laughing to myself over the names of men’s products.
My options are Ocean, Mahogany Teakwood, and Noir…
whatever the hell those are supposed to smell like.
I sniff each of them and go for the one that smells the most like him.
I quickly finish my shower and get out, towel-drying my hair. I throw on the sweatpants and one of his old Driftbay Police Department shirts. I feel like a zombie as I head to the bed and collapse in it.
The mattress is like a marshmallow and I think I could fall asleep in seconds. I force my eyes open and stare at the ceiling fan for a moment before I get back up. Something is missing.
I march out to the living room where Charlie is making a cot on the couch, standing there in a gray T-shirt and boxers.
“Get in the bed,” I say.
“What?” he asks, looking up at me.
“Get in the bed,” I repeat. “We’ve both had a long night and deserve good rest.”
Charlie smiles.
“No funny stuff, though, I mean it.”
He holds up his fingers in a scout’s honor symbol. “Of course not,” he says.
He abandons his cot and follows me into his bedroom.
“I normally sleep on the left,” he says.
“Well, that’s great, because I normally take the right.” I smile. It’s nice to be in-sync with him for once.
I glance at the alarm clock as I lie down — I guess two and a half hours of sleep are better than none.
I take a deep breath in; everything smells like him. I am surrounded by the scent of Charlie and it’s overwhelming yet comforting at the same time.
He turns over and props himself up on his elbow and pillow.
“Is this okay?” he asks as he gently puts an arm around my waist and pulls me closer.
“Yeah,” I say, feeling his warmth wrap around me. “This is good. Though you should know, I don’t typically sleep with someone on the first date.”
I can hear the smile in his voice as I settle against this chest.
“Must be a pretty special guy, then,” he says, nuzzling my shoulder.
I smirk, finally allowing myself to fully relax in his embrace, and we drift off to sleep.
I wake up a couple of hours later still wrapped up in Charlie’s arms. Sunlight is streaming in through the curtains and for a moment, I just stare at him.
Drink him in. Memorize every single line and crevice of his face.
I reach out, gently stroking my fingertips along his cheek and jawline, feeling the stubble that has appeared overnight.
Is this a taste of what I have deprived myself of for years? Of this very moment and so many others of domestic bliss?
The last touch is one too many; Charlie stirs and starts to turn over. Except he can’t, because I’m entangled in his arms.
He wakes up slowly and blinks a few times as I come into focus. He looks at me like he can’t believe this is real.
“Morning,” I whisper.
“Good morning.”
His right hand is resting on my hip. My shirt has ridden up during the night so he’s touching my bare skin. He starts rubbing small circles on the skin beneath his fingertips.
I offer a soft smile as I look at him.
“What?” I ask.
“Just making sure this is real,” he says.
“Making sure what is real?”
“You, here. In my bed.”
I lean forward a smidge and gently kiss his lips, letting him know that yes, this is very real.
“I didn’t keep you awake with my snoring?” I ask.
Charlie roars with laughter, reaching up to rub his eyes. “No,” he says as he returns his hand to my skin. “But as much as I would like to stay here and continue this,” he adds, squeezing my hip, “we need to go.”
“I know.” It comes out as a sigh. I don’t know when we’ll get a moment like this again, but Thea needs me. What’s a few more hours or days when Charlie and I have been pining for decades?
“I know,” he echoes quietly and I know we’re on the same page.
He looks at me like I’m the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen, and I suddenly don’t care about morning breath or sleep in my eyes.
There’s a different, tender kind of love behind his eyes, the kind that’s not reserved for your best friend.
“Hey,” he says softly. “I just…I know you’ve got a lot going on with Thea right now, but I just want you to know that I’m here for whatever. However you need me. Friend or…something more.”
I smile. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
We eventually untangle ourselves and get up to get on with the day.
He drops me off at Regiano’s to pick up my car from the night before and I run home to freshen up.
I change out of his pajamas and into some jeans and another T-shirt before brushing my teeth and combing my hair. I feel like a new human after I’m done.
What a difference a change of clothes and brushed teeth can make for a person.
I’m back at the hospital right around eight, just when visiting hours are set to begin. I’m directed upstairs to Thea’s new room and I ride the elevator up a few floors.
She’s more awake now but I can tell she’s still out of it. She keeps asking what happened. I’ve been informed that this is normal and she’ll continue to ask as her memory gets better.
After an hour or so, she’s finally discharged. A nurse comes in to unhook her from the monitors and IV. I help her as she slides back into her clothes from the night before.
“Are you okay?” I ask her when she’s dressed.
She nods. She takes a few cautious steps away from the bed and seems to relax a bit.
“Just take me home, Aunt Beth,” she says as we walk out of her room.
Now that, I can do.
We spend the rest of the day at the cottage. I let Thea rest and recoup for the majority of the time but I do try to pick her brain to see what she remembers of the night. To my dismay, it’s not much. She has a calm day and I check in on her every hour or so as she rests.
I’m just walking out of her bedroom when I hear a knock at the front door. Walking over to it, I glance through the peephole, not expecting any visitors.
It’s Charlie.
I open the door and smile as I see him. He’s holding a couple pizza boxes.
“Hey,” he says. “Wanted to bring you guys dinner.” He hands me the warm boxes, Italian spices filling my nostrils.
“Come in,” I say, stepping away from the doorway.
He shakes his head. “I don’t want to intrude. Besides, not sure if Thea is up for visitors.”
He’s right.
“Well, thank you,” I say. “I really appreciate it.”
“We pulled the security footage from Ramona’s,” he says. “I’m bringing the punk in for questioning myself. We’re gonna get him.”
“Thank you,” I repeat.
Charlie nods and then kisses me, quickly. “You’re welcome. I’ll check in with you later,” he says before turning around. I watch as he walks down the steps of the porch and back to his car, grateful for the man that’s been placed in my life.
I close the front door and head back to the kitchen, placing the pizza boxes on the counter. I grab two plates out of the cabinet and turn around as Thea appears in the doorway.
“Charlie?” she asks, nodding at the pizza.
“Yeah,” I say. “He figured we could use some dinner.”
“I am pretty hungry.”