It was 1:30 AM when Lizzy came home from work at the Water Well. Her long dark blond hair was falling from it's ponytail, the scrunchy fallen half way down her back dressed in blue jeans, t-shirt and thin black hoodie
sweatshirt. Rusty greeted her happily at the door. She carried a pile of bills in her hands she had collected down the road.
Charlie came out of Nick's now bedroom which was actually the downstairs guestroom, actually only guest room. "Hey how'd it go at work?" he asked her sweetly.
"Alright. How are things around here? Did Nicolas have a seizure? Where's Daniel? Did he go out?"
"No, he didn't have a seizure. Daniel is in his room with Robert and some other kid, a guy, I forget his name, Chris I think."
"Oh yeah, Chris. OK."
"Nick is asleep. I was just playing that XBOX game of his. He kind of got me addicted."
He put his arms around her gently. She hugged him back, but her hand was still containing the mail.
"I really need to go upstairs and pay these bills."
"You sure you don't want me to stay the night?" he whispered in her ear. She could smell alcohol on his breath. He must have brought a six pack, since she had not bought any in a while due to finances, although she had had a drink at the end of the night with her boss, Jack Daniel's neat, like she always had when she was out.
"Well only if you want to sleep on the living room sofa, Charlie. I need to email my folks."
"Get out! You kidding me, Lizzy? What brought on this change of heart?"
"Well, I've been thinking that this political disagreement and their disapproval of me has gone on long enough. I mean you know - with them being so
conventional and the way I live and all and Nick's Dad... " she trailed off whimsically, almost lost in some reverie. "I think with Daniel wanting to go to
Berkley in Boston, I have decided to make up with them. The boys should know their grandparents. It is not fair of me to keep them apart like this. I have decided to take the boys for Thanksgiving. I know it is a few months off, and I will probably have to take the Greyhound, with the truck needing work and all."
"I could drive you guys, Elizabeth." He called her Elizabeth when feeling extra fond of her.
"I don't know Charlie. My parents are a lot for me to deal with let alone..."
"Well maybe it would be easier with me there. Someone else to bounce off of."
"Oh Charlie. They are so straight. They would be giving you the third degree." She thought about Charlie's conservative views and thought that actually they might like him.
"OK. I'll tell them I am coming with a friend. Maybe I should say we are getting married. I need a ring, although they'll know a fake."
"Well, then why don't we get you a ring? A real one."
Lizzy smirked. She felt like she should love this man. He was always there when she needed him. He had a good heart. What was her problem?
She tapped him on the shoulder with her letters. "OK, I'll see you in the morning. You can sleep on the couch. No need going all the way home tonight. It's late. I'm going upstairs to write some checks and email my folks. I'll see you in the morning. Has Rusty been out?"
"Of course, Lizzy. I'm going to play a little more of that game and I'll make breakfast in the morning if you want."
"Not too early. It's Friday night and the kids and I will be sleeping in. I'll see if Chris and Robert are going home or crashing here. If they are drinking, which I know they shouldn't be, I'll make them stay."
"Goodnight, Gorgeous," Charlie called to her.
"Goodnight Not So Bad Yourself," she responded, still thinking of Charlie as a friend, not a lover, her best friend. 'Yes my best friend', she thought and this gave her a soft warmth inside as she went upstairs to retire.
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