Monday, February 23, 2009

all and then some

Charlotte was reluctant to go to Emily's house. But she did need a haircut and it would be free.

"It won't bother you, will it?" Charlotte had asked Rosco, but not for his permission. She needed a few freebies. Besides, she'd decided it was time to give Rosco's Mom some cash for living there.
"I don't guess." Rosco shrugged. He had bigger things to worry about, like the hard drive on the dining room table he was trying to fix for somebody where he worked. Also he could get some credit for the class he was taking. She looked at all the little parts of it scattered on the table.

"Not at all?" She winced.

"As long as you don't talk about me, or you don't let me know." He was staring into the mass of opportunity before him.

"There's a difference? What do you think she'd say about you?" Charlotte smiled biting her bottom lip as if maybe she'd torture him just a little.

"I don't care." Rosco looked up at her. "All right."

"I bet." She swayed just a little as if she might skip and dance all the way to Emily's. "I'm glad you can still be friends with her. You're a lot like Gordy, in that way."

"Thanks, I guess. We'd always been friends though," He shrugged taking another tool out of his doctor's bag.

"And then the sex stuff happened." Charlotte said ever so casually.

But Rosco didn't flinch. Didn't even act as if he'd heard.

Charlotte watched him a bit longer. Finally she reached in her back pocket and pulled out a gift card from the grocery store where Rosco worked. She had loaded up with a few hundred dollars. It had taken weeks to do, but she guessed there would be enough to help pay back some she owed the family.

"Can you make sure your mom gets this," She put it on the table.

"What's that for?"

"Food." She then pulled out another two hundred dollar bills. "And this is for her to do something nice for herself. I know its just a drop in the bucket, but I hope she knows I mean well."

"Why can't you tell her?" Rosco looked up from his major surgery.

"I dunno." Charlotte frowned. "Its not that easy, all right. Would you just do it for me?" She fought back a few tears then. "I haven't had a talk with my mother in ages, and I can't make myself do it with yours. Sorry. They say how can you miss something you never have, well you miss it. You really do." Tears streamed down her face then. She didn't fight them. It was time to go.

6 comments:

diane said...

Charlotte needs more than a freebie. I really hope Gordy jumped up and gave her a hug.

I love our little comment exchanges. xo

Anonymous said...

Aww, Charlotte! This broke my heart... she's too sweet trying to make everything right.
I love how you write, Cait, so emotional... I could never say this enough times.

"I'm glad you can still be friends with her. You're a lot like Gordy, in that way."
- that made me smirk ^^

ellie said...

Charlotte is really sweet. I feel sad for her.

cady said...

Aw, Charlotte. She's trying so hard.

Anonymous said...

I like Charlotte so much. She has some good lines, too.

Anonymous said...

I so liked this part.