Sallie, Charlie, Rue and Peeta.

[realmrsreynolds]

Sallie never changed how much she normally cooks for dinner, when planning out the menu for her three guests for the evening. She always over-prepares to begin with, and now with two extra places at table, it might all get eaten this time

Comments

[52_dropoff]

Charlie listened a lot this night. He listened mainly because he was not sure what to say. Or maybe because he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

These kids - two instead of one, and both older than he expected Rue to be -were unsure of him, of Sallie, of the meal. There was a hint of sadness about Rue, a hint of uncertainty about Peeta. The sorts of things Charlie always noticed. The sorts of things he usually would ask about. But he wasn’t good asking simple questions of teens.

Oh, he liked kids. The younger, the better, since the little ones shared his curiosity about the world and tended not to lie. But teens, especially ones Peeta’s age, feigned not being interesting in very much at all, and couldn’t be counted on to be honest about anything. And hated it when adults asked them anything. At least if they were like he was at that age. And even though he knew he wasn’t exactly the typical teenager, he believed that any questions you ask anyone between the ages of 11 and 21 will lead only to more questions.

In other words, asking anything tonight would probably lead off on unwanted tangents. Or interrogations. And Sallie would not be happy with that. And maybe the other guests wouldn’t like that, either. So there were very few questions. There was very little comment in general. Which led to listening.

And to making a list of questions in his mind for asking another time. The more he heard about wherever Rue and Peeta were from, the more curious he grew. Where they from another world? Another time? An alternate reality? The sadness about Rue, the suggestion not to mention violence at all, and a few oblique references made Charlie wonder if she was an orphan of war. Or even dead. He would try to find these two another time, and learn more. Carefully.

But not today. Today was for feasting - the meal was not large but it was more of a feast that he usually allowed himself. Today was for good cheer, which both Sallie and Peeta had in good supply. Tonight was for music, charming sonatas followed by the unlikely sound of a banjo. Tonight was even for smiling. Smiling at Rue and Peeta enjoying themselves. Smiling at Sallie as they ate, as they cleared the table. Smiling at Sallie as she smiled at her little party with an air of contentment.

He had hoped to show her the films he’d brought - a personal favorite in The Searchers and one he chose because he wanted to gauge Sallie’s reaction to what he thought was a bad ending in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - but was not too surprised that Sallie was too tired. But the promise of a return visit the next night was enough. He was sure to leave the DVDs - Blu-Ray technology had beaten out HD-DVD since his death, apparently - and to whisper a “see you tomorrow” to Sallie. Before giving her a hug. And a gentle kiss to her cheek. “Merry Christmas, Sallie.”