We'll Always Have Holby : pt 2
"Better?" he asked as she tucked her feet under his legs and settled back against the arm of the sofa so she was facing him.
"Much," she replied, moving the rim of her wine glass to her lips but not taking a drink. "Tonight has been exactly what I needed."
"Glad to be of service," he smiled.
"Charlie..." she chided gently.
"What? I meant it. You've been so wound up recently..."
"With good reason," she pointed out.
"Maybe we should have done this weeks ago."
"Maybe we should have done this a lot sooner than that."
She caught his eye and smiled. How had she missed that for so long? It was obvious now, the way that he looked at her. Maybe if they'd just gotten their act together sooner...
"I'm sorry," she blurted out.
That took him by surprise. "For what?"
"Everything."
"You've lost me."
"Exactly." She lowered her glass and held it in her clasped hands on her lap. "You have stood by me through... everything. And now I'm sitting here, with you, like it's all going to be perfectly normal from here on in and..."
"And you're leaving," he finished sadly. Up until that point they'd both skirted around the issue, neither one of them mentioning anything to do with her announcement and plans.
"I feel like a tease."
"You are anything but," he laughed.
"I'm not leaving because of you, you know that?"
"I had worked that out."
"I mean it, Charlie. You and Louis... This is exactly how I could picture my life being. Asked me yesterday then this... this would be about as close to the perfect life as I reckon is possible. A job I loved, a man... A man I adore," she smiled. Then it faded. "If things were different..."
He reached over and put a hand over hers. "I know. Louis agreed to go out tonight on one condition."
"Which was?"
"That I talk you into staying. He'll miss you."
"I'll miss him."
"Not the only thing you'll miss I hope?"
"No, I'll miss Tess, Kelsey, Abs. I'll even miss the ED."
"Very funny."
"You know I'll miss you."
"It won't be the same without you."
"You'll cope."
"Not so sure about that," he admitted.
"You'll be fine. And it's not as if I'm dropping out of your life completely. They do have phones in Serbia, and there's email, letters..."
"Not the same as seeing you at work every day."
"They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder."
"They also say out of sight," he countered.
"That's not going to happen," she replied, giving his hand a squeeze. "I promise you."
"Just so you know, I'm secretly hoping that you'll get to Serbia, find Natasa's family, and decide you want to come home."
"Maybe I will. But you know I can't promise you anything."
He hand drifted down her leg, resting on her calf.
"Charlie..."
"I know, I know."
She knew that he did. She knew that he understood better than the teenage love promises. She could promise him that she would come back, she could promise that they would live happily ever after, that she would always love him. But things like that rarely happened. Whatever happened was going to happen and they would just have to accept it.
They had both been there, with people who they thought they would love for the rest of their lives, who they would spend forever with. She'd been lied to and hurt by hers, he'd been left behind by his. They saw it everyday - all the love in the world sometimes isn't enough. So you cherished the moment, the here and now. Because it might end up being all you have.
~~
Louis hesitated outside the front door, key in hand. The lights were still on, Maggie's car still parked on the street. What was he about to walk in on? He glanced at his watch; not quite midnight. They were expecting him so he should be safe. He still didn't want to find out though. He unlocked the door and stepped inside. So far so good. He pushed the door shut, loudly, and made as much noise as he could as he walked down the hallway. As he emerged in the living room he noticed his father and Maggie regarding him with some amusement.
"Quite a bit of noise there, Louis," Maggie said sweetly.
"Indeed. Why on earth would he feel the need to make such a racket?" Charlie asked.
"Makes you wonder what he felt he might be interrupting."
"You two are gross," Louis announced. "And far, far too old for that kind of behaviour."
"That's enough out of you," Charlie reprimanded playfully.
"He's just jealous," Maggie said.
"Jealous?" Louis laughed.
"Yes, jealous," Maggie repeated. "His father's love life is better than his."
"Shows what you know," Louis said, then stopped. He suddenly had their undivided attention.
"Sit," Charlie commanded.
"I don't want to interrupt your night," he countered. "After everything you two deserve some time together. Now, I'm back by midnight, as promised, so I shall leave you to it and you can give me the third degree in the morning. Night, Maggie."
"Night, love," she said. As they heard his footsteps stamp their way up to his bedroom she turned back to Charlie. "Don't look at me like that!"
"He's seeing someone?"
"Looks that way."
"I should..." he began, making as if to get up and follow his son.
"You will do no such thing," Maggie laughed. "Charlie, he's fifteen years old, it's pretty normal."
"Yes, we both know how 'normal' things can be."
"If you go in there, guns blazing..."
"I would be a bit more subtle..."
She smiled. "You need to show a bit of trust in him. He's a good kid, Charlie, he knows how to behave."
"Past experience would suggest otherwise."
"Recent past experience wouldn't. He's making an effort, Charlie, you should respect that."
"And just wait for it all to blow up?"
"Maybe it won't. But if it did," she continued off his look, "then you deal with that. And anyway, having a grandchild is pretty amazing."
"I think I can wait for that experience," he laughed.
Maggie smiled at him, and then started to fight a yawn.
"It's late," he said suddenly.
"Yeah."
"I'll... um, I'll call you a cab. Can't have you driving home after all that wine."
Before she could say anything he'd already gotten up and was heading for the phone. The only other thing that registered in with the shock was how cold her feet felt now that he wasn't there.
tbc...