Think Green
By Mary
Disclaimer: I do not own Ugly Betty or any of its' characters. I will just be borrowing them for a short time.
Timeline: Set during and after "Icing on the Cake".
A/N: This is a multi POV about the feelings between Betty, Henry and Charlie during the episode and after. Just a short little one shot.
Henry
Just when I thought this birthday party couldn't get any worse. Charlie had been right, my Accounting friends weren't the hottest ticket on the party circuit, but I thought the party would liven up for me at least when Betty showed up.
Boy, was I wrong!!
Betty had brought a DATE to the party. Not just any date, her orthodontist "Gabe". He brought Charlie a tongue scraper for her birthday, then made some veiled comment about "forgetting the tongue". Seeing him smiling fondly at Betty I can't help but wish I were in his place. It should be me standing next to her, smiling and laughing with her instead of wishing this sour knot in my stomach would disappear. I hear her asking about Charlie's cake and how the chocolate raspberry is her favorite too. The four of us are laughing awkwardly as "Gabe" asks Betty what she wants to drink. Something fizzy, she replies. As soon as I think he's out of earshot I have to ask:
"So you didn't say you were bringing someone." I say.
I notice Betty avoids my eyes, almost looking guilty as she directs to Charlie, not me;
"Oh. I thought that would be OK?"
Charlie goes on about how cute he is and that he's a dentist. Betty quickly corrects that he's an orthodontist. Charlie's wound up tighter than an eight day clock about "Gabe". She's telling Betty that they're so perfect together, that the chemistry is evident, all the while shooting looks at me. I'm so engrossed watching Betty's date I almost don't catch what Charlie's saying to me. Something about being obvious.
"Right Henry?" Charlie says.
"Uh...I don't know. I just met the guy." I say quickly. Charlie's STILL going on about the vibes and how she can definitely tell about this one!!! I look at Betty, smiling...at Charlie or about "Gabe" as Charlie tells Betty she should give her their star signs and she'll do their charts. Betty laughs nervously as I muster up a convincing smile.
God, could this birthday party get any worse????
Charlie
Boy, was I grateful when I saw Betty walking into the party tonight. Henry's friends are a little too stuffy for my taste. But nothing could have prepared me for seeing Betty with this really cute guy. His name is Gabe and he's her orthodontist. He didn't really look like her type, but he seemed happy to be here with her. I mentioned to Betty how cute he was when he'd gone to get her a drink.
Although Betty seemed relaxed around Gabe, she was noticeably nervous around Henry. I knew that they were friends, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something had been about to happen between them before Henry had come home for Christmas. I could see they way he was looking at her and she at him as I told her that they had great chemistry. Henry seemed distracted and agitated as I told Betty I definitely felt a vibe between her and Gabe.
I got Henry to dance with me when one of my favorite songs came on. As I laid my head against his shoulder, I felt like he was a million miles away from me. I could feel his hand in mine and his arm around me, but something told me I wasn't the center of his attention on my birthday.
The brunette on the other side of the room was.
Betty
God, how I wished I'd never come to this party. Thank goodness Dr. Farkas...Gabe came along with me. Watching Henry and Charlie dancing together with her head on his shoulder makes me want to cry. I watch the two of them dancing together as Gabe and I slowly dance. Gabe is such a terrific guy and I wish there was the chemistry and the vibes that Charlie says she sees with us. But I know there's not. Not with Gabe, anyway. Gabe pulls away from me and looks at me puzzled.
"I don't know what I've done, but you're vibrating." Gabe says. I shrug and pull out my phone. Thank God, I think I'm saved. Claire Meade is calling and needs me to bring her a credit card. I almost sigh with relief as this means I'll have to leave the party. Any more polite chit chat about "their" new purple couch and "their" apartment they have to redecorate and I'll be face first in the Magnolia cake. Gabe actually makes me laugh when I ask him if he wants to go to the Grand Regent with me. As we quickly make our exit, I try not to look at Henry and Charlie snuggled close together still dancing, but out of the corner of my eye I catch Henry watching me leave. The look on his face as we exit the party makes me stop in my tracks later as I'm walking in my front door.
Henry looked...
Was Henry JEALOUS??????
THE END