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That evening when Mason, Husky and David got off work they went to a local bar to unwind from the day. They were meeting up with a couple of friends to have some drinks and then head home for the night. It was a weekly ritual for them. One night a week they would go out and have a few drinks after work. They called it guys night because most of them except for Mason and Husky were either married, engaged or in a relationship. They were sitting at the table drinking a few beers talking about their day. Tyson; Mason's best friend from college, just announced that his wife was having a baby. "Congrats," said Mason. "That's awesome. I can't wait till I have kids."
"You need to find a girl and get married first," said Tyson. "Thanks though. Nat was freaking out because we had a 5 year plan. We were going to be married 5 years and then have a baby. It didn't work out that way."
"Jenn and me had a plan too," said David, "but we all see how that worked out."
"You weren't even married yet," said Mason in his Welsh accent. "I have a plan. I just need a woman to tell it to."
"What's your plan?" asked Tyson.
"Date for about a year, get engaged for a year, get married and then have kids about a year to a year and a half in the marriage," he said as he took a swig of beer, "but I just can't find a woman. I don't get it. There are tons of women in this town but none of them are really interesting or have potential of being Mason Ryan's wife. They are either out there for the money or just want to have sex. Is it too much to ask for a relationship where it's not all about sex?"
"Really, Mason?" asked his friend Mike. "There has to be that one woman out there. Not all women are like that. I found one."
"Yeah and Tyson and David found the other two. I don't know. I can't find any."
"What about that chick from the shop today?" asked Husky. "She was so hot."
"Wait," said Tyson, "what woman?"
"Just some woman whose engine overheated and needed an oil change," he said.
"Married? Single? Divorced? What?" asked Mike.
"She was single," said Mason. "Very beautiful."
"And bang worthy," said Husky.
"And that type of talk might be why you're single," said Mike. "Bang worthy… who talks like that?"
"Husky," said Mason with a laugh. "He has a whole scale system on women."
"Damn right," said Husky. "8's, 9's and 10's are bang worthy, 7's, 6's and 5's are okay and a last resort, 4's and 3's are drunken sex and 2's and 1's don't get even get a second look. It's simple mathematics. As a man you want a woman that is beautiful so that when it comes time to get married and have kids they produce beautiful babies. Just imagine what two 10's can create," he said.
"Husky, you're not a 10," said Tyson. "More like a 5 but not a 10 don't be delusional."
"I am definitely a 10 and that woman from the shop today was at least a 10."
"Whatever," said Tyson, "so Mason, what did you think about her? Did you get a number? A name? A date?"
"Charlotte but she goes by Charlie, I didn't get her number but I gave her mine but no date," he said.
"Why not ask her on date?" asked Tyson, "did you think there was potential?"
"She is not like other women I can tell you that. I did ask her out for coffee but she refused. I don't know. She just seemed like she wasn't interested. That's a first. I'm not used to that but she does have potential. She doesn't seem like she's out to have sex or get money. I wouldn't mind going out on a date with her but I don't think I will ever see her again."
"You'll see her again. This is a small town and you're the best mechanic in town," said Husky, "you'll see her again. And you never know she might call you."
"I doubt that. She just seemed like she wasn't interested in me. I was interested in her but she just seemed to shut me out. I'm not worried about it. It would be nice for her to call me and go out with me but it's not a big deal if she doesn't. There are other women."
"You're too picky," said Tyson, "so just because there are other women out there doesn't mean you'll be attracted to them. What if Charlie was the one?"
"Well, if she is the one then fate will find a way to bring her back to me but I really doubt that she is."
"You should be a little more positive about it," said Tyson.
"I am.. I'm laying this in the hands of fate," said Mason, "if she is the one and we were meant to be together we will cross paths again."
"All right," said Tyson. "If that's what you want to think."
"It's what I know," said Mason with a smile before taking a swig of his beer.
While Mason and his friends were out having a few drinks, Charlie and her best friend Olivia were sitting at Laney's and Olivia's daughter Ellie's t-ball practice talking. "So what was up with your car?" asked Olivia.
"The engine overheated. I needed an oil change. I guess I've been so busy lately that I didn't have time to go get one. I guess that's a lesson learned."
"At least that's all it was," said Olivia. "It could have been worse."
"I guess," said Charlie.
"So that guy that helped you with your car at the school was he cute?"
"I don't' know, Liv, I am not looking for male companionship so I don't' look at men." That was a lie because Charlie looked at Mason and liked what she saw she just didn't want to pursue anything.
"Come on, Charlie, are you ever going to go out on a date? I have lots of single friends. Single hot friends," said Olivia. She was a single mother too but unlike Charlie she didn't believe in shutting people out and not falling in love again. Olivia went out on dates and had been in 2 serious relationships since Ellie's father left her about 5 years ago. When Olivia and the men broke up Ellie was devastated and Charlie didn't' want the same thing to happen with Laney.
"Liv, I'm not interested in dating anyone. You know this. My life is perfect the way it is."
"But you're not happy, Charlie. I think it's time you went out on a date and started a relationship."
"I don't' want a relationship with anyone. I don't have time for that. I have a 6 year old to feed. I have work. I have to take Laney to t-ball practice, ballet and girl scouts. I don't have time to fall in love again. My life is great the way it is and I don't want to change anything."
"Charlie, I think you need to get out of the house and find a guy to date. I know Dan did you wrong but you can't keep holding on to that. It's not fair to you. You're making yourself miserable while he's probably out there living the life," said Olivia.
Those words didn't make Charlie feel any better. They made her feel worse. If Dan was out there living his life and being happy with someone else it just showed her how much she didn't mean to him. She liked thinking that Dan was miserable and wanted nothing more than to come back to her. If he was living his life with someone else she knew that would never happen. She wasn't sure if her unwillingness to date was because she held out hope that Dan would come back or the fact she was scared. "Olivia, you don't know that. Dan might come back someday."
"Charlie, it's been 6 years. He's not coming back so you need to go out and move on with your life. Don't hold onto false hope," she said. "Don't you think you should be happy?"
"Yeah," said Charlie, "but I am happy. I have Laney and that's all I need."
"You need more than that," she said. "You need a man that loves you and one that you love. I know you want to get married someday and have more kids."
"No, Olivia, I don't. I have no intention of dating or falling in love again," she said. "So can we drop this? I don't' want to talk about it anymore."
"Fine," she said, "we will drop it but let me just say this; fate doesn't stop for anyone so if that one guy is out there fate will bring you two together and there is nothing you can do to stop it, So while you're saying you have no intention of falling in love again fate has other plans. You will see," said Olivia. "That one guy is out there and fate is going to bring you two together."
Charlie rolled her eyes and said, "enough. I don't believe in fate and I don't believe in falling in love. So drop it, Liv."
"I'm just saying," said Olivia.
"I know and I want you to drop it."
"Fine. I will," she said, "but know I only say it because I care. I want you to be happy and I think you deserve to have a guy that loves you and will treat you right. I don't think it's right you shut out love because of one guy. There are plenty of guys out there you just need to find the right one."
"Olivia," said Charlie annoyed.
"All right. I'll stop. I promise."
"Thank-you," she said as she went on to watch Laney practice t-ball.
Later that night after Charlie gave Laney a bath she put her to bed and read her a book before she went to sleep. After she finished the book she gave Laney a kiss on the cheek and laid the book down on the nightstand. "Goodnight, Laney, I love you." She leaned down and hugged her.
As she came up from the hug Laney said, "Goodnight, Mama. I love you. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow," said Charlie as she walked toward the door.
"Mama?" asked Laney stopping her.
"Yes?"
"Why don't I have a daddy?" she asked. "All my other friends have a daddy."
"Ellie doesn't," said Charlie.
"I know but she said her daddy and her mommy broke up. Why don't I have a daddy?" she asked again.
Charlie knew by the tone in Laney's voice that she was not going to give it up until she was given an answer. She contemplated telling her that he was dead but she still had hope that he would come back to be a family again and if not to at least come back and see Laney. Dan would love Laney if he saw her now. Laney was Dan's mini me. She had his blonde hair, his mouth, his nose and the only thing she had of Charlie's was her eyes but other than that she was her father. Charlie hated to admit it but sometimes it was hard to look at Laney because she looked so much like her father but she loved her no matter what. Laney even acted like her father. She was sweet but strong willed just like him. She had his determination but her intelligence came from her mother. She was a wonderful kid and Dan was missing out. Charlie walked back over and sat down on the edge of Laney's bed. "You do have a daddy he's just not here," she said. It broke her heart saying that but it was the truth.
"Where is he?" asked Laney.
"I don't know," said Charlie. "I wish I knew but I have no idea."
"So I don't have a daddy?" she asked sadly.
"Not at the moment," said Charlie.
"When can I get a daddy?"
"Laney, I don't know. You don't even need a daddy. You have me, you have a mammaw, a grandpa and an Aunt Livvy. And there is no one like your Aunt Livvy. We all love you and care about you so much that you don't need a daddy."
"But I want a daddy," she said.
Charlie took a deep breath and said, "I know but right now you don't have one."
"Will I ever get one?" she asked.
"Someday," said Charlie. She felt bad lying to her but she knew Laney would never go to sleep unless she got an answer; an answer that she was satisfied with.
"So you're going to get me a daddy?" she asked with a smile.
"I'll work on it," said Charlie. "I'll work on it."
"Okay, Mama. Thank-you. I love you."
"I love you too," said Charlie. "Now go to sleep."
"Okay, Mama," she said closing her eyes. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," said Charlie as she walked toward the door. She looked back at Laney before turning out and took a deep breath. She had no idea what she was going to do but she knew that the chances of her finding Laney a daddy were slim to none. She had a lot of thinking to do and she had to come up with something to take Laney's mind off of having a daddy or not having a daddy.
*A/N: What did you think? Please Review and thank-you for reading.
