CHAPTER THREE

Charlie ran around the house, trying to tire his two young girls enough to get them to go straight to sleep when he put them to bed that night. He heard the phone ring downstairs and instructed his son to answer. He heard Junior answer the phone and talk for a few minutes. Lynn was finally calling. Junior yelled up the stairs for Charlie, Danielle, and Mollie to come down. Mollie reached up and Charlie carried her down the stairs, halfheartedly tickling her in an attempt to lighten his own mood. Charlie reached for the phone, but Junior held it back.

"She said she wanted to talk to Dani and Mollie first. She wants to talk to you alone."

Charlie nodded and let Junior hand the phone to Danielle. Danielle talked for a minute, then handed the phone to Mollie. Mollie talked a little longer, but Charlie waited patiently. He was still a little angry at Lynn for leaving the way she had, but he was mostly regretful that he had driven her to it. Charlie heard Mollie say "Good night, mommy, I love you," took the phone from her, and sent her upstairs to get ready for bed.

"Hi." Charlie answered.

"Hi." Lynn said, noting his lack of enthusiasm.

A moment of tense silence between them before saying at exactly the same time, "I'm sorry."

Both of them laughed and Lynn said, "You first."

Charlie sighed. "I shouldn't have fought with you over this. You deserve a little time to yourself."

"And I shouldn't have left like I did." Lynn said. She then asked what was really bothering her. "Do you think I've been cheating on you?"

Charlie was stunned. How had she guessed? He had always thought in the back of his mind that it was a possibility, but he hadn't wanted to believe it. But this year, with her insistence on leaving no matter what, and her refusal to tell him about her trips, he had feared that the possibility was a reality. And this morning, when he'd come home and found her suitcase and car gone.

"Charlie?"

"Yes." Charlie answered.

Lynn felt like she'd just been stabbed in the heart. "Why didn't you just ask?" she said, near tears.

"I figured you might deny it." Charlie answered honestly.

Lynn felt a tear slide down her cheek. She wiped it away and leaned against the the payphone booth for support. How could Charlie believe she'd ever hurt him like that? Then again, she hadn't exactly given him ample reason to doubt it.

"Charlie…." she started, collecting her breath and fighting back more tears. "Do you trust me?"

Charlie was shocked by the question, and the fact that she hadn't given him a flat out denial didn't escape his attention. "Yes." he answered, only half truthfully.

Lynn felt her heart break a little more. "Charlie?" she pressed.

"I don't know." he answered.

That answer broke Lynn. She sobbed silently for a few seconds, trying to hide the tears from Charlie. Charlie heard, but gave her time to collect herself.

"Charlie." Lynn said slowly, her heart aching so bad she felt it was literally breaking. "I don't know how I can convince you of this, but I've never cheated on you. Never have and never will. I'm not having an affair. But this is going to be my last solo trip."

Charlie was surprised to say the least. "Babe, you don't…"

"Please, just let me finish." Lynn begged, and Charlie fell silent. "This is going to be the last time, I swear. I need you to give me a few days to do something. Then when I get home I promise I'll tell you everything."

Charlie couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lynn loved her trips, always packing for them early and looking forward to them for weeks. Now, she sounded upset, defeated, like she was sacrificing this just for the sake of their relationship. The thought of that broke Charlie's heart and touched him at the same time.

"Only if you promise you won't resent me for this." Charlie agreed.

"Never." Lynn promised. "I love you, Bear."

Charlie smiled. He hadn't heard her use his nickname in a while. "I love you too, Babe."

"Good night." Lynn said.

"Good night." Charlie said as he hung up the phone.

"Daddy!" a very insistent Mollie shouted from the top of the stairs.

Charlie smiled. "Coming, honey."