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"Are you sure? I hate to leave you alone on your day off." Elsie checked her makeup and hair in the hall mirror and spoke to Charles who sat watching a cricket game on the telly.
"For the twelfth time, yes Elsie. Beryl needs your expert eye and I can function on my own for a few hours."
It had been two months since Elsie's head to head with Beryl and she was feeling much more confident since then; confident in her decision and her happiness.
On this Saturday, Beryl requested Elsie's time to help her pick out some new furnishings for her sunroom. Elsie was happy to help, but she had been looking forward to spending her day with Charles. He was working longer days, giving them less time together.
She bit her lip. "I'm sure you can function on your own. I'll just miss you."
He turned over his shoulder to look at her. "And I'll miss you. But we will have all evening to catch up for this lost time."
She gave him a look that told him exactly what she planned to do during that time.
"Elsie Hughes! How vulgar!" He scolded.
She gave him a sly grin. "You have no idea what I am thinking!"
"Oh, but I do!" He turned back to the telly with a shake of his head.
She slunk silently behind him and knelt by the sofa. Her fingertips brushed his shoulders and snaked slowly down his front. "Trust me Charlie, even you have absolutely no idea what I was thinking."
By the time he recovered enough to turn around, the front door shut and she was on her way to pick up Beryl.
He chuckled, thinking of how fortunate he was to finally know, almost, everything about her. The first time he met her, he knew he met his other half. It just took them years to fully see that. She was so very precious to him and he wanted to do everything in his power to make her happy.
That was exactly what he planned to do. Not long after her car drove off down the street, Charles set to work. First step, brownies. He found Elsie's recipe in her cook book a while back and he knew how much she loved them. He whipped up a batch and popped them in the oven, but not before humming his appreciation of the delicious batter. He fired up the stove and searched the refrigerator for the vegetables and chicken he hid last night. He marinated and chopped for the next hour before all the ingredients were ready. With the brownies cooling and the rest of the meal sautéing, Charles set out a new table cloth and their yellow dish set. He found a few candles to light and he pulled out the bouquet of roses he hid under the sink the night before.
The setting was complete and the kitchen smelled wonderful. He turned the heat down and showered quickly before donning his dress pants and a collared shirt. He left the top two buttons undone, as that was how Elsie preferred it.
Knowing Elsie would be back soon, he covered their meal to keep it warm and lit the candles. There was still some daylight left, but it would be dark before long and the candles would provide sufficient light. He chose a bottle of wine and poured two glasses.
With everything ready, he sat on the sofa and waited.
It was long dark before Elsie unlocked the front door to a dark house. For a moment, she wondered if Charles had gone out. Then she saw dim light coming from the kitchen. The candles were much shorter then when they were first lit. She sighed and bit her lip as she took in the atmosphere he created. It smelled heavenly. She turned the stove off and was impressed at the chicken stir fry simmering before her. The only thing missing from such a lavish evening was her partner.
"Charles?" she called.
Her answer was a heavy breath that resembled someone in deep sleep. With little search, she found him slouched against the couch, eyes firmly shut.
She shook her head at this wonderful man of hers. With a smooth dip, she covered his lips with her own and brushed her fingers through his hair. She didn't move her lips from his until she felt him respond. She watched him move under her.
His eyes were still closed as he became conscious. "Is this the girl I have been waiting hours for?"
"I sure hope it is!" she exclaimed giving him a small peck on the lips.
"Hum um. It can't be. My Elsie gives far better kisses than that."
She sighed, but happily complied, allowing his tongue to slip into her mouth. Before she knew it, he pulled her on top of him and his hands roamed from her back to her bottom.
He broke the kiss and finally opened his eyes. "Ah! Well it is my Elsie!"
She shook her head. "If I wasn't so happy you cooked for me, I would let you have it for that remark." She dug her pointer finger into his shoulder.
"No you wouldn't." He sat up so she was still sitting in his lap. "You love me too much." He gave her a wet kiss on her cheek.
"I suppose you're right, but if I take the time to show you just how much I love you, your wonderful dinner will be very cold."
She held his hand as he stood and got his sleepy legs working again. He pulled her chair out for her and went to the stove to dish up the meal. When both had a hot meal in front of them, they began eating, drinking, and talking.
"Beryl was absolutely right when she said she needed my help. Do you know, she wanted to purchase orange throw pillows! Thank heavens I talked her out of that!"
"The disgrace she would have faced without your aid!" Charles shook his head in mock disbelief.
"Very funny. But we did find some pillows that were a beautiful shade of light blue with yellow embroidery. As well as a matching blanket to lay over a chair."
"Sounds nice. I'll have to compliment her taste next time we're over."
"That reminds me." She took a sip of wine before continuing. "She asked us over next Saturday for cards, but I suggested hosting it here instead. We always seem to be imposing on the Masons, and it may be nice to have them here."
Charles also took a sip of wine and thought about her proposal. "It sounds like a fine idea to me. It's not like we can have any other company over at this point."
"We can surly pull together some drinks and starters. Now that I know how well you can cook, I will be expecting to see more of you in the kitchen working along side me."
"My darling, if you want to get anything accomplished in the kitchen, I suggest you keep me far away from you."
She chuckled. "Perhaps you're right." She took another bite and savored the taste. "How did you learn to cook so well?"
"I would like to say I'm a natural, but it took years of trial and error. Mostly error." He told her about the time the smoke detector went off. "I was up on a chair trying to turn it off when Alice and the boys came home. Jimmy still talks about that day."
Elsie laughed at the picture in her head. "I can believe it!"
"Alice was never much of a cook, you know."
"I do know," Elsie replied. "I lived with her for two years. She lived off of nutrition bars and celery."
Charles chuckled. "Well her talents have expanded to chicken nuggets and mac and cheese for the boys."
Elsie took a sip of wine before asking her next question. "And for you?"
Charles cleared his throat. "I got used to picking up something on my way home."
"Hum." They were silent for a moment, the only sound was their forks scraping against the bottom of their plates.
"Brownie time?" she inquired, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
Charles stood before she even had the chance. "Allow me to serve you, my darling." He cut two generous brownies and set one on her plate. "I hope I did justice to your recipe."
She showed her approval through a low moan, and quickly took a second bite.
Charles cell phone rang, interrupting the silence. He rushed over to the side table in the living room to pick it up. "Hello… Hello Alice. How are you?… and the boys?… They should be tired. We had quite an exciting time last…" There was a long pause on his end as Charles closed his eyes and rubbed his temple with his free hand. "Alice, it is the only evening I have with them. Why shouldn't I let them choose what we do?"
Elsie felt like an intruder, listening in on their conversation, not that this was the first one she was privy to. The raised voices over the telephone had increased since Charles took his boys out every Friday night. Alice always found something about their evening plans to disagree with. The boys seemed to be having a wonderful time with their father. Elsie accounted Alice's objections to jealousy. Alice was having a difficult time accepting the fact that Charles was asserting his right to have an influence in his children's life.
After a few more choice words and Charles standing his ground, he rejoined Elsie at the table.
"At least you and Alice are still speaking to each other." Elsie began the conversation. "I haven't heard from Joe since our last meeting."
"At this moment," Charles sighed, deciding he wasn't hungry anymore. "I would take the silent Mr. Burns over the ever criticizing Mrs. Neil."
Elsie took his lead and left a half eaten brownie on her plate. "I forgot she didn't take your last name."
"Yes, she preferred to keep Neil as her stage name, if she had decided to pursue her dance career that is." Charles stood and gathered their dishes, bringing them to the sink.
"Let them there Charles. I'll get them in the morning." Elsie carried over their empty wine glasses and set them in the sink beside the plates.
"I will let them here for now, but I will be the one to clean them off tomorrow. This was my treat for you and I will gladly do the washing up." He reached around her shoulders and brought his lips to her temple.
Elsie lingered in the kitchen for a moment before moving back to the table. She picked up the two candles that still lit their little sanctuary. She walked them into the sitting room and placed a candle on either side of the sofa.
Charles followed her lead as she gestured for him to sit on the sofa. As soon as he hit the cushion, he reached for her hips and pulled her closer to him. She sunk beside him sideways with her legs curled on his lap. His arm draped over her shoulders and she brought her head to the side of his chest.
"How was your evening with the boys?"
"I cannot believe how mature they have become." He rested his head on top of hers and gazed into the future. "Before I know it, I will be sending them off to university and then sitting at their graduation."
"How about you focus on grammar school first, my dear. You still have a few years to accept the fact that your sons are not little anymore."
Charles huffed. "I think I will always see them as the young lads they were."
"Give yourself time. You'll navigate the change."
Charles nodded in recognition. "And you, my darling." He turned slightly towards her. "Will you still be by my side? Holding my hand while I navigate these changes?"
This took her by surprise. She pulled herself up from his chest and caught his eyes with her own. She saw his worry in the creases of his brow and turn of his lip. But his eyes begged for a promising answer.
Was this what she wanted? A future tied to someone again? But it would be different with Charles, of that she was sure.
Charles continued as Elsie sat, still caught off guard. "You don't have to say anything now. I just need you to know," He brushed her cheek ever so lightly with the back of his fingers. "My future seems meaningless without you beside me."
She nuzzled her cheek against his hand and pulled herself back into his embrace.
"I wonder what I will wear?" Elsie asked after a time.
Charles was finally able to suck air back into his lungs and let it out with a chuckle. "Whatever you wear, love, you will look incredible." He paused before another thought came to mind. "As long as it matches the ring that is sure to be on your finger."
Elsie skipped a breath as she hid her face further in his hold. "Oh Charlie…"
He needed to see her, to read her, to make her understand that she was his everything. She was always meant to be his. He lifted her chin with his fingers and cupped both her warm cheeks in his immense palms. "I cannot wait for all these messy divorces to be over and finalized." He paused. "Because there's a name that fate has saved especially for you, my future Mrs. Carson." He lifted her face higher so he could express how much he wanted that statement to be true.
And she was helpless. When he released her lips she found her answer. "I think Mrs. Carson is a lovely name. Possibly the most wonderful name a woman could have."
He grinned and drew her back into his embrace. "It's yours for the taking."