Chapter 12

The small kitchen was filled with hissing sounds. Apparently Grandma Wallace had never heard the word "fuck" repeated so many times. Nor had she ever listened as a man talked about fucking her granddaughter either. Before Charlie could utter another apology, he felt a stinging sensation and suddenly his mouth was filled with soap bubbles.

"Gah," he choked, spitting out frothy foaming suds. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said.

"Young man," Grandma Wallace scolded, "talking to a lady like that is reprehensible. You should be ashamed."

Charlie dove over to the sink and started spitting out mountains of foam that was erupting out of his mouth. He turned on the tap and began drinking water from the spigot. Finally after a good two minutes, the last of the residual soap had been washed away from his mouth. He grabbed a drying towel and began sopping up the water and bubbles from his clothes.

Gretchen was laughing so hard that she couldn't help him sop up the water and soapy foam. She slipped on some of the bubbles and fell down causing Charlie to fall down on top of her. Both were trying to get up but kept slipping. Xan and Jack came running in from the basement and Xan skidded on the soapy water, causing her to ram into Charlie who was trying to stand up. In his eagerness to help Xan, Jack was pulled down on top of all of them.

The four of them were in tears laughing so hard. Xan's blouse had come undone and as Jack tried to close it for her, his hand landed on her exposed bra. Once he realized where his hand was, he turned deep red and quickly snatched it back. That made Gretchen and Charlie laughed even harder. It took them a long time before they settled down. Grandma Wallace kept scowling at them and the noise from the kitchen caused everyone in the house to rush in to see what the hell was going on.

Tilly ran in the kitchen and nearly passed out. Her girls were in various stages of undress with two sexy Quidditch players indecently on top of them, giggling like school girls. Jack, who was mostly on top of the heap scrambled up, pulling Xan up with him. Once Xan and Jack were on their feet, Charlie helped Gretchen up. The four of them stood around with everyone staring at them. Charlie found Grandma Wallace and offered his hand to her.

"Mrs. Wallace," he began, contritely, "I'm sincerely sorry for my extremely rude behavior and lack of respect. My mum would have done the very same thing to me, though she probably would have used hot peppers instead of soap. I assure you, madam, I have learnt my lesson." Charlie bowed slightly and released the woman's hand. "I would also assure you that my intentions with your granddaughter are entirely honorable."

The rest of the afternoon was boring by comparison; the highlight was when Dan discovered that Charlie had given the family the Quidditch game. Most of the men quickly made it downstairs and spent the rest of the afternoon playing.

When they were finally alone, it was time for Jack and Charlie to leave. Without asking, Gretchen brought him back into her bed room so they could say goodbye. The team was leaving the next day for two weeks on the road and they wouldn't see each other. Gretchen closed the door and kissed him. It wasn't a passionate kiss; it was sweet.

"I just wanted to tell you something before you go," she began shyly. "First of all, I'm sorry about the crowd today. I had no idea there would be so many people here. It was supposed to have been a lot more intimate than it turned out. And I'm sorry about running out of you like I did. If you really want to know the truth, I'm not very secure about our relationship. I still can't believe you're serious." She shrugged self-consciously. "I'm waiting for you to hurt me."

"Gretchen, I don't want to hurt you. I want to get to know you, and I want you to get to know me. I promise to take it slow, well as slow as you want me to go," Charlie said, caressing her face. "When I get back, I'd like to take you out in a more quiet setting; just the two of us. And I'll call you while I'm gone, if that's all right."

Gretchen nodded. "I'd like that."

"While I'm in Arizona I'm going to be visiting my daughter and her mother. I want you to know that because there might be pictures. Jessica won't be photographed, but I wanted to let you know in case you hear something about the visit." Charlie pushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. "I'll see you soon."

Charlie was waiting for Jack to finish his goodbyes to Xan. They acted like they had been together forever the way they carried on. It was embarrassing.

"Merlin, Xan," Charlie said, "he's going to Arizona; he's not going off to war . Come on, Jack. You've got a fucking curfew," he said and then looked around to see if Grandma Wallace was anywhere nearby. After a few more tearful kisses and pledges to call every day, Charlie and Jack finally disapparated to Georgetown and the team's training camp.

Coach Popov planned a training that evening to review the Phoenix game against Hawai'i the week before. Hawai'i hadn't last a game but taken completely by surprise by seeker Corey Moreno who successfully alluded the powerful 'Aumaku Magic beaters' Scott Ching and Philip Torres, attempts to keep the bludgers on him, to grab the Golden Snitch from the outstretched arms of all-star seeker, Garret Machado. Coach was worried they might be caught unprepared, so the team was required to study the whole match until they had the moves memorized. The meeting got out so late that Charlie decided to sleep in the dorm that night because the team was leaving early for Arizona.

Jack let him sleep in his room, but he kept him up most of the night talking about Xan and how cute she was, wondering if she really liked him. Finally around two in the morning, Charlie threatened him with a silencing jinx if he didn't shut the fuck up.

Jack got a hurt look on his face and rolled over toward the wall. Charlie heard him whispering; obviously he was talking to Xan. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed a blanket and pillow and went into the common room and stretched out on one of the sofas and fell fast asleep.

Charlie woke up to loud talk sore and cranky and he overslept. He wasn't able to do his morning flying ritual so he became ever crankier. He met Joanna in the dining room, who handed him a cup of coffee and kissed his cheek.

"Looks like you need a hug," she said. "What happened, big boy?"

Charlie shook his head. "I didn't get any sleep. Apparently Jack's in love. He spent the whole fucking night talking about his new girlfriend and then talking to his new girlfriend."

"Speaking of girlfriends, how did it go with Gretchen yesterday?" she asked.

"Well, let's just say I made an impression on her grandmother."

"Yikes. That doesn't sound good."

"Believe me, it wasn't," he chuckled. "But I think maybe Gretchen and I are going to be okay."

"I liked her. She looks like she's not going to take your shit."

Charlie shook his head. "It's going to be an uphill struggle. She's very insecure. I wish everyone thought I was so perfect," Charlie sighed.

"It'll get better, sweetie," Joanna said, taking his head in her arms in a hug. He rested his cheek against her breast and sighed. "Poor baby," she said.

He felt a hard thump on the back of his head. Turning around, Jordan was standing behind him. Charlie sat up and rubbed his head.

"Hey Jordan," Charlie said. "Sorry; Joanna was consoling me."

Jordan didn't laughed it off like Charlie expected. Charlie immediately got up and made room for Jordan. It looked like Jordan was in a cranky mood too, and Charlie wanted to make sure to give him plenty of space.

"Something wrong?" Charlie asked.

"Time of the month, I guess," Joanna snapped peevishly, looking at her husband and rolling her eyes.

"What happened?" Charlie asked. Joanna and Jordan were the perfect couple; he's never seen any couple so perfect for each other. They were devoted to each other.

"Apparently I've done something dreadful, but I don't know what it was because she won't tell me," Jordan said.

"You know exactly what you did, so don't play innocent with me, buster," Joanna said. "Asshole."

"Bitch," Jordan spat.

"You guys are kidding, right?" Charlie said.

"She won't listen to reason," Jordan said. "I told her nothing happened. It's a figment of her over active imagination."

"Your fucking hands were all over her," her voice raise to a high pitched screech. The people in the dining room knew better to stare at the ruckus. Everyone turned away pretending to be looking at something else.

"What did you do?" Charlie asked angrily.

"None of your fucking business. I didn't do anything; it's her over active imagination or guilty conscience," he emphasized.

"Don't you even try to divert this conversation, Jordan Lesley Kingsley. You were the one who screwed up, not me. Nobody told you to kiss that bitch back, and you sure as hell didn't have to grab her tits like that."

"I didn't do it. She kissed me and I was just trying to push her away, that was all. I pushed her away," he repeated demonstrating a pushing motion.

Jordan looked at Charlie, frustrated. "Honest to God, Charlie, you know I wouldn't do anything like that, but Joanna's so fucking hormonal. One minute she's all happy and the next she's crying her eyes out. It's driving me crazy!" he said. "The next minute she's mean as a snake."

"You don't know what you're talking about! Don't blame me!" Joanna jumped up, wand at the ready, but Charlie jumped between them.

"Don't," Charlie said, just as Joanna pointed her wand and red sparks flew out, setting Charlie's shirt on fire. She quickly doused the fire and began crying, falling into Charlie's arms.

"I'm sorry, Charlie. I meant to hit him," she said.

"I know, but you mustn't hex the keeper, we need him against Arizona."

"That's the only thing that's going to save your sorry ass, Lesley," she taunted.

The two of them continued to snipe at each other. Charlie raked his hands through he hair and sighed. It was going to be a long fucking week.