Chapter 14

One night last year entered his mind...

"I've asked Ryan for a divorce."

Those words echoed around in his mind, as he drove to her flat later that night after their shift.

When he pulled up outside her flat, and parked the car, he picked up the flowers and wine he'd bought her, that lay on the passenger seat. He then shook his head at himself, as he said.

I can't believe it. She's going to divorce him. For me.

He smiled to himself, and opened the door to the car.

A few minutes later he was standing outside her front door, nervously.

"Charlie, right on time. Oh, flowers. You shouldn't have." Duffy said, as she took them from him, and took in a deep breath of their scent.

"Beautiful flowers, for a beautiful lady." Charlie said, as he blushed slightly, as he looked her up and down.

"Oh, Charlie." Duffy said, as she blushed, then stood aside to let him into the flat.

Charlie smiled to himself, as he gave her a kiss on the cheek, and walked into the flat.

"Dinner should be in fifteen minutes or so." Duffy said, as she closed the door, and watched him walk into the open plan living room.

"Lovely." He said, as he walked over to the kitchen, putting the wine bottle down, as he proceeded to open the wine.

"I got the pinot grigio, your favourite." He said, as he began to pour the wine into the glasses, that were on the kitchen counter.

"Perfect, thank you." She said, as she walked passed him, to get to the sink. She opened a cupboard and got out a vase, filled it with water, and began to arrange the flowers he'd brought her in the vase.

"These are beautiful Charlie." She said, as she occasionally smelled them, as she arranged them.

"I knew you'd like them." He said, as he turned to look at her.

She smiled back at him, as she caught him looking at her.

She then placed them on the window sill, next to the other bunch of flowers he'd bought her the last time he'd come over for dinner.

"I could get used to this." Duffy said, as she stood back and looked at both vases of flowers.

"I'll have to remember that." He said, as he smiled at her.

She turned to look at him, as she smiled back.

"You will." Duffy said, as she blushed at him.

They stood and looked at each other nervously, unsure what the other was thinking.

Duffy then bit her lip, and walked over towards him. She put her hand on his chest, and then looked up at him nervously.

Charlie looked deeply into her eyes, searching for what she was trying to tell him. Duffy then sighed, and nervously began to play with the collar on his coat. He smiled at her, sensing she was worrying about something.

In one swift move, he bent down and kissed her, a soft and gentle kiss, when he pulled back he looked down at her again.

"Hello gorgeous." Charlie said, as he smirked at her.

"Hi." Duffy said, as she blushed at him, as she looked deep into his eyes, letting out a shy laugh.

"I've wanted to do that all day." Charlie said, as he smirked at her.

"You're such a softy." Duffy said, as she patted him on the chest.

"Can't help being in love." Charlie said, as he smiled down at her, then realised exactly what he'd said to her.

Duffy looked shocked by what he'd said, and smirked back at him. She then put her hand onto his cheek, as she spoke, "aw Charlie."

He smiled back at her lovingly, and sighed.

"I love you too." Duffy said, as she tilted her head at him.

Charlie sighed, as he said, "good."

The cooker then began to buzz, as the timer had ended.

Charlie and Duffy simply giggled at each other, as they pressed their heads against each other, her hands on his chest, his around her shoulders, and he hugged her to him.

Duffy then freed herself from his grasp. She then proceeded to arrange dinner for them both.

Charlie helped her, as and when she asked him to.

-o-

"That was incredible." Charlie said, as he placed his knife and fork on the plate.

"Glad you liked the casserole." Duffy said, as she looked at him, taking a sip of her wine.

"It beats my efforts the other night. I swear it was a shepherd's pie." He said, as he grimaced at her, and reached for his own glass of wine.

"You tried, that's all that matters. Maybe it's your oven." Duffy asked, as she giggled at him.

"No, no, I know what it is." He said, as he shook his head.

"What?" Duffy asked.

"Me, just me, I'm hopeless. It swear I set the timer right. It shouldn't have been that burnt." Charlie said, as he grimaced at himself.

"Ha, ha, oh Charlie. The takeaway made up for it, don't worry." Duffy said, as she laughed at him.

"It's not the point, I made that shepherds pie from scratch." Charlie said, as he sulked a little.

"Oh, darling, it's the thought that counts." Duffy said, as she tilted her head sympathetically at him.

"Yes, well, I'll make it up to you." Charlie said, as he looked over at her.

"You will, will you?" Duffy replied, smirking at him.

"Yes, well, um." Charlie replied, getting embarrassed slightly.

Duffy blushed slightly, and giggled at him.

She then leaned over and covered his hand with hers. He smiled back at her, and rubbed her hand with his thumb.

"Right, um, dessert?" Duffy said, as she got flustered slightly.

"Dessert?" Charlie replied, his eyebrows raised in astonishment.

"Cheesecake." Duffy replied, as she quickly collected the plates and began to walk back into the kitchen.

"Oh? Cheesecake." Charlie said, as he smirked at her, as he watched her tidy away the plates.

He then got up from the table, and walked over to the kitchen to help her. He saw how flustered she was, as she tided the plates, the counter tops etc. He then walked over to her, and took her by the hand, turning her towards him.

"Duffy?" He said, as he looked at her.

She looked at him, and seemed unsure of herself.

"What's wrong?" He asked, as he tried to read her mood.

She smiled sombrely at him, and looked down at his chest.

"Duffy?" Charlie said, as he frowned at her in concern.

"Ryan phoned me." Duffy said, as she didn't look up at him.

"Oh." Charlie said, as he sighed slightly.

"Are you um having seconds thoughts." Charlie asked, worry evident in his voice.

"No, no, never, it's just, I didn't think it would bother me. Um, but, when I heard him plead over the phone. Oh, god. I couldn't do it. I hung up on him." Duffy said, as she looked up at him finally.

"Oh, Duffy, don't do this to yourself. You said yourself you needed to leave him." Charlie said, as he had hold of her shoulders and looked directly at her.

"I know, I know. I don't love him Charlie. But it doesn't make it any easier. Oh god. I'm sorry. I'm ruining our night. You don't need to listen to me talk about Ryan and my marriage all night." Duffy said, as she looked up at him.

"If it helps you, then I don't mind." Charlie said, as he stroked her arms in support.

"No, no, it's not fair on you. I'm doing this to put an end to it. I'm doing this for me. For us, for you too." Duffy said, as she looked up at him, and put her hand on his cheek.

"For us?" Charlie asked, slightly taken aback by her words.

"Yes, yes, for us." Duffy, began, but then nerves got the better of her.

"I love you." Duffy added, as she looked into his eyes, searching for his reaction.

"I love you too." Charlie said, as smiled softly at her.

She smiled back at him, as she leant up and kissed him.

-x-