A Charlie That Came To Dinner
How hard could it be to just tell her? 'Charlie, you're our daughter. We made you on my desk in my pantry about twelve or so years ago. Your mother, she lied about it to you and to me. Now, let's forget all that and be the happy family we were always meant to be, shall we?' It really shouldn't be that difficult.
Carson entered a stranger's home—or Joe Burns's home. He wasn't a stranger to Elsie, or to Charlie, so was no longer a stranger to Carson. It wasn't dirty, but definitely untidy. Elsie prepared the tea in the kitchen while Charlie and Carson sat in silence in the sitting area. He watched as Charlie nervously bit at her nails in front of him. Perhaps she thought they were going to punish her for leaving... and maybe they should talk to her about that afterwards; she really should learn not to run off. But for now, he was still the butler at Downton Abbey—in her eyes, anyway.
Clearing his throat and muttering something incomprehensible even to him, he pulled out four loose pence coins from his pocket. King George faced profile, looking high and mighty, and far more honorable than Charles Carson would ever be. He handed the coins off to Charlie. "As promised, four shiny pence coins. Just for you," he said.
"Thanks," said Charlie, observing the coins in her hand. She jiggled them and they rattled slightly in her open hand. "I could have carried more, you know."
"I'm sure you could have carried them all," said Elsie as she entered with a tea tray. "No one's doubting you there." Her comment was meant to be lighthearted and perhaps a little humorous—but Carson was far too nervous to laugh, and Charlie seemed eager to get on with her day.
They were all quiet as Elsie prepared their tea. First, she made Carson's cup and handed it off to him, and then she prepared Charlie's tea. "Faye's going to have a baby," said Charlie as Elsie handed a tea cup off to her.
Elsie's eyebrows lifted. Not in shock, he carefully noted; she seemed content with this new information. Carson knew Joe and his deceased wife Ivy, and Peter, their son who joined the army, but who was Faye? A young neighbor of theirs, he quickly created in his mind. "Is she?" said Elsie. "Well, that's quite exciting. It'll certainly keep Joe busy these upcoming months..."
Maybe not a neighbor? It would be quite scandalous if it was a woman Joe had seen—but who was he to judge? And why would Charlie know anything about that? "Faye?" he questioned.
"A cow on the farm," said Elsie, and Carson nodded. They must think he had a filthy mind. "Charlie likes to give names to all the animals on the farm."
Charlie's face turned a slight pink at Elsie's comment and she retreated back to biting her nails, avoiding Carson's gaze. He cleared his throat and Elsie turned to him. "Erm... Elsie?"
Charlie sensed the shift—and the use of Elsie's first name. Elsie ignored her own tea cup and took a seat next to him on the small sofa. How does one begin such a conversation? Maybe it would be better to let out quickly—like a bandage, the pain would only be brief. Or maybe they should fill her in gradually: 'Elsie's your mother. Would you like a biscuit with your tea? I'm your father. Let's go out and see that cow, shall we?'
In the end, it was Elsie who told her. Carson hardly said anything—like a fool he just sat there and watched Charlie's face gradually go from mildly concerned to utter confusion, and then finally, at the very end, just plain hurt. Her face was now fully red, but not from embarrassment, and her eyes were on the verge of tears—so were Elsie's. He felt like crying too, but crying was something he was never quite good at. God, when was the last time he even cried? Perhaps when he was still a small boy, having to say goodbye to his grandad. Charlie's fingers went back to her mouth once the truth came flowing out, and he could see the blood trickle down her hand. He offered her his handkerchief to wipe it away. She didn't take it.
"Now, is there anything you... would like to ask us?" said Elsie finally, almost breathlessly after she had finished. How long she had spoken for, Carson had no clue, but it felt like hours. It must have been an hour at least. She covered most of the things she told Carson the night before—except he noticed she left out the part where Joe Burns had proposed to her, twice. Maybe she already knew of Joe Burns's intentions, or maybe Elsie simply did not think the information was relevant. She focused mainly on the birth, and their first few months together before going to the farm. She was far more gentle with Charlie than she was with him—telling him, she was so abrupt with him.
The door opened and a man who Carson recognized as Joe Burns entered. He removed his hat and unbuttoned his coat, and then his eyes went to Elsie and Charlie. And then they rested on Carson—he felt an uneasiness settle in his stomach upon facing the other man's gaze. Charlie stood, and Carson quickly followed her up. "Erm..." Carson muttered out, trying to think of some explanation for Joe. But Charlie raced passed Joe Burns and went out the open door before he could come up with anything good to say. And Joe Burns turned to Elsie for an explanation.
A quick author's note here: I intentionally made this scene very, very distant. You don't really get to see all that was said. I could clearly see how this scene would play out visually, like if it were a scene from the show—but it's hard to truly convey that in writing. The visual in my head is of Elsie and Carson telling Charlie as music kind of drowns out their words and Charlie just kind of backs out of the room slowly before running off.