Charlie and Ted arrived at the restaurant and were shown to their table. "I'm glad you agreed to have dinner with me," Ted said as they looked over the menu.
She smiled. "I'm glad we could do this again."
He smiled at her. "So, I hear from the committee that the reunion is shaping up to be awesome."
"Yeah, it should be a really good time."
"So, I was hoping you would want to be my date for it."
She smiled at him. "Let's see how tonight goes."
"Alright." He smiled back. "Order anything you like." She smiled and looked at him before turning her attention to the menu.
John looked at Jaycee as they stood in the kitchen making dinner. "So, I heard the reunion is shaping up pretty good."
"Yeah, it is." She smiled. "We already have RSVP's from all your exes."
"That's great." He said sarcastically.
She looked at him and laughed. "Apparently, they have already been asking about you. Guess I will have to make sure they know you're taken and we are happily married." She replied. "And to that effect, I have already picked out a family photo for them to post on the then and now board as everyone walks in."
John smiled. "Good."
She smiled. "Yep. I want all those sluts from high school to know that you are mine forever and we are happily married with a terrific son and another baby on the way. We have successful careers and we managed to graduate college married with a child."
"And still be deliriously in love."
She smiled and kissed him. "Exactly." She replied. "Now, let's finish making this dinner and then put our son to bed and you can spend the night showing me exactly how much you love me." John wiggled his eyebrows. "Yeah yeah." She laughed. "Let me finish dinner." He kissed her and walked to the living room.
Charlie laughed at Ted. "I can't believe you remember that." She said to him.
"Well, it was very funny. You thought adding those ingredients would make the food better. No matter how much Jaycee and I tried to talk you out of it." He laughed too. They had been telling funny stories from high school. "Charlie, I have really enjoyed this night out."
She smiled. "Me too."
"Well, shall we head out?" He asked her. She nodded and they headed out of the restaurant. He hoped they could go out again. They drove toward Jaycee's house and he opened her door.
"Thank you." She smiled. He smiled back and they walked toward the front door.
"So, I was hoping you had thought about the reunion and being my date." He said to her. "Or just another date with me?"
"Another date sounds nice."
Ted smiled. "Great. How about after the reunion meeting tomorrow? It's the final one before the reunion."
"Yeah. That sounds great."
"Good." He smiled and leaned in close to her. "Is it okay if I give you a goodnight kiss?" She smiled and nodded. He leaned in closer and gently placed his lips on hers and kissed her. He pulled away and looked at her. "Goodnight, Charlie."
"Goodnight." She said as she walked into the house. Jaycee looked up from the kitchen as Charlie walked further into the house.
"Hey. How was your date?"
"It was fine."
"Uh oh. What happened?"
"He asked me out again for tomorrow night after the reunion meeting. And he kissed me."
"He kissed you?" Jaycee asked. "Was it bad?"
"I didn't feel anything. No spark. Nothing like I felt the first time...the first time Phil kissed me."
Jaycee sighed. "Well then that probably says Ted isn't the one." She replied. "Not that sparks are all that matters but you can tell a lot in that first kiss. I know you don't want to know about this but that first kiss with John was amazing. I know it was high school and that party but I still felt the spark."
"Great. My soulmate is a man who doesn't want to spend the rest of his life with me."
"Char, you just didn't feel that spark with Ted. That doesn't mean there isn't someone else out there who you will have sparks with beside Phil." Jaycee replied. "How about some milk and cookies while we talk?" Charlie nodded. Jaycee walked over to the cabinet and took out the Oreos and got two glasses and poured some milk. "Alright. Cookies and milk. My cure for everything."
"I wish it could fix things between me and Phil. I really do love him and I never pictured doing this with anyone else." She said with tears in her eyes.
Jaycee sighed and moved to hug her. "I know." She said softly. "I wish this could fix it too. But don't lose faith. I believe everything will work out one way or another."
"Wish I could believe that."
Jaycee sighed. "You will see things will work out. Don't stop believing that." She looked at her. "Now, let's finish these cookies." She nodded as Phil walked down the stairs.
"I didn't know you were here," Charlie said when she saw him.
"Ethan asked me over. He had some new game he wanted to show me." Phil replied.
"Maybe you guys should talk."
"I don't know we need to," Charlie replied.
"I think you do," Jaycee said getting up. "I'm going to check on Ethan. Behave." She said heading upstairs.
Phil grabbed one of her cookies. "How was your date?"
"It was fine." She replied. "Did you and Ethan have fun?"
"We always have fun." He looked at her. "It was just fine? No sparks when you kissed him or anything?"
"I don't think that's any of your business." She said before taking a sip of her milk.
"Did it feel like it does when you kiss me?"
"Again, that's not really your business."
"I miss you. Why can't we just get back together and stop this whole thing? We both know we belong together."
She looked at him. "We don't want the same things and you can't have a relationship if you want different things. That is just how it is." She got up off the stool and put the glass in the sink. "I'm going to bed. See you later." She said as she started to walk away.
He pulled her to him. "I want you and you want me. How is that wanting two different things?"
She sighed and pulled away from him. "You know what the differences are."
"Don't give up on us Charlie. Please. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can't picture my life without you in it."
"I can't picture my life without this child. You have to want this child and be married to me" She sighed. "Jaycee is right. I shouldn't settle for anything less than what I want."
"I will do whatever you want. Just come back to me."
She sighed. "Those are just words. I don't want you to just do whatever I want. You have to want it too and you don't."
"So that's it then?"
"I love you Phil and I don't think anything will ever change that. But I can't be with you if you don't want to commit to me...to our family. I won't keep the baby from you. I would never do that. But we can't be together. I'm sorry." She turned and walked up the stairs.
He sighed and turned to go. He wasn't sure now if his idea was going to fix it between them but he was determined to try.