After returning to the boat, getting back on shore to head over to Cylinder beach for a surf - that had been one of Finn's and Charlie's outspoken reasons for staying, was no longer high priority. Instead, they simply took their time, washed off majority of the saltwater and dried off in the ocean breeze on the aft deck. They cooked and ate a light meal, continuing to talk, the conversation making the time pass way too fast. The two were giddy, a lot more flirty than before and more physical - small touches here and there - yet still letting the anticipation for more linger. Finn didn't recall ever delaying jumping into bed with a woman on purpose before - but damn how he was enjoying the slighty tease and was actually a little proud of himself for not just giving in.
What they did want, practically thinking, was getting get back to Brisbane before dark because Charlie had to work the next day. Thankfully the wind was in their favor and they could sail most of their way across the bay, Finn teaching Charlie how to work the sails. Later, as Finn steered up the river they sat at the helm, side by side, watching the sun set, his arm streched around her back - it was almost a little corny.
"I'm just going to apologize in advance," Finn cryptically said as he pulled up the mooring by his parent's riverhome, seeing both his father and mother sitting out on their river-facing terrace, enjoying a barbeque with their neighbours like they often did. There were bound to be comments or questions - but as it was just too fresh to put any labels on anything, the prospect was making Finn a little uncomfortable. Charlie was willingly naive and based her judgment on the stories Finn had told, deciding to assume better rather than worse.
"Ah, there's that boat of mine!" Finn's father exclaimed approvingly from the distance, the notion being audible all the way to the mooring.
Charlie tossed the lines around the dock cleats, Finn taking it upon himself to fasten them. By the time they'd gathered up their belongings, Finn's father had already walked up the mooring, his hands tucked in his pockets obviously wanting to exchange a few words.
"I see the boat is still in one piece," he stated teasingly, almost as if testing how badly Finn wanted him to avoid him bringing up the yacht.
"It handled itself beautifully. Thank you for loaning it," Finn decided to ignore any side note and focus on the positive, continuing to ensure all the sails were wrapped up as they should.
"Hi," Charlie said hesitantly as she emerged from the saloon carrying her backpack, the cooler filled with their leftovers and a trash bag, having taken it upon herself to help tidy up.
"Dad, this is Charlie," Finn introduced them, deciding to avoid all lables if he could. "Charlie, this is my dad - Neil Morgan," he said. Finn tried to not appear too secretive or protective, but he couldn't help cautioning his father with a firm gaze to behave. His father was always nice - he was just a little eccentric and sometimes his sense of humour was not everyone's cup of tea.
"Nice to meet you," Neil replied, offering his hand to help Charlie over to the mooring at the same time.
Finn took one last glance over the boat to make sure they had everything and handed one surfboard after another over to his dad who accepted them.
"So how was Straddie?" Finn's father asked casually, as Finn stepped off the boat, actually not appearing to make a big deal about the presence of Charlie.
"Alright," Finn replied, trying to sound nonchalant about it, though every fiber of his being was radiating euphoria at that moment.
"Great," he replied, and helped them carry their stuff towards the side of the modern three-story dark-timber, steel and concrete house, to help them get their things to the car, without Finn having to ask. His father was well-meaning but Finn could tell he was a little nosy just the same.
"Hey! Are you guys hungry? We made way too much food," Finn's mother called out from the back terrace that overlooked the mooring, friendlily, as she saw them approaching. The dining terrace was fairly large, fitting an outdoor kitchen and a large dining table that was able to fit at least majority of the adults in their family. This was where the their family usually gathered to, where they celebrated birthdays and Christmas.
Finn shot an apologetic glance towards Charlie, who clearly didn't know what stand to take. The truth was that they were a little hungry, and the sausages, prawns and vegetables smelled delicious already from afar. But wasn't this rushing, just in a different way?
"We don't have to if you're tired," Finn said to Charlie, giving her an out.
"I don't mind," Charlie replied hesitantly. She was a little curious to what they were like, and she really didn't want to offend anyone, least of all Finn by not showing interest. But she was wearing yesterday's clothes, could've used a proper shower and actually understand a little better where she and they stood. This was very new to her too - being in any relationship was very new to her. And in that sense it was all a bit much at once - but it was too late to hesiate.
"Wonderful," Finn's mom exclaimed next, gesturing the two onto the terrace. "I didn't catch your name, love," she said with endearment, making Finn already eye her sceptically, hoping desperately that she wouldn't begin questioning her, not wanting them to scare her off by getting ahead of things. But it was not like he could really blame them - they hadn't seen her with a woman in nearly a decade like this. Finn knew they could probably read his exitedness off his face and had made their own conclusions from him extending their trip by a day.
"It's Charlie Marquont," she replied, smilingly, unsure what she'd just gotten herself into.
"Lovely to meet you," Finn's mother replied.
"Charlie, this is my mom - Diana," Finn corrected the absence of introductions.
"Help yourself to the food - Neil made the most amazing dressing for the prawns," Diana said, and sat back down on the table and continued talking to her friends.
Finn and Charlie headed over to the barbeque where the side-table was set up as the buffet, some items packed already under foil to keep them warm longer.
"They seem nice," Charlie commented in a low tone, hearing the low banter that went on between them and their neighbours, while she continued to plate her food. She could sense that Finn was nervous and she wanted to let him know that she was fine - at least she wanted to be fine and not make a big deal of it. One thing she had learned over that past year was that some things were just better accepted than fought or hid from.
"Just… They can be a lot, you know…," he whispered, apologetically.
Her sideways smile assured him and the two filled up their plates and sat down at the table, greeting the neighbours who Finn was briefly familiar with from previous times.
There were the logical questions on who Charlie was and what she did, and naturally as on the latter she really didn't have a good response at this point, she simply explained where she was from and that it was a sabbatical from her law career, at the lack of better options. Finn could tell his mother was pleasantly impressed with her, interacting with her perhaps more familiarly that would've been appropriate this early on, but it didn't seem to him like she needed rescuing either.
After finishing their meal, Finn decided to call it a night - saying Charlie had an early morning which naturally caused them to ask what kind of early morning's did being on sabbatical involve, which again required more explanation. While the evening's addition had been pleasant, they were both exhausted - physically and mentally. Besides, all he really wanted was to be alone with her - he wanted to make sure the trip ended on a positive note.
They drive back to Fortitude Valley passed quietly - it had truly been a good but a very long day. As they got to Charlie's apartment building he got out of the car to say goodbye.
"I hope this wasn't too much," Finn said apologetically, taking her hand still feeling like he needed to see her hand in his to actually believe he was holding it. It was strange how rushing into things was so much easier to him than this. He'd even begun to wonder that perhaps rushing into things was actually a sign of weakness not strenght - an unability to trust himself enough not to screw things up.
"It was fine, don't worry," Charlie replied, looking him straight in the eyes. It wasn't like she didn't need to process things, but it hadn't been anything horrible.
"I'd like to take you out on a real date," Finn stated, determinedly.
"I'm not objecting," she added smilingly, stroking his hand with her thumb.
"When are you free?" he asked practically.
"Sunday," she replied.
He'd hoped sooner, but he recalled Charlie telling him how knackered she was often after a full shift, so he wasn't going to push it. He would just have to deal with it.
"I'm really glad you invited me," Charlie said, wrapping his arm around her waist as a way of telling him that he could do that and that she wanted him to do it.
"You're gorgeous, you know that?" Finn said as he now wrapped both of his arms around her, holding her against him. Despite still sensing the flutter in the bottom of his stomach, he was relaxing more around her now, appreciating the way she was assuring him of the appropriate steps - telling him what she wanted and what they were ready for. But he couldn't help but to feel like stripped of part of his masculinity somehow. He wanted to regain some of his confidence that the slowness of things had perhaps taken from him of - and the compliments were a small start at that.
"Just wearing slightly nasty yesterday's clothes and could use a shower...," Charlie laughed. They were both sweaty, smelling of the sea and sunscreen. But it was a good smell - speaking of a day in and on the water that had been all theirs.
She licked her lips, neither really caring the slightest bit about some sweat, and he really didn't need much more of an invite to kiss her then. It was a little withheld, as if savoring it for Sunday. But still - it definitely had it.
"And if I were to get a sudden craving for coffee in between, would that be seen as stalking or…?" Finn pondered, half-jokingly, out loud, having relaxed even more by the kiss, which had no doubt been enjoyable to both.
"You can't do without your coffee, can you? That just wouldn't be right," Charlie played along, not minding one bit if she saw him in between, even if it was at work.
G had been ignoring Brody's texts for a couple of days now, simply not knowing what to say. They'd been talking about movies and music, and he was inviting her to a concert where he knew the band. And she just couldn't think of what to say - she wanted to go but would he even want her to go knowing her age?
Instead of starting a conversation with him she browsed her news feeds - and having not wanted to unfollow Finn, she was suddenly hit in the gut by a picture of him on the catamaran with some blonde, hanging out eating a delishious looking lunch. His hair was a little wet and G felt like those blue eyes almost looked right through her. It was safe to say she felt hurt - jealous and on different levels. She observed the blonde in great detail, trying to think of things she might be that she herself wasn't - again there was the age. She thought of herself as thinner, more attractive, and - surely she didn't like all the things that Finn did?
On that thought she really didn't feel like telling Brody anything, simply hoping he might just show up after school like he did and take her mind off things. Maybe that was what made Brody really just a rebound?
"Why are you not texting my brother back?" Philipa asked as she landed next to G at the lunch table. Mason and Homura were off somewhere, participating on some committee so it was just them girls that day.
G raised her eyebrows at her - she hadn't even known Philipa knew.
"He asked?" G inquired, raising her eyebrows, feeling relieved that Philipa didn't even seem to mind.
"He asked if you were seeing anyone else. And yeah, I sort of saw you guys at the party and…," Philipa replied, biting into her tortilla, understanding her confusion.
"Huh," G reacted, having not really expected that of him. He appeared like a tough guy, like he could have girls left and right, but if he asked - his sister nonetheless - maybe she'd got him all wrong. But despite seeing him, she wasn't even really sure what she wanted out of him.
"I sort of promised my sister I'd tell him my age….," G confessed.
"Oh, wow, I completely forgot about that..," Philipa exclaimed, her mouth still half full.
"It's ridiculous... But I kind of get it, I should, shouldn't I?" G discussed.
"I could just tell him if you want, not like tell him that you told me to do it, but just bring it up," she offered.
"I just hope he doesn't hate me for it," G admitted. It really was fine if he hated her and just dissapeared form her life - she just didn't want conflict - she was never good with that. Even with her exed just found convenient excuses or stopped showing interest and just let things reach their natural end.
"I think unless you aim on blackmailing him or something, he won't. I don't think he'd even really care. I mean - it's not like he does this all the time but just I think he sees it like you do - it's just a stupid number, right? Clearly he's not takeing advantage of you," Philipa explained, with a chuckle.
"Alright, I'll talk to him," G grumbled, taking the final sip of her water. She pulled out her phone and opened their earlier conversation.
"I need to tell you something. Can we meet after school?" G texted, adding the time she was getting off that day.
Algebra, English and Civics later G gathered up her things and walked out into the street only to find it had just begun to snow. And there the familiar figure stood waiting by the bus stop pole.
They walked for a block or so, heading towards the subway in silence.
"Well?" Brody asked. Clearly the silence was a bit too tortuous.
"I need to come clean about something," G began. "It's so ridiculous really, but technically I should've told you this a while ago," she said. It was really a lot less dramatic than this; they'd been involved mere weeks, but to someone G's age - it seemed much longer.
"I'm actually just 16, my birthday is in January - please don't be mad," G blurted as she came to a half. She was hoping he wouldn't need more explanation as to why that was even an issue.
"So why are you telling me this now?" Brody asked. His face had certainly turned a little more serious than it had been before, but he didn't seem to be upset or angry.
"I just thought you should know. I know I should've told you before…I just didn't expect anything from this," G tried to explain, leving Rory or her attempt to invite him over out of it for now.
"So now I know - so what?" Brody replied.
"Nothing," G shrugged, innocently.
"The way I see it…," he began. "I'm a lawbreaker now anyways so it doesn't really matter," Brody added, shrugging his shoulders.
"I'm sorry, it was selfish of me" she admitted.
"Yeah it was, you little minx," Brody said with a smirk, scoldingly kissing her then boldly.
"What if nobody shows?" Celeste asked Rorry worriedly, as they stared at the empty Apparatus Bay that was now ready for the opening. The sectional sofa was moved so that it enabled maximum occupancy and the area around the pole which was kind of symbolic to the place, was made into a low stage. Instead of tacky balloons like most stores used for openings, they'd gone with a more minimalistic approach which only really showed in numerous surprise books that were wrapped in black-and-white striped wrapping paper and scattered around the shelves and tables. There were black origami birds that were hung from the ceilings, creating an interesting, almost Hitckockian, effect. In the middle of the store there was a table full of appetizers Celeste had spent the entire last night and that morning cooking - cranberry brie bites, antipasto picks, cheese and watermelon prosciutto skewers, being unable to offer just something bland. There was wine and beverages, and real glasses, which Lorelai had brought over from the inn.
It had been a huge collaboration to put this thing together. Lane had helped set up the sound system that Logan's old contact in New Haven had provided and the band, Finn had helped them get, was right now using Celeste's living room as their back stage, their low chatter carrying also to the lower floor. Jess had called in numerous favors in his literary circles to stock up the store on so many amazing books, there was a keynote speaker coming, and large slightly erotic one-line drawings hung against the otherwise bare walls.
"The family alone will fill like half this place," Rory tried to calm her. There was still half an hour to go.
"I love the birds," G commented as she glanced up to the ceiling, sitting on one of the couches.
"Those are actually Doula's doing - it took me by complete surprise when Jess told me she could do stuff like that," Celeste explained. Handicraft had never really been her strong suit.
The main entrance bell rang and the three glanced curiously over to the door to see who it was.
"Hey!" Paris entered, dressed in a calf-length beige plisse skirt underneth her grey coat. Paris knew Jess too, even if they didn't hung out much or talk, and since she'd always appreciated books and lived in Hartford these days it was only logical they invited her too.
"Hey!" Rory greeted her with a hug.
"What - no kids tonight?" she shot back, having gotten already quite used to see Rory with one of her kids around at least. She took off her coat at hung it at the rack that they'd set up by the entrance.
"We're going back first thing in the morning," Rory replied. Rory was dressed up in her pre-twins navy-colored shirt dresses accenting it wth a set of jewelery Logan had gotten her last Christmas. She'd been a little surprised that it still fit her, but nevertheless was glad of the way it hid her belly which she didn't feel like putting inside skin-tight clothing these days.
"Wow, the place looks nice, different," Paris complimented Celeste. "Jess is not around?" she asked curiously, wanting to congratulate the man of the hour, not that Celeste was any less.
"Jess went to pick up the keynote speaker from Bradley International. He should be here any minute," Celeste replied.
"Hey, Rory - do you mind if I steal you for a minute?" Paris asked.
"Sure," she replied. "You guys call me if you need me, okay?" Rory suggested to Celeste and G, who really were not really doing much else than waiting at this point, but she said it just in case.
Paris nudged Rory towards the back, assuming there'd be some quieter place to talk despite not having been there before.
"What?" Rory asked curiously, sensing the urgency Paris had shoved her towards Celeste's kitchen.
"When you ran into Tristian - what did he tell you exactly?" Paris asked.
"Tristian? Oh Paris, what's this about?" Rory said, tilting her head.
"What did he say? You told me he'd been married and had a kid - what did he tell you exactly?" she insisted.
"He said he'd been to Germany for years working for the army," she began, trying to recall. "He said he was divorced, he has an 8 year old. That's it," she said. It was not like remembering all he'd said had been her priority that day as she'd been in labor that day.
"That's it?" Paris clearly wanted more.
"What is it, Paris?" Rory asked.
"8 year old, that's like born 2011 or something, right?" she continued.
"I guess," she replied.
"I think his ex-wife wants to come work for me. And I'm this close to hiring her - I'd be stupid not to really. How weird would that be? Or would it be weirder to not hire her because of it," Paris huffed in a panicky tone. She'd done a little bit more research and even found a few pictures with them together.
"A little?" Rory replied.
"Which one - hire her or not hire her?" Paris shot back.
"I think that depends on how well you can hold it together," Rory pointed out.
"Can I?" Paris threw the question in the air, still unsure what to do.
AN: Inspiration for Finn's parent's place: 170/90 Wynnum Rd, Norman Park, QLD