A/N: Our friends from the diner are off to dinner (hold on...count the Ns...OK. I got it). Let's see how things go in the aftermath of the big reveal.
Disclaimer: Don't own Chuck
Chapter 8
"So, you're some sort of software mogul?" Sarah inquired, her eyes just visible over the rim of the large margarita glass she was sipping on.
"I'm not sure what constitutes a 'mogul', exactly, but ... I've heard the term tossed around." He just shrugged with his 'what can ya do' expression. "I'm just a guy who writes software that he hopes can make a difference. When I watched Molly play on my laptop and I saw the excitement on her face, seeing her having fun while learning. That's why I do it. Money is nice and all, but that...that's my real reward." Chuck took a long look at his beer, lost in his thoughts before taking a drink.
"You're somethin' else." Sarah shook her head, her smile highlighting the sparkle in her eyes. She paused for a moment, not sure about whether to ask what she wanted to know, but curiosity won out. "So, this may sound shallow, but I'm just curious. How successful have you and your company been? I'm not exactly 'in the know' regarding the software industry. "
"Well…" Chuck began rubbing the back of his neck with a slight wince on his face. "Last fiscal year we had revenues just over 1.7." Chuck's cheeks took on some color as he quickly took a drink.
"Wow. $1.7 million? That's not bad. Probably not what I'd call a mogul though," Sarah chuckled as she began to take another sip of her margarita.
"Sorry, um… not...not million. $1.7 billion. W-with a 'B'." Chuck winced even more as Sarah nearly choked on her drink. After a brief coughing fit, she began to regain her composure.
"B…. billion? Holy… So ...how in the hell can you run a billion-dollar corporation and then come here and want to...flip burgers? You spend all day in that kitchen, working your ass off when you could be sitting in an office or on a beach somewhere." Sarah's mind was racing, trying to make sense of it all.
"Well. The answer is probably a lot simpler than you think." Sarah tilted her head to the side, curious as to his meaning. Chuck just smiled and pulled out a pen and began writing on a napkin. A moment later he slid it across the table, placing it directly in front of her. Sarah looked down at the small square napkin to find only a simple arrow and it was pointing at her. She quickly looked at him, her mouth agape with surprise.
"Sarah, I could be in my LA office or on a beach or...or a million other places around the world. The simple fact is that you aren't in any of those places. I took time away from the office to drive the country and 'find myself'. What I ended up finding was something infinitely better…. You." Chuck spoke with such sincerity, his eyes so soft and warm, Sarah couldn't hold back anymore. A few tears escaped and trailed down her cheeks despite biting her lip in a vain attempt to stave them off. She brushed the tears away, sniffling slightly.
"Chuck…" her voice a bit choked. "Chuck, I don't know what to say. I-" Sarah was cut short as Chuck reached across the table and took her hand.
"Sarah, you don't have to say anything. I know this is a lot and I probably sound like some crazed stalker. I don't expect you to have the same feelings for me. God, you're so far out of my league, just sitting here with you is the greatest gift I could have hoped for." Chuck stared deep into her eyes, never letting go of her hand as he confessed his heart. Sarah just shook her head at him in disagreement.
"Out of 'your' league? Are you kidding me? I'm just a waitress… from small town nowhere and you're this ...this wealthy tycoon who probably hobnobs with rich and beautiful people all over the world. How do you compete with that…?" Sarah drifted off, unable to meet Chuck's gaze. Chuck could see her look of sadness, hurt, resignation even. Chuck knew that look well. Self-doubt had been his bread and butter for most of his life. That Sarah Walker would ever show that kind of self-doubt was unthinkable. To Chuck, she was near perfection. For anyone to question otherwise caused an anger in him to grow.
"You stop right there. You're far more than that and you know it. Besides, there's not a damn thing wrong with being a waitress. And, sure, I've been around my share of 'rich and beautiful people'. Not one of them comes close to holding a candle to you. You're a far more amazing and beautiful person than they could ever dream to be. I'd never let them compare themselves to you and I'm not gonna let you do it either." Chuck's furrowed brow and stern expression, accompanied by his animated finger wagging, definitely got his point across. Realizing that he'd let his emotions get away from him, he slumped a little and gave a small sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice. I just get a little … impassioned about things that are … that are important to me."
Sarah couldn't help but stare. She was in utter disbelief. At lunch today, she knew she had feelings for this man. Knowing that this kind and caring man had feelings for her as well, that had given her a warm sensation all over, a contentment that she'd never really known before. Now, to hear how he truly felt, especially given who he had revealed himself to be, seemed to make it all the more unbelievable. That this man, who could have anything he wanted, probably anyone he wanted, had chosen her. She'd have thought it a fairytale if she hadn't seen it all in his eyes. Those deep chocolate eyes were indeed the windows to his soul. His emotions were clearly shown in those eyes, and she found herself lost in them. The warmth of his touch was almost electric, her hand tingling at the connection. Something deep inside of her longed for that connection, yearned for more.
Chuck held her gaze, her blue eyes now like an ocean storm on the horizon. She didn't speak or move, she only sat there, apparently in contemplation. His fears began to swirl through his mind. Had he scared her with all of this? Was it all too much? Would she never see him in the same light again? What 'light' did she see him in before all of this? Did that even matter anymore? His fears seemed to become reality when she pulled away from his grip and began to slide out of the booth. He couldn't be selfish and beg her to stay when she clearly needed to go. He certainly couldn't blame her. He brought his hands back to his lap, feeling a bit crushed, he could only look at the table to keep from letting his emotions overtake him.
So it was to his great surprise when Sarah slid into the booth beside him. He felt her hand on his chin and he allowed her to guide him, turning to face her. Without any pause, her lips found his in a soft and sweet kiss. He could feel her fingers trembling as she continued to touch his cheek. As if by instinct, his own trembling hand cupped her elbow, squeezing it gently, a poor substitute for the full body embrace he so desperately wanted to give her. The kiss was simple and chaste but far exceeded anything his imagination had dreamed up over the many long nights since their first meeting. Before he could think to stop it, a soft moan of contentment escaped his throat. To his surprise, he could hear the same echoed from the remarkable woman still kissing him. As if synchronized, they both smiled, their lips still touching. She slowly pulled away licking her lips, Chuck doing likewise.
"Well uh...th-that was unexpected. Utterly amazing, b-but unexpected. Wow." Chuck
was still sitting in wide-eyed amazement, trying to recover.
"Yeah. Wow. That uh…. Yeah." Sarah seemed to be in a similar state, smoothing down the front of her blouse. As if on cue, the waitress brought their food, giving them a temporary reprieve from having to discuss what had just happened. They ate in awkward silence, still sharing the same side of the booth. A few minutes into the meal, Chuck couldn't contain himself any longer and felt he needed to speak up. Placing his utensils on his plate, he placed his hands in his lap and turned to Sarah.
"I'm gonna jump in with both feet here and say I really hope we can do that again." Chuck looked on with a sheepish grin as Sarah tried not to choke on her rice. She was covering her mouth, stifling a chuckle as she finished chewing.
"Well, I think we could arrange something." Sarah smirked as she took his chin between her thumb and forefinger and pulled him in for a quick kiss. When they pulled apart, the smile on Chuck's face reached from ear to ear, his nose scrunched. The sight made her want to melt. They finished their dinner, engaging in small talk.
"So, you never explained how it is that you can take all this time away from your job. Don't you still have to do that work too?" Sarah inquired, draining the last of her margarita.
"I still do some work remotely. Mostly at night when I answer tons of email. I have people I pay to run the day to day stuff. I don't do all the development anymore. I have a team of developers and graphic designers I trust to do that now. I'm still involved during the conception phases of any project and I sign off on the final product before it's ever released. I have a fiscal team that runs the financial aspects of the company and a lawyer on retainer for copyright and other legal issues. Then there's an advertising and PR team that handles the promotion of products and our social media presence. All in all, there are about fifty employees."
"Wow. Sounds like you have a well-oiled machine there. So, your PR team does all your social media postings? Let's see what the Internet has to say about you." Sarah was surfing on her phone to dig for any information she could find, a mischievous smile on her face the whole time. "Well, there doesn't seem to be anything out there for Charles or Chuck Bartowski. Not even a Facebook page." Sarah seemed a bit surprised.
"Yeah, I uh… I don't really have many friends. Besides, I try to keep my private life, just that. Private." He sat, turning his glass of beer slowly, looking a bit reflective. Sarah noticed and thought changing the subject might be best.
"So, let's see about our friend Charles Carmichael. Wow! There's all sorts of stuff. The cover of Wired, links to your TED talk and…" Sarah stopped in mid-sentence seeming to be drawn into reading something on her phone. Her eyes grew wide and then she looked up at Chuck and back down to her phone.
"What's the matter?" Chuck asked, curious as to what she'd found.
"Um..i-it's just an article about you on Forbes' website." Sarah stammered out. Chuck raised an eyebrow, curious why that rather dry article would garner such attention from her.
"Chuck… It says here you're, well Carmichael's, … his … his net worth is over four-hundred-twenty million." Sarah seemed to almost choke trying to finish the sentence.
"Oh…that." Chuck's cheeks and ears turned a bit red. "That's … that's not entirely accurate." Chuck downed the remainder of his beer, seeking temporary refuge from her question. "I donate a fair amount of my income to various charities. I'd donate more, but it takes time to find the right charities and to do my homework to ensure that my donations actually go toward the purposes they say they are. Some charities talk a good game, but when you really look at their finances, you find that sometimes eighty percent or more of their money goes to 'administrative costs' and only a very small amount gets funneled to where it's needed. That shit pisses me off... Sorry, that took a tangent." Chuck shrugged a little sheepishly.
"That's very noble of you 'Mr. Carmichael'," Sarah teased, bumping shoulders with him. "What do you say we get outta here?" Sarah asked as she took his hand in hers and squeezed. He smiled and nodded. He raised his hand to get their waitress' attention and mouthed and motioned for the check.
"How about I take care of dinner and you take care of coffee in the morning?" Chuck suggested as he pulled out his wallet.
"Um, we drink coffee at the diner, Chuck. It's practically free," she chided him playfully, realizing he was trying to get out of having her pay for anything.
"Alright. Fine. How about you take care of dessert then?" Chuck offered.
"Annnd what exactly did you have in mind for dessert, Mr. … Bartowski?" Sarah asked the question with no small amount of smolder. Chuck's eyes grew as large as dinner plates, his neck and ears beet red.
"T-that's not… I-I didn't mean … W-where is that check?" Chuck was still holding her hand and she could clearly feel the warmth between them increase as his palms started to sweat. He was frantically looking for the waitress, anything to change the subject. Sarah burst into laughter, resting her forehead on his shoulder.
Sarah let out a comical sigh as her laughter died down. "Oh Chuck. You're so much fun."
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"Thanks for a great evening, Sarah." Chuck was standing on her front porch as she fiddled with her keys, making no actual attempts to actually unlock her door. Chuck looked down at the way she was playing with the keys, not actually searching for any key in particular. He shifted his gaze to her face and he could make out a wry smile. That seemed to give him a boost of confidence to proceed. "And thank you for one of the best birthdays I've ever had."
"Best? How do you figure? I mean...there was no cake, no presents." Sarah looked quite saddened at the revelations, feeling like she had let him down.
"Are you kidding me? I got the greatest gift I've ever received," Chuck proclaimed. Sarah could only look on in confusion, sure she was missing something. It was now Chuck's turn for the wry smile. His thumb caressed her cheek as he gently slid his hand to cup the back of her neck. He pulled her into an impassioned kiss, his opposite hand resting on her lower back. He deepened the kiss further, pulling her closer, aching to have her near him.
Sarah was momentarily at a loss. His emotions, which fueled their kiss, were overwhelming her senses. It took her a moment, but once she found her bearings, she found she eagerly wanted to return his kiss. This was all happening so fast and while kissing him was fantastic, she feared she was rushing things too much. She felt out of control, like her emotions had a mind of their own and they were dragging her along for the ride. Sarah softly put her hands on Chuck's cheeks and slowly pushed away. His face still in her hands, she gave him a tight smile and a sigh.
"Chuck…Chuck I-" Chuck's eyes grew wide and he began to pull away, removing his hands from her neck and lower back.
"Oh, God. Sarah I'm… I'm so sorry. I-I got too carried away and was lost in the moment and... Please. Please forgive me." Chuck began to rub his hands on his pantlegs, averting his gaze to the ground. His breathing became more rapid. "I'm sorry. I… I should go." Chuck turned, attempting to make his escape.
"Chuck! Please, just wait." Sarah grasped his wrist with both hands. Chuck was so ashamed he couldn't bear to look at her. He was never the one to be the 'aggressor' in a relationship. He had always had a deep respect for women and would never have been the one to initiate any intimacy, let alone force himself on someone. The thought made his stomach churn. The realization crashed into him when she pushed away. He was being 'that guy', the type of man he swore he would never be. Allowing his emotions, his baser instincts to control his actions. If that weren't bad enough, he could see now that he had misread the situation. The act of her pushing away, along with her expression, seemed to further illustrate that point. He had placed too much stock on the kiss at the restaurant. He knew that expecting her to share his same feelings was unfair and yet here he was trying to push the issue.
"Chuck! Look at me. Please, just look at me." Sarah begged him, trying to turn his shoulder toward her. He tried to resist but ultimately her insistence won out. She could see the look of shame on his face and the tears in his eyes. The picture nearly broke her heart. "Oh, Chuck. I'm sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. Please believe me. It's just…it's just happening so fast. I know I let my emotions get the better of me at the restaurant tonight, and I'm not going to apologize for kissing you, because I don't regret it. And I don't want you to apologize for kissing me either. OK?" She tugged on his arm to get his attention, hoping he would return her gaze.
"Chuck, I just feel… I dunno… with everything going on, everything swirling around me, I don't feel like I have a firm grip of anything. I don't feel like I've thought all of this out, like I'm going into this blindly and that scares me." Sarah took a deep breath, hoping to build her confidence. "I want you to listen to me, Chuck… I do have feelings for you… strong feelings. I don't want to go backwards. I don't want to go back to the quiet guy in the corner booth. I want to go forward. Forward with you. I just… I need to do it a little … slower. Do you understand?" Sarah reached a hand to Chuck's cheek to direct his gaze toward her. She bore herself to those deep, chocolate eyes of his, desperately hoping he could see her heart. She wanted him to know how he made her feel. How happy she was when she was with him. He held her gaze for a few moments. Slowly, she could see his expression changing. The sadness and shame began to dissolve. His countenance started to brighten until the corners of his mouth upturned ever so slightly. He nodded his head in acknowledgement, though his apprehension was still apparent. She had feared for a moment that she might have literally pushed him away. Knowing that she had gotten through to him, brought a sigh of relief and she couldn't help but smile.
She took his hands, her azure pools still looking back at him. Her smile, the brilliant smile he saw now, was different than he'd ever seen before. She was always smiling at customers and friends alike. A radiant smile that practically demanded that you return the same. There was just something about this smile, the way she was looking at him now that made his soul ache. Like a part of him had been missing but now was found, mourning the time they had lost. Sarah's words had helped to slay the demons in his mind, those voices of doubt. He understood that, while she was not on the same page as him, they were at least reading the same book. That would be enough. At least he could convince himself of that for now. If that's what it took to be in her life, that's what he would do. Her infectious smile was spreading, and he was helpless to resist as he found his smile returning.
"I-I'd better get going. Gotta be at work early. My boss can be a bit of a hard ass." Chuck grinned and squeezed her hands. Sarah stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss, this one much more chaste.
"Thank you Chuck… OH! Here, I almost forgot." Sarah dug Chuck's key fob out of her pocket and started to hand it to him.
"No, you keep it. You'll need it to get to work or drive Molly around. So just hang on to it for now." Chuck pulled his hands away, refusing to accept the key. Sarah eventually acquiesced, realizing that she was not going to win this battle. Although, secretly, she was rather excited to get to drive it. "I'll see you tomorrow. G'night."
Sarah waved her goodbye and watched Chuck walk away into the darkness. Chuck was so different from anyone she had ever met, let alone dated. Dated? Were they dating? Well, she did say that today was a 'date', but where did they stand? She took comfort in knowing that she'd get to see him in the morning and most every morning for the foreseeable future. Well, that was until he decides to go back to his real life. The thought of him leaving terrified her. Not only did she want him, she needed him, and she didn't 'need' anyone. For now, she'd have to put that out of her mind and just relish the time she had with him.
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Late Friday morning and the breakfast rush was coming to a close. On one hand, she was thankful that business was starting to pick up, but she was getting run ragged. There was too much for one person to handle, especially if business got any better. Sarah was busing and wiping down tables when the front doorbell rang. She looked up to see a woman, cautiously walking into the diner. She appeared very tired and, although she was probably only approaching middle age, she seemed to have aged beyond her years. Her clothes were well worn and woefully inadequate for the cooler Autumn weather that was settling in.
"Mornin'. You can have a seat wherever ya like," Sarah greeted, wearing her customary bright smile. The woman returned a closed smile, but it looked forced at best. She gingerly slid into a booth, holding her faded purse in her lap. "Can I get you a cup o' coffee? Tea?" Sarah stood patiently at the end of the booth, using the closeness to get a better look at the woman. She shaky hands opened her purse, perhaps out of habit, but then slowly closed it and wordlessly shook her head. The woman had a difficult time making eye contact, almost looking ashamed or apologetic. Sarah just nodded. "I'll be right back."
Sarah made her way to the kitchen, the door swinging behind her. She approached Chuck, who was prepping for lunch. "Chuck. I need you to make me up a plate of biscuits and gravy, with some bacon on the side. Throw some fried potatoes on there too."
"As you wish," he winked and began plating the food. He wiped some errant drips of gravy off the edge of the plate and then handed it to Sarah. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek for his troubles. Sarah took the plate to the front counter and poured a cup of coffee. The woman was still sitting in the same spot, just looking at the table. She looked so tired, and not just from lack of sleep. Sarah obviously didn't know her story, but some comfort food certainly couldn't hurt. Sarah gently slid the plate onto the table and placed the coffee down beside it. The woman looked wide-eyed at the plate and then at Sarah and began to object.
"N-no. I-I don't-" Sarah raised a hand to stop her protests.
"Compliments of the owner. Please." Sarah nodded toward the plate, giving the woman a soft, understanding look. The woman stared down at the plate before her hand raised to cover her mouth. Her shoulders began to bounce as she tried in vain to stifle the sobs. She took in a ragged breath and finally lost her struggle. She began to openly sob, covering her face with her hands.
"Oh, Sweetie. Hey. Hey, hey, hey. It's gonna be alright." Sarah sat next to her in the booth putting an arm around her to pull the woman into a hug. She let the woman collect herself and, after a minute, moved to the opposite side of the booth to face the woman. Now that Sarah could see her more closely, the dark circles under her eyes were not entirely due to lack of sleep. The faint bruise on her left cheek along with the healing split on her lip told more of the story.
"Sweetie, my name's Sarah and I want you to know you're safe here. OK? First thing, you need to get some food in you. Alright? Then we can talk some more when you're good and fed. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." The woman slowly nodded and gave her a tight smile. Sarah marched back to the kitchen.
Chuck's Sarah-sense was going off, telling him there was something wrong. "Hey, what's the matter? Everything alright?" His concern warmed her heart. Sarah smiled at him and placed a calming hand on his forearm.
"That woman out there. She didn't seem to have any money and I think she's in an abusive situation. Chuck, you should have seen the way she broke down when I told her the food was on the house. It broke my heart. She looks like she's been roughed up recently. We have to find some way to help her, Chuck." Sarah started to tear up and Chuck pulled her into a tight hug.
"Hey, you name it. OK? Whatever you want, we'll make it happen. If she needs somewhere to stay or some clothes or whatever. We got this." Sarah just hugged him back nodding her head. She quickly composed herself.
"Thank you." She gave him 'that' smile and planted a quick kiss on his lips.
"Of course. Whatever you need." He returned the smile and got back to his prep work in the kitchen.
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Sarah gave the mystery woman a chance to finish her food and let things settle before approaching her again. "Need a warmup on the coffee?" Sarah stood at the end of the table, coffee pot in hand. The woman seemed … better. Not like all her cares were over, but maybe one got crossed off the list. She gave Sarah a smile and nodded.
"I... I wish I knew how to thank you. I don't really have…" she trailed off, biting her bottom lip, trying to keep her composure. Sarah slid into the seat across from her.
"Hey, don't you give it another thought. You're money's no good anyway. Understand?" Sarah gave her a stern look like she was not to be trifled with. The woman gave a half smile and nodded her acceptance. "Good, now, what can I call you?" Sarah set the coffee pot aside and intertwined her fingers on top of the table.
"I'm-I'm Gertrude... but my friends call me Gerty." She looked a bit sheepish before taking a sip of coffee. She used both hands to steady the cup and Sarah noticed.
"I don't mean to be presumptuous, but is it alright if I call you 'Gerty'?" Sarah gave her a wry smile as she awaited her response.
Gerty nodded her head with a smile. "Please."
"Alright Gerty, do you have some place to stay? Any friends or family?" Sarah asked softly and waited patiently, understanding that these may be hard questions. Gerty stared into her coffee cup, her lips pulled tight. She closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, a single tear streaked down her cheek. "I hitched about two-hundred miles from Savannah to Charlotte then another two-hundred miles to here. An old farmer picked me up near the interstate and brought me here. I... I got nothing or nobody. I... I just took my purse and ran. That was … that was three days ago." She seemed to be in a daze, recounting her journey to get here.
"Well... don't you worry. You'll stay with me tonight. We have an extra room and we'd love the company. I imagine if I ask nice enough, I can get the cook to prepare us a home cooked meal." Sarah smirked as she motioned her head toward the kitchen.
"I couldn't ask that. You...you don't know me from Adam. I-I don't want you to get mixed up in..." She was starting to spiral until Sarah took her hand from across the table. Gerty looked up at Sarah, tears in her eyes.
"A great man once told me that this place was like home, like family. And we take care of family around here. So, no more arguments. You're coming home with me. We'll get you a nice hot shower and some new clothes. I do have a favor to ask of you though, if you can manage it?"
"Name it," Gerty exclaimed.
"How are you at pouring coffee and takin' food orders? It's just me here and we're about to get really busy here at lunchtime. I could really use a hand." Sarah looked on with anticipation. Gerty just snorted.
"I've been workin' diners since I was fourteen. I think I can manage." She replied with a small grin. "And if I may, this is some of the best biscuits and gravy I've had anywhere."
"Uggh. My savior. You have no idea. This place is gonna kill me. As for the food, let me take you back to the kitchen and you can meet the man himself." Sarah stood and gestured for her to follow. They pushed into the kitchen to find Chuck working the griddle, singing as he slid from one side of the flat top to the other, using the spatula as an improvised microphone.
I'll give you jewelry and money too
That ain't all, that ain't all I'll do for you
Oh, if you bring it to me
Bring your sweet loving
Bring it on home to me
Yeah , yeah…
Chuck turned to get something from the prep counter behind him to find that he had a smirking audience. His singing abruptly stopped with a choking sound.
"Hiiii. Um, sorry about that." Chuck's face was sufficiently reddened as he offered a sheepish smile with his apology. Both women chuckled, Sarah shaking her head.
"This is our cook, Chuck. Chuck, this is Gertrude. She's gonna be helping us out today." Chuck's brows shot up and a smile broke across his face. He eagerly stretched his hand out to her.
"Wow, that's wonderful. It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Gertrude." She accepted his hand and shook it.
"It's Gerty, Please. I wanted to thank you for the breakfast. That was some of the best biscuits and gravy I've ever had."
"Really? Wow, that's quite a compliment. Thank you." Chuck beamed, the color flooding his ears again belied his embarrassment.
"Gerty, here's an apron and an order pad. There's a cup of pens behind the counter out front. I'll show you around." Sarah took Gerty around the diner helping her to familiarize herself with where everything was.
"The menu is pretty simple and almost everyone is a regular and gets the same damn thing every day. So, they can probably tell you what's on the menu as well as I can. And don't take crap from anyone here. If they start to give you grief, just offer to have the owner come talk to 'em. That'll shut 'em up." Sarah chuckled.
"Um, just so I'm clear, the owner is…. You?" Gerty asked, a bit apprehensive.
"Yep. That's me. Owner, operator, waitress, maintenance, janitor, dishwasher. You name it. The cook, however, I am not. I lost our last cook a couple of weeks ago and Chuck offered to come on to help and he's been a godsend. I've been trying to find more help, there's just nobody lookin' it seems." Sarah shrugged and lead her to the back office. "You can put your purse and things in here and I can lock the door. Oh!" Sarah pulled a button-down shirt off a hanger on the back of the door, similar to the one she had on. "Here. You can try this on. If you wanna freshen up, the bathrooms are in the hall outside. Not saying you need it, but there are a few bits of makeup in my top desk drawer if you want. The lunch rush won't start for another thirty minutes, so take your time." Sarah squeezed her shoulder and Gerty gave her an appreciative smile.
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"Wow. Thank you so much. I-I can't remember the last time I had a nice home cooked meal. Especially, one I didn't have to make." Gerty chuckled to herself, taking a sip of wine. She was seated around Sarah's dining room table with Sarah, Chuck and little Molly.
"Yeah, Chuck. Thank you. It was very good. What do you call it again?" Sarah asked, wiping her mouth with her napkin.
"It's called Chicken Pepperoni. I learned to make it when I was young by watching my sister Ellie." Chuck seemed to drift off in thought for a moment before taking in a breath and coming back to the present. Out of the blue, Molly spoke up, taking everyone by surprise.
"Miss Gertrude, are you OK? Did you get in a fight or somethin'? This boy at school, Brant, he has a bruise on his face too. He got in a fight. He was looking up the dresses of the girls on the monkey bars, so Samantha punched him in the face." Molly let out a little chuckle. "He cried." Molly explained so matter-of-factly, she clearly had no ill intentions.
"Molly!" Sarah reprimanded, mortified that she would call attention to Gerty's bruising. Molly looked a little hurt by Sarah's outburst.
"No. No, it's OK. It's an honest question." Gerty gently took hold of Sarah's wrist. The older woman took in a calming breath. "No, Sweetie. I wasn't in a fight… but there was someone, who wasn't very nice, that did hit me. They're far away now and they can't do it anymore. So, I'm gonna be OK. Thanks for asking." Gerty swallowed a little hard but a grin came to her face. The older woman leaned toward Molly. "Between you and me, I think Brant got what he deserved," she whispered loudly. That set Molly at ease, causing the little girl to giggle. The other adults around to table breathed a sigh of relief, joining in on the laughter.
"Alright, who needs more wine? How about you Peanut? You need more wine?" Chuck teased Molly, mussing her hair.
"No! I don't drink that stuff. I'm just a kid!" The little girl playfully retorted.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. You seemed so grown up. You look like you might be a whole half an inch taller than the last time I saw you," proclaimed Chuck with a wink and a smirk.
"Really!?" She jumped up from the table and raced to the doorframe where her growing history had been documented over the years. Chuck looked at Sarah, his unspoken request for permission was granted by a wry smile and a nod. Chuck went to Molly and knelt down to face her straight on.
"Alright. Do you trust me?" Chuck raised an eyebrow waiting for her response. The little girl smiled and emphatically nodded her head. "OK. Hold still." Chuck pulled a folding knife from his pants pocket and flipped it open. He rested the flat side level on top of her head, using just enough force to etch a small line on the doorframe. He carefully withdrew the knife, folded it and put it away. "OK, Peanut. Turn around and take a look." Molly gasped as she saw the minute progress registered on the wooden panel.
"I did! I did get taller! Sarah! Sarah, look. I got a whole bunch taller." Her little sister was so excited Sarah couldn't keep the smile off her face if she tried. She knelt down beside Molly, sharing in the little girl's excitement. This whole scene, watching Chuck with her, kneeling down with her and hugging her. It felt so amazing, so comfortable. They all seemed to fit so well.
"Alright Molly. Time for bed. Head upstairs, brush your teeth and get your PJs on. You can skip your bath for tonight. Go tell Ms. Gerty and Chuck goodnight." Sarah watched as Molly tried her best to give Chuck a bear hug and he did his best to act the part, pretending he was being crushed. Molly walked to Gerty, who was still seated at the table watching the familial scene, a warm smile on her face.
"Goodnight Ms. Gerty. Thanks for coming to stay with us." Molly reached in and gave her a hug. Chuck and Sarah could see the expression on the older woman. She was so touched and was having a hard time keeping her composure. As the little girl pulled away, Gerty caressed her cheek.
"Thank you, Molly," she replied just above a whisper. The little girl bounded upstairs and the older woman took in a long, ragged breath then blew it out slowly.
"So. Um, Molly's not….?" Gerty motioned between Chuck and Sarah. The two exclaimed in unison.
"No! No." Chuck and Sarah looked at each other and chuckled.
"Sorry, I guess I didn't explain things very well. Molly's my sister. Half-sister technically. Molly's father, Will, died unexpectedly from a heart attack about four years ago. Then our mother, Emma, passed away a couple of years later, after he fight with cancer. I became Molly's legal guardian. The diner was my mom's dream, so when she passed, the torch was mine to carry." Sarah paused for a moment in thought. "Anyway, that's all in the past. How about I show you upstairs to your room while I get Molly squared away?"
She got up to follow Sarah, noticing that Chuck immediately started clearing the table and cleaning up. She was genuinely surprised, though from what she had witnessed of Chuck today, she knew she shouldn't be. She had never known a man that would lift a finger in the kitchen unless he was getting a beer from the fridge. Certainly, they never cooked anything that didn't involve an open fire or pot of boiling oil in the driveway. He was so sincere and sweet, especially toward Molly. Sarah was such a lucky woman. Gerty could tell by the way Sarah looked at him, especially when she thought nobody was watching, that Sarah knew she was lucky as well.
After putting Molly to bed, Sarah went into Gerty's room to check on her. "I'm sorry, the extra clothes were my mother's. She was a few years older than you and maybe a size or two larger. They may not be your style, but I hope they'll work in the meantime." Sarah sat on the bed with her hands between her knees.
"No, it's great. Really. Thank you. This is all so much. I don't even know how to begin to repay your kindness." She sat down on the edge of the bend in contemplation.
"Hey, there's nothing to repay. If anything, all your help at the diner today, I owe you." Sarah chuckled and patted the woman on the shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment before the older woman turned to Sarah.
"So, Chuck. What's his story? I mean...most diner cooks don't own one-hundred-and-fifty thousand-dollar cars. Then again, the men I have to compare him to ...well, they just don't compare." The smile left her face for a moment, Sarah assumed at the thought of those men.
"Chuck is certainly a rare breed. It's a really complicated story, but essentially, he did well for himself, went on a road trip, ended up in my diner and ...well… he never left. He's the kindest, most selfless man I've ever met. He's so good with Molly, she adores him."
"And you. I see how he looks at you," Gerty grinned as she could see the color rise in Sarah's cheeks.
"Well… we went on our first date a couple of days ago, so it's very new. I uh… I don't know what we are but… but I like it." The grin stretched across her face and Gerty actually started to laugh. It was probably the first time in a long time she'd really laughed, and it felt great.
"So, listen. I don't know what your long-term plans are, or where you want to go from here, but you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. If you're looking for a job, we'd love to have you at the diner. I'd pay you of course. I work twelve-hour days at least but I'd never expect you to work that much. After work tomorrow, Chuck offered to take us out shopping so you could get some new clothes of your own and whatever else you need."
"What? H-he'd do that? For a complete stranger? I can't accept his money like that." Gerty was shocked and humbled at the outpouring of generosity from these two relative strangers. She really didn't know that people like this existed, outside of cheesy made for TV movies. She also felt a bit embarrassed and ashamed that she needed this kind of help. Having nothing but the clothes on her back, she was at the mercy of strangers.
"Please. Chuck would give you the shirt off his back. So if I were you, I'd take the offer of the shopping spree. You'd swim in his shirt," Sarah chuckled. "Chuck would be really happy if you'd let him do this for you. I don't want you to feel like you're some charity case. I'm just saying that he is a very giving man and would love nothing more than to be able to help those in need. While I hope it would help you the most, it will help him too. So…. long story short, you, me shopping tomorrow evening after work. Maybe grab a late diner."
"I..I don't know what to say." Gerty was at a loss but she knew that this was the chance she needed to turn her life around. "This is all so overwhelming. I think… I think I'll start with that job, though. I'm going to need to pay my own way and get outta your hair soon."
"Don't worry about being in our hair. We could use the company. I'll let you grab a shower and get some rest. My neighbor, Judy, comes in the morning to watch out for Molly before school. We'll leave here at 6:15am. Chuck usually makes us breakfast at the diner, so that'll save some time in the morning." Sarah was interrupted by a soft knock on the doorframe.
"Hey. Sorry to interrupt. Everything's cleaned up downstairs, leftovers are in the fridge. I'm gonna head out. Anything you need before I go?" Chuck looked between the two women, feeling a bit awkward being in their bedroom areas.
"I think we're good Chuck. Thanks. Let me walk you out." Sarah stood from the bed. "Gerty, there are towels and washcloths in the hall closet. Make yourself at home. Whatever you need." Sarah followed Chuck down the steps and out the front door. She pulled the door closed behind her and wrapped her arms around herself to stave off the chill in the air. Chuck noticed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Thanks for everything Chuck. You really are amazing." She stretched up and kissed him. It was soft and sweet but still managed to warm her from her toes to her ears. She hummed against his lips before pulling away. "You think you could hang with Molly tomorrow night while I take Gerty out to get some clothes and things?" Sarah brushed her nose against his.
"Of course. I'd love to. Here, take this." Chuck released her and reached in his wallet and pulled out a black card and handed it to her. The card was much harder than a plastic credit card. Sarah looked at it closely in the dim light and could see the words 'American Express' across the top and 'C. Carmichael' in the lower left corner. Sarah had only heard of these in movies or TV shows. She didn't know that the Amex Black Card was a real thing. Chuck pulled out his phone and placed a quick call.
"Hey Megan...Doing great. Thanks. How are Brent and the kids? ...Good. Good. Yeah. Listen I need to add a Ms. Sarah Walker as an authorized user of the card. Yep. Uh-huh… Sure, I'll email you… Great. Thanks … Oh… um, I need you to schedule a tow truck to pick up a Beige Honda Civic at ….1275 Maple Canyon Dr. Grady, North Carolina and take it to the nearest garage. The pickup can wait until morning. Just email me the details of where they take it…Thanks Megan. You're the best." With that Chuck hung up and moved back in to hug Sarah.
"Um...who's 'Megan'?" Sarah asked with a playful scowl on her face.
"Megan is my Amex Concierge. I figure I pay them enough in fees for the year, they can do my bidding when I need it. Take that with you shopping and get whatever you need. There's no limit on that card, so have fun." Chuck smiled and kissed her on the forehead. Sarah was looking at the card like it was about to explode.
"Are you crazy? You're trusting me with this card?" Sarah looked on in disbelief.
Chuck just shrugged. "Of course. I trust you with everything I have. Why wouldn't I?" He made it sound so simple. Like he didn't even need to think about it. He started walking down the sidewalk toward his apartment. He turned around and started walking backwards. "If you need anything or get into a bind, call the concierge number on the back. It will get you in touch with Megan and she can help you. Or you could call me too I suppose. Unless it's something you don't want me to know about." Chuck smirked and gave her an exaggerated wink. He waved goodbye and she returned the gesture. She watched him walk away and couldn't help but whisper to herself, "What am I gonna do with you Chuck Bartowski?" Oh, I've got some ideas.
A/N2: Thanks for all the reviews and PMs. I really appreciate the feedback. The more the merrier.
A/N3: I'm trying to be very cognizant of the powerful emotions that the subject of domestic violence brings up. I don't want anyone to think that I am glossing over it because I feel it unimportant. There will be a time in this story where I will tell "that' story. When I do, I will add a warning in the A/N at the beginning. I will not go into graphic detail, but nonetheless, I want to give those that wish to avoid it, the opportunity to do so.