Disclaimer: All recognized characters and places are not mine. The plot and any spelling/grammar mistakes are...

Again I want to thank Loki's Only Love for betaing this for me...

Chapter 4

I awoke the next morning feeling a little warmer than I should have. I flung the covers off but that only marginally helped. A moan erupted from behind me and I was pulled closer to something. I glanced down to see an arm resting on my stomach. I gently rotated my body to come face to face with a sleeping Charlie. At first I was confused by what he was doing in my bed but then the events of the previous day came to me and I remembered that he and I were now married.

Married…

I still couldn't believe it! Yesterday I only hoped that I'd see him and talk to him. Now we had many decisions to make. I carefully extricated myself from Charlie's arms as not to wake him and headed over to my luggage to grab a pair of shorts and a white peasant top. I went to the door that I had seen last night and opened it to find that it was indeed a bathroom. There was a small shower and another door leading to what I assumed was another room. I decided a quick shower might help before I went in search of some coffee. I was able to temporarily push back my errant thoughts while I showered and dressed. But once I was done dressing and heading downstairs my thoughts about the future came back to the forefront, following me till I reached the first floor. Charlie was still asleep when I left the room. He had turned over so that his head was resting on my pillow. After a couple missteps I found the kitchen. It was bigger than I expected with a rectangular island in the middle of the square room. Also there were modern appliances. The room was decorated with beige walls and darker colored cabinets and counters. I wandered over to what looked like a coffee maker and found it plugged in. Next, I started opening cabinets looking for the actual coffee to put in the coffee maker. Cups and mugs were in the first I tried which was good to know but didn't help me at this point in my quest. Groaning, I shut the cabinet door and went onto the next. With my head full of questions and thoughts I needed caffeine in my system to help make everything clearer. The cabinet I just opened had plates in it so I quickly shut that one.

"The next one on your left," Claire said from behind me.

"Thanks," I told her opening the one she was talking about and finding the coffee grounds and filter. Once I had the items in hand I turned to face Claire. She was wearing a light pink skirt and matching tank top. But what struck me the most was the completely blissful expression on her face.

She came to me and took the items from my hand. "Allow me. This machine is a little tricky and I can tell that you need the coffee."

I nodded thankful to her. The machine didn't look like the one I had back in my apartment. Well, the apartment that I had shared with Victor till recently. We were both quiet as she set to work. She grabbed a couple mugs out of the cabinet I first opened and poured some of the delicious smelling brew into both before handing me one. I took it from her and she gasped. Looking down I saw that I had reached for the mug with my left hand and my ring was right in her line of sight.

"Is that what I think it is? Did Charlie propose?"

"He did," I answered because he did technically ask me to marry him.

"Oh how wonderful! My, he sure acts quickly doesn't he?"

I nodded. "Actually…"

I felt warm arms come around me from behind as Charlie kissed my neck. I unconsciously tilted my neck to the side allowing him more access. "How are you my beautiful wife?" he murmured before kissing right below my ear making me shiver in delight.

He must have spoken loud enough for Claire to hear because she gasped again. Charlie looked up clearly not expecting anyone else to be in the room.

"Wife?" Claire asked.

"Hi Gran," he said sheepishly. "Sophie and I were married last night during your reception. It was impulsive but so worth it." He squeezed me closer.

"Reverend Kelley performed the ceremony," I added a little self-conscious that she had seen us necking for lack of a better word.

Claire didn't appear scandalized as she looked at Charlie. "How unlike you darling."

"I know. Sophie said something similar last night when I proposed but when I saw her and found that she wasn't engaged anymore I knew I had to act. I knew that I couldn't squander this second chance with her especially after she said that she loved me."

A smile graced Claire's face. "What have you done to my taciturn grandson?"

I shrugged. "I don't know but I'm liking this new side of him."

Charlie kissed my neck which was the easiest spot for him to reach. Lorenzo walked in a moment later. "I knew you'd be here," he said congenially. He bid us good morning as he walked over to Claire and slipped an arm around her waist.

She leaned into him. "Sophie and I were just having coffee."

He saw the mug in my hand which I had somehow managed to hold onto. "I see that and I see that our Sophie has some news? I don't recall a ring being on her finger last night."

"It wasn't," I told him taking a sip of coffee. I wrinkled my nose as I remembered that I hadn't put any sugar in it. "Charlie's my husband…" I felt another kiss on my neck at my words. "We were married by Reverend Kelley last night during your reception."

"It was impulsive on my part but I couldn't let her get away again," Charlie added, taking my mug and putting some sugar and milk in it before returning it to me and reclaiming his spot behind me. I took a sip. Perfect. I leaned back and kissed his cheek in thanks.

Lorenzo raised an eyebrow and looked at Claire. She just shook her head smiling.

"I see you've told them," Patricia said coming into the room. "And before you ask yes I knew that they were married. I was a witness."

I looked down at my feet hoping that Claire wasn't upset. "I would have loved for you to be there but I didn't want to interrupt your night."

She came over and wrapped her arms around both me and Charlie. "Nonsense darling. Welcome to the family."

I hugged her back though it was awkward since Charlie was still behind me.

"It's going to be fun and interesting with you around I can tell," Patricia said with a gleam in her eye.

"Patty," Charlie groaned. She laughed at him.

"Anyone want pancakes?" Claire asked stepping back.

Charlie, Patricia and I said that we would.

Lorenzo kissed Claire's forehead. "I'll make them. You go sit down. All of you."

We did as he suggested. As Lorenzo cooked, Charlie set about explaining to Claire our conversations and how he came to propose and I added my thoughts along the way, finishing the coffee Claire had handed me. He allowed me to tell her about the ceremony and Patricia filled in small details from her perspective. Soon the pancakes were done and we all set about eating in companionable silence for the most part. A question here and there the only thing breaking the silence.

Since Lorenzo cooked Claire and I offered to do the dishes. He accepted after a slight hesitation. After finishing I went to my room to put on a fresh shirt since the one I had on got wet. My cell phone buzzed right as I was putting my blouse in with the other dirty clothes. It was in my purse so I opened it and took it out. My screen was lit up and I saw that I had a text from my friend Jen.

Hey babe, it read.

Hey, I typed back.

Where are you?

In Italy for Claire's wedding. It was beautiful.

You are in Italy?

Yes. Didn't I tell you before I left?

NO. Is Victor there with you?

When I read the text I realized that I didn't tell her about breaking up with Victor. I spoke to him right after I decided to come here then I booked my flight I guess my mind was preoccupied with seeing Charlie again that I must have let everything else slip.

No, Victor's back in NYC.

So he didn't want to come with you?

No.

Did you see Charlie?

That question stumped me. I didn't know how to answer. I mean I was definitely going to tell her that I broke it off with Victor but I didn't know how to explain Charlie and becoming his wife. She knew about him. I spent a night a couple days after I arrived back in New York telling her all about the trip including him and Claire but in light of what happened yesterday I was unsure of how to begin.

"Sophie?"

I looked up to see Charlie standing in the doorway. I don't know what he saw on my face but he moved to kneel in front of me. "Sophie what is it?" His eyes were filled with worry.

"My…my friend from back home just texted me," I answered.

"It's not bad news is it?"

I shook my head no. "She asked if I saw you."

"You told her about me?"

I smiled because he sounded pleased that I had talked about him. "Yes, I told her about you and Claire."

He nodded. "So why did you look so perplexed?"

"Perplexed?"

"You looked like you were trying to figure something out."

"I guess I just don't know how to explain us," I told him.

"What do you mean? We just told my grandmother and everything went well." He was hurt by my words.

"Jen still thinks that I'm still with Victor."

"So tell her that you broke up with him."

"I will."

"And that you saw me and we talked," he added though he sounded almost angry.

I turned back to my phone which was still in my hand.

I saw Charlie and…

And what?

Instead of texting back I lined up my phone to my left hand and took a picture of it before sending it to her. It took a few minutes longer for her to respond. Instead of asking about Charlie again, she texted,

Holy Crap! Did Victor get you that?

Victor and I broke up.

A second later my phone was ringing.

"Hi Jen," I said after answering it.

"You and Victor broke up!" she practically yelled into the phone. I think Charlie heard her since he raised an eyebrow. I just shrugged telling him that it was okay.

"Yes. He and I didn't want the same thing anymore."

"I knew it! So if he didn't give you the ring then did you buy it? It is pretty."

"First, how did you know? And second, no, I didn't buy the ring."

"You and Victor were always better as friends and how?"

I laid my free hand on Charlie's arm. He placed his over mine before picking it up and kissing it. I smiled at him before answering, "You remember how I just said that I saw Charlie?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he and I kind of got married yesterday."

"What! Tell me everything."

So I did. I spent the next half hour explaining how I saw Charlie, how we spoke and how he came to propose. I also told her about the ceremony. Jen thought that everything was so romantic and she sounded so excited and happy for me. The last thing she asked before we hung up was whether or not I had told my dad. I told her not yet. Upon ending the call I lay back on my bed letting out a calming breath.

"So that was my best friend, Jen," I told Charlie when I was able to.

He was sitting next to me now, having moved while I was answering all of Jen's questions. "She sounds…"

"Exhausting?"

"Excited," he answered.

I smiled. "She is that. We've been best friends since junior high."

He smiled at that. "So are you going to call your dad next?"

"No. I'll save that for another time."

His smile instantly turned into a frown.

I kissed him. "Don't worry I will. I just need a breather before I answer any more questions about us getting married."

"Will he be mad?"

I scrunched up my nose in thought. "I don't think so."

"So if you don't want to talk to anyone else do you want to get out of here for the day?" he asked, standing up and facing me with hand stretched out.

The thought of going out and being with just him sounded nice so I gave him the only answer I seemed capable of giving him this weekend, "Okay."