Well, here is the final chapter! There will still be a short epilogue tomorrow! Thank you so much for sticking with this story and for all your lovely reviews!
Love never dies. Love will continue. Love keeps on beating when you're gone
The night was long and they slept little. She lead him to the couch where they talked over biscuits and wine. He vented and she listened. He leaned against the back of the sofa and she curled up against his chest with her legs over his lap. She rubbed her hands over his arms and chest. Eventually, they fell asleep against each other, holding on tight.
Charles woke in the middle of the night and tried to carry her to bed without waking her. His attempt failed, but he won in the end. They removed each other's clothes slowly and made love. They let their bodies act in place of words, uttering I need you, I want you, I love you.
They slept late the next day. Him lying on his back in the middle of the bed, her cheek resting on his bare chest, their arms draped over the other, and their legs entwined.
Charles was the first of them awake. He decided they had nowhere pressing to be, so he contented himself with watching her sleep. He noticed that she hummed in her sleep. It wasn't a true snore, but it had a musical quality. He pulled her hair back from her face. From his position, he could only see her eye lids and her curved nose. Sitting up a bit, he could see the tanned skin of her back. He noticed the color grow a tint darker over their week in Acapulco. To him, it was radiant.
Very gently, he ran the backs of his fingers down her spine. He pushed the covers as far down as he could reach, exposing her entire back.
She began to stir under his ministrations. Her hand absently stretched down the side of his body, reaching the top of his thigh.
With sleep still enveloping her and her eyes still shut, she tilted her head. "Good morning, darling."
He answered by pulling her limb frame up on top of him and bringing her mouth to his.
"A very good morning, indeed." He replied when she was sufficiently kissed.
From on top of him, she nuzzled her head in his neck and sucked his skin.
He blamed her tongue brushing that spot just beside his jaw for them staying in bed for the next hour.
When they were finally up and dressed, Charles drove them to the home goods store. They chose a store farther away that wasn't in their daily rounds. Charles hopped around the car to open her door for her.
"Milady," he said with flourish.
"You flatter me kind sir."
He took her hand as they walked through the parking lot and into the store. They found the kitchen section and had a look around.
"Whoever knew there were so many different types of plates." Charles was overwhelmed with the choices.
"It may look like a lot Charles, but we will whittle down our choices soon enough. Now, we can completely ignore the sets for over a certain amount because they are never worth the price. We can also forget about the plastic ones. Too cheap looking."
She pointed out a few sets that were a decent price and sturdy. "I like the bright yellow accents in this one, but the blue flowers is also very nice looking. What do you think, darling?"
Having never been asked his opinion before on plates, he wasn't sure what to think at first. He picked up one of each plate and studied them carefully.
"Charles, what are you doing?"
He squinted at each plate. "Sweetheart, I am trying to picture which plate would look better with Chicken and beans."
Elsie let out a loud chuckle. "You daft man."
He smiled at her as he made his decision. "Um… I think I like the yellow. I always pictured a nice homey kitchen with white curtains and yellow walls."
Elsie smiled. "That's lovely, Charles. Yellow it is!"
With their decision, Charles carried the set to the check out. Elsie searched through her purse for her frequent shopper card. Using it gave them 20% off.
"You are very good at this Els. Saving money left and right."
She smiled at the compliment. "I enjoy it. I used to save Joe a fortune on this and that. But I'll be damned if he ever noticed it."
He kissed her temple and lead her back to the car. "Shall we go out for lunch?"
"I told Beryl I would have a late lunch with her. I'm meeting her at 1:30."
"That should be enjoyable. I guess I will have a quick bite of something at home before meeting with the lawyer."
She smacked his shoulder. "You will do no such thing! I will whip you up something."
"It's not necessary Els. I can easily fry up an egg sandwich or…"
She cut in. "I'll hear none of that. I enjoy it. I want to be able to keep my man happy."
He smiled at her. "Oh, so it's your man now."
She looped her arm through his. "Yes it is."
They returned to the flat and Elsie went to work. She brought out a few bowls and spoons and whipped up a casserole. She put it into the oven for about half an hour and went to find Charles. He was sitting on the sofa with his laptop and some papers strewn around him.
"What are you doing, darling?"
He looked up at her through his glasses. "I am trying to see where we will stand financially. What with the portion of my salary that will go to Alice and the boys."
Elsie sat herself in the empty space beside him. She rested her hand on the back of his neck and scratched the skin she found there.
"Alice will get the house and everything in it which should count for a lot, but I will also need to support the boys."
"Of course." Elsie understood all the things that needed to be taken into account. "Charles, I have been thinking about getting a job. That would help with our house and some of the bills."
He removed his glasses. "Els, I don't want you to have to do that. If you want to, that is one thing. But I think we should be able to live comfortably off my salary, for a few years at least."
"Why do you say 'for a few years?'" She asked.
"Well," he paused, taking her other hand and tracing her palm with his finger. "If we were to hypothetically have a child together, the cost to support us would rise."
She stared at him with so much hope. Her eyes turned wet and cloudy. "Charles, do you mean it?"
He nodded his head. "I do Elsie. I want to give you that, because I love you so much." He brought his hand to her cheek and stroked it with his thumb. He turned her head down and placed a kiss on her forehead before pulling her into his embrace.
They sat like that for a good 15 minutes. She let out tears of pure love. Never before did she have such hope and assurance of a beautiful future.
As she thought of her wonderful man, she turned her head to meet him. "Charles, you know I would never be like Alice. I will… or have every desire to be a good mother. But I would never push you away, my darling."
"Oh Els, you don't need to convince me. I've known you too long and too well to think that. I am confident, however, that you will be a wonderful mother."
"Thank you. That means the world to me, coming from you."
She met his lips with hers and tried to pour every deep emotion she felt for him into that kiss. He felt her physical admission of her devotion and met it with his own.
"Els." He moved his affections down her throat and to her chest.
"Charles, we have to leave in an hour," she reminded him reluctantly.
"Yes…" he pushed her back so she was lying on the couch. "And your point is…"
He waited for her answer while he moved his hands slowly up her sides and to her neck.
She was putty. "No point, darling. Carry on."
And he did. That is, he did until there was a knock on their door.
Charles froze in a panic.
"Keep calm," Elsie said. "It is only the landlord. He said he would stop by sometime today to take a look at that leaky roof."
Charles's breathing returned and he let her up.
"You can get the door darling. I need to run to the bathroom and fix my hair." She sashayed into the bedroom and then to the bathroom.
Charles opened the door only to loose his breath again.
"Beryl! What on earth are you doing here? Elsie's not… I mean, umm… I thought you were going to have lunch with Elsie this afternoon?"
"Well good day to you too Charles." She stepped past him without an invitation. "And yes I am having lunch with Elsie in about an hour, so we have plenty of time to talk until then."
"Well Beryl, I don't have time. You see I have a meeting with Alice and our lawyer…"
"I know, Alice told me. But that's not until later in the day so sit down and listen to what I have to say!"
"But… How did you find me? I mean… that is… how did you know where I am currently living?"
Beryl turned back to him. He still stood holding the front door open. "Close the door, Charles. Alice knew the street and I spotted your car out front."
She was insistent and Charles didn't see a way out. He was lucky Elsie's car was parked half a block away. He closed the door and stood there while she looked around the flat.
"Quite tidy for a new bachelor. And well decorated I might add." She expected clothes everywhere and a pile of pizza boxes in the corner. She caught a whiff of something. "And are you cooking? Well who knew you were such a house wife!"
He didn't know what to say or do.
She finished her search around the house "Charles I am here to talk to you about Alice. Now I know things haven't been that great for you recently, but is this really the best option? To leave her alone with the kids?"
He was ruffled. "Beryl, Alice is the one who pursued a divorce first, not me. We talked about it a while ago, but now I know my future and hers will not be one in the same. Now I really must be getting on with my day." He moved towards her to try and shuffle her out the door.
"Charles Carson, what has you in such a state? If I didn't know…"
She heard the sink turn on and off.
Her eyes grew three sizes and her face began to turn red. "Charles Carson, is there someone else here?"
He had nothing to say, so he turned away and tried to convince himself that everything would be alright.
A voice called out from the other room. "Darling, be sure to tell him about the leak in the bedroom."
Now her face went full tomato and she stood. If she hadn't known any better she would have sworn it was… Only she knew better.
Her seething whisper shot fear into his very core. "Is this the reason? Are you fooling around with some tart? You despicable, low-lying, good-for-nothing…"
"Darling, I spotted it the other night an-," Elsie reentered the room and froze. "Beryl, Oh my God, what are you doing here?" If there wasn't a wall behind her to keep her up, she would have surly fainted.
Beryl's red face quickly turned white. She fell back into the chair and tried her best to bring air back into her lungs. Elsie ran to her, afraid she was actually ill.
"Charles, get her a glass of water."
He was glad to escape the room, if only for a minute. He handed the water to Elsie and she helped Beryl to drink some.
Beryl's eyes kept twitching between the pair of them. She didn't know what to make of this.
"Elsie what are you… and Charles, but… you despise each other… or you did…" She calmed and then released her wrath again. "Will someone explain to me what in hell is going on?"
Elsie sat on the coffee table and Charles stood behind her. They explained everything: how they met years ago, why they went their separate ways, their bickering, and then their reconciliation in Acapulco that lead to two divorces and them sitting here together.
She sat, stunned. "I can't make myself believe it. I just cannot make myself believe it." She looked to both of them. "Do Joe and Alice know?"
They shook their heads. "We hoped that nobody would know until the divorces were finalized," Elsie began, ready to defend them.
"Well, I nipped that plan in the bud!"
Elsie grabbed her friend's hand. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
She moved her head in a circle, not committing either way. "Elsie, you are my best friend. But don't Alice and Joe both have a right to know?"
Elsie drew her lips together. "Beryl," She edged closer to her. "Please, I beg of you, don't tell them yet. We just need some time for the divorces to go through."
Beryl was torn.
Elsie continued her plea, speaking softly but with passionate conviction. "I love him, Beryl. So much. We didn't mean for it to happen. I thought we parted for good years ago and heaven knows we never reconciled. That is until recently."
Charles sat on the table beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist. He rested his head on her back.
"You know how Joe was. He never gave me what I needed. And Alice never gave Charles what he needed. And now… he is what I need more than anything. Please don't ruin this for us."
Beryl couldn't cope with Elsie's response. She never witnessed Elsie plead so much for anything. Hell, she didn't even think her friend could possibly be so emotional. And then there was Charles. He rubbed her side trying to reassure her. He was a good man. Even Beryl saw he was not a good match for Alice. The more she thought about it, the more she saw how right they were together. They challenged, supported, and completed each other.
"Elsie, I believe you love him and I think he feels the same about you." She sighed. "Alright I won't tell them. But I hope you negotiate these things quickly so I can have you both over for dinner to celebrate."
Elsie pulled Beryl into a mighty hug and kissed her cheek. "Oh, Beryl, thank you!"
"We really appreciate it Beryl," Charles said while letting out a great sigh of relief.
Elsie turned to Charles who still sat on the table. She leaned over and kissed his lips once, twice, and then she was pulled into his lap.
Beryl still couldn't wrap her brain around it. Here they were, snogging when before they would be tearing each other's eyes out. She wasn't sure which she liked better at the moment. "Well, if you're going to be like this I'm leaving."
Beryl stood up and was half way to the door before Elsie and Charles stopped her and invited her in for lunch.
"I think you owe Bill and I quite a favor." They looked at her, confused. "If we never ate that salmon you would have never found each other again."
They laughed at that admission. "And how can we make it up to you?" Charles asked.
She thought. "You can invite me to your destination wedding in Acapulco. Bill and I still have scads of matching clothes we never had the chance to show off."