Early the next morning, Charlotte stepped out of her new bedroom and heard Angel and Cassie down the hallway in the kitchen talking. Her sharp hearing informed her that Cassie had already texted her assistant, who would be in to open the store, and Angel was planning for the two of them to go out for the day. Moving to the bathroom, Charlotte took care of necessary business and then walked quietly down the hall to the kitchen. Both of their backs were to her, with Angel looking over some pamphlets of things to do in the area. Cassie was cooking breakfast, and the aromas in the kitchen caused Charlotte's stomach to rumble.
"Good morning, sweetie," Cassie spoke without turning around. Angel lifted his head, looked over his shoulder, and smiled softly.
"You heard me?"
"Nope." Cassie chuckled as she turned to slide some pancakes onto a plate, "But your power pulses around you, and I sensed you coming down the hall."
With a blush, Charlotte settled into the seat next to Angel and eyed the plate Cassie slid in front of her. Angel smirked while setting the papers aside to accept his own plate, "It's not meat."
Cassie shook her head with a laugh, "I couldn't believe it when Kevin told me of your dietary choices. I'm glad I had some choices to whip up on short notice."
"I really don't mean to be an inconvenience, Cassie, but thank you."
"You are no inconvenience, dear. A challenge, to be sure, but I relish challenges. I called my assistant, and he'll be over in a couple of hours. After breakfast, I'll get started on some reading. I have a few books in the shop that may help."
"And we're going to go out and enjoy the day's sightseeing." Angel declared.
Charlotte nodded, "What are these discs?"
"Pancakes." Cassie answered, "And I do have toast and oatmeal if it's not filling enough."
Angel had already started on his. Charlotte watched him pour syrup over them with a couple scoops of butter, and she copied him. Cassie watched, intrigued, as the demon sitting across from her took her first bite of homemade pancakes.
"Mmmm!" Charlotte's response indicated she loved the pancakes and went to work on the rest with hungry enthusiasm. Cassie smirked, "I see you like them. Good. Pancakes are not one of my specialties."
"They're great, sis." Angel said after finishing a bite, "When we're out today, we'll pick up supplies. Just make me a list."
"Sounds good."
They ate and talked a bit more until their plates were clean. Angel excused himself to go take his shower, and Cassie started collecting the dishes. Charlotte stood, picking up her plate before Cassie could grab it, "Let me help you. I don't want to just sit here. It's uncomfortable."
"In that case, while we clean, tell me all about you. Your feelings, powers, what you remember, if anything, and the things you dream of. Maybe we'll be able to find some seeds of your true self."
Charlotte nodded enthusiastically, and as they worked together to clean up the kitchen, Charlotte told her everything she could about the last few months. How she first changed, that some of her gifts felt natural, but others were coming to her in time, like conjuring the branch in the river. Determined to make sure she held nothing back and feeling comfortable, Charlotte even confessed about the night she and Angel almost made love, why he turned her down, and how it made her feel. Cassie listened intently to everything, only interrupting to clarify some things.
Upon Charlotte's confession, Cassie took a towel off the handle of the stove and, while drying her hands, turned to look at Charlotte squarely. "You do understand he didn't mean to hurt you, right?"
"I know." Charlotte's voice was contrite, but she looked at Cassie firmly, "But I love him, Cassie. I don't care if it's right, wrong, or even possible; I love him and I want to be with him. It just hurts that he sees me as a monster."
Cassie slapped her hand on the kitchen counter, startling Charlotte, who cringed. Cassie's voice wasn't rude, just firm: "Kevin does not see you as a monster, Charlotte, not in the least. He knows you're special and different, and you're both here to find answers to that. Not just so you can be the true you, but so you two can be together. Don't question that, or you won't try with all your heart and soul to recover your memories."
Charlotte returned Cassie's stare with a confident admission: "Last night was the first time I'd ever slept alone since Angel found me, and I hated it. HATED IT! I barely slept, and when I did, I had bad dreams. When I had bad dreams in the motels, I could at least see him in the other bed, and it soothed me."
With a subtle shake of her head, Cassie blew air out past her lips, "Do you think Kevin was happy about sleeping on the couch last night?"
"No?" Charlotte looked over her shoulder at the couch, with the blankets folded neatly and the pillow set on top. She looked back at Cassie, confused.
"You've been very honest with me, sharing your deepest feelings and thoughts not just about the last few months but also about how you feel about my brother. Maybe you can be that honest with him?"
"He knows how I feel."
"Yes, but not how much the distance is hurting you, especially when I'm sure it's hurting him, too." Cassie's eyes softened, "To be as blunt as I can to drive home my point, two people can sleep together without sex."
Charlotte blushed a bit, "But you sent him to the couch last night. Why the change?"
"New intel. I didn't understand how close you two had gotten. If I had, I'd have suggested the room to both of you. This doesn't have to be complicated, not if you don't want it to be. I think it's a nice change of pace that two people know how they feel about each other, and it isn't the lack of honesty or communication that keeps them apart."
"Just my memories." Charlotte lamented.
"A tough challenge, like I said. But I firmly believe that if the two of you can get over the awkwardness of being a couple, even without sex, you can focus on finding yourself."
"He pushed me away, though. If I ask him to sleep with me and he says no—" Charlotte trailed off, fresh memories poking at her heart.
"What's real love without risk, darling? Just affirm to him why you need him with you—the loneliness. I bet he feels the same.
Charlotte nodded in acceptance of the task presented to her. She hoped Angel would accept her. As she wondered that, she heard the bathroom door click open and Angel's footsteps coming down the hallway. Cassie smirked at Charlotte, shooing her away from the sink. "Go get ready for your day out."
Angel entered the kitchen, dressed in a casual black dress shirt and black slacks he'd collected from the luggage, while combing his short hair into place. It was a look that Charlotte had not seen him in before, and she admired how handsome he looked, cleaned up. Angel smiled warmly at the ladies, "That felt good. It's been a long time since I didn't have to shower in a motel bathroom."
"I'm going to go pick out something nice to wear, so I don't look like a slob next to you." Charlotte smiled shyly as she walked by Angel, letting her hand brush his arm tenderly.
Angel watched her go down the hall and turned to his sister and asked, "Did I miss something?"
"Better be the last time you do."
"Wha—?"
Cassie laughed when she saw Angel's perplexed expression. "Go. Have a good day. I'm going to go start the research and help Davis open the store when he gets here. I'm closing early, so be back here by 6 p.m. and we can go over anything I dig up. I will text you with anything I need for the pantry or for research." Cassie stepped past Angel, giving him a pat on the shoulder, and left him there, shaking his head.
"Wha—?"
—
Twenty minutes later, Charlotte stepped out of her room wearing a long, dark red V-neck sundress with black high-heeled shoes. Angel could not help but notice she had chosen to not wear a bra, as the dress hugged her and filled out her form well. This was the first time he had seen her dress up so nicely, and he blushed as she stepped up to him, "So handsome? You're gonna show me a good time?"
"It would be my pleasure." He held out his arm, and she wrapped her arm around his, giving him a warm, loving look. She saw his eyes sparkle as he admired her and Charlotte thought to herself: Maybe today would be the start of their future together.