Charlie and Claudia (A chapter from "Helping Out")

[Alice2015]

"I really enjoyed being with you, Claudia," Charlie said. "More than anything ever."

Claudia smiled, moved into her lover's arms, and kissed him passionately. When their mouths separated, she whispered, "I love you, Charlie. I ... I think I always have, believe it or not. I can't explain it. But..."

She didn't know what else to say so instead kissed him again before pushing him out the door, whispering, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Then she giggled, saying, "I have the key!" She hurried down the hallway, dragging Charlie by the hand. At the door, she unlocked the deadbolt and pushed the door open. She kissed him again, then pushed him out the door, again giggling.

She hurried back to her bedroom before someone caught her; Maxine wasn't a possibility, of course, as she had a definite sleeping schedule that even an earthquake couldn't disturb, but there was no way of knowing whether Mark might be up and around, either coming in from a late date or poker game or whatever men did in the dark or up early to go train for the upcoming boxing night that he mistakenly thought was a secret from her and Maxine.

 

[TiredFingers]

"I love you, Charlie," Claudia told Charlie. "I ... I think I always have, believe it or not. I can't explain it. But..."

"I love you, too," Charlie said, pulling her to him for a tight hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she whispered, helping him to and through the hotel's back door.

Outside, he hurried over to where he'd left his bicycle -- only to find it gone! Stolen! It was 3 o'clock in the frickin' morning! Who steals a bicycle at...

Then, it occurred to him that it could have been stolen at any time over the last several hours. He looked back to the door but knew that Claudia couldn't help him. He started running for home, thankful that he was in good physical shape. In less than five minutes, he was standing on the front porch of his house, thinking, what do I do now? He was 4 hours past his curfew.

Drawing a deep breath, then releasing it, he used his key to get in and immediately found himself face to face with his father. The man said calmly, "You're a bit late."

"I'm sorry, dad," Charlie said, continuing with the story he'd been working on during his jog. "I fell asleep at Tim Dawson's house while we were watching Aliens again."

Charlie's father knew that the science fiction classic was his son's favorite movie, so Charlie hoped the man would buy the tall tale. They stared at each other a long moment before Carl Reed moved closer to his son. Charlie began to get even more nervous as his foot taller father stood over him for a moment, then leaned forward. And drew a deep breath.

Then, slowly smirking knowingly, he asked bluntly, "I hope you used protection."

Charlie just stared for a moment before asking, "What?"

"Protection," his father said. "Condoms."

"Dad...? What...?"

"I can smell her on you, son," Carl said. "So, did you? Protection, I mean. 'Cause the last thing your mother and I need right now is the added expense of helping you support a wife and baby."

"Dad!" Charlie exclaimed in shock. "I'm not doing that. I'm not having sex. I don't have a girlfriend."

His father stared at him another long moment before stepping aside and saying, "Go to bed. You have to be up for your route in four hours."

Charlie stared at his father a moment before hurrying past the man to his room. There, he undressed, sniffed at himself, and sure enough picked up the scent of Claudia. Or of sex. Of sex with Claudia? He jumped into the tub for a quick shower, then finally laid down.

(OOC: This ends this 1x1. This link will take you right back to where this 1x1 began.)