Safe and Sane

Charlie fidgeted outside the door of Different Strokes, fingers playing with a cigarette he had no real intention of lighting. He'd warned Beth he'd be busy over the end of term - not like it was a surprise - but he'd been meaning to do more to help set up this place. In the end all he'd really done was help find and deliver a few display cabinets and a couple of other bits and be noticably absent. And now something was wrong and he was getting a bad feeling about it, so all in all he felt bad enough to smoke the cigarette, but not much like he actually deserved to. So the cigarette went back in the packet and Charlie stepped through the door.

He took a few moments to look around, really seeing everything put together for the first time, but he didn't see Beth. He already knew about the 'black door rule' so instead of going to look he called her name to let her know he was there.

From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Charlie"
Subject: Re: Um

Obviously you're terribly busy and I still can't get hold of you and I know it's doesn't exactly sound like the most appealing thing ever at all but I really do need to talk to you. Please call.

Beth.


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Gus"
Subject: Re: Wish you were here

Gus,

I don't know if you've even got my last email but maybe for once I'm quite glad you aren't here. It's certainly easier to type an email to you than it would be to talk to you. For one thing, you're not interrupting. For another, you're not insisting on tests and trying to march me down the aisle, which is rather a relief.

Yes, I'm still late. Twelve days, now. I swear I've been safe, always, and I'm still taking the pill, though God only knows what that might do to any hypothetical...well, yes, let's just not even say the word. I'm not throwing up or anything and I know Mum always said she did, start to finish, with both of us, but I haven't been late or even irregular at all since I was about sixteen.

I don't know what to do. Yes, I know what I should do, but I daren't do a test, because that makes it real and what do I do if it's positive, anyway?

I'm moving into your house. You're not using it and my place is going back to the university at the end of the month and I promise I'll find somewhere else to go to, I've just got rather a lot of other things on at the moment and I'm not going anywhere near your playroom, I promise.

Come home.

B.


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Mid"
Subject: A favour?

Darling,

I don't suppose that you might be free next weekend to help me move house?

Love to Jenny,

Beth

From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Gale"
Subject: A proposition or possibly a request

Hello Gale, it's been rather a while since I've seen you around. I hope everything's going well for you, and Oscar? It would be lovely to see you again soon and perhaps talk about a few things if you've got time and you're willing?

love,
Beth


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Charlie"
Subject: Um

Well, I'm terrible at these subject line things, anyway, darling, you know that by now. Anyway, I know you're horribly busy at the moment with the end of term and everything and probably family and things as well but, well, there's something that I probably need to talk to you about and if you could possibly find time and ring me or something that would be perfectly lovely.

love,
Beth xx


From: beth @ differentstrokes.com
To: "Jason"
Subject: Yes, I really did

Hello darling,

You probably don't remember but we had a conversation a while back about possibly setting up a gallery in the same building as a coffee shop and toy shop that I might possibly be trying to start and, well, the coffee shop opens next week and the toy shop's well under way. Could you maybe be so kind as to spare time to come and look at the gallery space and advise me?

I do hope you're doing well, it's been far too long since I talked to you.

love,
Beth


From: bethyjen @ googlemail.com
To: "Gus"
Subject: Wish you were here

I'm late.

B.

Charlie was waiting for Beth when she got home from church, sitting in his car in front of her building, with the window open. You know, just in case she didn't notice the car and he had to call out to her.

He grinned warmly, resting his arm in the window space and leaning out a little. "Hey. How's the birthday girl?"

It'd been an incredibly long time; long enough that he'd surprised himself with remembering the location and the layout of the club, but he'd always had a memory for that sort of thing. Heading in, a takeaway coffee from down the street in hand, he loosened his tie and made his way to the lounge, flopping down in a seat. Being away hadn't changed him much. Even Mexico's sunshine had had no effect on his pale complexion and despite the amount of food he'd packed away in his time across the border, he remained lithe and... Well, a touch gangly. Sipping from his coffee, he let his head fall back, breathing out a relaxed sigh. Yeah, it was good to be back.

Charlie wandered into Beth's office at two minutes to midday, cool and calm like he was supposed to be there. Maybe he was, students came in here all the time, after all.

Except most of them didn't come in with one too many shirt buttons undone, ruffled hair, and 'cute' turned up to full power in Beth's direction. Charlie put his hands on her desk and leaned over a little, ignoring the other students in the room who weren't there to talk to Beth anyway.

"Hey. You have any plans for lunch?"

Charlie got home from class insanely thankful that Bobby had left the heating on for him. Yeah, he was used to being further north, but still, Colorado wasn't the warmest place ever. Especially in February. He'd got his coat and boots off before he realised there were sounds coming from the kitchen. The cleaner wasn't due, and it wasn't like Bobby to be cooking (though if he was they'd probably need to call a cleaner afterwards), so Charlie was curious as he walked across the apartment to see who it was.

Beth. Surprised - happily so - Charlie grinned and leaned against the doorframe, just watching her without a word.

Beth's last week in Boulder was turning out to be rather hectic, and she wouldn't have it any other way. Monday evening she'd made sure to stay home, alone, catching up on chores after the weekend and generally resettling herself to independence after a weekend giving herself over to Armand's care and control. Tuesday evening found her racing home from a late night at work to shower, change, and rush through a hasty make-up before the intercom buzzed and a check of her watch told her that, yes, it was already that time and that should definitely be Charlie.

Blowing on her nails in a frantic attempt to get them to dry, she cradled the handset between her ear and neck, and leaned on the button with her elbow. "Hello?"

( To Charlie )


( To Rupert )


( To Gus )


( To John )


( To Jordan )

There was a Thanksgiving theme at the cafe. Wicker cornucopias were on every table, pumpkins everywhere, pumpkin spice offered for lattes, pumpkin pie, muffins, cakes, pecan pie, lots of strong coffee. But the most obvious were the horrified looking cafe workers in their pilgrim costumes.

Another Wednesday, another mild day, if a little cloudy. The cafe was quiet, and the staff had two new trainees behind the counter to learn both how to serve coffee, and how to turn a blind eye to some mildly risque behavior.

Since such behavior was very nearly inevitable on a Wednesday evening.

From: Charlie
To: Beth
Subject: I humbly seek forgiveness...

For being busy as hell with school and family stuff. I haven't checked in nearly as much as I thought about you.

How are you? Missing me, I hope.

Dirty thoughts,
Charlie

Beth was still feeling slightly embarrassed about the events at the party, but at least she was a lot less raw about the past. It lent a hint of colour to her cheeks when she arrived at the cafe to see Charlie already there, and meant that she raised her chin a little higher as she went across to his table.

She was dressed down, at least, for her measure of dressed down, which meant a long skirt and a strappy top, both in a rich dark red, and sandals with heels of barely two inches. Her hair was loose, and she was wearing the barest minimum of make-up.

And it was still far too good to see him waiting for her.

"Hello, darling, am I late? Can I get you anything from the counter?"

The lighting in the room that had been set aside for the purpose of aftercare was low, there were stacks of blankets and pillows, and every seat in the room was designed for two or more people, overstuffed and extremely soft. There was also lots of water, light food, and basic first aid supplies - creams and over the counter pain relievers- available in cabinets on the walls.

To: "Charlie" <c.dupont@gmail.com>
From: bethyjen.reynolds@googlemail.com
Subject: A little bird told me...

That you've got a birthday approaching. And no, I didn't check the student records, that would be highly unethical.

Anyway, I could try to be subtle and wheedle information from you but I'm really not terribly good at that, so...how do you feel about cake and would you like me to bake you one for your birthday? Both of you, of course.

love,
Beth

P.S. I do hope you don't plan to welsh on our bet.

Swoon.

To: "Charlie" <dupontc@boulder.edu>
From: bethyjen.reynolds@googlemail.com
Subject: My sieve-like brain

Hi Charlie,

I did remember to say that I was going to be away, didn't I? I honestly can't remember whether I included you on the email but I know this is your uni address because, well, I know how ITS structure them.

Anyway, do, please, forgive me, but yes, I'm in England, and have been for a week and a half. I fly back tomorrow, and it would be lovely to see you again, if you'd like. I still have a bet to collect on.

regards,
Beth

Bobby got home from waterskiing, whimpered, and flopped on the couch, on top of Charlie, burying his face in Charlie's throat. He was still in his swim suit, cane marks showing below the line of the shorts. He'd toed off his flip-flops before collapsing forward, and wasn't wearing a shirt. He shifted, whimpered, then cuddled some more.

To: "friends, boulder"
From: bethyjen.reynolds@googlemail.com
Subject: Venturing

Darlings,

The time has come, the walrus said, and so on and so forth. It's the semi-annual trip back to Blighty to see the family and so on, and I leave tonight, getting back on the 26th, though for the love of everything holy don't expect sense out of me that day or the next.

You've all got my mobile number, just remember that it's going to cost you hideous amounts to use it. If you want to get hold of me, you all have my e-mail address - or you do now - or Gus can always get in contact if there's any kind of emergency.

Let me know if you want me to bring anything English back for you. Anything that customs won't seize, anyway, and anyone trying to get me arrested by suggesting anything like that again simply won't get it, thank you Lee.

Take care of each other,

Love,
Beth xx

It was still hot, but thankfully less humid on Thursday evening, so there was a lack of ice on Brae's person. Of course, this meant he was sprawling face down on one of the couches while he waited for Charlie, hanging half off it and idly flicking through a GQ on the floor and muttering to himself.