Rosemary obviously didn't care much for Charlie's offer, so she hesitated in the entryway, not entirely sure what to do. With the meatloaf in the oven, there wasn't really anything else left to, and Charlie had been planning on using that time to either do laundry or read one of her used book store finds. But now that Rosemary was here...
Somehow, the girl seemed a little easier to be around with when Royce was present. Now that it was just the two girls alone, Charlie felt nervous and unsure how to make the next hour pass in companionable peace.
Rosemary wasn't really like her 'brother'. Calm, friendly and easy-going was how Royce felt, and when she was with him, she felt comfortable both in silence and in conversation. Rosemary, though, felt the opposite- sporatic, energetic and unpredictable. The silence that stretched between them felt tense (at least to her), and Charlie was painfully aware of the fact that she still didn't really know how the girl felt about her. Her opinion obviously meant a lot to Royce... and, in a way, to her as well. Royce adored her, and Charlie had gotten the impression that, if she were somehow able to move herself from "stranger" to "friend" in Rosemary's eyes, that she would be a valuable and fun friend to have.
At least Rosemary liked her cookies. That was a start, right?
"Well, at the very least, I can get them out so you don't have to worry about them when you go to sleep," Charlie finally said. "It'll be more comfortable that way."
Speaking, of course, from experience, she thought, making her way toward the only bathroom in the apartment. Her brush was wooden- solid cherry- and tipped with massaging leather tips. One of the only things she actually owned of her mother's, and only because she stole it from her dad the morning she left home (who had, before her, stolen it from her mother). It always smelled lightly of cinnamon, and felt fantastic when pull along one's scalp. For $500, it had better feel fantastic.
She grabbed the small bottle of detangler and returned to the main living area. Rosemary had already seated herself at the table, bringing her head to a good height for working.
"Here, I'm just going to spray a little of this on your hair," Charlie said by way of explanation, showing Rosemary the bottle. "It's mostly water with some stuff that helps to detangle hair, so it should help get the things out. Doesn't smell, either, which is nice."
Do I always babble this much? Do I do that to Royce, too? Why doesn't he ever stop me? She rolled her eyes at herself, and picked up a small section of hair to begin brushing, starting with short gentle strokes at the tips and working until she could run the brush from the root down without difficulty. Then she moved onto another section, always gentle and light with her strokes to avoid hurting her guest.
The radio was still playing in the living room, and she found herself humming a little to the tune. Charlie enjoyed the calming work as it soothed her frayed nerves that had practically deteriorated her sense of security throughout the day. Who would have thought that, of all things, it was the simple act of brushing someone's hair that would finally make her relax?
The thought reminded her of something, and she smiled at the back of Rosemary's head. "You know, when I was a kid, I used to imagine what it would be like to have a sister. Either a younger one for me to do this to, or an older one who would do this to me. Can't quite tell if this is anything like what I imagined, but... it's kinda nice."