Rosemary had certainly been ecstatic when he came back home yesterday. So ecstatic that she had behaved the entire day. Instead of their usual thing of hanging out in the woods, they went into town. Went out for movies and dessert (none of the food was close to Charlie's cooking) and finally ended the day with a trip to the mall for some spur of the moment shopping (she actually bought a brush, which shocked him for a good five minutes). It had been fun. He had missed this, just the two of them. By the time they got home, they were both so tired that sleep came quick.
Then, today, in the middle of breakfast (potato chips and licorice), Rosey told him to go ahead and have a night alone with Charlie: "Have your date, Royce. I know you've been wanting to. I'll be good, I promise."
Another shock. He wondered if aliens had come and switched his friend's brain with someone else's. She was buying brushes and telling him to go out on dates? Hell, he wasn't going to question it! He did make a promise to have more of their own day-dates. This was his best friend here. There was only one of her.
Thank God.
He got to the clinic at his usual time. The Doc gave him his usual grouchy spiel and then told him that Charlie was doing some work in the shed in the back. It looked like the old man wanted to ask him some questions (and there were some things that Royce needed to talk to him about) but maybe the guy saw that he was anxious to see Charlie and let him go with a wave of his hand and a short grunt. When Royce got to the shed, he made sure to walk loudly so as to not surprise Charlie like he had yesterday. He got to the shed door and gave it quick rap before pushing it open. Spotting her at her desk with her nose in a book, he leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed and lips turned into a grin. "Hey, how are things going back here?"