I consider this but I still need her. “How about we pick something up along the way and we re-enact our shower phone call?”
She grins at me. “Oh, I love that idea even better, let’s go.”
I get up and she comes behind me hugging me tight to her. She kisses my neck then quickly moves away and smacks my ass as she passes. “Come on babe, get that sexy ass in the shower.”
She looks back over her shoulder smirking at me and I laugh. I run after her into the bathroom. We share orgasms and get washed eventually, but we didn’t care how long we took. We thoroughly enjoyed how our bodies slipped and slid over each other.
We got dressed, I picked up the keys to the car and opened the door. Charlie holds out her hand. “Thanks, babe.”
I laugh and shake my head. She looks at me confused. “What do you mean no?”
I walk past her and out the door. “Today I’m driving.”
I look back and the look on Charlie’s face is priceless. I laugh, unlock the car, and jump into the driving seat. It takes a minute for Charlie to come out of the house. She is laughing as she gets into the passenger seat.
“You passed your test babe?”
“Yes, I did, all thanks to your mom.”
She leans across and kisses me soundly on the mouth. “Congratulations baby girl and I know that my mom will rub it in as soon as she gets the chance to.”
I laugh and start the car. The journey is relaxed and I can feel Charlie’s excitement to see her mom. I fill her in on school and everything new going on. It’s so good to have her back and just be talking and spending time with her. Charlie senses my thoughts and squeezes my thigh. “I feel the same way babe, this is really good, just being here with you.”
I smile softly at her, she always seems to know what I am thinking. My hand moves on top of hers and I squeeze it. We stop for breakfast and Charlie knows we are so close to her mom’s house that she rushes our breakfast. I don’t mind because I am just as excited to see Ellie’s face when she sees Charlie. We get back in the car and start off on the last part of our journey.
“How do you want to surprise your mom?”
Charlie looks thoughtful and then grins. “How about you drop me off just before mom’s house and you go in as you normally would. Open the back door and keep her out of the kitchen and I will come in and surprise her.”
I laugh. “That sounds great but you may give her a heart attack.”
Charlie chuckles. “She will be fine.”
I pull up on the side of the road. Charlie leans over and kisses me quickly. “Remember, open the door and keep her occupied.”
“I will go and see you in a few minutes.”
I watch Charlie run off around the back of the houses and I drive the short distance to Ellie’s house before pulling into the driveway. Ellie is in the garden and I grin thinking the plan is perfect. She stops what she is doing, smiles and waves to me. She stands up, pulls off her gardening gloves and gives me a hug.
“Hi Emily, how are you? How was the drive?”
“Hi Ellie, the drive was lovely. I’m doing well, it won’t be long until Charlie comes back and I’m a little excited about that.”
She grins at me. “I bet you are.”
“How about I get you some sweet tea and we can sit on the swing seat and relax in the sun?”
“Sounds lovely, I could do with a break. I baked a cake yesterday for Charlie’s birthday, I thought we could have a slice and toast her day?”
“Excellent, you know I can’t say no to cake. I’ll be right back.”
She goes to sit down and I go in to open the back door. As I do there stands a grinning Charlie.
“Where’s mom?”
“She is out the front garden, I came to get sweet tea and she made a cake for your birthday to mark your day.”
“Excellent, okay go out with the sweet tea and I will come out with the cake a minute or two after you.”
I get the sweet tea and Charlie gets the cake. She finds the candles and puts them on the cake. She lights them and listens to her mom laugh when I told her I forgot the cake. That’s Charlie’s signal and she walks out. “Did someone call for cake?”
Ellie’s eyes widen and she starts to scream. Tears fall and she jumps up. I just get the cake from Charlie before she is crushed in a hug from her mom. Charlie’s eyes well up as she holds her mom tight to her. Her voice is hoarse. “Hi mom, I love you.”
“Oh my god, my baby is home, how did you get here? Are you okay? I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too, I came back yesterday and Em drove me here.”
She smirks at Charlie and then glares at me. “You knew she was here, you kept so quiet and how were you not bursting at the seams?”
I shrug. “I had to be good, you deserved the best surprise.”
“It really is the best surprise.”
“Can I blow out the candles on my cake now?”
Ellie looks at Charlie and laughs. “Yes, please do, happy birthday honey.”
Charlie blows out the candles and we spend the next few hours in animated chatter. Every so often, Ellie will give Charlie a hug just to believe she is really there. It makes me smile how close they are and it makes me think of our future. If we are blessed with kids, I want them to be that close to us.
“Charlie, you are probably still on a high from everything and getting home but I should tell you that Stacey and Niall are coming to dinner. I take it she doesn’t know that you are home yet?”
“No, she doesn’t know yet but that will be changing soon. Has she calmed any at all?”
“She has definitely mellowed but when she sees that you are back, I think she will break the sound barrier.”
I agree with Ellie and then I notice Charlie get that look of pure devilment. “What are you thinking?”
“I think it’s only fair that I surprise Stace, just as much as I did you both. When is she getting here?”
Ellie checks her watch. “In about twenty minutes. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to skype call Em and have the connection drop and you will be upset and knowing Stace, she will want to take away the sadness by means of ice cream or games. When she is rambling, I will ring the doorbell and you have her open the door. I will be there when she opens the door.”
Ellie and I agree to play our part. We act like kids in the playground while we wait for Stacey to arrive.
True to form, Stacey arrives on time. She comes in like a whirlwind full of noise and excited chatter. When she is in full flow, regaling another story, my phone rings and I jump up. “Oh my god, it’s Charlie.”
Stacey instantly comes beside me and Charlie’s face comes on the screen. “Hi, baby.”
“Hi honey, oh my god, it’s so good to see you.”
Stacey bumps me and waves frantically at the phone. “I’m here too Charlie, hey buddy, you look good.”
“Hi, Stace…”
The screen flickers and Charlie is gone. Stacey looks at me with wide eyes. “Where did she go?”
“She must have got disconnected, it happens sometimes.”
I play my part and look completely distraught. Stacey hugs me tight. “Oh, please don’t be upset, I will get ice cream and then we will play cards and I will even allow you to cheat.”
She gets up to go and get the ice cream when the doorbell rings. I move to get up and she pushes me gently back down. “Sit, I will go and get it.”
She goes out. Ellie and I follow leaving a very puzzled Niall in the living room. She opens the door and we are witness to an earth shattering screech. We both laugh while Charlie is practically put on her ass in the front garden.
We eventually get Stacey to calm down a little and Charlie is laughing so much when she tells Stacey that she was set up. She sits on top of Charlie and starts hitting her. “I’m your best friend, you should have told me first. Oh my god, you are here, this is awesome, I have my best friend home again.”
We a
ll go into the house and dinner is full of Stacey yelping every so often at Charlie that she is home. Charlie looks so happy and relaxed. It really feels like she hasn’t been away, with everyone all together like old times.
“Ah, I need help with something.”
We all stop talking and look at Charlie. “What do you need help with?”
“Well, you know that Paige was very important to me while I was away. I promised her I would make her proposal to Valerie the best and most memorable moment. She wants to do it when she comes off the train station as soon as she gets home. I need ideas of what we can do to blow Valerie’s mind and of course, make her say yes.”
I take Charlie’s hand and squeeze. “I, for one, will do whatever I can to help. She saved you and kept you alive, so whatever it is, I’m in.”
Charlie smiles at me and then we hear Stacey screech. “I have the best idea, leave it to me to organise and then we will need to practice okay?”
“Practice what exactly?”
“Hush, just trust me and I will work out the details and get back to you.”
With that, she gets up to make a call and I look at Charlie. She simply shrugs. “Lord knows what she is thinking but I have no doubt it will be awesome.”
Ellie laughs. “You may regret asking for help, but she will do everything to make it special. That girl has a special talent for the wow factor. I look forward to what that head is dreaming up.”
Chapter 34
Stacey has been insane for the past few days. She reminds me of my drill sergeant in training camp. Her idea rocked and she has pushed us hard to get everything perfect. I really think Paige will be thrilled and Valerie will be blown away. Before I left, Paige told me that she would call me and see what we were going to do, so she doesn’t look like a deer caught in the headlights. I’m wondering when she will call when I am hit by something and knocked out of my daydream. I look at the missile and it’s a softball. I look at the culprit and there she is standing with her hands on her hips and footing tapping.
“Charlie, if you mess this up, I will hurt you. I have this planned to perfection so you better not step out of line.”
“Damn Stace, I was only thinking about it all. You are turning into a monster.”
Her mouth gapes open and I wish I could swallow the words that came out as she throws her arms up and storms off. I sigh and run my hands through my hair. “Fuck, Emily and Paige will kill me.”
“Charlie, where is Stacey going, I thought we were doing another run through?”
“Ummm…”
“Oh my god, what did you say?”
“I may have said she was turning into a monster.”
“CHARLIE, you better go after her and smooth this out or we will never be ready in time and you will have to face Paige and ruin the biggest moment of her life.”
Emily hits my arm. “What are you waiting for, go and get her back, we need her. Whatever you need to say you say it and don’t come back here without her.”
I grumble and walk off to find the drama queen that is Stacey. Over the past couple of days, she has walked off a number of times. I think I’m going for some kind of record trying to see how many times I can get her to throw a tantrum.
I see her sitting down on a nearby bench looking forlorn. I shake my head and smile softly. I sit down beside her and she refuses to look at me. I slide closer to her and she, in turn, slides away from me. I grin and slide over again making her tut and move again. I can see she is getting closer to the edge and I chuckle. I see her chew the inside of her mouth and I know she has realised that if she slides again she will fall off the seat. I slide again and she huffs, gets up and moves to the other side of the bench making me watch in amusement. As soon as she sits down, I move swiftly, gather her in my arms and start to tickle making her shriek with laughter.
“You can’t leave me, I need you and I am going to tickle you until you agree to come back with me.”
“Charlie…stop…you’re an ass…I’m not helping you anymore…god will you stop.”
She is in between being mad and laughing, so I keep it up. “You are the queen of razzle-dazzle and I am so sorry I called you a monster. You are my sister from another mister.”
She is wriggling and laughing but as soon as I say the last part, she stops wriggling and gasps for air. I stop tickling and allow her to catch her breath. She looks up at me trying to read if I meant what I said. I smile at her. “Yes, I mean it, don’t you know that by now?”
She sits up and turns to face me. “You really see me as your sister?”
I shake my head and grin at her. “You’re really going to make me say it again?”
She shrugs. “You want me back to help.”
I laugh and stall. She gets up to walk away again but I grab and sit her back down. “Okay, okay, damn Stace. You know we have been through so much together. We have been friends since school and you have spent so much time with my mom and me. Yes, I see you as my sister and I love you very much. I would be lost without you, look at how you took care of Emily and my mom while I was gone. You kept their spirits up and you looked after them. You are my family Stace, never doubt that no matter how much of an ass I can be. I need you in my life, you’re important to me and I will need you there the day I marry Emily. You are my best woman…if you will say yes?”
Her eyes widen and she smiles so big, it would blind you. I ready myself for her squeal and launch. Within seconds, she throws herself at me and squeals in delight. “Yes, yes, of course, I will be your best woman, oooh, it will be so much fun. I will have you looking sharp and sexy, it will blow Emily’s mind.”
“We don’t have to go overboard, simple and elegant and I will be happy.”
“Hush, it is the biggest day of your life. You can be simple and elegant but be sexy as hell too.”
“Okay, we will see what your idea is and go from there. Do you think we could go back to Paige’s proposal and I promise I will do whatever you say from now on?”
We go back to rehearsing and Stacey is pulling together something spectacular. I must admit, she has a definite talent for this.
I get a call from Paige, who gives me the details of Paige’s parents and Valerie’s, so they can be included in it. I tell her that everything is coming together and it will be something her and Valerie will never forget. She is excited about it and to be a part of her moment, I’m excited too. We end the conversation joking with each other and I tell her to stay safe and I will see her when she is engaged. She smiles so big at me that it is contagious and I smile back.
“Keep your head down Paige, tell the guys to stay safe and I will see them all soon.”
“I will Charlie, you look good and thank you for your help on all of this.”
“My pleasure, I have the best in the world working on this. It will be off the hook. See you soon Paige, I have it all under control.”
“Good, I will see you soon.”
The next few days are hard at rehearsal and getting the permissions we need. Stacey works her magic and we get the go-ahead to do it.
The morning arrives and we get to the platform early. The families are already starting to arrive. I make the announcement and there is cheering and clapping. We passed around Valerie’s photo so they would know who was going to be surprised.
I receive a text message from Paige’s parents saying they are just a couple of minutes out. I make the announcement and there is a hum of excitement. I rush to get into position just as Valerie arrives on the platform with Logan in the stroller. She looks amazing and I can see the eagerness in her eyes to have Paige back home.
She is in position, so I give the nod for the song to play over the intercom system. Stacey has a group of dancers that start up the routine getting the attention of all the patrons on the platform. I watch Valerie as she smiles and starts to point out the dancers to Logan. As the song continues more people join the routine. Valerie’s parents appear in the group of dancers and she watches confused but la
ughs at them. Paige’s parents leave her side and join in on the routine.
Valerie’s hands go to her mouth as friends and family members start to approach her, each handing her a rose while the dancers continue in the background. All the other people on the platform start clapping in time with the dancers. I can see Valerie tear up as she receives each rose.
The train has pulled in just as I approach Valerie with the last rose. I give her a hug and wheel Logan to the side. Paige comes off the train first and makes her way to Valerie with the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face.
The song ends and everyone waits with bated breath watching and listening to Paige.
“Valerie, you are my life, my sun, my moon and stars and the beautiful mother of our gorgeous son. You have lit my life up and every minute of being away from you has made me want you more. I need to be with you, every day for the rest of my life, will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife?”
She kneels and takes out the box with the ring inside, making everyone cheer and clap. Valerie nods and answers. “Yes, yes I will marry you.”
Paige stands up and envelops Valerie in her arms. They share a kiss before Paige places the ring on Valerie’s finger. Valerie turns to everyone grinning. “Oh my god, I’m engaged. I don’t know what to say right now I’m so shocked.”
They both get hugged by their family members and friends. I move over to Logan, Paige sweeps him up in her arms spinning him around and showering him with kisses.
“Look at my beautiful boy, hey little man, I’m your other mom. I love you so much and I can’t wait to watch you grow up.”
I give Valerie a hug and she squeezes me hard. “I know what you did, thank you doesn’t even do justice. I don’t know how I will be able to repay you for saving the love of my life.”
I smile softly at her. “She saved me too remember, no thanks needed, it’s what we do. I don’t know when or how but she somehow made me care about her even though she is an almighty pain in the butt.”
Valerie laughs as Paige digs me in the ribs. “Hey, I heard that and yeah I care about you too even though you’re an ass. Thank you for helping with all of this, it was amazing.”
A Chance Encounter Page 23