Shark Out of Water

by DelSheree Gladden

  Laughing, Charlotte kissed his cheek. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s so sweet. I love it.”

  “Monkeys! Monkeys!” Lily shouted. The impatient tugging turned into yanking until Guy reminded her about the butterflies. She stopped pulling on him, but the poor girl was simply dying to see her favorite animal.

  Charlotte nudged him ahead a little faster, smiling as she did. Despite their conversation a few weeks earlier after Warren’s visit to the principal’s office, Charlotte was still working three days a week. It was too much, in Guy’s opinion. Doing everything on her own for nearly six years and rarely accepting help had worn her out long before she started chemo. The treatment was hard on her body, but admitting her limits was not easy for Charlotte.

  She was determined to remain as self-reliant as possible, but she at least agreed to let Carmody help with daily cleaning and errands, and for the others to take Warren on occasion so they could relax. Eli and Leila won the award for most fun, in Warren’s opinion, but Stephanie and Vance were a close second. The fact that Stephanie tended to baby Warren too much made them lose points in his eyes. Guy was just happy they were all getting to know each other and feel more comfortable.

  In other areas, Charlotte had given in to Guy more than he expected she would be able to. Letting him take over some of the financial decisions and caring for Warren’s day-to-day needs was not easy for her. In truth, it had not been easy for Guy, either. There was much more to keeping a household of three going than he expected. His old lifestyle of living single, with only the basic necessities, eating out most nights, and hiring out any chores he did not have time for was vastly different and required a huge adjustment to his new role. Add in figuring out how to deal with Warren’s occasional meltdowns in the middle of taking care of Charlotte, and Guy spent the first week after leaving work at the hospital simply trying to figure everything out. Carmody’s help was invaluable.

  Everything was running more smoothly after a few weeks practice, but Guy knew there was still a lot for him to learn. Easing Charlotte’s burden was a good feeling, though. He only wished she would let him do more. She still resisted letting him help her financially when it came to anything more than paying Mindy or getting groceries. He did more when he could without her noticing, like paying repair bills and Warren’s school fees when they came up, but he could do so much more if she would only let him.

  “Look, look, look!” Warren said, pointing at a sign for the elephant exhibit. Guy slowed at the sight of it.

  “Are we not getting tired by now? Perhaps we should head back,” he said.

  Warren and Lily immediately disagreed, quite loudly. They were completely focused on announcing their unhappiness, but Charlotte was looking at Guy curiously. Ignoring the kids for a moment, she asked, “Do you have a problem with seeing the elephants? You balked at the mention of them earlier, too.”

  Shaking his head, Guy tried to deny such a silly thing, but when the children began chanting, “Elephants! Elephants!” Guy cringed.

  “Are you afraid of elephants?” Charlotte asked. She was trying very hard to contain her amusement, but it was obvious she found his fear laughable.

  “Not afraid,” Guy argued, “just…I find them to be disturbing.”

  “Why?”

  Guy shook his head, grabbing Lily’s hand again and starting toward the elephants. Charlotte only smiled and followed after them with Warren. He could tell she was tired from all the walking by the time they made it to the exhibit and stopped to rest. Guy forced himself to stay by the fence to make sure Lily did not try to climb in with the detestable elephants.

  Charlotte slipped up next to him and said, “See, they’re not so bad.”

  Grimacing, Guy shook his head in disagreement. When Charlotte began giggling at him, he scowled at her, though there was little heat behind it. “Sorry,” Charlotte said, “I just can’t help it. Why are you afraid of elephants?”

  “Dumbo!” Warren shouted. He then broke down into hysterical laughter. “Guy’s afraid of Dumbo! He wouldn’t watch it with me. He’s afraid of Dumbo!” He and Lily both continued to laugh until their bellies hurt. Charlotte seemed to think they were only teasing Guy until she looked up at him and saw the embarrassment on his face.

  “Really?” she asked. The corner of her mouth twitched, trying to keep a smile from forming.

  Huffing irritably, Guy folded his arms across his chest. “There is something wrong with that show.”

  “With Dumbo?” Charlotte seemed confused. “It’s just a kids’ movie. Dumbo is the hero. Why…?”

  “The éléphants roses! They are not right.”

  “The what?” Charlotte asked, laughing in spite of herself.

  Guy turned away from the massive creatures and stalked over to a bench. Warren and Lily were too busy giggling at an elephant throwing dirt on itself to even move. Charlotte, however, followed him and slipped her hand into his. He knew he was being childish, but the creatures truly bothered him.

  “The pink elephants,” Guy finally said, “from the movie. They gave me nightmares when I was a child. They were… unsettling. I have not liked seeing these things ever since. I know it is silly, but I do not like them.”

  Charlotte was still smiling, but her expression turned repentant. “I’m sorry for laughing. I guess I just didn’t think you would be scared of…”

  “Something so ridiculous?”

  Shaking her head, Charlotte said, “Anything. I didn’t think you were afraid of anything. You’re always so confident. It just caught me off guard, I guess.” She leaned in, then, and kissed him.

  Personally, he thought it was a more than adequate apology. He pulled her in closer, kissing her again, making her forget about elephants and everything else. When he finally pulled back, he pressed his cheek against hers. “I am afraid of many things, most of all, losing you and Warren.”

  Charlotte’s grip tightened, her fingers curling around his shirt. He could feel the way her breath caught at his admission. “You won’t lose us,” she whispered.

  He wanted to believe that wholeheartedly, but the fear he carried for them both was always present. He held her closely, listening to the children change from giggling at the elephants to begging to go see the butterflies. He was happy to give them what they wanted this time. As they started back toward the main courtyard, Guy remembered something.

  “Charlotte, after the botanical gardens, do you mind if I stop by my flat? I wanted to pick up a few things. Warren has been asking to go on a bike ride for the last week and I haven’t had a chance to pick mine up. It will only take a few minutes.”

  He had not expected her to have a problem with the request, but she hesitated to answer.

  “Charlotte?”

  Looking up at him, he saw the trepidation in her expression, but did not understand it. She took a deep breath, bit her lip, and then finally spoke. “Guy, what if…what if we didn’t just get your bike?”

  “What else should I bring?” he asked, confused by her reaction and request.

  One corner of her mouth turned up nervously. “Um, everything.”

  Pulling her to a stop, he had momentarily forgotten that they both held the hand of one of the children until they jerked to a stop, Lily stumbling back into his leg. He thought one of them asked why they had stopped, but his attention was on Charlotte. “Everything?” he asked.

  “Well, it makes sense, doesn’t it? I mean, you spend most of your time at our apartment. It seems silly that you’re still paying rent on yours when you aren’t even there.” Charlotte paused, staring at Guy uncertainly, trying to decipher his reaction.

  He was stunned. It took him a moment to respond. “Are you asking me to move in with you and Warren?”

  “If you don’t want to, it’s okay,” she said quickly. “I just thought, you know, it made more sense than you running back and forth for stuff.”

  Guy shook his head. “This is not about what is most convenient. Do you want me to move in with you?
This should not be a request made out of guilt or anything else.”

  For a moment, Guy feared she would toss away the idea. Perhaps she was really only asking because she felt bad about causing him any trouble. Finally, Charlotte said, “Yes, I want you to move in with me. It will be easier on you, but more than that, I want you there with us…all the time. I miss you when you’re not there, and I know Warren does, too.”

  “If you want me there, I will be there,” Guy said. A grin spread across both of their faces. Warren groaned when Guy pressed his lips against Charlotte’s, while Lily just giggled like a little hyena. They walked out of the zoo, all thoughts of elephants, pink or otherwise, lost amid the absolute pleasure of merging their lives. Being asked to move in with a woman was once one of his biggest fears, yet now, he could not imagine a sweeter future.

  Chapter 27

  Je Viens

  After the first few date shark appointments, Guy had been ready to bail. He still contemplated ditching the business on occasion, but thoughts of Patricia kept him dedicated. Most of the time, he found himself anticipating the next interaction. It was not the women that had pushed him to extend the business past the eight clients Eli had handed over to him. It was partially the challenge, but more than that, Guy found it rather fulfilling to help the women he met. He thought Patricia would be proud of the good he was trying to do for his clients.

  He had discussed his plan to continue the business with Charlotte. She knew he did not need a regular income, even after Leo took over at the hospital for him, but she seemed to realize it would be good for him to get out of the flat on occasion and have something else to focus on besides taking care of her and Warren. Guy found it mildly amusing that Charlotte had never once felt threatened by Guy taking women out to dinner while they were together. He hoped that after everything they had been through over the past six months, he had proven that he desired only her.

  It was Carmody who had the biggest problem with Guy’s business. She and Michael had brought Lily over for a movie night with Warren while he was out. Normally, the weekends were good days for Charlotte, but she had not been feeling well all week. Carmody had been frustrated at him for leaving, but Charlotte had insisted. That did not stop Carmody from following him out to the hall and berating him for keeping the business when Charlotte needed him. He tried to explain that he and Charlotte both agreed that it was good for him, but Carmody did not agree.

  As Guy waited in the foyer of Dolcini, he paced and tried to put Carmody’s concerns aside. The client he was expecting only added to his unease. She was going to be more challenging than most. It was Charlotte, though, that had him most concerned. He had almost canceled his appointment because of how she had been feeling, but Charlotte had been adamant he keep the meeting. She had been feeling tired and achy since her last chemo treatment that Tuesday. It was Friday, and Guy was concerned that she still had not snapped back as usual.

  Reluctantly, Guy set aside his worry when he spotted his client coming through the door. He braced himself. At first glance, Gabrielle seemed perfectly lovely. She was dressed appropriately in a navy wraparound dress and black ballet flats. Her hair was very stylish as well. The woman even carried herself quite elegantly…until she spotted Guy.

  As soon as she saw him, all sense of decorum vanished. She bolted through the small crowd of patrons waiting for their tables and slammed into Guy. Her arms were cinched around his middle a split second later as she gushed, “I’m so glad I found you! I was just sure I’d miss you somehow and be left standing here on my own!”

  Guy struggled to extract himself from her grip. “Gabrielle,” he chided, “this is not an appropriate greeting.” His words did not budge her, so he was forced to physically push her back. His efforts were not as successful as he would have hoped. “Madame, unhand me, please.”

  Guy’s forceful tone and strong grip finally gained him some separation. He held her at arm’s length. The other patrons were staring outright, but Guy put his focus squarely on Gabrielle. “We discussed this already, yes?”

  Gabrielle nodded, her head dipping in shame.

  “Show me the proper way to greet someone you do not know very well.” When she hesitated, Guy reverted to the tone he often used with Warren when he misbehaved, and said, “Now, Gabrielle.”

  Slowly, the woman lifted her chin and extended her hand toward Guy. He took it politely, and they shook hands. She seemed to gain a bit of composure at the motion and said, “It’s so nice to see you again.”

  “You as well, Gabrielle.” He smiled at her and nodded. Again, he felt like he was interacting with a child.

  It was odd that a person could be completely functional and mature in one situation, yet be so lacking in another area. Gabrielle was successful in her job as a paralegal. Guy had even spoken with her boss during the week to gauge how far her social inadequacies extended, but her boss had only good things to say about her while at work. His tone changed when he spoke about activities outside of the office. She was perfectly professional in a work setting, but as soon as she entered a social situation, she seemed to lose all sense of personal boundaries.

  Once the awkwardness died down, Pierce stepped forward. “Your table is ready whenever you are.”

  “Merci, Pierce. Lead the way.”

  Because Guy knew Gabrielle would not be able to resist clinging to him as they walked, he offered her his arm in an attempt to control the situation. He only succeeded in having her wrap both hands around his arm to the point of cutting off circulation. Holding back a sigh, Guy stripped one of her hands away and repositioned her remaining hand to an appropriately light touch. She kept her free hand at her side, but her fingernails dug into his arm.

  When they arrived at the table, Gabrielle continued to cause a scene by grabbing her chair as soon as she saw it and dragging it around the table to crack into Guy’s chair. If he had already been sitting, his fingers might have been lopped off by the attack of nearness. Luckily, Guy had not yet sat down. He did not sit, still, and quickly gripped the back of Gabrielle’s chair before she could sit, either.

  Calmly walking the chair back around the other side of the table, he set it down firmly and held it out for Gabrielle. When she hesitated, he gave her a look normally reserved for Lily when she was throwing a fit. Gabrielle slunk over to her seat and dropped into it with a huff, proving she deserved the look. Guy leaned down and said, “Your chair will remain in this spot throughout dinner, yes?”

  “Yes.” She turned her nose up at him and looked away.

  As Guy walked back toward his own seat, Pierce whispered, “If you need any assistance…”

  “Dieu m'aide.” Guy shook his head. It might take more than God or angels to keep Gabrielle from latching onto him again. Pierce offered an optimistic smile as he walked away.

  The evening was an interesting one. Every time Gabrielle thought Guy was not looking, she attempted to slide her chair closer to his. She made it halfway around the table at one point before Guy realized and sent her back. The conversation was pleasant, but her strange need to be inches away from him was a constant interruption. Guy usually preferred to work on behavior coaching during their “date,” and spend the following meeting discussing the source of the behavior and possible avenues for change. He could not resist breaking the routine with Gabrielle.

  “Why do you not behave this way when you are attending a business meeting? The urge to be physically close to them at that time does not strike you?” Guy asked.

  Gabrielle gave him a perplexed look. “Of course not. That’s work. It wouldn’t be professional.”

  “Is it acceptable to ignore personal boundaries outside of work?” Guy’s head tilted to one side as he anticipated her answer.

  “Outside of work, we’re friends. Friends hug and want to be close.” She shrugged as if it should be obvious.

  Guy folded his arms, considering. “We are not friends. We are business associates, yes?”

  “But…we’re not at w
ork,” Gabrielle said.

  “There is more than ‘work time’ and ‘social time,’ yes?” Guy waited for her to nod, but she only seemed confused. “Who did you learn this strict distinction from?”

  “My mother,” Gabrielle answered with a shrug. “She was a teacher in my home town. It was really small, so she taught all the younger elementary grades in one class. I wasn’t allowed to call her mom during class. I was expected to treat her like any other adult at the school. When we got home, that’s when we got to play and have fun with each other.” Her lips turned up in a wistful smile. “That was always my favorite part of the day.”

  “Was it just you and your mother at home?” Guy was not surprised when she nodded. He understood why her mother required such distinction between work and home, but doubted she had meant for her daughter to carry that attitude into her adult life. “Gabrielle, there is a big difference between a casual acquaintance, a best friend, or a lover. Do you not agree? You cannot treat them all the same.”

  Frowning, Gabrielle studied him as if she were trying to figure out whether or not he was being serious. “Why not? Hugs make people feel better, and no one likes to feel like they’re alone. It makes people happy to know someone cares about them.”

  “Not if it invades their personal space, or if they do not know you. It only makes them feel uncomfortable.”

  “Why?”

  The question was not wholly surprising, coming from Gabrielle, but he could see that this was going to be a difficult viewpoint to change. “Gabrielle, how would you feel if a new client you had never met before walked into a meeting and wrapped you up in a full body hug without your permission? That would be undesirable, yes?”

  Looking appalled, she nodded. “That would embarrassing and awkward and…wrong!”

  “Indeed,” Guy said. “Yet you did that very thing to me upon your arrival this evening.” She started shaking her head to argue immediately, but Guy held up a hand to stop her. “Gabrielle, most people view others around them as strangers. It takes quite a lot for them to consider a person close enough to let them into their lives in a more substantial way. Until that point, people must keep their interactions more reserved.”