Interrupted (The Progress Series)

by Queau, Amy

  Charlie: 1. Samuel: 0. Ha!

  A wide smile rose to his face as he leaned back on the stool, laughing harder than Charlie had ever seen him laugh. The outburst uncovered a slight dimple in his left cheek, and he held his stomach as if his laughter hurt him. “You’re so right! I was looking at your ass earlier,” he said, still laughing and trying to reposition himself onto the stool again. Charlie giggled and secretly congratulated herself on winning a small battle.

  You can do this, Charlie. You’re already doing better than you thought you would. He’s easy to talk to. Relax and enjoy yourself, like Karal told you.

  Their wings were delivered to the bar along with two fresh beers. The aroma of vinegar and cayenne turned her off, but she politely humored Samuel and took a few bites while holding her breath.

  After dinner, they played two rounds of video nineties trivia. The questions made her feel smarter than he was, and she wondered if he was letting her win.

  “I texted you last night, but I didn’t hear back from you. I thought you were going to cancel on me tonight,” he said.

  “Oh, boy. How do I explain this without sounding like an idiot? Okay, so I don’t really know how to text,” she admitted, squinting her eyes shut.

  You were so cool up until this point. You were smart, witty, and keeping up with the conversation. Now you get to explain to him how you’re a complete moron. Wonderful.

  Opening one eye slowly, she glanced at Samuel when he didn’t respond. He had a strange smile on his face.

  “What do you mean, you don’t know how?” he asked.

  “Oh god! I was hoping to leave the ‘Charlie is technologically inept’ conversation for the second or third date. You must think you’re out with a real winner tonight. Okay, well, no one has ever really texted me before, that I know of. I will occasionally hear it beep at me, but I’ve only owned the thing for a few months, and I hardly ever use it. No one has ever showed me how to text or email or anything, and I haven’t cared enough to figure it out myself.” Charlie covered her face and rested her head on the table in total embarrassment.

  Samuel laughed. “Don’t worry about it. Let me show you. Give me your phone,” he said, reaching his arm out across the table. Charlie got it out of her purse and handed it to him.

  “Yeah, see, you have a few texts in here…” Still laughing, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Besides mine, the last one was from almost two months ago.”

  “Don’t make fun of me,” she pleaded, giggling.

  “No, I’m not making fun of you. This is a hilarious conversation. You are absolutely adorable.”

  “Oh yes, a true damsel in distress here. ‘Oh Sam, could you please show me how to use an iPhone?’” Charlie said, batting her lashes.

  After showing Charlie how to maneuver her incoming and outgoing texts, he then asked for her email address.

  “Oh, I don’t have one of those, either.”

  “How, Charlie…? You know what, nope. I’m not going to ask. Would you like me to set one up for you?”

  “Sure.” She shrugged.

  “Okay, a Yahoo account okay?”

  “Does it make a difference?”

  “No, not really.”

  “Fine, then.” She smiled.

  “What would you like your username to be?”

  Charlie shrugged again. “I don’t know, what should it be?”

  “Something you can always remember. Maybe with letters and numbers.”

  “Red,” she spat out. “Red…um…0702. Will that work?”

  “Should be fine. What does it mean?”

  Of course he was going to ask that!

  “My birthday. It’s July second. And the “Red” part is my hair.” Whew.

  *

  As they were leaving the restaurant, Samuel grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers. “So, should I call you Samuel or just Sam?”

  “Doesn’t matter, whatever you want. Most people call me Sam.”

  “Well then, in interest of avoiding the label of a ‘Becky,’ Samuel it is.”

  This whole evening was nice. I barely thought about Jess at all, and Samuel is really…

  “Maybe we can do it again soon?”

  “Yes, definitely,” she said.

  He leaned into her as she stood next to her car. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t contemplated a kiss at the end of the night. She didn’t know how to respond, or whether or not she wanted one. At the last second she turned her cheek and they ended up giving each other a French greeting. She was mortified.

  Rolling her eyes and rubbing her forehead, she fumbled with her keys and waved at him as she got in her car. “Call me!” she shouted as she slammed her door.

  “Ha! How about I text you?” he shouted back.

  She looked in her rear view mirror, and he laughed all the way to his car.

  *

  When she arrived home at midnight, her dad had fallen asleep on his chair in front of the television. As she opened the front door, the jingling of her keys woke him.

  “Hey, Char,” he said with a yawn, scratching his head. “How was your night?”

  “Good, Dad. How was yours?”

  “Well, I’ve been asleep for almost an hour now, and I didn’t spill my Manhattan. I’d say it was a success.”

  Charlie laughed.

  “So the date was good, then? I haven’t seen your smile around here for weeks.”

  “Yeah, Dad. I fumbled the ending. Horribly. But overall, I had fun. He seems like a good guy.”

  “What’s his name again?”

  “Samuel. I went to school with him. He was a graphic designer after college and now he’s a freelance artist and writer.”

  “Is he into SKA music?”

  “What? No.”

  “How about playing the drums?” he asked.

  “Nope.”

  “Is he bipolar?”

  “Dad. Knock it off! He’s nothing like Jesse.”

  “Good. Then I won’t have to worry as much. Remember, if you ever need protection, just look in my top dresser drawer,” he said, getting up from his chair.

  “Wow. Way too much information, Dad.”

  “Ha! Good night, Charlie. See you in the morning.”

  “Love you, Pops.”

  “Love you, too.” He kissed her forehead and went to bed.

  Charlie made a pot of decaf, prepared herself a cup, and carefully balanced it on her way downstairs to her room. She quickly got undressed and into her pajamas. Taking a deep breath, she was surprised at how smoothly it went through her lungs; she felt her shoulders relax and the tension in her forehead melt away.

  I am okay. Maybe everything will be okay.

  Her phone beeped and she smiled. She quickly picked it up and checked the text.

  Good night. See you soon. ;) Sam

  She texted him back immediately.

  Good night, Samuel.

  After scrolling through the seven texts she had missed for the past several months, she was disappointed to find none from Jesse.

  Thinking about her evening with Samuel, she lay down on her bed and crossed her ankles with her hands behind her head, smiling. She looked around her room. First at the sketch that was still up on her easel, then to the bookshelf at the books and movies it held. Her eyes went up to her window and she could see part of the night sky through it. She squinted as her eyes tried to make out another object—she could just see a faint outline. She jumped out of bed and stood tiptoed to see if she could get a closer look.

  No way.

  She raced up the steps and threw her coat over her shoulders on her way out the door. With only socks on, she ran around to her bedroom window and knelt down.

  No!

  Lying in the snow was a small bouquet of dead, white daisies encrusted to the frosted ground beneath them.

  Chapter Six

  Something about finding the daisies in the snow the night before gave her hope—a hope that she would someday see Jesse again. Per
haps not soon, but someday. He had left them outside her window in the days before he left. That could only mean that he had a will to see her again, as well. After plucking one petal off a single flower and stashing it in an old jewelry box, Charlie had fallen asleep soundly.

  She arrived at work the next night with a smile on her face. Karal noticed instantly and approached her just as she was taking her coat off in the kitchen.

  “So, how did the date go?” Karal asked.

  “It was nice,” Charlie said.

  “Nice? Nice? That’s all you’re going to say?”

  “Well, what do you want me to say? It went well. We talked and flirted a little. I told him I’d like to see him again.”

  “Well good! What’s his name?” Karal asked.

  “Samuel.”

  “Oh. Interesting.”

  “How so?” Charlie asked.

  “Because a ‘Samuel’ dropped this off for a ‘Charlie’ earlier.” Karal lifted an envelope into the air and waved it teasingly in front of Charlie’s face.

  “What? What is it?”

  “It’s an envelope,” Karal said sarcastically.

  Charlie snatched it from Karal’s hand and opened it. Inside she found a movie ticket to the old theater in uptown. They were bringing back the original Jaws, digitally restored, for just one night: that very night, at nine o’clock.

  “So, what is it?” Karal asked.

  “It’s a movie ticket, for tonight.”

  “How cute is that? I want a boyfriend,” Karal pouted.

  “He is not my boyfriend. We had one date,” Charlie said.

  “Well, now it’s two. If he isn’t your boyfriend after tonight, then you’re a fool.”

  “Karal? Don’t do that. I’m already weird about the whole thing as it is. Quit making it worse.”

  “How am I making it worse? And why are you weird about it?”

  “Um, hello? Jesse?” Charlie said too loudly. She looked around the kitchen to make sure no one heard her.

  “Jesse Shmessy. You can do so much better. You could start by going to the movies with Samuel and staying hopeful. Believe me, Jesse is a thousand miles away and has probably already had sex with several girls since he got there. Thinking about him is useless, so just get out there and seduce the hell out of this guy.”

  “I just don’t want to deny the fact that I still think about Jess when Sam’s not around.”

  “Well, if you’re not thinking about Jess when you’re with Sam then maybe you should just stay with him,” said Karal.

  But I feel like I’m being disloyal to Jess.

  *

  “Hi,” Samuel said with a shy grin as Charlie approached him outside the theater.

  She was dressed in a long black fitted skirt, and her white coat extended to just above her knee. She bit her bottom lip when she saw the relief and slight insecurity behind his eyes.

  “Didn’t you think I’d show up?” she asked.

  “I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know how long your were going to have to work tonight, and I—”

  She leaned in and interrupted him mid-sentence to give him a brief kiss. With the way their previous date had ended, she wanted to show him that she was still very much interested.

  She stepped back quickly and searched his eyes for a reaction.

  There was nothing there.

  “Oh god, I’m sorry. I was just hoping I could try to correct my awkwardness from last night by fixing it tonight. But instead I’ve created another—”

  He leaned in and kissed her again. This time it was on his terms and expected. It was slower and lingered a little longer than she anticipated. His palms rested on her cheeks and her fingers lay gently around his wrists, but he pulled away a little too soon for Charlie’s liking. She let out a quick sigh of shock as he stared into her eyes. Are my knees working? Everything feels like rubber. Holy shit, this guy can kiss.

  “Better. Slower. I’m not going anywhere,” he said with a grin.

  “I’ll try to remember that,” she said, trying to conceal her gasps for air.

  “Shall we?” He gestured to the theater doors.

  “We shall.”

  *

  After the movie, Charlie and Samuel walked to a diner two blocks away. The weather was getting warmer as spring was approaching; puddles of slushy snow lined the streets and rivers of cold water trickled down the drains.

  The inside of the diner looked as though someone had taken a snapshot of the place in 1956 and redecorated it perfectly. There were seamed and padded red booths, a black and white checkered floor, an old jukebox and oversized windows. There were even antique plaques on the wall from that era (one said Shakes and Malts), and there were a dozen rusted metal plaques of Fords and Chevys that covered the entire back wall.

  Charlie and Samuel were seated in a booth with a view of the busy city street outside.

  “Have you been here before?” she asked, taking off her coat.

  “No, you?”

  “Never. This place is a trip! I feel like I’m in Back to the Future and Biff is about to walk in—,” she said.

  “Those movies were awesome. I think my favorite was the first one,” he said.

  “Classic. But I definitely prefer the second one. There’s so much going on, and it can get really confusing unless you’re paying close attention. I like movies that keep me on my toes.”

  They were torn from their conversation when the waitress, in full 1950s costume, walked up to their table.

  “Hi there, I’m Sue and I’ll be your server. Are you ready to order?”

  “No, I haven’t even opened the menu yet. I’m sorry. Can you give us a minute?” Charlie asked.

  “Can I start you with something to drink?”

  “Oh, yes,” said Charlie. “A cherry Coke?”

  “Two, please,” Samuel said with a smile.

  As the server walked away, Charlie leaned toward Samuel and whispered, “I have a really tacky question.”

  “Okay…”

  “I don’t have a lot of money for this meal—”

  “Charlie, don’t worry about it. I asked you to join me for dinner. How tacky would it be if I asked you to pay for it?”

  “Well, good then. I’m getting a malt…and dessert,” she said with a wink.

  “Sounds good. Is it tacky for me to ask if I can share them with you?”

  “No! Of course you can.”

  The server returned with their sodas and took their orders. After she scooped their menus off the table and walked away, Samuel folded his hands and set them on the table.

  “So, Charlie, may I ask you another question?”

  She panicked a little before answering, “Yes.”

  “What was that earlier? The kiss?”

  She set her face into her palm and tried to force a few words out that would make sense. “I…I don’t know. I’m so

  sorry—”

  “No, wait. That’s not what I meant. Let me rephrase that. When you initially kissed me, it was tense. Uneasy. It felt more like a goodbye, rather than a hello.”

  She ran her fingers through her hair and rested her hands on the table. Her shoulders tensed and her stomach twisted. Exhaling, she dropped her shoulders slightly and nodded her head. “I think it might be best if we just take things slow. I’ve got a lot of stuff I’m trying to sort out.”

  “I’m in no rush.” he said with a genuine smile.

  Damn.

  “I love that you said that. And, I hate that you said that.”

  Confusion crossed his face.

  “No, I mean, I love that you said that. But, when you kissed me back…” She thought back to her weak knees and the feel of his rough hands on her cheeks.

  Pulling herself out of the quick flash, she realized she had taken too long of a pause. She shook her head and tried to focus on her next words. “Yes. Slow. We’ll take it slow.”

  He let a small laugh escape. “On one condition…”

  “What’s that?”<
br />
  “That you give me one of those kisses every time I see you.”

  She blushed and looked down. Samuel grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it just as the server brought out their chocolate malt—with two straws.

  *

  Time slowed down with Samuel. Charlie was able to catch her breath and process things easier. There was no anger, confusion, or built up tension swirling in the air around them. She didn’t anticipate that his words would hurt her or that he had any intention of malice. It was so much easier than what she was used to. She hadn’t realized how much she would appreciate that.

  After dinner, Samuel grabbed her coat and offered to help her put it on.

  I didn’t know guys still did things like this.

  “Thanks,” she said as he opened the door for her on their way out. “Oh, and thanks again for the movie and dinner. I had a fun time tonight.”

  “You’re welcome. So, what would you like to do now?”

  She glanced at her watch.

  “Oh, come on! The night is young! Let’s live a little. We can play video games, or watch a movie. We could even go and park somewhere,” he said, elbowing her arm.

  “You mean, go to a park? To a park,” she said without amusement.

  “Sure, that too,” he said.

  Everything reminds me of Jess. Jesus, Charlie. Get him out of your head!

  “It really is late. I have some things I have to take care of tomorrow.” Bile was rising in her esophagus at the thought of kissing Samuel with Jess in the back of her mind.

  “Okay… Is everything okay? You look a little pale,” he said.

  Feeling small beads of sweat on her brow, she tried to wipe them away without making it obvious. “Just a little nervous about that kiss.”

  His concerned expression softened to a smile. “Don’t be.” He softly placed his hands on her cheeks and brought his mouth to hers. Innocent at first, he laid soft kisses on her top lip. His tongue parted her lips, looking for an invitation, and she obliged. As they stood on the lit street corner, his hand moved to the small of her back and he pulled her close to him. She rested her arms on his shoulders and enjoyed the sensuous torment of knowing it wouldn’t go past this. Not tonight.