Unexpected - Charlie Barber

"A walk in Paris."

Charlie had been keeping up with his therapist online in NYC, dealing with his emotions and depressive episodes. When he was in L.A. he usally scheduled a face to face.
This time back ,he didn't feel the need to.

He had found someone who had given him a therapeutic feeling. He ingored the email from his doctor for a appointment, placing it in the trash file . He knew it was sort of foolish to do so. But he was feeling amazing about everything in general.

It had been 3 days since he last saw Olivia. Over those 3 days, there had been over 200 text messages sent between the two. Expressing how much they couldn't wait to see one another, the butterflies in their stomach. She sent him a photo of herself in her hallway mirror, wearing a robe and bare faced . Vibrant, radiant skin . Even a beauty with no makeup.

Charlie thought back to the art galleries in New York, how similar she looked to peice of a art there.

"I'm convinced you're a angel." He had texted.

Charlie was second guessing himself though. What would a 27 year beautiful woman want with me?" . He thought.

He was worthy of affection, worthy of happiness. Why should a age gap differ that?

Henry was in school , and later today Nicole would be back from her anniversary trip , picking him up from Charlie's.

Charlie had went down to the drug store to pick up some ibuprofen and a pack of cigarettes but while as he left the medicine aisle he passed the family planning aisle.

He mossied down the aisle, recapping how FAST things escalated between Olivia and him on that couch, AND of fuckin course he didn't have a condom!!

He studied over how many variations of condoms they carried. Ribbed. Thin, ultra thin, magnum , flavored, colored . He hadn't had to be this responsible in a long time.
"Fuck I don't know." He mumbles under his breath grabbing the magnum and the ultra thin one. Reading the back of the boxes. His mind drifted away for a minute.

"CHARLIE!! HEY!!" Very chipper female said passing him with a shopping cart. To his surprise it was Cassie, his ex wife's sister.

He just froze as she came closer to him, she had the biggest smile beaming. He was grateful how he remained friends with Nicole's family after the divorce. But at this particular minute he didn't want to be bothered.

"Hey there stranger, how are you and Henry holding up?"

"We're doing okay Cassie , he's always on his cellphone, supposedly that's normal for kids these days? I recently bought a dog for him, Captian. " He answered

"Oh, a dog?...that alot of work! Is it a little one or a big..." She trailed off, her eyes were on his face but settled to the boxes of condoms in his hands that he advertently was tapping on.

Even though they're both adults. For whatever reason she turned beet red when she turned her head to see exactly what aisle she was on. Condoms, morning after pill, lube and pregnancy test.

"Well. It's medium sized, a beagle. Very cute dog.. How are you?" He asked feeling awkward how she now wasn't looking him in the eyes. She looked at her wrist seeing the time.

"OH , I GOT TO GET GOING. BYE." She shot and pushed her cart right by him not looking back but repeating "Oh my god, oh my god." She honestly felt grossed out to see him holding "intimate " items because she'll always see him as a brother.

Knowing how Cassie was, she can't keep anything to herself. She some how would know much of everyone's business and then tell Nicole everything. Nicole would know about this in the next 20 minutes. Surely they didn't expect him to be celibate after the divorce. GOD knows Nicole wasn't. ...