Nothing In This World (BWWM) ✅

Chapter Twenty Nine

Charlene rubbed the wet towel across her back and neck while looking at the water she was submerged in. "You ain't even touch me last night. Felt like I was sleeping alone." Lance rinsed his razor off and continued to shave like nothing was said. "I just thought I'd say it. I won't press it again though."

"I get paid today. You think Charles will let me keep ten dollars. I need some new white shirts." Charlene ignored him in return. "Ain't mad at you. Just been tired lately." He handed her the towel placed on the toilet when she pulled the plug from the drain. "It's really different, you know. We'd go in the town together under the impression that you worked for a friend. Now if they see us, what excuse do we have?"

She wrapped the towel around her body and stepped out the tub and he wasted no time taking her into his arms. "Sometimes I miss the rush of doing what we weren't supposed to do. Taking risks and doing something wrong-"

"You sayin that being with me is wrong?" Lance loosened his grip on her when she looked at him crazy. "I had the option to stay in Missouri but I chose to run away with you. We came here to be together. To get away from sneaking around. The only thing I miss about that life is my mother."

"No. I don't think we're wrong but you know how it is." He then pulled her back into his arms and rocked them side to side. "Get dressed and let's go into the city together. We take the back road and no one will see us. I want to get out with you."

She had to think about it. All the risks that would follow and the woman on the bus whose words floated in her head all day. She also wanted to make Lance happy. She also wanted to give him his space and wait for him to figure himself out as a man. More importantly... she wanted to make Lance happy.

"Okay." He planted a kiss on her lips in approval of her answer. "Give me twenty minutes."

"I'll be warming up the car!" Lance finished cleaning his face and threw any shirt on he could find. He got distracted watching Charlene get dressed but eventually ran off when she threw her towel at him.

The nervousness got worse the further they fell into this idea. Charlene didn't know what people would think about her walking next to a white man at such a time of day. The idea was to keep a steady distance from each other but still enjoy seeing the city together.

This is what Charlene wanted too. Get out of the house and enjoy it. Yet the first time she did, she saw something she didn't want to see. Lance was smiling and happy with another woman. Enjoying the potential promotion. Now, he's given it all up in the blink of an eye.

"You went from wanting to wear suits to being okay with oily shirts and boots?" She looked at him and smiled as they cruised down the road. "You must have really had time to think,"

"It was too soon. We've been here for such a short time. Flattering a woman just to move up the ladder isn't how I want to make it, you know?" Charlene agreed. "Just wasn't worth it is all. Can we change the subject now?"

Charlene didn't say anything else the whole ride. When they reached Portland's city limits, her stomach dropped, but just before they could reach downtown, Lance pulled off to the side in the empty parking lot of a building.

"It's best if they don't see the truck. That way we still have a chance to make it home." He hopped out of the truck and ran around just in time to help Charlene down. Even then he didn't let go of her hand. "How do you feel?"

"Scared," she responded quickly. The sun was setting and Charlene did hear that night time wasn't the best time to be out. "But the fact that you seem okay is slowly calming my nerves."

The two walked down the long sidewalk until they saw lights from bars and people running across the streets to get to the other events. Charlene tensed at the thought of the looks coming their way once they reached the main attraction. She slid her hand from his and held them behind her back. Lance did the same.

"Can we take it slow?" She asked. He nodded with a smile on his face. "I think I want to sit down." Lance rushed to an outside sitting area and pulled out her seat at one table then his at another table next to her. She giggled as they took their seats back to back. Lance even reached down to pulled hers closer to his and have her facing the street like he was. "You're so silly."

"I want to at least see you." And he meant that. Every now and then he would admire the side of her face which made her more nervous as time passed. Flustered even. "Tell me what you did today?"

"Spent time with Ricky and Darla. Thought about you the whole ten hours. I missed you even more. I also thought about how I was sleep when you left and I'm usually up at that time."

Lance hung his arm to his side which was inches away from Charlene's hand that rested next to her bottom in her seat. He then snuck his palm to cover the back of her hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "Just know that I kissed you goodbye." She looked over at him and smiled.

"Where you two from?" A drunk young man shouted while dragging himself over to them. They jumped away from each other in response. "No need to be scared of a guy like me. I'm just asking because you both sound like you got some south in you."

Lance looked at Charlene who's mouth was closed tightly. "She and I are from Missouri."

"Oh, shit. It's a wild time down there ain't it. Read the news paper the other day. News got around quick about that lynching of that little black girl. Can you believe she was five years old. She must have done something she ain't supposed to."

Charlene gulped while turning her whole body away from the two men. "She's only five. There's nothing she could have possible done." Lance tried to defend but the man laughed at him.

"They teach them black ones young. Looked at a white man any kind of way maybe. Who knows." The man fell down in a seat across from Lance who let out a small groan of annoyance. "You know her? I've seen some like you around here. My brothers daughter was sneaking around with a black man. We taught him a lesson." He looked Charlene up and down. "It's called taking back the power when you keep a black woman in check. We got to save our women though. They're going astray."

"You have anywhere else to be, sir? I'm just trying to enjoy my night."

"Bothering you? That's how you talk to people?"

If his face wasn't sagged from the amount of alcohol in his system weighing him down, Charlene could easily tell he was in his early twenties. Light brown hair, thick brows, still had the apron on from his job at a restaurant. She also knew he would be very attractive when he's sober.

"No... actually where did you get your drink from? I'm new around here and been wanting to check out the bars."

He pointed at finger at the pub across the street. "Favorite place. Hands down. Cheap too." Lance nodded as he checked the place out. "They accept her kind. That's where they're wild at."

"She's fine," Lance assured. "Thank you."

"You know!" The man continued. "We should do this more often. Me and the guys been looking for someone to go riding with. You seem like you need to loosen up. Tight in your shoulders."

"He's fine," Charlene snapped. Both of them jerked their heads to look at her. "He don't need no alcohol or trips. He is alright." She stood up from her seat and grabbed her purse off the table. "Come on, Lance. I think we've had enough." She and Lance got up to leave but didn't hesitate to look at the drunk once more.

The man laughed in pure amusement. "So you are with her! Seems like it's her who's got you in your place! Them black ones is feisty. Trust me, I would know," he winked. Charlene was so disgusted that she couldn't stand to be in their presence anymore. "You can't be serious, you two. I can take you to another world, girl."

Lance didn't waste a second balling his fist up and reeling it back as far as it would go. The man was too drunk to even defend himself although anyone could see that punch coming. With unnecessary force, Lance sent his fist in a downward position that knocked the man right on the side of his head. He flew out of his chair as a few screams erupted from surrounding witnesses that watched him fall completely unconscious and sprawled out on the ground.

Lance frowned as he looked at his work and rung out his hand in the process. Charlene quickly grabbed his wrist in a desperate attempt to get him to do anything but stick around to get arrested. He eventually gave into her force and the two were back at the truck faster than they left it.