Yours Truly

7 - Something to Hold on to

"So, Charlotte... how was it?" 

        Charlotte had just woken up the next morning after dinner with Will and his family. After getting home late at night, exhausted, Charlotte passed out on her bed without changing out of her dress or brushing her hair. The next morning, Charlotte awoke at around ten in the morning, the sun warming her cheeks as she stirred in her bed. Today was a day off for Charlotte at the hospital, meaning she was able to sleep in. 

        Unfortunately, Betty Truly had woken her up far earlier than when she would've preferred. 

        Charlotte blinked angrily, sitting up and groaning. "Betty! You woke me up! Today's our day off for the month!" Charlotte exasperatedly let out one last cry of defeat, collapsing back on her bed, but unable to fall back asleep. "Thanks a lot." 

        Sally giggled. "You didn't answer her question, Charlotte." 

        "What question?" Charlotte grumbled, scratching her head. She looked like a mess-- her dress sleeve was slipping off her shoulder, her makeup was smudged, her hair was a tangled nest. In spite of all that, Charlotte felt like like she was walking on air. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face. 

        "Don't play innocent!" chastised Marilyn in singsong. "You heard her question. How was it?" 

        "How was what?" Charlotte innocently stood up, stretching. She made her bed idly before grabbing her hairbrush and starting to work on the tangles deeply embedded in her scalp. 

        Sally snorted. "You know what we're referring to, Charlotte..." 

        "Your date last night," supplied Betty with a grin. 

        Charlotte's jaw dropped. Did Betty just call her dinner with the McCadens and Joneses a date? Was it a date? Charlotte turned around so that her sisters wouldn't see her expression. Surely, it wasn't a date. Surely, Will didn't feel that way about her... did he? Did Charlotte feel that way about him? No... Charlotte couldn't let herself get attached too easily. It'd only result in a crushing depression. She had to stay resilient. Vigilant. She had to be independent. Will was her patient, and her friend. Besides-- his parents had been there. That hardly qualified as a date. 

        "It wasn't a date, Betty," grumbled Charlotte, although her voice sounded a couple octaves higher than usual, even to herself. 

        "He already took you to meet his parents!" gushed Marilyn. "He must be crazy about you, Charlotte." 

        Charlotte almost balked at this idea. It seemed so far-fetched. She didn't want to let herself get her hopes up, only for Will to reject her. Their friendship would definitely be ruined. "Marilyn. He's not crazy about me, it's--" 

        "Whatever you say, Charlotte," chorused Charlotte's sisters, giggling. 

        Charlotte muttered under her breath as she trudged to the bathroom, her heart hammering in her rib cage. While Charlotte brushed her teeth and washed off the evening's makeup, she thought hard about what her sisters were saying. Charlotte had always thought that her sisters were experts on anything that had to do with romance and courtships, and if they really thought Will had feelings for Charlotte, then what did that mean? 

        Charlotte remembered the night she first met Will. She felt like she was on top of the world, especially when their eyes met. Then he was gone. She almost forgot about him. And two years later, there he was. But something had changed. Charlotte still couldn't pinpoint it exactly. Maybe Will once had feelings for Charlotte, back in 1941, but after he'd changed, those feelings went away. Maybe he just invited her to dinner with his family because his momma made him. Or maybe he felt sorry for Charlotte. Will had been at Charlotte's hospital for about six months now. If he had any feelings for her, he surely would've voiced them by now.