Charlie's Web (A Romantic Comedy)

Chapter 27

And Crete really was just the tonic neither Charlie nor Thea had realised they needed.

After a smooth flight over, they spent the first few days just recovering and recuperating from everyday life back home. Their time was lazy: wake up at nineish, chill by the pool for three hours or so with the occasional dip into the water, then wander to a pub with an outside terrace for a spot of lunch, which usually also involved a cocktail or two. Then evenings were spent going for a late dinner with wine before earlyish nights.

They might not have been doing Malia in typical style but they'd quickly found there was more to it than 18-30 holidays. The old town, where they were staying, was beautiful and had loads of beautiful restaurants so they tended to stick to that area at night time. The food was incredible; Charlie had ate so much baked feta she was worried she might turn into one.

After those first few days, which kind of blended into one in a way that only tends to happen on a holiday abroad, they decided to hire a car and explore Crete a bit more. "No mountain climbing though," Thea said warningly.

"God no," Charlie agreed. "Have you noticed how much bigger the mountains are here compared to Scotland? It's crazy!"

"Um, how could I not notice given we're driving over a fecking mountain pass right now!" Thea exclaimed. "Not gonna lie here, I'm a wee bit terrified."

"It's amazing here," Charlie breathed, looking at the views around them in awe. "Do we have to go home? Like, ever? I just want to stay here."

"It would be the ideal solution to our problems, wouldn't it?" Thea smiled. "Run away from them and don't look back."

They spent days exploring pockets of Crete, although they realised the sheer vast size of the island meant they would never be able to take it all in, not in one holiday. So they stuck to relatively nearby places, the colourful Matala on the south of the island, Venetian like Rethymno to the west, and the island of Spinalonga. Charlie felt all her troubles melting away; the days were flying by though and soon they had to return the hire car and were on the countdown to the end of their holiday.

They returned to the easy lazy plans of the first few days but they didn't feel so relaxed and chilled as the day they needed to pack and head home approached. It's always the way isn't it? At the start of the holiday, time stretches out in front of you; at the end it oppresses you.

Tuesday was their last day and Charlie woke up feeling decidedly blue. She sadly went through the rigmarole of applying suncream and mosquito repellent, while Thea continued to sleep, and popped out to sit on the balcony overlooking the pool with her book and a glass of orange juice. The sun was beating down already despite the fact it wasn't even quite nine o'clock yet and she closed her eyes and basked it in, trying to forget she had less than 24 hours left on the island.

Her peace was interrupted ten minutes or so later when Thea stepped out into the balcony, holding her phone. She was still wearing the oversized t-shirt she had slept in and she looked stunned.

"You won't believe what just happened," she said slowly.

Charlie, worried, pulled herself up in her chair. "What is it?" She asked.

"I just checked my emails and Craig had sent me one last night," Thea sank into the seat next to Charlie and handed Charlie her phone. "Does he say what I think he's saying, or am I misunderstanding cos I'm still half asleep?"

Charlie pushed her hair out of her face and started to read.

Hi Thea

Hope you're okay.

Sorry to do this, it's a bit out of the blue i know. But Dave came to visit me tonight. He told me he has feelings for you. I have a feeling you already know this.

And, if I'm going to be honest - and I might as well be - this revelation wasn't a shock to me. I already knew he liked you. And I could tell you liked him too. I could kinda see it happening in front of my eyes, and I guess that's what one of the reasons I started to check out on our relationship from my end. I felt like I couldn't compete with your feelings for him.

I hadn't been aware there was a bit of history between you guys from our uni days, but I don't blame either of you for not telling me about that sooner - it was ancient history and it mostly didn't affect the relationship we had.

You and I had a great time together - well, if you ignore the last year or so of it, ha - and I'm not going to say it won't be a bit weird at first if you and Dave want to give things a go, but I just wanted you to know you have my blessing if you do. Not that you need it, but I know deep down that neither of you will probably go for it if I don't say it, and I don't want to be that person. I want you both to be happy.

So please be happy and look after each other. Maybe in a couple of months or so we can even go on an awkward double date together (only half joking about that!).

Love
Craig x

Charlie's jaw had dropped as she read his words and now she looked up at Thea's face. "Wow," she gasped.

"He knows we have feelings for each other. And he's okay with it? Right?" Thea looked at Charlie for confirmation. She nodded.

Charlie hadn't realised how much tension Thea had still been holding until she watched it seem to physically drain from her face and body.

"This is amazing!" Thea jumped to her feet and threw her arms around Charlie. "Oh my god, I need to call Dave! I can't believe this. I genuinely never thought it was going to work out."

"Go call him," she urged. "Now!" She smiled, watching Thea practically skip back inside, banging off the balcony door on the way as she was too happy to pay attention.

She was back twenty minutes later, her smile lighting up her face. "He's going to pick us up from the airport tomorrow," she reported. "And then after we drop you and our suitcases off he's going to take me on a date." She hugged herself then Charlie again. "This is amazing, Charlie!"

And 24 hours or so later when they gathered their bags from the luggage carousel and headed to the arrivals area, there Dave was, waiting for them. But you could tell, Charlie thought dryly, that only one of them was of any real importance to him, and it sure as hell wasn't Charlie.

She watched as he and Thea walked towards each other. They both seemed shy and excited and, to be honest, it was super cute to watch as they just looked at one another smiling for several seconds before they kissed. Charlie wanted to applaud but she resisted. She settled for playing a romantic soundtrack in her head. And eventually she went over to break their embrace because she frankly just wanted to get home and they were holding her up now.