Johnny Castle's Second Chance (COMPLETED)

Chapter 6

Char and Mike did spend the day together. They watched TV and had dinner. Then they played board games to pass the time. Late evening came and Mike saw that Char was getting sleepy.
" Hey, it's getting late, maybe you should go to bed. " Mike said.
" You're probably right." She rubbed her eyes. " You got anywhere to be? A hot date?"
He grinned," Nope, no hot dates. And anyway none of them are as hot as you. "
" Wanna stay over? I'm still feeling nervous about being alone."
" Sure kid, I'll stay. You head to bed, I'll lock up."
" All right." She went in and carefully changed into her jammies, it went a little better than the night before.
Mike came in and started stripping off his clothes. Char averted her eyes.
" You can look you know... you're allowed."
" Uh, huh..." she said.
" You're funny girl. I know you like what you saw..." he chuckled.
Mike slid into bed next to her.
" Oh, Mike. I just never thought I'd cave. " she heaved a sigh.
" You have been really stubborn..."
" I know. I just only knew the stories I had heard about you being bad news."
" Oh I am bad news all right, but I do have feelings too."
" I'm sorry I always thought you were a complete bad guy, you've been super nice. I'm sorry for misjudging you. "
" Don't sweat it. I always thought you had a stick up your ass, we were both wrong. "
" Mike!" Char screeched and smacked his arm.
" Haha! " he took her beating.
" God, you're something else!"
" Yup."
Then Char yawned.
" Come on girl, you need sleep. Hunker down, I think it's gunna be a chilly one tonight. "
" Was it cold out earlier?" She asked. Settling down into the blankets.
" Yeah, had to be down in the fourties. Glad you're here to keep me warm."
" You might keep warm if you wore pajamas you know..."
" Where's the fun in that?" He turned off the light.
" I guess I'm not sure. " she giggled." Good night Mike." Her voice was soft and held her tiredness.
" Hey, don't be scared anymore, okay? " he asked softly.
" That's easier said than done. I keep seeing that gun pointed at you. That's not an image that's going away anytime soon. Ya know?"
He sighed," Yeah, I get it. Listen, I'll stay as many nights as you want."
" You have a life, I gotta get over it eventually. "
" In your own time. For now you can rely on me to protect you. "
She shifted, her arm was bothering her, she turned onto her left side that made her face Mike.
"Thanks again Mike."
" Sure thing Char. Come on get some sleep." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. He rested his hand on her ribs. The weight of his hand slightly comforted her. Eventually they were both asleep.
In the morning Mike woke first, he laid there watching Char sleep. He wanted her for his own, but he knew she was dead set on leaving town. He didn't want to leave, it was his home and he had a job, he didn't really have any way to convince her to stay other than keep trying being nice.
He reached over and touched her cheek, she stirred and her eyes fluttered open.
" Good morning." She whispered.
" Good morning. I was thinking, maybe we could go out for breakfast before I go to work." He said.
" That sounds good." She smiled.
" What are you smiling at?"
" It's nice having you here is all."
" You feel safe?"
She nodded. " Yeah. Thanks for staying."
" You're welcome. " he touched her cheek again, then leaned up on his elbow so he could kiss her. He rested his hand on her waist as his lips attacked hers.
Shortly after, they got up and cleaned up. Going to the diner for breakfast. A few of her friends were there, so they all took a turn to see her. Then the boss lady came over.
" Charlotte? Oh! You told me about the sling, how bad is it?"
" Sore, just a sprain and lots of sore muscles. I'll be all right eventually."
Her boss showed concern in her eyes.
"Well I'm glad you're all right Breakfast is on me for both of you." Her eyes hovered on Mike.
"Thanks! We appreciate that." Char said.
" Yeah, Thanks." Mike said.
"You're welcome. I have to run, but enjoy your meal!" She gently squeezed Chars good shoulder.
" Boss lady is pretty cool." Mike said.
" Yeah she is."
" You know I have money..." Mike said.
" I know, but she heard you were here too, she's being nice. Let her!"
" I'm not used to people doing that kind of stuff."
" Have you ever thought, what goes around comes around?" She arched an eyebrow at him.
He grinned, " No I guess not smart ass. " he chuckled.
They finished breakfast and headed back to Chars place.
" All right kid, I gotta get to work. I'll call ya later." He had let her into the house.
She turned to him." Okay, talk to you later."
Mike left and Char looked around her apartment, she wasn't used to not working. She decided to play the records that she all ready had and practice singing for her audition. After she got bored with that she went down to visit her folks.
" Hello?" She hollered as she walked into the hallway.
" Lottie?"
" Yeah mom!"
" I'm in ironing your father's work shirts!"
Char went to the laundry room and found her mom, ironing board set up in the middle, the already ironed shirts hanging from a bar over the washing machine.
Brushing a few stray hairs out of her face , Mrs.Adams looked up and smiled. Setting the iron down she saw the sling on her daughter's arm.
" Shouldn't you be resting?"
" I know, I was just bored. So I thought I'd come see you for a bit. I'm not used to sitting so long."
" Well, I can understand that, you're always busy."
" Yeah, and my place is all clean, so it's not like I have anything to tackle."
" Well, grab a chair, wait! Never mind! I'll get it, I don't want you to get hurt."
" I think I can manage mom."
" No no! Let me take care of you!"
Char sighed, " All right mom. "
Mrs. Adams brought a chair in so Char could relax.
" So, I thought you didn't like that Dobbs boy."
" Boy? Um, mom, he's like a year older than me!"
" You're dancing around my question... Come on gossip with me! "
" Well, I mean, I didn't, until we were both there through the robbery. He's the one that took me to the ER."
" Sooo?"
" We're just friends, I've all ready told him I'm leaving town if I survive the audition."
" He's a looker..."
" Yeah, he is." Char did agree.
" Do you like him?"
" Kind of, I guess. He's been different than he is out in public. He's normally such a jerk. But he's been actually nice to me. "
" He likes you."
" He's had a crush on me for years..."
" So you're just going to up and leave him if you get the job?"
" I had my plans before he came along. I've been clear with him about everything."
" Just be careful, I hate to see anyone get hurt..." Her mother warned.
" We made an agreement that we are just friends. Besides he said he chases no one, once I leave town that's it. I'll never hear from him again."
" All right, just you know, be careful."
" I will mom. I think I'll go back upstairs , I'm feeling tired now."
" All right, now, if you don't have dinner plans with you know who, come down I'm having lasagna for dinner ,your dad and I won't eat it all."
" Ohhh I'll be here. I think I'm going to go take a nap."
" Get some rest sweetie. Call me if you need anything. Send your laundry down the chute and I'll make sure it's done for you. "
" All right. Thanks Mom." She got up and kissed her mom on the cheek.
" Bye sweetie."
Char went upstairs and grabbed the ice pack and rested it behind her shoulder blade where it was hurting. Then she watched afternoon soap operas until she dozed off. When she woke up a few hours later she smelled the lasagna cooking and her mouth watered. She freshened up a little and then she did some light dusting and washed her windows. Feeling satisfied she sat back down and watched more TV.
The phone rang and she went to pick it up.
" Hello?" She asked.
" Char, it's me."
" Hey Mike."
" I'm on a quick break, what are you doing for dinner?"
" I'm going to my folks. Mom's making lasagna..."
" Oh God, that sounds good." She could hear the hunger in his voice.
" Why don't you come? There's gunna be plenty."
" Your folks won't mind?"
" Nah. Mom always makes way too much."
" All right, what time?"
" 5:30."
" All right, see you then. I gotta go."
" All right. Bye." She hung up then called downstairs to her mother.
" Hello?"
" Ma, set an extra place for dinner, I invited Mike. He doesn't get real home cooked meals very often."
" All right."
" Thanks Ma."
" You're welcome dear. Now rest until dinner!"
" All right , I will. Bye." She hung up.
Mike hurried home to shower after his shift at the shop. Racing over in his truck he just made it as Char was coming down the stairs.
" Hey." He said. Char could tell that he had cleaned up. He even had on a crisp new looking white T-shirt under his leather coat.
" Hey. Follow me." She guided him to the other part of the house.
" How's your arm?"
" A little better, I rested a lot today."
" Good, I was worried you'd over do it."
" So was my mom. She made sure I didn't do too much."
" Good."
Char opened the door and Mike followed her to the kitchen.
Her parents were in the kitchen, Mrs.Adams was busy finishing the salad, Mr. Adams pulled garlic bread from the oven.
" Smells great in here!" Char said.
" Thanks sweetie. Who's your friend?"
Char rolled her eyes," Mother, you know full well who. Mom, dad, this is Mike."
" Hello Mike." Mr.Adams extended his hand after wiping it on a clean towel.
" Hello sir." Mike answered, shaking back.
" Take a seat everyone." Mrs.Adams said as she set a huge pan of lasagna in the center of the table.
" Are you sure you don't mind me being here?" Mike asked.
" Not at all, infact if it weren't short notice I'd tell you to bring a friend or 2. We won't eat all of this, so please, take as much as you want!" Mrs. Adams said.
" Thank you. This looks amazing." Mike said as he could feel his mouth watering. The songs of garlic and tomato sauce count to his nostrils.
" Thanks for coming to help eat it!"
They each took a turn and scooped a huge slab of the saucy, steamy, cheesy lasagna into their plate. Garlic bread was passed around, as well as the fresh tossed salad.
Nothing was heard but the sound of forks clinking on the glass plates for a few moments. Everyone was enjoying the meal. Mike was hungry after work, so he took a second helping, which made Mrs.Adams' eyebrows raise.
" My, Mike, you do have an appetite! You worked hard today.!"
He smiled around a mouth full of lasagna and nodded.
After he swallowed he answered," Yes ma'am, had to replace a transmission in a Packard today. It was a big mess, things took awhile to line up correctly. "
" Ah, you're a mechanic." Mrs. Adams said.
" Yep. Over at Moe's Quick Tows."
" Oh yes! I know that shop." Mr. Adams said.
" The old man still run ? Or did he pass it over to Junior?"
" The old man comes and checks in from time to time, but Junior does the books and ordering and delegating."
The men got to talking about cars and soon the women were sharing glances across the table. They couldn't get a word I edgewise. Soon the food was cleaned up from the plates and everyone sat around feeling full as can be.
" Wow, that was freaking amazing." Mike said.
" Mom, you out did yourself, seriously."
Smiling, Mrs.Adams was so pleased that everyone was fed and full. " I'm glad it was enjoyed. "
" Ma, Mike and I will clean up, you and dad go relax."
" Oh no young lady, you are going back upstairs and resting. Your father will help me."
" Ma." Char tried to protest.
" Listen to your mother!" Mr.Adams instructed.
" Are you sure?"
" Yes!" Both parents answered in unison. They were both pleased to see their daughter in the presence of a new man. After her terrible ex-boyfriend they truly worried about her.
Char sighed." All right."
" Besides, you have company, go entertain!" Mrs.Adams said.
" Mrs. Adams, thank you for the home cooked meal, I tend to eat out a lot."
" You're welcome, now wait a moment, you're taking some of this home, let me get you a plate to take with you." Mrs. Adams took a huge slab of lasagna and wrapped the plate up tight so Mike could take it with him.
" You don't have to do that..."
Char shook her head, " Don't try to protest, she'll make sure you get it one way or another."
" Here you go, now you can leave." Mrs.Adams smiled.
" Thank you ma'am." Mike said.
" You're welcome. Now shoo shoo shoo the both of you! Rest that arm Lottie!"
" Yes Ma, thanks for dinner!" She kissed her mom's cheek.
" You're welcome. Good night night now."
" Mr. Adams, you ever need work done on the car stop and see me, I'll make sure you get a fair price."
" Will do." Mr. Adams nodded.
" Okay, goodnight!" Char said and she led Mike upstairs to her place. Just as they got to the top of the stairs there was a knock on the outside door. So they went back down to see who it was.
Mike insisted on opening the door." Detective, what can we do for you?"
" Well, folks I have some information for you about the robbery, can I come in?"
" Yes, please come on up! Its too cold to stand down here."