Charlie's Lucky Charm

3: A Second Job

Two weeks later and Charlie comes into the bar with big news "she said yes! The waitress agreed to a date!" He's basically screaming.

"What!" Mac hollers.

"No way!" Dennis says at the same time.

Dee also calls back "probably not."

"She did? What happened?" I ask my friend, the only one who seems to believe it. The others don't know I've been helping Charlie adjust his way of life. It's minor but they're all too self-absorbed to notice any bit of it.

He comes right to me and says "she agreed to one lunch! I can't thank you enough! I love you!" He leans in and gives me a huge hug.

"How'd you convince her to go to lunch? Did you drug her again?" Dennis asks.

"No, no, you promised you'd kill yourself after the date!" Dee throws out and they all laugh.

I encourage him "don't listen to em Charlie, that's great news!" I pat him on the back. Everyone starts to chat and things move on.

The next day I'm in my shower when I hear Charlie screaming through the door "Beevvv! Bevvvvv!!! I need your help! Bevvvvv!"

"I'm in the shower!" I call over the noise "what do you want?" I don't even ask how he gets in anymore.

"I need help! What do I wear? What do —" but I can't hear the rest of what he says.

"What?!" I holler back. He tries again but I still can't hear him. I yell out "just come in here, gah!" I say, annoyed with the yelling through the door and over the shower noise.

The door to the bathroom opens and I ask "what do you need—" but I stop midway through asking as I hear the curtain to the shower open. When I turn around and wipe my face I see Charlie standing in my shower, fully dressed staring at me. I quickly cover my breasts with my arms and ask him "uh, what are you doing?"

"You said to come in." He says matter of factly.

"I meant come into the bathroom so I could hear you, not come into the shower with me! Get out!" I move one arm and hit him in the shoulder.

"Oh. Right. Okay." He nods quickly.

I catch him eyeing my boobs though and I hit him again harder this time "out! Now!"

He nods and starts to step out. He asks "can you still help me?"

"Yes, but from out there. What do you need?" I ask.

He questions "what do I wear? What do we talk about? Should I bring her flowers, chocolates? Maybe a drink, she is drinking again—"

"Charlie, no. You don't bring her a drink. Or Flowers. You wear something normal, that'd you always wear and just talk like you do with your friends."

"So come up with something stupid to do? Yeah, I can do that. I have a lot of ideas." He says.

I can hear him racking his brain for things to say to her and I chuckle out "no, not that kind of talking. Talking like you and I do. Like we're doing right now."

"So, let her help me?" He questions out loud.

I shrug even though he can't see me "sure, if that's the way you see it. See what happens. Can't be any worse then what's going on now with her."

"Yeah, that's true." It's quiet as he thinks further and then he suddenly calls out "okay! I'm going! Thanks Bev! Nice rack!"

"Asswipe!" I call after him before the bathroom door closes again. I finish showering and get back to working before heading over to the bar that evening.