Stand-Ups in New York

Chapter 5 - Goodnight

The view of Charlotte going back to the audience was too good not to think about for the rest of the show. She was easily the most curvaceous woman Pete had ever seen in person, like Marilyn Monroe but taller and more awkward. He'd been with some of the most beautiful women in the world, but they were all actresses or singers, thin as rails. Not to say there was anything wrong with being thin, but Charlotte was just very... different.

Pete didn't have much to do for the rest of the show, background characters with one line, maybe two. Not much thinking involved, which was fine by him. He'd already had an amazing show, and he'd accomplished what he wanted to. He thought about how comfortable Charlotte looked at the Update desk. She spoke completely off the cuff for half of the interview and even got a few laughs, which is more than he could say for some of his more embarrassing segments. Charlotte had some experience with stand-up, but seeing her perform on live television made Pete realize how much she belonged on the show.

Then there was after. Charlotte hugging him... it was unexpected in the best way. She didn't seem like a big hugger. Girls walked up to him asking for hugs and pictures all the time, but Charlotte kept her distance up until then. The most contact he'd had with her was him leading her around and her adjusting his wig. But when she put her arms around him, she pressed her whole body into his. She held him so tight, it made him feel grounded, as if she could hold them in that moment together.

Pete knew from the moment he saw Charlotte on stage he liked her. She was beautiful and goofy and interesting, but he didn't think that a crush would get in the way. He thought that he could put it aside to try and get her on Saturday Night Live, and maybe the two of them could create a good team. Now, as he saw her and performed with her, Pete could see that the feelings might have been more than a crush that could be gotten over. He always fell fast. He proposed to his ex-fiancé after a couple of months for God's sake. But Pete felt differently about Charlotte.

The show wrapped up quick, Daniel Radcliffe thanking everyone and Pete standing in the background next to Che. As Daniel said goodnight to the audience, everyone began to hug and shake hands behind him. The short man made his way through the cast, then found himself in front of Pete.

"Hey, man," he said, shaking the comedian's hand. "I'm glad that you convinced me to keep that Harry Potter sketch in, I feel like people really liked it!"

"Dude, I'm just glad you were willing to keep it."

"I would have been stupid not to!" Daniel was about to turn when he swung back around to look at Pete. "Oh, and by the way, your girlfriend was brilliant on Update. Is she really a teacher and a comedian?"

"Uh," Pete hesitated for a moment, "well, she is a teacher and comedian, but we're not together. She's just someone I found in a shithole comedy club a few days ago that I think would be a good fit on the show."

"Really? I thought you two were really great together, comfortable. If she gets on, you guys should do some couple's sketches or something." With that and a slight wave, Daniel Radcliffe disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, I guess you have Harry Potter's approval, Draco," Michael said, putting his hand on Pete's shoulder.

"Okay, haha," he said, getting ready to move through the crowd and out to the foyer.

"Pete, hang on," Michael said. Pete turned back around to face his friend. "You two were really good, but you better be careful. It's hard dating someone you work with in a regular situation, never mind one where you're trying to get them hired."

"I never said I was going to date her," Pete said, but even he knew that it wasn't convincing.

"I'm just saying, man, be careful," said Michael.

Pete nodded and walked out to where the audience filtered into the hallway. He looked for Charlotte, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then Pete saw Alec moving towards the door. He pushed through the crowd to catch up with Charlotte's friend. "Hey," Pete said as he caught Alec's shoulder.

"Oh, Pete! How are you?" Alec asked, adding, "The show was fantastic, and you and Charlotte were just amazing out there!"

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it," Pete said. "Did Charlotte leave?"

"No, she didn't, Charlotte said that she had to ask the costume department about her sweater. I think the lady pointed her to the dressing rooms and she started walking that way."

Pete sighed in relief, and immediately after, Alec's eyes narrowed. "Are you going to try to fuck my friend?"

"What? No, I just want to talk to her about her act." Pete felt his cheeks color slightly as a small grin played at the corners of his mouth.

Alec stared at Pete for another moment. "Okay, string bean, listen up. I am not going to pretend like I have any modicum of control over Charlotte's sex life. To be honest, she hasn't had a good fucking in a long time and I feel like you might not be terrible at it. But Charlie is a sweet and caring person, and her life was so screwed up after she and her ex ended things that I would hate for her to be lead on by someone who is claiming to help her with her career. So I need to know that you're going to be straight up with her. If you want to have a romp in the hay and nothing more, tell her that, but don't make her think you want her on the show."

"Believe it or not, my main priority is to get her on the show if that's what she wants. I wasn't even thinking about fucking her."

Alec shook his head. "Pete, I'm gay, not an imbecile. You might want her on the show, but the whole audience saw you two on Update. You felt something more than a desire for her to be your new co-star or whatever."

Pete couldn't believe how many people were commenting on that segment. But what Alec said was true. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't felt something on stage with Charlotte.

Alec put his hand on Pete's arm. "Listen, do what you want to do. Charlotte is one of the strongest people I know and she has turned down a lot of guys. Just be honest with her if you want more than to help her get an audition here or more shows or something, and respect what she decides. Okay?"

Pete nodded his head. Alec smiled and started to walk away before shouting over his shoulder, "Oh, and I told her to text me every hour to make sure she's not dead in a ditch, and if anything happens to her I will kill you."

"Good to know, have a good night," Pete said. Then he turned and began walking towards his dressing room.