Stand-Ups in New York

Chapter 11 - The Bar

Charlotte immediately pulled away from Pete. "Hi, John," she said, then turned to his companion. "Hi, I'm Charlie," she said, putting her hand out.

"Anna," the woman said, shaking her hand. Anna was so beautiful. She had long hair that went past her shoulders, and she wore a black sweater dress and black heeled boots. Even with the heeled boots, though, she was still significantly smaller than Charlotte. "I thought your name was Lynn. That's how you were introduced tonight on the show."

"Oh, yeah, that's my stage name," Charlie said. "I'm a teacher and I don't want to get fired for things I say in my stand up act, so I go by my middle name and my mom's maiden name."

Anna smiled, and said, "Smart. I wouldn't want to know my kid's teacher said some of the things you talk about in your act."

Charlotte laughed, and then realized that her act was good enough that John Mulaney had told his wife (or at least Charlie assumed this was his wife) what she had talked about. Her head was spinning. This was all too much.

John looked at Charlie and said, "Charlotte, I am very sorry, but could I borrow my friend for a moment?"

"Oh, of course!" she answered, though she did feel odd about Pete leaving so soon after she had just left to speak to Lorne.

Pete took her hand briefly and gave it a squeeze. "I'll see you in a second," he said.

Charlotte nodded and watched as they went outside the restaurant. She was having a great night, and being at the Saturday Night Live after party was incredible, but she wanted to be alone with Pete. She wanted to talk to him, to set up a game plan for next week. She hadn't even decided where she was going to stay. There was no way she could ask Alec to stay at his apartment while he was on his cruise. While she thought of him, she sent him another I'm not dead text.

"So, Charlie." She looked up again to see that Anna had snagged a seat at the bar. She patted the empty stool next to her and asked, "Why don't we get to know each other a little before the guys come back?"

Charlotte smiled and sat down. The bartender came over and asked if he could get them anything. "Another Vodka cranberry, please," she said.

"Make it two," Anna said. He nodded and prepared the drinks. "So John mentioned you teach in Boston," she said.

"Yes, I do," Charlotte replied, putting her empty glass on the bar and picking up on of the fresh drinks the bartender put in front of the ladies. "Well, actually, I'm a teacher in Fall River which is south of Boston, but when you say you are from Massachusetts it's just easier to say that you're from Boston."

"And how long have you been a teacher?"

"Umm," Charlotte had to think. This conversation felt like a job interview. "I have been teaching for four years now, all four at the high school in Fall River."

"And you're willing to give that up to write on Saturday Night Live and do stand-up?" Anna asked.

"Well, I'll miss it, but I love stand-up. I love writing things that make people laugh."

Anna nodded and took a sip from her glass. "You're good at writing," she said. "I thought you did really well tonight. John insisted we watch Update live, which he never does. He didn't realize Pete was going to bring you on, but he knew that Pete was going to reference some of your material. It was good. Fresh."

Charlie felt her cheeks getting hot, and didn't know if it was from the drink or the praise. "Thank you so much," she said, and then added, "I don't think I would have made it through without Pete though."

Anna looked at her. "You're selling yourself short. Yeah, you wouldn't have been on the show if he didn't get you on tonight, but Pete didn't make you funny. You did that yourself."

Charlotte smiled, and Anna continued. "Now, I know that you and Pete have only known each other a couple of days. Honestly, I wouldn't even be bringing this up if I didn't see you two tonight. But after Update, and you two kissing in front of the bar, I have to tell you that I care about Pete a lot. Pete is sweet and will do anything for a person he wants to be with, and I think he wants to be with you."

"What do you mean by "be with"?" Charlotte asked.

"I mean date," Anna said. "I'm pretty sure seeing you two tonight that you might have already been with each other in the other sense of the term." Anna saw Charlie blush, then added, "I'm not judging. People move at their own pace. I'm just letting you know that Pete seems like he wants more than that."

"How could you know if he does?"

"John told me he hasn't stopped talking about you since he saw you in the Pit. How funny you were, how you were so awkward, how adorable it was that you were fanning your armpits as soon as you got offstage, just on and on and on... he hasn't spoken about someone with that frequency since his engagement ended."

Charlotte didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell if Anna was trying to scare her away or entice her to stick around. Luckily, Anna seemed very perceptive. She didn't let Charlotte wonder for too long before explaining herself.

"I am only letting you know all of this because I've seen Pete hurt over and over again by girls that don't really know him. He looks kind of scummy, but he wants love and a family and someone to dote on more than anyone else that I know. If you are the person he chooses, then that's great. I just want to make sure you deserve him."

Charlie looked at her drink for a moment, then answered, "I don't know if I do. I mean, it's crazy. We've known each other less than a week. I never find people and connect this quickly, but it's like, I don't want to be without him. He looks at me and I feel like he actually sees me. And he likes that I do stand-up and that I'm kind of weird. He doesn't mind that I'm awkward. I hope I deserve him, but I honestly don't know if I do."

Anna smiled. "If you're talking about him like this already, I tend to believe that you do deserve him."

Charlotte felt herself blushing again. "Thanks, Anna," she said as picked up her drink again.

Anna picked up her own drink and asked, "So, since that is out of the way, can I ask you a question?"

"Mhmm."

"Did Pete's big 'd' energy live up to the hype?"