WHEN LOVE ARRIVES [KEANU REEVES]

seventeen ⋆ swimming in darkness

❝is this how it goes? you fall in love, and nothing seems truly scary anymore, and life is one big possibility?❞
─ jenny han, always & forever, lara jean

Charlie was pretty damn tired of running after Skeeter in a busy hospital for the past thirty minutes. He told her this when he cornered the surgeon in a hallway after she did her usual rounds. 

"Then, stop it." Skeeter snapped, walking through the hospital halls while keeping her eyes glued on the clipboard. "If you're tired, then stop it." 

Charlie placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Skeet. We need to talk about this." 

She shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, Charlie. You didn't tell me you were moving ─ my best friend! My best friend forgot to tell me that he had made a life-changing decision." 

"Skeeter." He looked around for a bit and leaned in closer, "I'm going to be a father." 

She flinched back, eyes wide and mouth agape. "W ─ what?"

"Alec and I are adopting." Charlie was sure he was smiling as wide as a Cheshire cat as he bounced in place. He might've looked like a dork but he was just excited to share this type of news with his best friend. "The adoption process is quite long but we decided that we'd raise her in DC where most of our family are."

He had known her for a long time; he was sure this was the part where Skeeter's anger would dissipate. Judging by her pursing lips and scrunched eyebrows, she was well on her way to realizing her faults. That was one of the things Charlie admired about her: her ability to swallow her pride and apologize though that trait may vary from the severity of the fault (note for the future: don't expect Skeeter to forgive you within three working days when you stand in the way of her and a cup of coffee). 

"I'm sorry." There it was. "You could've told me that before you and Alec dropped the we're moving bomb." 

Charlie winced. "I'm sorry about that."

Skeeter went to the nurse's station to return the patient's charts. She leaned back on the counter to face her best friend and smiled softly, "So, you're going to have a daughter?"

"It seems so. It's just. . .she's not going to have a mother figure in her life, you know? Of course, other than you but it's ─ "

"It's different because you're two men?" When she was met with his disheartened expression, she sighed and reached for his hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "Charlie, you and Alec are probably the most empathetic and welcoming people I know. Any kid would be lucky to grow up in such a loving environment."

"You really think so, Skeet?"

She nodded. "Yep. You're going to be such a great dad." 

He smiled at her ─ grateful and full of hope ─ before their pagers went off and they were in their usual routine of speed walking through the hospital, dodging other healthcare professionals and turning corners to get to the Emergency Department. Charlie bumped his elbow to hers and asked, "Celebratory drinks tonight?"