Stand-Ups in New York

Chapter 15 - Brunch

Charlie was not ready to meet and spend the morning with Pete's mother, but here she was, walking to a brunch place down the street from Pete's back up apartment. She wasn't sure where she stood with Pete. She was hoping that they would take some time to figure that out today, but something told her that this would not be a great time.

It also didn't help that Charlotte had only ever had one serious relationship and she was not a huge hit with his family. Not that she liked them either, but she tried. Very, VERY hard. And they still treated her like a pariah for the entirety of their three-and-a-half year relationship. The only people that liked her in that family were her ex's nieces, and as far as she knew Pete did not have a surprise niece or nephew showing up at brunch.

Charlie wanted so badly to thread her arm through the crook of Pete's. She wanted to walk close to him, to use him as her security blanket as she had last night. But they weren't dating. They were in relationship limbo and the rules were pretty clear in that affection wasn't allowed in front of parents when the relationship had no true label.

They all sat down and ordered their food, with Amy and Pete sitting across from Charlotte in their booth. Amy was so beautiful and kind, she kept the conversation going effortlessly. Charlie hoped Amy couldn't sense that her anxiety was slowly eating away at her insides.

"So Charlie, you work in a school?" she asked as the waitress brought the table mimosas.

Charlie took a sip and then answered, "I do, I actually teach students with severe disabilities in Massachusetts.

"You do?" Pete asked. Charlotte nodded, and he added, "So you're actually a good person?"

Charlie laughed. "I don't know if that makes me a good person. I mean, I love my kids, but the teenagers in general education are the actual worst. I would never teach if I had to teach students who function at grade level."

Amy and Pete looked at her and Charlie wasn't sure if they quite caught that she was joking. Then Amy said, "Well, regardless, I know how difficult that population of students can be to work with. I'm a nurse in a school so I see them a lot. They're amazing, but it can be tough. You must have the patience of a saint."

Charlie laughed. "Well, at school yes, but I'm pretty much out of patience by the time I get home. That's another reason I try to only date on vacations."

Amy smiled. "I thought that part of your Update segment was so funny! So you are really online dating?"

"Oh yeah, actively."

"And do you like it?"

"It's the motherfucking worst," Charlotte said, and then blushed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't swear like that."

"Have you heard my son's mouth?" Amy asked. "It's nothing I haven't heard before." Charlotte laughed and Amy continued. "What don't you like about it? Besides the whole job thing and everyone still living with their moms, anyway."

"I feel like it's the whole expectations versus reality of it. People go on a date with me after seeing a picture and liking it, but they don't read my profile. Then they meet me and five minute into the date I'm talking about how the Star Wars sequel trilogy lacks cohesiveness and what Alfred Hitchcock did for the horror genre. I think it's my own fault, I should really just have 'I'm actually a giant dork' tattooed on my forehead."

"Or you could just wear that shirt in every one of your profile pictures," Pete said, smirking.

Everyone at the table laughed and Pete's mom said, "I don't think it's you, honey, men are just idiots. I don't blame you for hating online dating."