Stand-Ups in New York

Chapter 16 - Disappoint

Charlie watched Pete as he slept. They'd had a long afternoon of brainstorming for tomorrow and spending some one-on-one time together in Pete's bedroom. They lay next to each other on Pete's bed, Charlie in just her t-shirt and a pair of Pete's basketball shorts. Pete's chest was bare and she traced her fingers along his tattoos. He looked so relaxed when he slept, his whole face slack and defaulting into a small smile.

Charlotte couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy being with someone. Her dating life after she and her ex broke up had been less than ideal. For years it was coffee date after coffee date, never making it past a first meeting. She ran through the list in her head: Mansplainer, hand-skin biter, Titty McStares-A-Lot, Mansplainer Jr., Self-Proclaimed King of Anal, Mansplainer the Third. The list went on and on and she was starting to get worried that it may never end. But now, with Pete, she actually wanted to see him. Every quirk that he had made him more adorable, and he made her feel so special when she was around him. She felt like Pete looked at her and really saw her.

With her happiness, though, came a feeling of unease. Charlotte wasn't used to being in a relationship where she felt happy like this. She didn't trust it. She wondered if she was ignoring anything, if he was a jerk and she hadn't picked up on it yet. She had been fooled before. She tried to push the feelings aside, attempting to focus on how adorable Pete was as he slept.

Charlie heard her phone vibrate. She picked it up off the nightstand and read the message on her lock screen.

Alec: Brought you your suitcase! I want to hear EVERYTHING!!

Charlotte's stomach dropped. She was happy to be with Pete, but she didn't feel ready to talk about it with everybody. Her phone went off again.

Alec: Buzz me up!

Charlie went to the door to the apartment and saw a red button blinking near the intercom. She pressed it. "Yeah," she said.

She heard a man's voice on the other end, "I have an Alec Bellows asking to come up."

"Okay, send him up." Charlotte unlocked the front door and went to the kitchen. She wondered if Pete had tea, but she hated to wake him to ask if he did. She suddenly felt anxious and tea was her comfort drink. She settled on another cup of coffee. She started the Keurig and got a pod and mug out while the water heated up. She put the pod in the machine and pressed start, watching the stream fall into the mug. As the coffee finished brewing there was a knock on the door.

Alec was waiting anxiously on the other side of the door when Charlotte opened it. He hugged her with one arm. "Oh my God, we have so much to talk about," he said as he walked past her and set the suitcase down.

"Do you want a coffee?" Charlotte asked him as he settled on the couch.

"No, thank you. Todd needs help with his packing for our cruise tomorrow so I can't stay too long. But I want to hear everything." Alec patted the couch cushion next to him and smiled. Charlotte felt her insides twisting. She momentarily thought she would be sick but decided it was a false alarm. She sat near her friend.

"Well, I talked to Lorne Michaels last night and he said I could guest write on the show this week as part of an audition--"

"Yes, you texted me that last night," Alec said, beaming.

"And today Pete and I worked on pitches for this week--"

"Okay, honey, I hate to sound mean but I actually kind of don't care about that kind of thing. I want to hear about how you're feeling with Pete."

Charlie nodded. "Really good," she said.

"Good... what else?"

"We have fun together..." Charlotte felt her pulse quickening.