Play It Again, Charlie (5 page)

He almost called her, but he had learned her routine too in the years of having an office next to hers, and just waited, shoving more exam booklets into his bag.

It hadn't been a real exam, as Charlie liked to give his students an opportunity to see where they needed to focus. Life rarely gave second chances, and he wanted everyone to have a solid foundation of knowledge to fall back on if they went on with careers in law enforcement or forensics.

A few students were always surprised to find themselves studying so hard: the kind who took the class for fun because of some TV show, the same ones who had seemed startled to find Charlie as demanding a teacher as he was— he wasn't blind or deaf to the stares and whispers, either about his limp or his personal life.

The rest of his students were either better at hiding their thoughts or truly committed to the course work, and they were why Charlie was still here. He usually stayed for a few minutes after last classes and office hours to offer advice on what books were best to read even if they weren't officially on the curriculum, but no one was around today. Sticky notes he'd left on the wall reminded him that he and one of the sociology professors were supposed to share a guest lecture about racial profiling next week.

He was exhausted just thinking about it. Sensitivity classes were necessary and worthwhile. They were also full of the stupidest questions, and he wasn't sure how much patience he had left after an interrupted night's sleep. He let himself imagine he could catch up on sleep during the weekend and hefted the bag over his shoulder just as Jeanine knocked on the doorjamb.

She peered up at him for a moment over the top of reading glasses that were almost dangling off her nose and leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed. She was practically humming with energy, and if she'd been getting coffee for him, she must have gotten quite a bit for herself as well.

“And where have you been all day?” Jeanine ran a hand through her short hair, but she was smiling. “I barely got a glimpse of you, even at lunch when I was going to thank you again for taking my class last night and offer to get you some spring rolls with that disgusting red sauce you love.” Charlie waved off her thanks before moving toward the door, taking the shoulder bag and the coffee with him. She stepped back and watched while he locked the door behind them. “Seriously, I'm beginning to think you've given up on feeding yourself. You haven't, have you?”

Charlie's schedule today had been full, and after a late night and a wrenched hip from wrestling with a brokenhearted twink, he was moving slowly, too slowly. By noon he'd been dragging himself to his feet, and a trip to get food hadn't seemed worth it.

“Nice to see you too,” he remarked, hiding a smile because Jeanine was like a hummingbird buzzing next to him. If that was all espresso, he needed to wean her off, or at least suggest she give it a break. “Thanks for the coffee. I'll get yours tomorrow.”

Jeanine quirked an eyebrow at the idea of Charlie walking across campus to the coffee place, but didn't challenge it. Tomorrow he'd hear all about it, and then, unless he fought her on it, he'd end up giving her money but watching her go. After a pause, she just nodded, obviously having a hard time keeping still.

Charlie shook his head, because that wasn't all espresso shots. He imagined Jeanine being this nervous on her date, then felt his stomach sink to think of just how long it had been since he'd had a date to get nervous about.

“Good time last night?” he asked, though the answer was all over her face.

She deserved a good time. But the ache was back in his bones now that he was standing still, and he took a sip of his coffee when her wide smile finally broke out. She had probably been keeping that in all day, waiting to talk to him, so Charlie hid his sigh in another sip and then nodded toward the hall. Jeanine instantly fell into step beside him, controlling her excitement enough to slow down for his sake.

“Wouldn't you like to know?” she offered, pretending not to see how Charlie tried to speed up, then giggling, a noise that every one of her students would have been surprised to hear. Charlie snorted and ignored her narrowed eyes. “I
could
tell you how good, but I'd have to charge you by the minute.”

He wrinkled his nose and shook off any and all images that conjured up before he spoke again.

“Why do straight women imagine that I want to hear about their sex lives?” He let out an exaggerated sigh and glanced at the sky, and Jeanine went still, even blinking once or twice.

“Did you just make a
joke
?” She put a hand to her chest as though she was shocked. He squinted at her, then decided to ignore her teasing.

“Wasn't this your first date?” he wondered in the same voice he'd used on one of his sister's prom dates, and it was Jeanine's turn to roll her eyes.

“Old-fashioned.” She stopped walking once they were just outside the building. Charlie stopped too and put on a patient face that made Jeanine cross her arms again. She had that suspicious look that Ann had perfected. Charlie half expected some remark about what his sex life was supposed to be like, and from anyone else, he might have gotten it. Jeanine was smarter than that, and he cleared his throat even before she finished. “What are you hoping for, Charlie, a happily ever after?”

There was little to say that didn't sound maudlin. Fortunately, so far in their friendship, Jeanine had mostly let him stay silent. It was one more thing about her that helped him hold his tongue during her pushier moments— that and years of practice.

Since he'd officially left the force, before he'd left, if he were being honest, he had let most of his fellow officers and friends drift away, because he'd understood that they had nothing to talk about with him anymore now that his work had changed. Their relationships had been almost entirely professional, and exchanging cards and pictures of their families at Christmas was a far less awkward way of staying in contact than stilted conversations about the weather and everything but his hip or his home life.

“And he's the right person?” Charlie met her gaze for a single moment. He'd been with her through several guys now, and maybe that was why she didn't get angry when his tone approached snippy. She just changed her tone to match and leered at him.

“He sure felt like it.” Like Charlie
wanted
to imagine her naked.

“I'm leaving.” He turned, but her hand on his arm stopped him.

“Going home?” She took off her glasses and let them hang from her neck. The phone on her belt buzzed, but she ignored it. “You look tired,” she observed, though to have bought the cappuccinos, she had already seen that in him. Charlie firmed his lips but didn't answer.

His silence only made Jeanine frown harder, until he debated abandoning this friendship and becoming a hermit. He was more than halfway there already, which was... depressing.

“New love I should know about?” Jeanine switched to a grin when the surprise question made Charlie's mouth fall open, just for a moment. Then her phone buzzed again.

“Don't you have somewhere to be?” Charlie shut his mouth and shifted position.

“Fine,” she agreed coolly. “But don't blame me when those cappuccinos you've been trying to drown yourself in keep you up all night.”

“It won't be the c— ” Charlie heard himself admitting and shut up. He wasn't talking to anybody else, he was talking to Jeanine, who was practically one of his sisters, even if they'd never met each other. They all seemed to have the same desire to drive him crazy, his sisters with demands, Jeanine with worry. He didn't need to be taken care of.

Jeanine was staring at him, and he coughed, then directed her attention away. “How many have
you
had today?”

“
This
is a natural high, Charlie.” Jeanine raised her eyebrows but pointed at herself with a grin that he had to share. “I haven't had a moment all day to tell you, but... .” Her phone went off for a third time, and she sighed loudly. “Tomorrow.” She pointed at him and studied him so fiercely that he almost scowled back at her. She'd forgiven him already, anyway, or forgotten about it the way Ann always seemed to forget when he told her he wasn't interested in dating right now. “Tomorrow we talk... unless you want to blow off whatever you're taking home to grade and come out with me later.
I'll
get drunk in front of
you
this time, I promise.”

He didn't believe her innocent expression any more than he had believed the one directed at him from a balcony.

“I know, you have plans,” she answered before he could. Charlie finished his cappuccino in one gulp. The first and only time he'd gone out to a bar with Jeanine, he had made a fool himself by getting drunk enough to talk about his family, and Mark, and every once in a while he could see that look in her eyes that meant she wanted to talk about it again. “If you need to talk... .”

He straightened, even with his body protesting. “I have to stop at the store.” It was important. He was out of milk and cat food.

Jeanine's face said she knew an excuse when she heard one, and too much caffeine on an empty stomach was giving Charlie a headache. “Tomorrow,” Jeanine threatened him again and took his empty cup before heading back inside the building.

Charlie watched her and then gritted his teeth as he swung back into motion. Some of the students he knew waved as he passed, and he smiled without stopping.

By the time he reached the parking lot, he gave up on smiling and trying not to limp. He shoved the shoulder bag into the backseat and took a few moments once he was in the driver's seat to rest.

He turned on the radio, tuned it to the news as he pulled out into traffic, and headed toward the freeway on-ramp. It was just after rush hour; the traffic was flowing but busy. Charlie put both hands on the wheel, keeping his attention on the road. It was hot inside the car, but he waited until he was idling at the stoplight before the on-ramp to roll down the window.

The slight breeze was nice as he made his way toward the hills and had to wait in the mess around the tunnel. He stayed in the slow lane through another interchange, felt the inland air get warmer as he finally got off the freeway. In town the congestion was worse, but he finally got to the store and found a space that wasn't too far away. Not for the first time he thought about applying for a little blue placard for his car, but something like that would make his sisters worry.

He grabbed a basket right as his cell phone rang from inside his coat pocket.

“Charlie!” Katia burst out before he could even say hello.

“Katia.” He lowered his voice in the hope it might make her lower hers, but judging from her loud, long sigh, Katia wasn't in any mood to be reasonable. “Is Alicia okay?”

“She's fine.” Katia stopped to inhale. Charlie smiled to hear her tone soften. “For the end of the school year, they have these prizes for each classroom, and she got a ribbon for Best Speller.”

“Of course she did.” Charlie had helped her with her flashcards.

“So I took her to the mall to let her pick out a new T-shirt for the summer— all the summer stuff is on sale right now— and what do you think we saw when we went into every section for little girls’ clothes?” Katia's voice started to rise again. Charlie put his milk in his basket and then turned toward the pet food aisle. “All these
chonies
with cherries and cupcakes and dollar signs on them!”

Charlie grabbed the cat food and then froze when Katia went on, loud enough to be heard through the whole aisle, if not half the store. “For little girls! What kind of parents are letting their girls walk around in panties with such obvious antifeminist symbolism right over their hoo-has?”

“You called me to talk about
chonies
?” He blindly grabbed some pasta and some canned goods before moving quickly toward the checkout. He didn't slow down until he was in line.

“I'm going to write their corporate offices,” Katia went on, while he struggled to shift the weight of the basket to his other arm without hanging up.

“That sounds like a good idea,” he agreed, bumping into the guy behind him, then quietly apologizing while Katia pushed out another long breath. She was ready to a make a scene already, as though Charlie was the culprit and not the one trying to be sympathetic. “Katia, I'm in line at the store... .”

“You have something planned for dinner?” The fact that she was surprised enough to snap out of her rant wasn't flattering. Charlie hunched over the phone as best as he could, not that it could keep her from sharing his business with the world. He dropped his voice.

“No.”

“Are you sure?” Charlie imagined her pulling the phone from her ear to study it. “Because Ann says you've been ignoring her, and I didn't think you were that busy right now.”

“I'm not ignoring Ann.” He inched forward in line, just to move. He shifted the basket again, and pain spiked down from his hip. “I've been busy.” He spoke through gritted teeth, but of all his sisters, Katia was the one who always noticed when he was hiding something.

“What's wrong, Charlie? Are you in pain?”

“I'm fine,” he insisted, the way he always insisted when those traces of fear would start to creep into his sisters’ voices. “I just didn't sleep well last night. Don't worry.”

“It's Ann, isn't it?” Katia rolled over his explanation. “I knew it. Every time she gets dumped she gets like this. Everyone in the family who is single has to date along with her. Well, we won't let that
abusona
— ”

“She's not a bully, and can you keep it down?” Charlie opted for another diversion when he felt his face get hot. His voice rose before he took a deep breath to control himself. “Little girl, is this why you called me? To talk about Ann?”

“What?” Katia barely slowed down. “So, are you okay? If you aren't I can be out there in forty minutes, so don't... .” She swallowed whatever else she'd been going to say. “I
was
going to ask you to babysit again this weekend, but you sound like you need a break. And I miss you. Maybe you ought to come out to the city soon, get away even if it's only across the bay. You wouldn't even have to drive, and just the other day Alicia asked me when you were coming over to play dolls with her again.”