Chapter Twenty-Four

Charlotte was still sleeping at her parent's place. One day, her mother told her that there was going to be a colleague of her father staying in her room. For the night, thereby, she said:

ـِـ You'll have to either move out or try to be the sort of a girl that really keeps him happy.

ـِـ What does he look like, Charlotte asked.

ـِـ Oh, ehm, sort of like your father, but a little bit more hair and the beard is a bit different, I think.

ـِـ Like dad?

ـِـ About as handsome, yes.

ـِـ Isn't there like any picture of him?

ـِـ I'm not sure. But you'll see tonight. He and your father will probably be here by nine.

Charlotte went outdoors for a while. It was almost summer now, so she felt that in case of emergency, she might stay out all night. Thinking about this, she wondered towards the apartment building where her ex-husband and two children lived. When almost there, she came to think about them, and noticed that she had subconsciously felt that she was on her way home. She stood still for a while, wondering if she could be into having any contact with them.

Nothing happened for a while, and she felt uncertain about herself and what she could say if he met any them. So she turned around and started going back, crying softly as she walked.

Back home her mother was making supper. It was almost eight.

ـِـ Will we eat with those two, or will there be one dinner for us and then a supper for them?

ـِـ Which would you prefer?

ـِـ I'm not sure mama! I'm not sure about any of this stuff! Perhaps I should just go to sleep now, in order not to be needing that bed tonight.

Her mother glanced at her.

ـِـ You do as you wish! But I'm making a meal for the four of us! Now, if you don't feel like eating then that's fine with me. But I'm not sure if it will be with them, and I sure hope that your father hasn't gotten Bill to expect that company of yours. ...

Charlotte glanced back.

ـِـ Oh, I guess I could just stay up and eat with them, ... and then when night time comes along I'll just try to settle myself for whatever there is to be settling for!

ـِـ OK, honey!

Now the doorbell rang. A key was heard in the lock and the two old men entered their apartment.

ـِـ Dinner is almost ready, Charlottes mother yelled.

ـِـ Thank you Suzie, her husband said.

Suzie asked Charlotte to set the table, which she did. When done she asked her mother if she could sit down.

ـِـ Yes dear, it's OK, her mother answered in a tone that was almost yelling but rather polite, still.

ـِـ Thanks!

She sat down in the chair she used to have as a teenager. Bill then asked her father:

ـِـ Carl, is this the daughter you were telling me about?

ـِـ Yes, of course it is, Carl said, indicating for him to sit to right of her.

ـِـ So, Bill said, you and I will be sharing a room for the night, isn't that right Deborah!?

She studied him. He was a bit too fat for her, not to mention too old. She swallowed before speaking:

ـِـ Yes, if my father said so, then that's how it is.

Suzie began serving some whine to be had before the dinner. She filled three glasses two-thirds of the way each, one for each of the other three. Then she proclaimed that:

ـِـ I think supper will be ready in about five or ten minutes.

With that she placed the wine bottle on the table and went back to her doings.

Carl took his glass and cheered Bill, who took his and cheered both him and Charlie. She cheered back, and they drank. Upon this Bill started talking about business, in an way that was rather esoteric for her. She was almost not used to this. It had been only a little esoteric when she lived here as a young woman.

Bill talked back in a similarly esoteric manner. She listened and got bored, then took another sip from her wine. Soon after she drank her whole glass. Both men at the table glanced at her and Bill offered a refill, which she accepted. By the time dinner was eaten, she had drunk three glasses of wine, Bill two, her father just one and her mother not any.

As her mother cleared the table, the two men began their half-esoteric discussion again. Charlotte didn't listen. Instead she just sat and stared. After about two hours, the two seemed to reach an agreement. By then, her mother had served them all two more bottles of wine. She had drunk most of it. So going to the guest room with Bill, she didn't take notice of that he held her as if for a kiss.

When private with her, he took of his shoes and put them under her bed.

ـِـ Shouldn't we get to bed together now, he asked.

She smiled and said yes.