While I Was Away(65)

Hoping she didn't wake up if it wasn't.

Please don't let me wake up this time. Please.

Her phone started ringing, so she fished it out of her back pocket. Charlie's number scrolled across the screen and she winced. She hadn't checked in with him once since driving away in his car.

“Hey, sorry,” she said automatically when she answered it.

“I know we're not together anymore, but we're still friends, right?” he laughed on the other end, though there wasn't much humor in his voice. “Friends don't disappear without checking in with each other.”

“I know, and I meant to, but then things got ... weird.”

“Weird how? Weird bad? Are you okay?”

Funny how when they'd been dating, things had staled between them to the point they'd stopped worrying about each other. Now that they were pursuing other relationships, though, they suddenly cared.

“I'm fine, Charlie. Weird as in good weird,” she laughed.

“You find the guy?”

“I found the guy.”

“He being nice to you?”

She glanced at the cabin again, the blush creeping back into her face.

“Yeah, he finally is.”

“Good, I'm glad. You deserve all good things, Adele.”

“Thanks. You, too, Charlie.”

“When are you coming home?”

“I'm not sure, maybe tomorrow, or the day after – August is leaving for good in a couple days, so I have to be back to say goodbye. Why? Do you need your car back sooner? I'm sorry for keeping it so long, I didn't know -”

“It's fine, keep it as long as you want, really. We don't need it. Just wondering because I won't be here tomorrow afternoon, and I didn't want you coming home to an empty apartment.”

Awww, Charlie. Such a great guy. Almost too nice, if that were possible. He and Tabitha really were suited for each other.

Of course they are – because Charlie and I were never meant to be. He had to be with me in order to meet her. I had to be with Charlie in order to realize what was missing from my life – Jones.

The realization stunned her a little. How far did this go back? Where had Jones been three years ago, when she'd first met Charlie? Adele had been finishing up her design degree at UCLA. Jones was three years older than her, so he would've already been well into his nursing career in Denver. They hadn't existed to each other.

But they'd still been meant for each other.

“Thanks. Thanks a lot, Charlie. For everything. You've been great, you know that? Staying by my side in the hospital, dealing with my family, taking care of me afterwards. Just ... the best,” she told him.

“Remember that come Christmas gift time,” he teased. “And you deserved it. You're a pretty great person yourself, and this nurse guy better recognize that. Call me when you're headed home?”

“Will do.”

They said their goodbyes, and then as she was slipping the phone back into her pocket, she felt something on her shoulder. She gave a startled shriek and jumped away. From behind her, Jones laughed.

“I knew I'd fine you back here.”

And there was that déjà-vu-meets-whiplash feeling. She stared at him uncertainly for a moment, trying to decide if this was reality, or a dream.

“It was here or the lake,” he joked after she didn't say anything. “And I figured you'd had enough swimming last night.”

“Yeah,” she said, then forced out a laugh. “Yeah, sorry. My mind is a million miles away.”

“Away somewhere that has poppy fields and castles?” he asked, giving her a small smile. She smiled back.

“No, not this time. Charlie called, so just thinking about home,” she explained. He nodded, but she could've sworn she saw some emotion pass over his features at the mention of her ex's name. Nervousness?

“Ah. Met him a few times, too. Nice guy. You guys were together a long time?”

“We were.”

“Nice. That's ... nice.”

“It was,” she laughed. “But nice is boring, and we're much better as friends. Done with your painting already? That was quick.”

“Not quite done, just taking a break. Thought maybe we'd go have lunch,” he said, then she noticed for the first time that he was holding a small cooler.

“Like a picnic?”

“Like a picnic. C'mon, I think you'll like this place I know.”

As Adele followed him down the gravel driveway, she wasn't sure what to make of this knew level in their “relationship”. They'd spent the night tangled up in each other, and he'd been playful and silly with her that afternoon, but there'd been nothing more than basic affection. Did he just think of her as a pal? As some strange hospital patient turned buddy, whom he happened to share a weird connection with?

That might be more depressing than him ignoring me altogether.

Still, a beggar couldn't be a chooser, so she happily followed him to the lake shore.

They walked along it for a while, maybe fifteen or so minute, chatting about the weather and the boats and the times he'd gone fishing with his dad. She told him about her many failed backyard camping trips with her brothers – after having a snake thrown in her tent for the eighth time, she'd given up and left it to the boys.