The Secret (Watty Award Winner) | ✔️

Twenty Five - Charlie

Ch25 - Charlie

"My only request is that we do not walk by the water," Talia suggested as they strolled side by side.

Charlie laughed out loud, feeling the atmosphere lift a little. "What? You're not afraid of a couple a hungry crocodiles, are you?"

Talia joined him in his laughter. "Why would you think that? Because I was almost their lunch?"

Charlie had to admit, he enjoyed her sense of humor — that is, when she loosened up enough to let it show.

I like her, he realized, and the thought surprised him. She'd been the first woman since Emily who had made him smile.

His thoughts drifted back to his late wife. She had been a gem, that was for sure. He'd always been blown away that she had ended up with him. Emily had been so amazing, and could have easily been with anyone she wanted. Yet, she had chosen him. And it wasn't hard to fall in love with her, either. For the second time since he had met Talia, he couldn't help but notice the similarities between her and Emily. They both shared a petite, almost fragile, physique and the same quiet, witty demeanor.

Charlie had never believed he would fall in love again, but spending time with Talia made him realize that perhaps it was a possibility. Perhaps he would be able to feel intimate with someone else one day.

How would Emily feel about this? The thought was nagging at him as of late. She would want him to be happy, right? Even if that meant falling in love again with someone else? God how he wished he could talk to her just once! Just to make sure that she wanted him to move in that direction. The not knowing how Emily would feel was maddening. Why did this have to be so complicated?

Talia gently asked questions about Emily during their walk and he found himself opening up to her in a way he had never opened up to anyone before. Talia allowed him to talk and feel, and the admission was like a release. Almost as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It was a small act on Talia's part, but it offered Charlie the freedom he didn't realize he had been craving.

Emily's tragic passing had belonged to her, but had changed his life forever. And the path that lead him from happy husband to grieving widower had been a long and painful one. When the doctor at the hospital had broken the news to him, that Emily had passed away from her injuries, Charlie had sank to the ground and cried. He was heartbroken that she was gone, and guilt-ridden that he had not been there, holding her hand, as she had taken her last breath. How does a person get over a loss like that? He had only removed his wedding ring six months prior, and struggled every day with putting it back on. After all, he was still married, wasn't he? Charlie felt torn between being attached to Emily and her memory, and moving forward without her. Should the time ever come for him to begin dating again, would Emily be a barrier?

Discussing Emily with Talia was a first for him. He had never spoken about his loss to anyone before, in fact, he barely even mentioned Emily to his own mother. But Talia had taken it in stride. Her nonjudgmental demeanor had made it easy for him to open up. Instead of pitying him, as he expected she would, Talia had empathized. She had let him talk about her and even seemed to want to know more, not only about Emily's passing, but about Emily herself. Talia certainly seemed to have an interest in Charlie and of all of the things that were central to his story.

Charlie sighed, the allowance to vent making him feel lighter with every step.

He picked up a stick and tossed it to the side for Winston. The yellow lab raced after it, bringing the stick right back to him.

"Wow." She seemed impressed. "He does like to retrieve, doesn't he? Where did you find him?"

After a thoughtful moment, Charlie answered. "I researched like crazy and finally found a reputable breeder near Chicago. I ended up with pick of the litter," he declared, obviously proud of his achievement.

"How did you manage that?"

"I offered to pay more than the asking price," he laughed casually. "And he is worth every penny."

"I guess money talks, huh?" Talia observed, but her response had a sad undertone that he didn't quite understand. Had he said something wrong?

"So, I've gone on and on," Charlie said, changing the subject to something he hoped was safer. "Now, you tell me something about yourself."

"What do you want to know?" she asked, taking the stick from Winston's mouth and throwing it into the darkening yard. The final rays of the sun were shining through the trees, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

"Do you have brothers or sisters?" he asked.

"No."

"Do you still talk to your parents?"

Talia played nervously with a loose strand of hair. She seemed to get fidgety whenever he asked about her past. He was beginning to think maybe she didn't get along with her mom and dad. Maybe her childhood had been an unhappy one? Maybe that's what she was running from?

"Sometimes, but we're not that close." She avoided his gaze, looking everywhere but at him.

Aha! Perhaps her aloofness did stem from a problem with her parents?

"Did you go to college?"

"For awhile, but I didn't finish."

"Why not?"

"I lost interest," she shrugged. Instinctively, he knew she was holding something back.

They walked and talked for over an hour, taking turns tossing the stick for Winston to retrieve. Night fell over them as they reached Talia's front porch.

Sitting on the porch swing, Charlie realized that the breeze had picked up, making the leaves on the trees dance in the moonlight. Winston sat, content at their feet, his ear occasionally twitching away an unseen fly. Charlie felt himself begin to relax, enjoying the soft sway of the swing and the comfortable silence that he and Talia shared. He turned slightly to watch her. As mysterious as she was, she was awfully easy to look at.

Talia seemed a bit reluctant when he asked her personal questions so he tried not to dig too deep. He didn't want her shutting him out all together. But at the same time, he wanted so badly to learn more! He wanted to know what she had been like as a child? Did she have any hobbies? What books had she read? And the one question he could never ask, what silent enemies was she fighting? Charlie could tell she was really trying to accommodate his questions, but at times her timid demeanor left a thick wall of doubt. She was holding back, he could feel it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he studied her profile. She seemed so delicate to him and he couldn't help but wonder about her story. Her real story. Not just what she was willing to share. There was definitely more going on with her than what she let on, but he was not going to push it. In time, he believed, she would open up just as he had. And he was a patient man.

What choice did he have?

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