Charley Effie Black

Chapter 75 - Alcohol or No Alcohol?

Charley set down Charles in his crib and looked back at Lottie. "You're sure you're okay if we go out tonight?" she asked.

"I'm positive, Charley. You're still so young. You deserve to go out, not stay in, watching children all the time," Lottie assured her as she pressed a kiss against Charles's forehead. She then turned back to Charley. "I can handle them. They're only getting older."

"But Genny and Charles. They're so young," Charley pointed out.

"But Jayde, James, and Harvey are older. They can help out when it's needed. Charley, go have fun. I love you like a mother, and I don't want to leave you, but you need to understand that someday we're going to have to move out. We've overstayed our visit, Charley. I acknowledge that, and as soon as I get the money, we'll be out of your hair and you won't have to worry about us anymore."

"I don't want that, Lottie. I want you close. I want to be able to check on you whenever I want," Charley told her simply, watching her in bewilderment.

"I know you do. But I have a feeling you're like your mum."

"What does that mean?"

"You're going to want to have a family soon."

Charley pursed her lips and was silent for a moment. "I'm still a kid," she admitted softly. "I don't want to be without my mum."

Lottie smiled at her and gently held Charley's face in her hands. "Charley, you and I both know that you only think of me as Haz's wife. Haz was always your father growing up, but you still had Daisy."

"That's not true!" Daisy protested. "Yeah, I knew who my mum was. But you were-"

"Char, are you ready to go?" Oliver asked, poking his head into the door. Charley looked back at him before looking back at Lottie who nodded with a smile. Charley sighed before walking over to Oliver.

.

"Charley! Oliver! It's so good to see you two!" Betty exclaimed, pulling them individually into a side hug as she held Leo in her other arm.

"Betty, is the dip ready?" Liam asked, running a hand through his hair.

Betty mumbled a curse under her breath. "No. I um... Can you do it for me? I have to put Leo to bed before it gets too crazy," she told him.

And before Charley had registered what she was saying, she was caring Leo up to his bedroom so Betty could finish making the dip. As soon as Charley stepped into Leo's room, it was silent. It was as if they had stepped into their own bubble. Charley gently set Leo in his crib and sang him to sleep. He squirmed around in his crib for a while before finally stopping and falling asleep.

Charley stayed beside the crib, watching as Leo's chest peacefully rose and fell. She couldn't help but wonder how Lottie was doing with the kids. She wondered if Genny and Charles were making it difficult. She wondered if the older kids were helping out. She wondered if she needed to go back so she could help.

"The baby's asleep."

Charley looked back at Oliver and nodded. "I know," she said. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Charley, Lottie is a mother and an adult. You don't have to worry about her. She can handle her kids. Sure, they're crazy, but she can control them. You really think Haz was the one controlling them before?"

Charley laughed at that and rested her head on him. "He was probably rallying them up," she admitted. She watched as Oliver laughed with her.

"Exactly, if she could handle it then, than she can handle it now." Charley nodded at him and gently kissed his cheek. "Want to go down to the party now?" he asked.

"Yes please," she told him, letting him lead her down to the party. The music was blasting and there were people everywhere. Oliver let Charley lead him to the dance floor. After an hour or more, they went to get food and drinks.

"Alcohol or no alcohol?" Charley mumbled under breath as she stared between the punches. Oliver grabbed a cup and filled it either the alcoholic punch. He quickly downed it and sighed before refilling. "Alcohol it is." She filled up her cup and drank it quickly before pulling Oliver to the dance floor once again.

After a lot of dancing and drinking, Charley and Oliver found themselves talking to their coach. "Hey, Coach!" Charley brightly said, greeting him with a hug.

Their coach laughed softly at her actions. "Wow, Black. How much have you had to drink?"

"At least three," she told him with a giggle. Oliver laughed at her softly.

"Sorry, Coach. She doesn't drink much anymore. So when she does... Well, you see," Oliver told their coach which made him laugh.

"I understand. My wife is the same way," he responded.

Suddenly, Charley gasped and smacked Oliver's arm. "Olly! The countdown is about to start!" she shouted, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him away. He held his ground as he said goodbye to their coach and let her pull him away. "Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!" Charley shouted excitedly before turning to Oliver, "Happy New Year!"

Oliver laughed and pulled her in for a kiss. "Happy New Year, Charley," he replied as he pulled away from her. Charley grinned up at him and pulled him in for another kiss, this one lasting longer as she slipped her tongue in.

"Charley," Oliver softly said, pulling away and staring down at her. "We should head home."

Charley nodded in agreement, holding onto him tightly as he apparated back to their house. Charley giggled and immediately brought him into a kiss. She pressed herself against him and walked towards the stairs.

"Charley," Oliver spoke again, "You need to go to sleep." Charley looked up at him and bit her bottom lip as her hands wandered down to his jeans and found the button. "Charley, no," he stated as he scooped her up bridal style and carried her up to their room. He laid her down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before changing into his pyjamas.