Graceland: Family Affair

Chapter Twenty-Six

I try to call after Charlie, wanting to know what she meant by that comment, but she's either too far away to hear me, or she's just plain ignoring me. I reach into the drawer of my bedside table and take out the remote control for the television that sitting on the top of the chest of drawers that sits beside the door facing my bed. I start to flick through the channels with the volume on low as I wait for Charlie to return. I can hear faint voices from downstairs with Charlie instructing the boys to stay away.

"Paul! I don't want to hear it..." I hear her say, and I can just imagine her holding a hand up to Paul's face to silence him as she walked by.

"What?! Are you angry with me now too? What did I do to you?!" Paul moans in a confused tone that sounds on the verge of exasperation. I can picture his arms flailing around in frustration.

"Oh, you didn't do anything to me!" Charlie replies/

"Then why aren't you talking to me?!"

"To punish you! You apologise to your sister once you've thought about what you've done!" She threatens before paddings upstairs and back to my room again. She tosses the Chinese take-out menu onto the bed. "So you won't have had food from this one before...so here's the menu. Take a flick through and see if there's anything that tickles your taste-buds!" She climbs back under the duvet as I pick the menu up and start flicking through, but I can't concentrate as my mind is still trying to figure out why she said what she said about Mike.

"What did you mean...about Mike...uhm...you know?" I try to ask, not really wanting to say the exact words she said in fear that I would blush and give myself away. But I guess I'm already doing that with my stumbling over words and my "uhming" and "aahing" as I try to talk.

"About him knowing the way to your heart?" She nods. "Yeah! Well, it's pretty clear!" She laughs.

"How clear?" I nervously bite on the inside of my mouth as I tilt my head a little.

"So you admit it!" She exclaims.

"I'm not admitting anything...but I'm just asking...how clear?" I try to sound calm and collected, but it's really not working. I know and Charlie knows that she's onto me and Mike.

"Don't worry...I don't think the boys know. Paul definitely doesn't know, if that's what you're worried about. I've heard Johnny joking about it, but I don't think he knows that it's true. So you're safe!" She must be able to read the shocked and worried expression that has appeared on my face. So she starts to assure me. "And I'm not going to go around telling anyone. But...you should know...there are no secrets in Graceland. And if there are...they're pretty hard to keep. That's the only reason I found out – I mean, I'm an Agent, for crying out loud...it's my job to read people and situations!" She jokes. "All I'm saying is, sooner or later, the boys will figure it out...it always happens. So, just be ready for that..." She rubs my arm supportively.

"But...how did you –?"

"How did I figure it out?" She raises an eyebrow as she smirks. "Mike's face is like an open book. He can't take his eyes off you. He's always following you around. Always asking where you are. He can't stop talking about you. I mean, if I hear one more Sarah-at-Quantico story from him –" She jokes as she pulls a face. "And the fact that he's downstairs right now looking like a lost puppy dog because he thinks you're upset with him...oh, you should see him just now...it's actually kind of cute. But seriously, he's crazy about you...and he's terrified about what your brother might say...I can tell..."

"Oh, I doubt Paul will be happy...but I can handle him..."

"Look, Mike's a good guy, and he needs someone like you, especially now. Paul can just suck it up and deal with it if he has a problem. I'm rooting for you and Mike...I really am. I know the boys would say that relationships are never a good idea in Graceland...but I guess Paul and I are proof that sometimes it can work out. I mean, it hasn't been a walk in the park – we've had some pretty tough times...but we got through. And you and Mike will too. He loves you, Sarah...and I can tell that you love him. Just give him a chance. And don't stay angry at him too long...today wasn't his fault..."

"...I know..." I sigh, resting my head against the headboard. I point to what I want on the menu.

"I mean, I'm not saying don't let them suffer...we let them suffer a little...but not for too long. We have our fun, and then we love them again..." She says as she dials. Charlie rings in our order, telling the stranger at the end of the phone that someone will be there to pick it up. "We'll send the boys..." She winks at me. I weakly smile back. She can sense that something still isn't right. "Sarah..." She looks me right in the eyes. "You don't have to go with them tomorrow if you really don't want to...if you're not comfortable with it. Us girls..." She pauses and sighs. "...we get it worse...so I completely understand if you don't want to go –"

"But I'm not going to make you go –" I protest.

"And I don't need to", she hushes me. "The boys can go themselves...and they can make up an excuse as to why the mysterious wife-slash-sister isn't there. You've only been here a few days...we can make an exception...you don't have to do it..." She says softly. I look up to the ceiling as my head rests against the headboard, trying to think clearly and rationally.

"No..." I say quietly, not quite sure whether I really do truly mean what I'm about to say. "...It's okay...I'll go..."

"Are you sure?" She asks caringly.

"No..." I try to laugh. "...but I have to go..." I admit, thinking about my handler, Agent Matthews, and his instructions to me about my reasons for being here, and I can't tell Charlie about any of this. My job is to stay close to Mike...and in order to do that, I need to go where he goes. So if he goes tomorrow, I have to – there's no question about it. If I stay home and don't go, then I'm failing at my assignment before I've even begun.

"...On the plus side..." Charlie starts, trying to think of positives for my situation. "...At least Paul and Mike are with you...and Johnny will be there for back-up...you'll be well covered!" She smiles. "And hey...with the way Mike feels about you...He'll be sure to keep you safe no matter what..." But that's the thing – I'm the one that's supposed to keep him safe...that's my job.