When you first started your job at Exit Ghost theatre company, you'd been (extremely) excited. But you didn't have any specific expectations.
You hoped to get some experience and learn from it, perhaps even make a few connections that could help you down the road with your career.
The last thing you expected was to fall in love. Especially with your boss.
At the beginning of the internship, if you were asked to predict what you would be doing right before your first dress rehearsal with the company, standing in Mr.Barber's bedroom with him as he got dressed would be almost last on the list.
Nicole and Henry had been gone for almost a week in L.A. and although you were glad to have alone time with Charlie, it did feel strange to be in the home that he shared with her, even if she wasn't around.
"What do you think, sweetheart? The white or the blue?" Charlie asked you as he held up two different shirts, looking them over.
You ran your fingers over the material of both, thinking about it. "I like the blue." You answered, then looked up at him with a cautious smile. "It's just going to be us, though, Charlie. You don't have to worry about the way you look." You reminded him.
Although it was a more formal version of rehearsal, there wasn't going to be an audience. You were surprised that Charlie was fussing so much with unnecessary details that he usually didn't think about.
Charlie's head snapped towards you as he considered this, "I know that, but..." He began defensively then trailed off when he saw the sincere expression on your face. You weren't trying to tease him or call him out. You were helping him relax. He realized that.
He kissed your forehead, holding you in place briefly with his hand on the back of your head to make sure you knew that he wasn't upset like he might've previously shown. "I know that, honey." He repeated with a tender voice this time. "But I just want everything to go well. I'm getting nervous because I'm usually more confident at this point."
You nodded sympathetically. "You just have a lot going on in your life outside of the play right now. There's nothing wrong with the show. There's no need to be self-conscious. I promise."
Charlie gave you a grateful glance, smiling affectionately at you as he pulled his t-shirt off. He folded it up neatly before placing it on top of his dresser, wanting to wear it to bed again before he ran it through the wash.
When he began unbuttoning the dress shirt to remove it from the hanger, you quickly moved behind him and wrapped your arms around his middle. You peppered kisses all over the bare skin on his back, squeezing him tight.
Charlie let out a deep, surprised laugh, allowing you to do so. "What are you doing?" He asked you, chuckling as you continued to kiss him. The feeling physically tickled him as much as it made his heart soar.
"You don't take your shirt off around me unless we're having sex." You muttered, lips still against his back. "I like you naked." You told him with a giggle, squeezing him just slightly tighter.
Charlie swallowed hard at that, his laughter dying off and being replaced by a frown. "You're sweet to me." He said, starting his motions of undoing the shirt again.
As successful and sure of himself that Charlie was, he never really saw himself as desirable physically. He thought that he was handsome enough. He always enjoyed his hair and eyes. But his body was a different story. It was just a body, he thought. Nothing to fawn over.
"I have the hottest boyfriend in the entire world." You said in a sing-song voice, grinning, trying to cheer him up.
Ever since the two of you decided that it would be fitting to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, you couldn't stop. It was annoyingly adorable. Charlie would ask things like, "What does my beautiful girlfriend want for lunch today?" as casually as he would call you things like 'honey' or 'sweetheart.'
Charlie laughed at your comment and shook his head. His shirt was off of the hanger now and he was holding it in his hands, waiting for you to stop hugging him so he could put it on. "You do?" He asked you, tone amused but also wanting reassurance. "He must be a lucky guy to date someone like you."
You knew Charlie well enough to be able to tell the difference between him teasing you for fun and when he was deflecting because he had things on his mind. Right now, it was the latter.
You let go of him and moved so that you could look up at his expression. "Are you that nervous about rehearsal?" You asked him, placing a gentle hand on his forearm.
Charlie was usually grateful for how receptive of his feelings that you were but in times like this, when he was too embarrassed to talk about them, he wished that you didn't know him as well as you did.
"Yes, but...." He sighed, averting his eyes from you, moving away so that he could pull his shirt over his shoulders, buttoning it up as he spoke to you. "I appreciate how good you make me feel about myself, but I think I'm a little past my prime here, honey." He mumbled, glancing in the mirror.
You laughed at that, assuming that he was joking. When you saw that he was serious, your chuckling instantly stopped. "What do you mean?"
Charlie moved closer to the mirror as he finished up the buttoning. He looked at his reflection as he adjusted the material. "I've been so stressed lately. I eat and drink like I'm in college again and I'm not getting any sleep." He explained, almost embarrassed.
Between the threat of divorce incoming, his worries about what it would mean for Henry, the opening of the play, and sneaking around with you, Charlie had a lot on his mind. His appearance and health were usually the last things he thought about when he laid in bed at night, if he thought about that at all.
He knew that he wasn't taking care of himself the way he should. Every time he pulled on his clothes in the morning, Charlie would sigh at the signs that he was putting on some weight and every time he shaved, he'd find a few new gray hairs scattered throughout his scalp and slight wrinkles on his face.
Charlie wasn't a superficial person. He knew that all of this came with aging. But having a girlfriend as young and gorgeous as you were, did make him self-conscious. It didn't help his confidence that your ex-boyfriend, who the two of you ran into on the busy street, was a lot more put together than Charlie was.
Charlie knew that you loved him and you did a fantastic job showing and telling him how much you cared about him. But he would be lying if he said that he didn't have anxieties about being good enough for you.
You thought about what he was saying and took in his body language. You had your moments, too, about not liking how you looked and questioning your appearance when you were getting ready. But the idea that Charlie had similar thoughts was mind-blowing to you. You thought that he was perfect.
You waited for him to finish with his shirt, then you moved in front of him with a smile, distracting him from staring at himself in the mirror. You stood on your toes and reached up to wrap your arms around his neck. "Can I tell you something?"
Charlie slowly grinned at the way that you were hanging on him and looking up at him. It didn't matter how much time he spent with you. You would always surprise him with how cute you were. He couldn't wrap his head around it.
"Sure, sweetheart. What is it?" He asked, putting his hands on your waist, rubbing your sides up and down as he gazed down at you. He couldn't help himself from kissing the top of your head briefly.
"I mean it when I say that I think you are the most attractive man I've ever seen." You told him sincerely.
Charlie laughed out loud at that, shaking his head, not believing it but appreciating it all the same.
You pouted, "Hey, stop that. I'm serious."
His laughter died off slowly, seeing the look on your face.
"Really, Charlie." You told him, playing with his hair at the nape of his neck. "I know it sounds silly but every time that I see you, it feels like the first time again. You give me butterflies even now. You're so handsome. I'll always think so."
He didn't say anything for a few moments, looking you over as he processed this information. Charlie continued to move his hands up and down your sides, from your rib cage to your hips, as he thought about this.
Charlie was moved on many levels. Not only did it feel good to know that you found him attractive, but he was also just taken aback by how determined you were to reassure him. You were the first person in a long time that was on his side in every way. He was so thankful.
Before he said anything, Charlie ducked down and moved his hands under your thighs, picking you up. He grinned at the way you were giggling and grasping onto him, surprised by the action.
You wrapped your thighs around his waist as he walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. You placed kisses all over his cheeks and neck, occasionally his lips, at a comically rushed speed.
It caused Charlie to chuckle the same way you had, pulling you tighter against him to make sure that his laughter didn't force him to lose his grip on you. He walked towards the couch and carefully sat down, keeping you on his lap as he did so.
"Hi," You told him with a grin, scooting up against him, straddling his thighs.
"Hi," Charlie repeated with the same goofy grin. He held your hands in his, interlacing your fingers together. His grip gently squeezed as he allowed himself to get slightly more focused.
You stared at him, trying to read his expression so you could decipher if your words helped him at all.
"I love you so much," Charlie told you, bringing your hand that was still locked with his up to his lips. He kissed across your fingers, "Not a day goes by where I don't think about how grateful I am to have you in my life."
You watched him with wide eyes, staring at how his full lips looked against your skin as he kissed you. "I love you too, Charlie. I don't know what I'd do without you." You told him honestly.
Charlie hummed happily, thumb caressing your skin in a relaxing way. He knew that he would be lost without you.
That night, dress rehearsal for the show went better than you'd expected. You were confident that it was well put together. Charlie had put so much thought into it. But with everything else going on for the two of you, you had been a little nervous that he wouldn't be pleased by how it turned out.
Charlie scribbled in his little notebook the entire time, filling out page after page with thoughts and directions for the next rehearsal. Usually, the two of you would share private moments in the dark while you watched. You'd brush your legs against each other, whisper cute little things in each other's ears, or if you were feeling brave, you'd hold hands out of the eyesight of anyone else.
But tonight, Charlie was entirely focused on the show. You knew that it was necessary. You didn't mind at all. And besides, you thought that he looked sexy when he was so serious and concentrated.
"Charlie?" You called out as you stepped onto the stage.
It was empty except for the set pieces left behind. The almost blinding lights were still shining, illuminating the space.
After rehearsal, Charlie suggested that everyone should go out for drinks to celebrate how well it went. Usually, everyone hung around after an event, loitering and making small talk. But with the suggestion of drinks on the table, everyone quickly gathered their belongings and left the theater to get to the bar.
You saw Charlie head backstage so that he could organize a few things and get his notes together while you slowly became the only one left.
"Chaaaarlie," You called out again in a sing-song voice while you glanced around.
There was no response.
"Mr.Barber, are you still here?" You tried with a smirk on your face, knowing that might get his attention.
Silence again.
You sighed and began shutting the notebook that you took your notes in. He'd come out soon, you thought.
In the process of messing with your notebook, a few loose papers fell out and fluttered onto the ground. You bent over to gather them, mumbling a few words of irritation as you did so.
Before you could stand up, you felt two strong hands grab your hips and the feeling of someone pressing themselves against you from behind.
You gasped and attempted to stand up in surprise, wanting to move away from whoever it was. But the hands held you in place, squeezing the flesh of your hips gently.
"What was that last one you said?" They asked.
It immediately put you at ease: It was just Charlie.
You relaxed and giggled, "Mr.Barber?" You clarified with a teasing and flirty tone.
Charlie let out a low groan, a hand going from your hip to your ass, running his hand along the curve of it. "Yeah, that one. I like when you call me that." He muttered.
You were so caught up in his touch and voice that you almost forgot where you were. You glanced over at the empty seats in the audience, the bright lights on the two of you as you stood on stage. "We should stop... Right?" You asked, not wanting to but wanting to be smart.
"Maybe," Charlie muttered, "There's no one here. I made sure that it was just us so I could lock up when I go."
You slowly stood back up and tucked away the papers that had fallen back into your notebook. You held it close to your chest while you kept your back pressed against his front.
"Just us?" You asked, wanting to make sure.
Charlie's hands went up the sides of your body, running all over you at a languid pace. "Mmm. You're all alone with daddy." He told you, lips brushing against your ear as he whispered, "Just you and Mr.Barber. Do you like that?"
You nodded, whimpering as one of his hands slid up your shirt and the other crept up under the skirt you had on, palm against your thigh. "I do. It's my favorite. You know that."
Charlie made a noise of affection, a low 'aw' as he began kissing your neck from behind, continuing his motions of touching your skin beneath your clothing. "I know, angel. I know it is. You're such a good girl."
You exhaled in pleasure at that, arching against him and allowing him to touch you however he wanted.
"Seeing how pretty you look under these lights makes me want to fuck you right here," Charlie told you, hand gently grabbing your ass. "You deserve a reward, honey. Rehearsal went so well and I need to thank you for being such a helpful intern for me."
You couldn't help the soft moan that escaped your chest, eyes fluttering shut. You wanted to remind him that it wasn't wise to be so bold in a place that wasn't technically private but didn't have the strength to stop him.
He continued, being urged on by his own words, "I think I should make you cum to show you how much I appreciate you. "
"Charlie," You sighed, almost dropping your notebook because of the way that he was beginning to run his fingers over your panties. "What if someone comes back?"
"They won't. We just need to hurry." He responded confidently. Charlie knew that everyone was already at the bar down the block and if anyone were to come back, there would be a lot of noise to alert the both of you that they were returning before they entered the room. There was little risk here, even if it felt like there was a looming threat.
"I'm nervous." You admitted with a breathless giggle, eyebrows furrowed together as you moved against him.
Charlie smiled softly, speaking in between kisses on your neck. "I know you are. I can feel the way you're shaking. Is it because you're afraid to get caught or are you just shy to be on stage like this?"
You glanced back out at the empty seats, looking past the bright lights. You hadn't considered it before, but something about the setting itself did put you on edge too.
You did acting before you decided you liked the directing side of things better, but it always made you nervous to have all the attention when you did so. This was surprisingly no different.
Even though there was no one in the audience, being on display like this, even just for Charlie to see, did add a level of anxiety.
"Both." You answered sheepishly.
Charlie gently took the notebook out of your hands and leaned forward to drop it onto the ground with a slight sound. After doing so, he wrapped his arms around you and began kissing your neck again. "There's no reason to be nervous, honey. I'm here to take care of you."
You sighed and relaxed against him, allowing yourself to grow weak for him. "You'll make sure no one sees?" You asked in a quiet voice, knowing that he would but just wanting the confirmation.
Charlie's teeth grazed against your skin, grunting slightly at how dependent on him you were at this moment. He loved when you made him feel like he had a purpose. Most days, you were the only one who did. "I'll make sure. I promise. Don't you trust me?"
"I do." You told him quickly, not wanting him to think otherwise. Your hands reached behind you to touch his thighs, moving your ass against him in the process.
"Fuck," Charlie groaned, a hand going up to cup and squeeze at your breast while the other one was under your skirt, feeling the soft material of your underwear. "Do you feel how hard I am for you? Do you know how desperate you make daddy?"
You let out a small whimper, nodding. You could feel his cock pressing against you, shielded by the material of his pants. You glanced up at him over your shoulder. "I'm really wet right now." You admitted to him shyly.
Charlie moaned at that, eyes fluttering shut briefly as he took in how much he enjoyed hearing you talk dirty in this way. "You are?" He cooed, "Let me see. Spread your legs for me, sweetheart. Let me in." He coaxed you.
You let out a trembling breath as you parted your legs, allowing him access. His long fingers dipped into the waistband of your panties, running his touch along your skin until he reached what he was looking for.
"So wet." Charlie agreed with a growl, unable to stop himself from running the pads of his fingers along your clit, making you gasp in pleasure. "You're just begging for me to be inside you, aren't you? My angel needs me."
"I-I need you." You whined, agreeing with a brief nod of your head.
He made a similar noise, that of a deep whine, as he removed his hand from your panties. He grabbed your shoulders and led you over to the side of the stage.
He stopped when he reached a table that was part of the set, though it was only used in the first act, so it was discarded to the side for now. Charlie gently nudged you so that you bent over the side of it, ass in the air in his direction.
He checked his watch, making sure the two of you didn't lose track of time before you began. Charlie then began undoing his belt with one hand while pulling your panties down with his other hand. "Best little intern in the world, letting her boss fuck her while she's at work." He muttered with a grin.
You smiled at that, finding it amusing and endearing that the dirty parts of sex with Charlie turned him on so much.
When you first met him, he seemed like a flustered and out-of-practice dad. Knowing him better now, this was still partly true, but you realized that Charlie was also a man with many fantasies and urges. Before you, it had been a long time since he had an outlet to act on these desires. Now that he had you, Charlie was grateful he had someone to be depraved with.
Back then, you had no idea that the pent-up and stressed-out boss you met on your first day of work would be the same man who would make you call him daddy.
Charlie wrapped his hand around his cock and positioned himself between your thighs. He entered inside of you with a groan, not giving you a warning because he knew how much you wanted it and knowing that you two had a limited amount of time together.
You let out a low whimper, taken aback by how large he was inside of you and how perfectly he fit, even after all of this time. "Oh, god." You sighed, gripping the edge of the table you were leaning over.
Charlie was staring down at you intently. He watched the way that it looked for him to disappear inside of you and the way that your ass looked perfect as you attempted to bounce back on his cock. He pushed your skirt out of the way, giving him a better view.
"You're so pretty, honey. The prettiest girl in the world. You're all mine." Charlie muttered to himself, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he continued to watch his movements.
You smiled at that as you rested your cheek against the chilled surface of the table below you, looking up at him out of the corner of your eye. It was hard to fully take in his appearance because you weren't looking at him straight on and the movement of him thrusting you against the desk made everything shake.
But what you were able to see made butterflies erupt in your stomach. Charlie had started calling you 'angel' lately as a nickname, but right now, he was the one that looked god-like.
The stage lights reflected off of his dark hair that fell into his eyes and shifted with each movement of his hips. There was a slight pink tinge to the tops of his cheeks and ears from the exertion that was taking place. His honey-colored eyes were focused on you and his lips were slightly parted in a pout, moans escaping his chest.
"I love you." You practically blurted out, unable to stop yourself. You felt like a cartoon with hearts for eyes, utterly in awe of how gorgeous your secret boyfriend was and how lucky you felt to have him.
Charlie's thrusting paused for a split second, not expecting to hear that from you right now even though he knew you felt that way and he enjoyed the sound of it. He started his motions up again, feeling empty without the feeling of fucking you.
"I love you so much." He breathed out as he put his hands on your hips. His thumbs rubbed against your skin while he grabbed you there. The gentle motions were direct contrasts to his squeezing and the way he was slamming you against the side of the desk.
Your grin widened, the butterflies that were previously in your stomach fluttered throughout your entire body until you felt like you were floating.
Being in love was such a fun feeling.
Charlie reached a hand down from your hip to in between your parted legs. He searched cautiously until he found your clit where he instantly began touching you in the way that he knew you liked. Gentle teasing circles.
You gasped, eyes momentarily rolling back in your head as you let the wave of pleasure run through your body, mingling with the excited butterflies that were there previously. "Don't stop. Please." You begged him softly.
Charlie groaned to hear the neediness in your voice. Any time you showed him how much you wanted him, made him feel like he was on top of the world. "I don't plan on stopping. You deserve this, remember? You deserve anything you want."
You moaned with urgency, fingernails against the desk below you. "Oh fuck. We're gonna be late." You realized, eyes landing on the clock that was hanging on the wall backstage.
Charlie chuckled affectionately, glancing at the clock as well. He thought it was adorable that you cared about something like that, even now. "We're going to be late to our own party." He joked with you.
You laughed, too, in between breathless moans. It was sort of comical that Charlie asked everyone to meet him at the bar and the two of you were still in the theater.
"Very naughty of you to make me do this," Charlie murmured, laughter dying as the urge to say dirty things to you overpowered the comedy. "I should be there celebrating with everyone."
As he spoke, he sped up his stroking on your clit, making you cry out.
"But instead, I'm fucking you on stage," Charlie mumbled, his thrusting inside of you matching up with his quick movements on your cilt. "What if we had a full audience? If there were people here watching what I'm doing to you? Would you like that?" He teased cautiously, hoping he wasn't going too far.
You moved your head so that you could glance at the empty seats, trying to imagine the sick thrill that it would give you if they were all filled.
You couldn't help but remember a dream you had previously before you even started your internship. It was the night before your first day. You had fallen asleep while looking at the Exit Ghost website and the last thing you saw before you closed your eyes had been a photo of Charlie.
You fell asleep that night and had a dream that he made you touch yourself on stage, in front of a packed house of audience members.
It had been a shock, to say the least, when you saw him in person and he was the same man you'd seen in your sleep.
In a way, the two of you had almost come full circle from then. Instead of being on stage by yourself and taking his direction in your dreams, you were together on stage with him in real life.
The thought of it made you cry out in pleasure, toes curling inside of your shoes and hands grasping at nothing. "I'm close." You sighed, wanting to warn him so that he didn't stop or change what he was doing.
"Good girl." Charlie praised you, nodding, keeping the same motions. "You're my perfect girl. I love you so much. I'm going to send you to that bar filled with my cum, sweetheart." He groaned, rambling, feeling his orgasm approaching.
The compliments he was giving you, mixed with the thought that you were going to have to pretend none of this happened around your co-workers, made you cum hard and quickly. You gasped his name out, eyes squeezing shut.
Charlie groaned when he felt the way that you clenched around him, your muscles pulsating in a way that drew him in closer and closer to cumming himself. He squeezed at your hips with his free hand while his other one pulled away from your clit as you finished, not wanting to overstimulate you.
He realized at that moment how happy he was and how this all felt surreal to him. He was able to have a second life with you. Not everyone was able to get another chance like that. Charlie knew he was the luckiest man in the world.
The thought made him cum, just as intensely as you had a moment ago. He said your name over and over again, eyebrows furrowed together as he fucked you through his orgasm, groaning loudly in his deep voice.
The two of you were a mess of whimpers and deep breaths, trying your best to calm down and become level-headed. He brushed some hair out of your face so he could lean down and kiss your cheek, staying there while he inhaled deeply.
"You did such a good job. I might just make you the star of my next play." Charlie teased you, lips moving against your skin because of the position that he was in above you.
You laughed at that, tilting your head back so that you could attempt to kiss him. He helped you out by ducking down further, pressing his lips against yours.
"Let's get cleaned up. They'll start wondering what we're up to soon." Charlie then mumbled, in between kisses.
You nodded, allowing him to slowly pull out from inside of you and pull his pants back on. You did the same, pulling up your panties and standing up with a slight stretch.
You gave him a grin before you began gathering up your belongings. "Don't forget to lock up." You called out, messing with him. That's what he had been attempting to do in the first place before he was distracted by you.
Charlie chuckled and rolled his eyes as he walked backstage, "Thanks." He said sarcastically. He gave you one last look, full of admiration. His perfect girl.
Having a few (or perhaps, a few too many) drinks with the rest of the crew at Exit Ghost had been fun but anxiety-inducing. The two of you did your best to ensure that you weren't too affectionate or too comfortable with each other, not wanting to look suspicious.
But after several rounds of drinks, it was becoming increasingly more challenging to keep your hands off of each other, or at the very least, stop from giggling at everything that happened around you like two lovestruck teenagers.
At this point, you had so many inside jokes with him that you sometimes had to physically hold yourself back from rushing over to him and whispering about something that happened, knowing that he'd find it as comical as you did.
A few hours into the night, Charlie left the bar a little bit after you did, to not raise suspicion. Much to your pleasant surprise, he showed up at your apartment with his hands in his pockets and a goofy grin on his face.
You laughed with him all night and drunkenly ordered a pizza together, which you ate on the couch using paper plates. You'd been so tired and tipsy that you fell asleep in his arms with all the lights on, practically in a seated position with Charlie snoring gently in your ear, holding you close.
You wished that it could be like this forever.
Just the two of you.
Unfortunately, as time went on, you knew that wasn't the case.
Reality set in when Charlie decided to go out to L.A. to visit Henry. Nicole had planned only to be gone for two weeks, but it was bordering on two and a half now. Charlie was getting nervous about whether or not she planned to come back at all.
As disappointed as you'd been that you and Charlie's alone time was coming to an end, you understood why it needed to happen.
Charlie was always so happy when he was with you, but there were times when you'd catch him discreetly checking his phone to see if there were any messages Nicole was passing along from Henry or any updates from his divorce lawyer.
One night, when he slept over at your apartment, you caught him sitting up in bed in the middle of the night. He'd been staring at his hands in the dark, trying not to cry. The only thing that calmed him down was allowing you to wrap your arms around him and assure him that it would all be okay.
You hated seeing Charlie this stressed and you were willing to do anything to attempt to put an end to that, even if it meant saying a temporary goodbye to him so that he could fly out to California and see his son.
You were currently standing in his bedroom with him, helping him fold clothes to tuck away into his suitcase.
"White or blue, honey?" Charlie asked, holding up two t-shirts for you to choose from.
You glanced up from the pair of shorts that you were neatly placing inside and shrugged. "You have room for both. The blue is nice, though. It's not as thick. You won't get too warm." You told him, taking the blue one from his hands so you could begin folding it as well.
"Thanks." He told you with a sigh, waiting for you to finish with that one so that he could hand you the white shirt as well, taking your advice.
"Don't be nervous, Charlie. There's no reason to be. You're just going to see Henry." You assured him, reminding him of why he was going on this trip in the first place.
"I know," He said, tone already defeated. "But I can't help but feel like I'm walking into something I can't prepare for." He admitted, grabbing a few pairs of socks and placing them in your hands so you could pack them.
"If you can't prepare for it, there's nothing you can do. No reason to stress." You told him gently, not sure if your words were helping as much as you wanted them to. You weren't sure how to give him specific advice. This situation was tricky.
He nodded, thinking about what you were saying. Charlie knew you were right.
He was reading into it because of his own intentions with his marriage. Even though she wasn't back yet, he assumed that Nicole was just excited to be around her family and he couldn't blame her. She was probably so much happier with them than she was with him. He could relate; that's how he felt about you.
"You're sure you're okay to lead rehearsal on Wednesday?" Charlie then asked you, glancing over his shoulder as he looked into his closet in front of him. "I'll try to get the video chat to work, but just in case you have to do it without me, do you feel good about it?"
It had been more than an honor to have Charlie give you the responsibility of not just being the intern but the director while he was gone. You were shocked that he trusted you enough to do it. He was always so particular about the play and making sure that he had control over it.
"I'm more than okay with it. I'm so excited. It's like a dream." You told him with an excited grin. It felt like you made it, even if you were only in charge for one night.
Charlie smiled just as brightly at that. He trusted you to do a good job and you knew him well enough to understand what he'd be thinking if he was watching it beside you. He wasn't worried and he was glad that you weren't either.
He set down the jacket that he was initially grabbing so that he could walk over to you and hug you tightly. Charlie took in a deep breath, smelling your shampoo and perfume as he held you close.
"You always know what to say to me to make me feel better." He admitted to you in a soft tone.
You hummed happily at that, squeezing him close. You were going to miss him so much.
"Oh," Charlie then said suddenly, remembering. "I need to show you something before I forget." He told you as he pulled away from you. He put a hand on your lower back so he could lead you out of the room and towards the hallway that led to the kitchen.
"Is it a present?" You teased him with a smile.
Charlie laughed, "Don't get excited." He told you in a warning tone.
The two of you walked into the kitchen and he paused when he got to the destination he had in mind. You watched as he picked up a piece of paper on the counter then opened the door to the fridge.
"I was getting nervous thinking about you eating pop-tarts and ramen noodles the entire time that I was gone," Charlie explained to you as he reached into the fridge and began pulling out to-go containers. "I made you a few things that I think you'll like."
You blinked as you processed this, watching how he pulled out numerous boxes and bowls covered with lids.
"I made a list and numbered the containers accordingly, so you know what you're eating." He explained, handing you a piece of paper with a numbered list of meals and their ingredients. "I don't know how good they'll taste since you have to heat them up in your microwave, but I figured it's better than nothing."
You were still silent as you looked the list over, unable to come to terms with the fact that he'd done something so thoughtful for you.
You knew this must've taken hours and a lot of effort. It would've been meaningful if anyone did it but especially someone who had as many things on his mind as he did.
Charlie was slightly nervous by how quiet you were. He wondered if he was overstepping. "I know you can take care of yourself, but I wanted to help out and maybe it'll remind you of me while I'm away."
You weren't sure if it was silly or justified to cry happy tears over a supply of, essentially, leftovers. But you couldn't help the way you felt your eyes go misty, clouding over with emotion because of how sweet he was to you.
"You don't have to take them with you if you don't want them. There's this woman who lives a few doors down and she's always doing favors for us and I could give them to her instead. It wouldn't be a big deal." Charlie explained to you, embarrassed by his gesture. He was oblivious to how happy it made you.
Instead of telling him no, you ignored his statement entirely so that you could wrap your arms around him tightly. You squeezed him and buried your face into the soft material of his sweater, inhaling the scent of him as you did so.
"I love you so much." You sniffled, holding him close. "Thank you. I don't even know what to say. I appreciate it so much."
Charlie audibly sighed in relief and hugged you close, glad that you were pleased and not offended by his cooking.
He always brought lunch for you. Charlie even gave you his extra food on your first day at work when you didn't bring your own. But this was different to you.
Usually, Charlie brought you whatever he didn't eat the night before or whatever was around the house. Even if he bought you a sandwich from a shop nearby, it was always because he was going there himself regardless. It was still nice of him to do, but nothing like this.
This was planned and deliberate and done for you specifically, in a time where he could easily focus on a million other things.
Even though Charlie was going to visit his wife and son, in a way, he was putting you first by devoting this much attention to caring about you.
"You're welcome, honey. It was no problem at all. It makes me feel better to know you'll have this." He explained, wanting you to know that this helped his stress level instead of adding to it.
You sighed in an overtly happy way, squeezing him tighter and nuzzling your face against his shirt.
Charlie kissed the top of your head with a sad smile.
He wasn't looking forward to being apart from you.
Charlie's flight to L.A. had been uneventful and it felt longer than flights he'd taken across the globe even though he was only going across the country.
He supposed it was because he knew that he was leaving his happy place and entering a different city where he had no answers. He also didn't have you.
The only thing that calmed his nerves were several bags of complimentary mini pretzels that he had to practically beg the flight attendant to give him extra of and a few tiny bottles of vodka that he poured over ice.
That night, you decided to partake in some self-care in an attempt to cheer yourself up. You were watching a movie you enjoyed, drinking wine, and wearing your favorite pajamas. But it didn't feel as relaxing as you hoped it would.
After spending so much time alone with him recently, having Charlie in a different state felt like a crime.
When your phone rang and Charlie's name lit up the screen, you couldn't help the excited noise that left your body. You were glad that you were home alone; otherwise, it would've been embarrassing.
You were surprised that he was calling you. Usually, he kept phone contact to a minimum, not wanting any proof of the relationship the two of you had.
"Hi!" You said warmly, answering the call. You brought your blanket closer around yourself, allowing it to comfort you in the same way that he would.
"Hi, sweetheart." Charlie's voice rang out, deep and tired. You heard him yawn softly after doing so. He sighed in relief, instantly comforted by the ability to speak to you.
"You made it! Did you take any pictures? I bet it's so sunny and beautiful." You rambled, thrilled to hear from him and just wanting to know everything and catch up on what you missed. "Is it too hot? I had a feeling you shouldn't have worn that jacket."
Charlie couldn't help the small but loving smile that landed on his lips as he heard you talk. He had no idea where to begin.
In his silence, you continued, "Was the flight okay? What about the rental car? Oh! Did you give Henry that Lego set that we picked out? I was wondering if he liked it even though he has the one sort of like it-"
"Honey." Charlie interrupted you in a gentle but firm tone. He sounded exhausted.
Your skin heated up in the realization of how fast and much you were talking. You took a deep breath. "Sorry." You told him. You were just excited to speak to him.
"Don't apologize." He told you. You could hear the sound of a beer bottle opening in the background.
Your instinct was to ask him what was wrong, but you fought against it, wanting to give him the chance to tell you.
"The weather's perfect," Charlie answered you. "The flight was okay. The rental car was... Well, I have one. It's fine."
"Good," You told him slowly, stopping yourself from saying more.
"Henry loved the Legos. He already built half of it by the time I left." He added.
You picked at a few pieces of string on the blanket, staying quiet to give him time.
"When I got to Nicole's mom's house, Henry was in the bathroom. He was taking forever with his pooping. You know how he's been doing." Charlie explained, and you chuckled a little, understanding.
He continued, "Her sister was there and I could tell that something was off by the way everyone was talking to me..." Charlie trailed off, taking a long sip from his bottle. "I got a moment alone with Nicole and she handed me divorce papers like it was nothing."
Your eyes widened and you stopped your motion of fidgeting, taking that in.
The two of you were silent, both thinking that over and attempting to make sense of what it meant for the future.
"Is that...'' You began, but you weren't sure how to express what you were wondering. "Is that a good thing? You don't have to worry about making the first move now, right?" You guessed, not having any clue how this worked.
Charlie wasn't clear on the details either. He had spoken a lot with his lawyer, but it was always under the assumption that he'd be bringing up the separation. He hadn't anticipated that Nicole would be the one to do it first.
"That's not all," Charlie told you, his tone serious.
"What do you mean?" You asked nervously.
There was a long pause on his end as he worked up the courage to tell you.
Then, "She knows about us."