Page 95 of The Day After Christmas
‘Yes, I’m aware.’
‘You okay, Charlie?’
‘Yes, all good, thanks.’
Felicity flicked the kettle on. ‘Any sign of Andrea?’
‘She left a message in the office, asked us to start without her.’
Weird.A little shiver ran down Felicity’s spine but she shook it off and tried to look calm and professional. ‘Best we do that then I guess.’
Charlie waved a hand. ‘Yes but first I need to ask you something. Tell you something, I mean.’
Felicity leant back on the counter. ‘You have as long as it takes me to brew this tea.’
Charlie nodded eagerly and Felicity felt a pang of affection for him. He wasn’t so bad.
‘Okay, look,’ he said, staring at the ground. ‘I’m really sorry for coming onto you. I know you’re with James?—’
She cut him off hastily. ‘And even if I wasn’t, you’d be far too young for me.’
He went on. ‘Yes, I know, and that. Although I still maintain that we could make a go of it.’
‘Charlie!’
‘Sorry. Okay, look, I’m sorry anyway. And I wanted to say thanks. Because this is my last week working here.’
‘Oh. Er, sorry. I didn’t know.’
Charlie shifted from foot to foot. ‘Yeah, well, I’ve got to get back to college anyway. But look, I wanted to thank you because I’ve, well, you’ve… I…’
Felicity attempted an encouraging smile.He’s just a kid, remember.
Emboldened, Charlie took in a breath and stumbled on. ‘I know it might not always show but I’ve really loved working here and working with you. You’ve been really kind.’
‘I don’t know about that, Charlie,’ said Felicity. It was taking a huge effort to keep her face neutral.
‘No, you have. I’m not really used to that.’
‘How so?’
‘My parents are not kind.’
There it was.
Something twisted inside Felicity and tears sprang to her eyes.
‘Charlie… I…’
He threw up a hand. ‘No, it’s okay, it’s just that I’m not used to people treating me like an adult. Or like I’ve got somethingto say.’ He gestured between them. ‘Even this, like now, you’re listening to me, you know?’
It was the most words he’d ever said in one go. Felicity felt a rush of guilt for giving him a tea-brew time limit.
She stepped forwards and before he could object, she gave him one quick, warm hug, then stepped back. He smiled but for once it didn’t seem suggestive. Was he learning at last?
‘Thanks…’
‘Look, Charlie, I don’t know how much you know about me but my parents weren’t kind either. I know Harry is a great guy now but he wasn’t… well, let’s say he wasn’t always around back then. And my mum… she was really not very good at it, to tell the truth.’
