Page 27 of One Night at Christmas

The blue oxford shirt couldn’t hide the broad shoulders and solid chest. When he sat down, she breathed a sigh of relief because it removed his slacks from view. She was about to check out his crotch, recalling how blessed he was in that department. Her mouth watered with longing because his aftershave or cologne filled the room.

They ate in silence with Charon sneaking peeks at Bryson. He appeared to be relaxed and comfortable eating the Wal-Mart meal and sitting in a dumpy motel room. Her daughter sat between them. Nothing intimate could happen, but her heart beat faster. Something told her when he left again she would remember this night forever.

She caught his eye and jumped. He kept staring, having no shame about being caught. There she was in an old faded T-shirt, gray sweatpants, and super thick socks that served as slippers.

“Are you going back?” he asked.

“W-what?”

“To him. Are you going back?”

“Wow, we haven’t seen each other in all this time, and the first thing you ask is if I’m going back? I don’t want to discuss it in front of little pitchers.”

“I remember that old expression.” He knew she meant she didn’t want to discuss her marriage in front of her daughter.

“So in other words, you’re not sure?”

She sighed. “Does it matter?”

“It does.”

“You don’t have a right to be coming here telling me it matters whether—you know—and questioning me.” She didn’t mean to get her back up. In the past, they talked about everything. Now she didn’t know how to be comfortable with him.

He wiped his mouth and tossed the napkin on his empty plate. “Let me be more direct. I want to take care of you, but I can’t do it if you still belong to him.”

Chapter Eleven

Charon drew her feet up on the chair and hugged her knees. The coat she wore wasn’t quite long enough to warm her legs, but she was determined to have this conversation outside the motel room since Naomi was sleeping. If she needed to curse at Bryson, she could do it freely.

Although she had dragged two chairs outside, he chose to stand, leaning against the wall. Maybe it was a power play he’d grown used to at the office.

“You didn’t just ask me to be your mistress again.” She stated it like she knew the truth, but she wanted clarity. Even as she spoke the words, her anger stirred to the point that she wanted to crack him over the head with something.

“Calm down, Charon.”

“Calm down? We haven’t seen each other in years, and maybe you forgot but I didn’t. You’re married!”

“You know what my marriage is like.”

“No, actually I don’t. But I don’t care. I’m not helping you to cheat.”

“Charon, hear me out. I never would have come here or even raised the subject if you hadn’t left your husband.”

“So it’s my fault? I provoked you to make me an indecent proposal?”

“Would you stop with the dramatics?”

She scowled at him.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it the way I did. To be honest, all the way here, I wrestled with what to offer.”

“I can take care of myself. I don’t need your ‘offer.’”

“And I don’t like to see you suffer.” He said it low and sweet. She thought she heard pain in his tone, which surprised her. Not that it should. They were once friends, and she didn’t think so badly of Bryson to think he wouldn’t care about his friend’s wellbeing.

“I appreciate that.”

“But you’re turning me down?”

---