125:Dogsitters

November 8

“Thank you so much,” Charlie offered her appreciation into Lilah’s hair during their embrace.  “I know it’s an inconvenience, but I feel better about leaving her here than just about any place.”

“Don’t you worry about a thing,” Lilah assured with a comforting smile as she tipped her head toward the kitchen as a wordless means of asking Charlie to follow.  

She and Jon had just arrived at the Edison Bongiovi home to drop off Nana because Dorothea had flatly refused to walk a dog in Manhattan unless there was absolutely no other alternative.  The woman could hardly be faulted, especially with the cooler weather coming on, so Charlie harbored no ill will over it.  Tony and Lilah’s kids were more excited about dog sitting than Jake and Romeo could ever be, anyway. 

Both Lucas and M.J. were currently alternating between squealing, bouncing and chasing Nana, and had been since the instant the leash came off.  Amidst the chaos, Tony and Jon were setting up the canine condo in the corner of the family room, although the more accurate statement would be that Jon was watching Tony do it and telling him how Nana liked her cushion.

Charlie rolled her lips in and bit them to keep from grinning at the mechanically helpless man she’d fallen in love with.  Give him an eight-million dial soundboard and he was good, but a simple dog kennel was not in his area of expertise.  She’d had to “help” him with the disassembly so they could get it here.

Approaching the stove, where a pot of something simmered, Jon’s sister-in-law picked up a wooden spoon and stirred while speaking over her shoulder. 

“Jon told us all about Dickweed bein’ a dickweed, but I’ll refrain from dwellin’ on the negative and just say and we’re more’n happy to keep Nana while you’re gone.  Tony’s jumped on the puppy bandwagon along with the kids, so this will be a good opportunity to remind him why we’re not quite ready for a dog – or for him to prove me wrong.  Either way, it’s a welcome experience.”

Leaning against the island and crossing both her arms and ankles, Charlie drawled, “Oh good.  So I’m really doing you a favor, then.  That makes me feel much better.”

The wooden spoon tapped against the edge of the pot as Lilah flashed her a grin.  “As it was intended to.  You excited ‘bout your trip, despite what’s promptin’ the timin’?”

Her stomach had been tied in anticipatory knots since the moment the decision was made last night.  This was a big deal to Charlie, more so than she’d let anyone believe.  Even her brothers, who knew a little bit about her Disney fixation, had no clue how excited she truly was. 

Last night, her orgasm-induced afterglow had lasted about five minutes before Charlie had reached for her phone to Google Disney World.  There were so many available options for ride, attractions and entertainment – and she didn’t want to miss a thing.  

One website led to another until, at two this morning, Jon had rolled over and groggily ordered her to put the fucking phone away.  Turning off the light, she’d reluctantly set it aside and curled around his back to try and recall everything she’d read in the previous hours.  She was awake again by six to do the same thing, but she still had no idea what to do once they got to Disney.

“I’m unbelievably excited,” she told Lilah wistfully.  “But it’s stressful deciding what to do.  There’s soooo much, and we’ll only be there a few days.  If this is my only chance to go, I need to make the most of it.”

“Oh, honey.”  The other woman’s hair swung over her shoulder as she bent to check the contents of the oven.  “There’s no point in thinkin’ this is your only chance.  If Jon doesn’t take you back again, you’re always welcome to tag along with us.  Matt and Desiree go every couple years, too, so somebody in the family will make sure you get your fix.”

Matt.

Dare she ask for Lilah’s opinion of Matt’s attitude – and what to do about it?  She was truly tempated, even though Jon would be annoyed that she’d chosen Lilah.  Then again, he’d likely be annoyed with the topic in the first place.  Chances were very good that he’d tell her she was being ridiculous. 

Maybe she’d just feel Lilah out and, depending on what she said, ask Jon.  Both childish and masculine laughter filled the air behind Charlie as she heard Nana scurrying through, followed by heavy toddler feet as she deliberated.

“Can I ask you something?”

Bowls and plates were removed from the cabinets, ending in a deep clatter of stoneware as it all came to rest on the island.  Lilah propped her hands on the edge and smiled openly at Charlie. 

“Always.”

Now that the door was opened, she felt a little self-conscious about asking, but backing out wasn’t an option.  Pride lifted Charlie’s chin, and she just put it out there.  “You know Matt better than I do.  Is his change of attitude toward me going to be a permanent thing?”

Aqua eyes narrowed darkly as Lilah’s lips puckered into a disapproving frown.  “Hell if I know.  He’s supposed to be over it by now.  Has somethin’ happened that I don’t know about?”

“No, but what you do mean ‘he’s supposed to be over it by now’?”  Charlie’s eyes were the ones now narrowing with that question.  Evidently, his issues with her weren’t being kept secret from anyone but her.  Maybe she should just face the big man down and be done with it.

Lilah’s head swayed back and forth as she expressively lifted her eyes to the ceiling and back before dropping her voice.  “I love that boy, but sometimes he’s more stubborn than smart.  He got it in his head at some point along the road that your and Jon’s relationship was awful lopsided, but said at your comin’ out party that he was over it.  Did he say somethin’ to you?”

Lopsided.  Well, she couldn’t blame the man for that thought, since it was one she struggled with almost daily. 

“Because Jon told him the things you do for him might not be seen by anyone else, but that they were there and he needed to get over it.”

Of course Jon would defend her to his family.  He’d made the decision to enter a relationship with her, so naturally he would defend that decision.  But in the dark at night or when he was good and truly irritated with her…  What did he think then? 

Charlie needed to step up, and while cooking lessons were a good start, it wasn’t enough.  But how did one fix the lopsidedness that came with returning a life?

“Matt’s right,” she told Lilah softly.  “I love Jon, but in this relationship, he’s the giver.  The only thing I’ve given him is a screwing over in his divorce.”

“Oh, honey.  Now that’s not true.”

She held up a hand to ward off the other woman’s kind platitudes.  “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now and it is what it is.  Help me figure out a way to make it less true.  Like on this Disney trip.  What would he enjoy?”

Lilah’s eyes went wide and shoulders hunched up to her ears.  “I have no idea what he’d wanna do there.  I know he likes to people watch, and he’s a little bit of a thrill seeker, so I guess roller coasters?  But he also likes his quiet time, soaking in the world instead of its people.  That’s all I’ve got.”

“Mm.”

Quiet time.  He wasn’t exactly the spa type, although he might appreciate a good massage.  She was going to have to check with someone when they got to Disney and see what they suggested that might fit that bill. 

“Do you know how fucking long it’s been since I’ve been on a horse?”  Jon laughed, stepping up beside Charlie and dropping an arm over her shoulders.  “Think Young Guns.”

“Are you complainin’ about me wantin’ the kids to have ridin’ lessons again?”  Lilah’s question was harsh but there was nothing but sheer affection as she looked up into the face of the husband passing by on his way to the refrigerator. 

“Damn straight.  They live in New Jersey, not Kentucky.  There will be no rodeos or roundups in Newark.  Gonna have to trust me on this.”

Flipping her middle finger at the man who had just drawn two Coronas from behind the stainless steel door, Lilah huffed, “I may have moved to Jersey, but that doesn’t mean I want my babies completely citified.  It’s ridin’ lessons or we live a year in Lexington, a year here and back and forth until they're at least fifteen.  Your choice.”

“You know, riding lessons aren’t that bad an idea,” Jon offered as his brother smacked Lilah on the rump hard enough to make her squeak.  “Well-rounded kids and all that.  Lemme know how that works out.  I may even hop back up on ole Trigger one more time and take the boys.  I kinda liked it, as I recall.”

“Ha!” the sassy Southerner gloated to her husband and stuck out her tongue.  “If Jon is agreein’ with me, it’s the idea of the century.  Decision made, my darlin’ Jersey.”

Charlie laughed at the comfortably married couple and turned to look up at Jon.  “Horses, huh?”

“Now don’t get me wrong.  I don’t wanna own ‘em or anything, but it might be fun to go for a ride sometime.”  He tossed his chin toward the stove.  “What’s cookin’?”

Lilah whirled around with a muttered swear, snatching up the wooden spoon and dunking it into the pot to stir vigorously.  “It was almost burnt tar, but thanks to you, it’s chili.  Cornbread’s about done, too, if you wanna stay and eat with us.”

Taking the arm around Charlie’s shoulders and using it to hook her neck, Jon tugged her close for a kiss on the temple.  “What do you want to do?”

It was late afternoon, and it was an hour’s drive back to the city.  There were still a ton of things to do if she had any hope of getting out of here on vacation tomorrow, but…  She really did enjoy the time spent with this set of Bongiovis. 

“I still have to pack.”

“Is that a legitimate reason to leave or an excuse?”

Charlie smiled at the question murmured directly into her ear, because she interpreted it to mean that he’d back her up if it was just an excuse.  They really were partners, and the contentment that seeped through her blood was priceless. 

“Just a statement.”

“Then don’t worry about packing.  I’ll have it taken care of.”

She drew back to peruse the confident features of the man whose fingers pressed reassuringly into her shoulder.  “You going to pack for me?”

“No, but I can make sure you have everything you need down there,” he informed her with the lift of a brow.  “I have an assistant.  All I need is your sizes and she’ll create Disney magic.”

Laughing, she returned that lifted brow and asked drolly, “You think this is Pretty Woman or something?”

“You’re not a whore.” The blunt statement was offered with a snort of derision before he turned his attention to Lilah, “We’ll stay.  Thanks.”

Flashing a fading smile in Lilah’s direction, Charlie nodded her agreement.  “I’d like that very much.  Thank you for the invitation.  As for you… You’re not buying me a vacation wardrobe.  You do too much as it is.”

“I’ll do whatever the fuck I please.”

His lazy arrogance could be a turn-on in the right setting, but on the wake of her conversation with Lilah, it was anything but.  “Guess again.  You’ve already spent too much on me in the last week.”

“I saw the bracelet,” their hostess observed as though there weren’t undertones of a brewing argument swirling around them.  She was simply busying herself by getting out glasses and cutlery for six while Tony ducked back into the refrigerator for something else.  “It’s very pretty.  I might ask to try it on after we eat, if you don’t mind.”

“It doesn’t come off.”  Denim blue eyes locked into Charlie’s with the steely decree that was both an answer to his sister-in-law’s question and a pointed reminder – as though it was necessary. 

Charlie had the picture of the bracelet and their arms from the night he’d put it on, and every time her phone flicked to life, there was a visual reminder of the love he wouldn’t allow her to shed without permission.  Every once in a while, the depiction of being someone’s hostage would cause a brief bout of anxiety – maybe one time out of fifty.  The rest of the time, it was a quick fix of erotica that was the cover photo to their love story.

Because he sounded so territorial and surly in his answer, however, Charlie stepped in to soften it.  “What Jon means is that it has to be put on and removed with a special screwdriver that’s in his safe.”

Lilah didn’t miss a beat in turning off the stovetop and grabbing a dishtowel to tug at the oven door, but the look she darted at them was filled with glee.  “Well, that’s ‘bout as close as you can get to a weddin’ ring without a weddin’ ring, I reckon.  Congratulations on the commitment.”

“Love slave.  Cool,” was Tony’s contribution as he put hot sauce and sour cream on the island.  “Fuzzy handcuffs are cheaper, though.  Did we ever get a new pair after you broke the last ones, Bluegrass?”

The over door slammed shut and a heavy cast-iron skillet clattered against the burners of the gas stove when Lilah dropped it like a brick to whirl and glare at her husband.

“If you feel the need to share that kinda stuff with your brother, I’d prefer not to be in the room when you do, honey.  So hush and get me a plate for this.”  Rolling her eyes in Charlie’s direction, she pointedly changed the subject.  “Speakin’ of food and family, I guess we’ll have Thanksgivin’ here again this year.  About one o’clock, just so both of you know.”

Stepping away from Jon, Charlie grabbed the cutlery and plates, taking them to the end of the kitchen to put on the table.  “We haven’t even talked about Thanksgiving yet.  Jon may not want me here.”

He pointed the neck of his Corona bottle at her, closing one eye and squinting the other to say, “You’re pissing me off today, Counselor.  Don’t be a dumbass.”

It was Charlie’s turn to do the eye thing and she rolled them to Lilah, who obligingly rolled hers right back.  “Thank you for the lovely invitation.  I’d be happy to join you and your family for Thanksgiving, sweetheart, but you’re going to have to spend part of the day in Brooklyn, too.”

It was only a fleeting shadow, but she saw the displeasure on his face.  “Can’t we have everybody out to the Jersey house and just do it once?  It’s big enough for both families.  I mean, I know you don’t cook, but I can hire somebody for that.”

Cooking again.  If Charlie could prepare the meal – any of it – this would be a reasonable solution to spending the day with both families. 

Her family could ferry themselves out to Jersey and relax for the day.  Daddy and the boys would love watching the football games on Jon’s huge television, and they’d said they liked Jon’s brothers.  Izzie and Lilah already knew each other, and the other women would have no trouble warming up to Lilah and Des.  God knew her sons got along fine with Jon’s kids.

It was just that cooking thing that bugged the hell out of Charlie, but if he didn’t want to split up his day, the only other option would be to have a “his” and “hers” Thanksgivings, and that wasn’t appealing either.

“Jesse wants a crack at the deep fryer this year,” Tony reminded.  “You promised him last time.”

“Right.”  Jon’s triumphant eyes found hers as she finished folding napkins.  “See?  Turkey’s taken care of.”

“And the way we always did it in my family was to have everybody bring a side dish,” Lilah encouraged the idea.  “Only mashed potatoes and turkey have to be fixed on site.  The rest of us could bring in desserts, vegetables, appetizers and all that.  I think it sounds like fun.”

It did sound fun and ideal, but would her parents have a fit over schlepping out to Jersey?  Would her mother feel slighted by not cooking the meal in her kitchen for all of them?

“I see the wheels in your mind working, Counselor.  If you’re worrying about your family coming all the way out and going back again, there are three guest bedrooms and a three-bedroom guesthouse.  Anyone that wants to can stay the night before, after or both.”

Turning to prop fists on her hips, Charlie saw that she was outnumbered and that was okay.  If Jon wanted something as simple as staying put in his own house for the holiday, that was something she could give him. 

“Can we wait until later in the day to eat?  Some of my clan like to go to the parade.”

“I don’t think that’ll be a problem,” Lilah assured, flipping out the cornbread onto a plate and picking up a knife to slice it into pie-like wedges.  “They all fuss at eatin’ so early, anyway, but since it’s my house, I wanted the mess cleaned up before midnight.  Dinnertime is host’s choice.”

Jon strolled over to plunk his beer bottle on the table and hooked one hand over the back of a chair as Tony yelled for the kids to leave Nana alone and come eat.  “Perfect.  Decision made.”

“Ah, ah, ah.”  Charlie put her hand in front of the lips that were coming in to claim hers.  “I have one more demand before I agree to this railroading.  I want to invite Millie.”

Eyes that had gone stonily suspicious at the word “demand”, instantly fell soft and Jon cuffed her wrist atop the bracelet to pull the blockading hand away from his mouth.  “As I said already, ‘decision made’.”

He didn’t have to think about it, he didn’t have to consider it, and he didn’t hesitate, providing one more shining example of why she loved this man.  Her heart swelled with gratitude and determination.

She might not be able to cook Thanksgiving dinner, but her Christmas gift to Jon would be cooking that meal for their families – all by herself.