My Midnight Sun- Complications- Part 4

“I like the night,” she responded, off-handedly. “Without the dark, we’d never see the stars.” That little pucker returned between her eyebrows as it did when she put some thought into something. “Not that you see them here much.”
I couldn’t help my answering laughter. She was like a breath of fresh air; in some ways above her years, in others as innocent as a child. Where did she get such faith? I couldn’t get over the way she was always so sure it would all work out. And yet, I felt the need to give balance to that view. Practical matters must always be considered.
“Charlie will be here in a few minutes… so, unless you want to tell him that you’ll be with me Saturday…” I threw out, doubtful.
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
If it wasn’t for the time of day, I knew my temper would have taken over. But right now I only thought it was sweet, her overdose of faith… even if misplaced faith.
She gathered her things and met my gaze again. “So is it my turn tomorrow, then?”
For a moment I couldn’t think what she was referring to, and then I remembered… of course, the questions. “Certainly not!” I retorted with mock fury, “I told you I wasn’t done, didn’t I?”
“What more is there?” she asked, genuinely perplexed.
I smiled. “You’ll find out tomorrow.”
I reached across her for the door handle, admittedly a shameful excuse to get close to her and feel the energy climb, my arm nearly brushing against her. But as I grasped it, I suddenly realized why the friend in Charlie’s thoughts was so strong, magnified.
He was coming home with Charlie now. Or, more accurately, he was in his own car and would be here before Charlie, before I had any hope of being gone. And, what’s worse, I figured out, too late, who the friend was.