Plus One. How to Catch a Cloud - xv

It was late, so he didn't expect Ara to be at work until tomorrow. Hopping out of his car, he jogged to the diner and was seated by the cute somewhat-new waitress.

Introducing herself as Freddie, she sat him in a booth, gave him a menu, jotted down his drink and left for the kitchen.

Freddie zipped up the tiny staircase, tapped on the door and asked the occupant to take over the waitressing duties downstairs while she took a mini-bathroom break.
"There's a new customer who needs to have his order taken."
"Ok, I'll be there in a second," Ara replied while writing her last entry in the accounting books.

Ara breezed into the dining room to get the customer's order before they upped left for bad service.

Nearing the booth, Ara prepared her smile and greeted her customer with her pen and pad ready to take the order.
"Hi, have you decided what you'd like to order?" she asked.
Then looked down at her customer.
She gasped his name.
"Hey Ara..." he said sheepishly.
"Couldn't sleep?" she teased.
"Naw, I couldn't. I didn't know you took the late shift," retorted.
"I didn't. I couldn't sleep either," she smiled.
"What did you want to eat? Breakfast or dinner?"
"Anything..."
He smiled at her. "Stay with me?" he requested.
She smiled back. This felt nice. "When Freddie comes back from the washroom."
"She's been back for a while now."

The confusion in Ara's face made him chuckle.

"She set you up, didn't she?"
She turned around just in time to see Freddie give her a conspiring wink, "yes, I guess she did. Anyway, since she's back, I think I'll sit then."
"And have dinner?"
"Yes, and have dinner."
"What are we going to have?"
"Light meal or heavy?"
"Anything in between?" He smiled.

I could get used to this she thought and smiled back, as she was dazzled by his good mood.

"Why don't I just get us something for now and then we'll add if it's not enough?"
"Sounds good," he agreed.

When she came back from the kitchen, they sat in comfortable silence. At times, she caught him looking tired and pointed it out with concern.

"Naw," he shook his head as he muffled a yawn,"I'm still good."
She chuckled at him as Freddie brought their order.

"So..." he began after swallowing a mouthful of his roast beef sandwich.
She looked up at him with a quizzical look after taking a bite of her own.
Looking thoughtful he asked her, "Do you believe in working hard, play harder?"
"I never really thought about it like that. I just try to get as much out of my days. Hang out with friends or the diner friends whenever I can. How about you?"

Her heart beat a bit quickly with joy as she realized that this was it- this was their moment to get closer and learn more about him.

Looking deep into her eyes, he replied with, "I thought partying it up was the best way to forget that I wasn't family material. I never thought I'd have anything to offer a wife, or a herd of children, either."

Her heart ached for him and what he shared.
"But why would you think such a thing?"
"I refuse to be anything like my father."
Confused, she looked him in the eyes willing him to continue.
"He left us when he realized he wasn't family man material. I don't want to end up like that."
"But you won't..." She assured him.
"How are you so sure?"
"Because you know what you don't want to be. You just said you don't want to be anything like your father, that's a start."
The anguish on his face, what he allowed her to see broke her heart into tiny pieces for him. It wasn't pity, but it was this overwhelming want to tape his hope back together again. Could she do it? Was she capable?

She cupped his chin with her hand, willing him to look into her eyes.
"You are worth it, Charlie. Believe it."
"Do you?"
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Do I what?"
"Do you believe that I am worth it?"
"Do you think I would have said that if I didn't?"
"Who knows? You could be trying to get me to feel better. In any case, it worked."
She laughed at him.

Somehow between her hand making contact with his chin, to the question of belief in his worth, their hands had intertwined on the table. It felt so right and comfortable, that no one made a move to release the other.

"Ok, fine," he amended, "if I were to ask you right now to marry me, would you?"

Her heart sped in response. He couldn't be serious.

"Are you asking me? Or are you testing me?" she teased.

"Ok, never mind," he amended once more, "if I were to ask you to be more than a friend, would you?"

"Are you-" she began.
"I'm asking you," he cut in.

She eyed him, wary of the impending humiliation if he wasn't serious. But his eyes spoke to her. He was serious. His death grip on her hand may have hinted at his nervousness. She flexed her muscles a little to hint that he was holding on a bit too tensely. She smiled at him.

"I told you we can't be friends," she began.
"I know, but-"
She cut him off with, "and this is why. I have to be honest with you that the reason why I couldn't be friends with you is because of how I felt."
"But I'm-"
"Let me finish. Ever since that first night we met-"
"I remember now, and I'm sorr-"
"You're sorry about that?"
"Yes," he felt humiliated when he remembered how drunk he was and how her brother had caught him making out with her on the porch practically groping her wherever possible.
"I'm not," she said quietly.

Huh, he thought as he searched her face.
She blushed, "I haven't felt that kind of connection with anyone else. To me, you've always been Charlie."
"But what about that time you called me Chuck?"
"It was a weak attempt at trying to see you as a friend. I had to try, but I couldn't. In the end, it seemed like I drove you further away."
"I couldn't stand hearing you call me 'Chuck' instead of 'Charlie'. I always felt like you were the only one who saw me as Charlie, but the one time you called me 'Chuck' I felt so dirty. I like who I am when I'm with you, but at the same time you made me feel like I'm trying too hard to be someone I'm not."

"I'm sorry, Charlie... I never mean-"
"I know you didn't, Ara."
Her other hand covered their still entwined hands. She looked deeply into his eyes and said, "Yes. If you'll still have me."
"Really?" his eyes widened in astonishment.
She nodded reassuringly, "You can frustrate me from time to time, Grumps, but I know that the minute you're out of earshot or sight I miss you too much. I can't risk someone finding you."
"Same here... I had to take a chance asking you. I'm so tired of not having you near me. These past few weeks have been hell."
"Even though we spend most of the time arguing?"
"It's what makes us dynamic."
"Silly."
He chuckled, but remembered something.
"I have someone you need to meet. I promised I'd bring to around."
"Who?"

"The only woman who loves me and cares for me no matter what right or wrongs I do."
Ara's heart swelled as he talked lovingly of his grandmother, she was almost sure.
"Your Grandmother?"
"Yes," he replied.
"I'd love to meet her. You're lucky to have her around."
"You don't mind?"
"What?"
"If she's my plus one?"
"Of course not! Just as long as I can have you as mine," she replied, lost in a trance.
"I like you..." he said.
"And I like you too..."
"Very much?"
"Yes, verry much."
"You're cute and I like you verrry much too."
"Oh my... we sound silly."
"It's alright. No one's here."

She looked around the diner to find that they were the last ones in there. Shaking her head in embarrassment, she suggested they go home.

"Do you want me to stay a bit?"
"If you want. You can take the guest room if you want."
"Alright. It's late, besides I want to take you over to Granny's as soon as early as I can in the morning."
"What about work?"
"I'm calling in sick."
"Just go in later," she suggested.
"Already setting me straight," he smirked down at her as they walked hand in hand to the car.
"You betcha..." she smiled lovingly up at him as he bent down slowly to give her a full kiss on the lips.
"I could get used to this."
"Let's not spoil you then," she replied, letting go of his hand and hopping into the car.
"So mean..." he joked.
"Eat your heart out," she jibed.

She went to bed that night with a smile plastered over her face.
It really was this simple, she sighed.

He could hardly wrap his head around the fact that she was now officially one of the biggest parts of his life. His heart had slowly been pieced together over one late night dinner. Running a hand over his face, he found he still couldn't wipe the happiness out.

Wait why should I? he asked himself. This is the best feeling I've ever felt, he thought.