My Elizabethtown

Chapter Fifty-Four

My heart was shredded. The cold in Charlie's voice had been bad enough. But when I told him I loved him and he rang off without saying a bloody thing back to me, that was devastating.

I was having a bad time of it, and it took all that I had to hold back my emotions. It wasn't that I didn't feel comfortable with momma, but the repair bloke was still there. There was no way I'd loose my dignity in front of a stranger if it could be helped. No way in fuck!

Momma could see I was rattled, and squeezed my hand tightly, "would you like me to put on some fresh coffee?"

My lip was quivering as I replied, "a pint or quart of whiskey would be more to my liking right now."

She shook her head, "no, alcohol never fixed one blamed thing. I'll make us some coffee, extra strong."

I sat to the table and buried my head in my hands. This was such a sodding mess! Charlie didn't want any lies between us and I'd just done one after another. It was stupid as fuck for me to do it, I should have just come right out with the mess I'd done of the laundry.

At last the man was finished with the repair. He explained that we'd be best off to run it empty a few times, using the cold water to help flush out all the suds. Also included by him was a full on explanation of the controls and what to set them to and why.

He gave me the cost, then said he'd lower it for me, seeing that we lived in a poorer section of town. I'd have none of that, and insisted he take an extra fifty for all his help.

Momma saw him out, went and started up the washer, then sat down across from me. She stirred her coffee for several moments before meeting my eyes, "we both screwed up royally, it wasn't just you, Jonathon."

There was a huge lump in my throat and I just nodded, still holding back a flood of tears.

She took my hand again and just held it, "we'll work through this, honey... he's as stubborn as they come, that doesn't help. What does help is that I know he loves you, that's going to work against that rhino hide of his."

"Momma, I think that's over. You didn't hear the tone in his voice when we talked. It all seemed so right... almost perfect," I said as my tears slowly started.

Again she shook her head, "you're old enough to know, perfect is a lie. As for it being so right, I think it is. You two just have had a lot going on in a short time. You're both still learning about each other, as well as what you can manage as a team."

"Yeah, but I think I've lost him before we even had a chance," I said in a mournful voice, tears flowing at a faster pace.

"Wait a cotton picking minute here! I've read a lot about you in magazines and seen you on a few talk shows too. Aren't you the man that fought the odds when you broke your back? And you broke ribs and other parts too, and you kept your chin up. Or am I thinking of someone else that happens to look just like you and has the very same name?" she asked with a stern look.

I shrugged, "I guess I did."

She took a piece of paper towel and wiped at my tears, "Charlie is a mule about some things, but you just have to know how to treat him when he's gone to a full out jackass. And, believe you and me, he can do that at the drop of a hat."

I let a slight grin form, "he's not the only one can do that."

She rolled her eyes, then looked upward, "God, if you're listening, protect me from the both of them!" Then she looked back at me and winked.

My smile broadened, "momma, do you really think it will work out?"

"Do you have any idea how often Charlie and I have fallen out?"

"Um, not really. Only what I saw the other day, and that was because your sugar was way off." I replied.

"Humph... and where do you think he got such a stupid temper from?" she inquired.

I simply shrugged again.

"You're looking at the source, honey. I don't know if it's genetic or learned, but he's way too much like me," she answered her own question.

"That doesn't seem to be such a bad deal, momma," I replied with a wink.

"Oh, you best believe, it can be okay. But other times, you'll think he's Satan himself and you're in hell!" she responded.

"Momma, there's times that you'd think I was Satan's trainer, just so you understand that I'm not perfect."

"And you were talking about perfect just a few minutes ago?" she asked with a raised brow and a grin.

"Guess I'm a bit off using that word. I'd best think of something more appropriate," I said.

"Don't you go worrying none about putting labels to things. That's a mistake most of us make in life. Just accept what you have and take it one day at a time. There's no secrets, except to talk things out when you can and try to keep a limit on your misunderstandings."

"I shouldn't have lied, he saw right through me on that," I stated.

She gave me an exasperated look, "Charlie has something like a built in detector for them. I can bet you that he saw through me first, and that got his temper going before you added to it. So you can't take all the blame or guilt on this one, I helped too."

A long sigh escaped me, "so what do we tell him, if he'll even listen to us now?"

"How about we go for the truth? You messed up with the wash and didn't want him to find out. You called me for help, and I tried to cover up too. If he's gotten over his jackass stage, we should be able to show him how ridiculous it all was."

"You mean all of it?" I asked.

She chuckled, "well... I could leave out how you answered the door with suds all over you in just your boxers."

I turned red all over again at just the thought, "in for a penny, in for a pound... we'll take turns and fill him in on it all. I don't believe he'll keep from laughing if we both give him our take on it."

"You do know it was pretty funny looking back on it... I've seen laundry disasters in quite a few movies and tv shows. This would have been great for one of those," she said with a big grin.

She was right, you know. "I have enough fans as it is, they needn't see me in just boxers," I stated.

"Honey, they weren't just boxers. They were white and pretty wet at the time. I thought for a second you were out to seduce me!" she teased.

"Ha! If I were trying to seduce you, I wouldn't have had the boxers on!" I retorted, while a deep blush hit me.

"Jonathon, you're my second son, and even though this is the south, I don't take much to the idea of incest. Although I suppose I could make an exception for you," she said, delighting in my embarrassment.

"Um, thanks, but no. Dealing with Charlie is one thing, I don't believe I could handle two with the same temperament," I protested.

We both laughed long and hard on that. She looked at her watch and saw how much time had passed. With a short call, she found out that the laundry was ready to be picked up.

I declined her offer of going along, I didn't want to be out in public. And there was the thought that Charlie may call in the back of my head too. Where had I put my sodding mobile?

She gave me a big hug, then left and I started searching for it. I couldn't imagine me being so stupid as to have lost it. After all, this house wasn't that big.

It was on the table in the front room. I must have set it there after I called momma.

When I picked it up, it said `low battery', it wouldn't even take a signal. Bloody hell, where was the charger for Charlie's phone? I hoped it was around there somewhere.

I didn't mean to snoop, but I was desperate to find it. It didn't take long to find as it was on top of the dresser. As I'd said, the house was fairly small, so there weren't that many places it could be.

One thing I did notice, was Charlie had a penchant for order. The place was neat as a pin from one end to the other. Not one thing seemed cluttered or messy anywhere.

Usually I'd find such a thing unsettling, but not with my Charlie. I guessed that love had really changed me. This was just something that was a part of the whole man... one that I hoped with all my being I hadn't lost.

Actually if he'd accept my offer of being my PA, he seemed more and more the perfect person to have. Or maybe I was just a lil bit biased, but who could blame me?

Once I found a spot in the kitchen to plug it in, I sat to my cold cup of coffee. Even for all that momma had said, I was still feeling depressed.

Only a few minutes passed before it sounded. My heart raced as I dove for it and had it open after only one ring.

"Hello?" I said.

"Baby, it's me... Charlie," he said in a subdued tone.

"Hi," I responded, feeling awkward as fuck.

"Baby, I'm sorry for earlier... and I love you," he said with a tremor in his voice.

A wave of relief washed over me. Doing my best not to break into tears, I replied, "I love you too, and...I'm sorry for lying Charlie, but I'll explain it better when you get home... you are coming home aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm coming home, baby. Do I need to stop on the way for anything?" he asked in a soft voice.

"No, you're all I need, my Charlie. And, please... be careful driving," I replied. He'd been quite upset too and a word of caution couldn't hurt. My heart was hammering in my chest.

"I promise I will... baby, I love you, very much!" he stated in a firm voice.

"My Charlie, I love you at least as much!" I said with conviction.

"Bye, baby."

"Bye, love," I said as I closed the mobile. Tears slowly trickled down my face as I gave it a kiss, thinking that would reach him somehow.

The anguish I'd been holding back let loose in a flood that lasted several minutes. As I wiped at them all I could think was that we'd be okay still.

Once they subsided, I went to the loo to clean up. I hated that I still had the bandages on my face. I'd have Charlie help me change them up later on.

My eyes looked like shite, but I blotted them with some cool water and it helped some. Sure, my looks were important to me, but I knew Charlie loved me for me and not my appearance or fame.

Just as I was trying to figure out what to do next, momma returned with all the parcels of laundry. She helped me put the fresh linen on the bed, and then we tackled the rest. I painstakingly made sure his boxers and socks were arranged in the drawers just the same as he would have done.

I was bothered by the previously white bath linens and all of his socks as well as a few pair of my new ones that I'd bought. I'd fully forgotten what a new pair of jeans could do to them. They'd become various shades of blue from my mistake.

Just as I was beginning to feel down from it, momma stopped me and gave me a big hug, "don't you dare go back to feeling down about the mess. It takes way too long to get you feeling okay again. And quit worrying so much, I'll be here to protect you from my son, the dragon."

We sat together on the sofa and tried to relax. She was right, at the rate I was going, all my hair would be gray by weeks end, if I didn't just pull it out in frustration.

We didn't have long to wait before Charlie's car pulled in. Right then I wasn't sure if I wanted to bite my nails, smoke a pack of fags, or down a strong drink or two. I was nervous as fuck, and I'm sure that was going to show too!

A short time passed and when he finally came in, it was with his head down. I'd have to say that mine was in a similar position.

Before anything could be said, he raised his head and was sniffing the air, "what's that smell?"

"Chuckie, don't you go fretting over something as trite as some smell you're imagining. You and Jonathon, have some talking to do, so I need to go home and do some cleaning there too," momma stated.

"Too?" he asked, his brow furrowed.

Momma and I both were looking guilty as fuck! And he didn't miss that one lil bit, believe me.

He held up a finger to silence us both as he took a short tour of the house, starting with the kitchen and laundry, then finishing with the bedroom and the loo. When he returned he was holding up one of the newly blue bath towels, he arched a single brow and just looked at the both of us.

"Somehow I don't recall owning anything but white towels... and I would almost bet that if I looked..." he went into the bedroom and came back with a pair of his socks and just looked at us both. It was as though he were daring either of us to speak.

Charlie fixed his gaze on me, "baby, I know you like blue, but... wouldn't it have been easier to buy them that color?"

"Charlie... I... I totally fucked up with just one load of laundry!" I blurted out.

He had a wry grin by then. "Just how bad was it?" he asked.

Between myself and momma we set out to tell him the saga of good intentions gone amok. He only interrupted a few times and sat patiently through both my version and momma's. When we finished, he just sat there in silence for a few minutes.

"Charlie, at least cuss me for my lying at the start that I knew what I was doing. Not to mention breaking it and flooding your house!"

He raised both brows and just looked back and forth from me to momma, "I really don't know what to say, baby. After the way I talked to you earlier, I was way out of line. If I'd had any idea what a mess you had here, I would have come right home to help out."

"Charlie, it's not like Jonathon and I were up to something bad, we were just trying to cover up an error in judgement on his part." momma stated.

"Not according to Mrs. Kowalski... she saw you arrive, then said that a naked man let you in," Charlie said.

"I wasn't bloody naked! I... I had on a pair of boxers at least," I protested.

Momma giggled, "wet boxers and you were covered in suds."

"Oh?" Charlie asked with a single raised brow.

Just as I started to turn a deep crimson, he broke into a chuckle, "we'll have to play at laundry one of these days, baby." He managed to make me turn a bit redder but we all had long laugh about it.

Momma had the sense to know we needed to be alone, so she got up to leave, "just don't forget, I'm here for either of you when you need me."

"I wouldn't have survived the day without you, momma," I stated.

"And I don't think I would have survived without you either," Charlie added.

We both gave her a hug and she gave us each a peck on the cheek. "I love you boys," she said, brushing at a tear.

"And we love you too, momma," I replied.

"Yes, `we' do, momma," Charlie said with a big grin.

He let her out then latched the door. When he crossed back to where I stood, he pulled me to him, then after a few seconds he pushed me back enough to look in my eyes, "baby, I'm so very sorry for being such a jackass today."

"And well you should be, my Charlie," I admonished. "And I'm sorry for not admitting I'm not always good at domestic chores."

We both smiled into each others eyes. How I so loved that man!

He grabbed my hand and pulled me along to the loo, "baby, I love that you keep yourself up and all, but I really can't stand the smell of the laundry soap on you... you really need to shower."

I picked up his toothbrush, "and you need to get rid of that whiskey from your breath, my Charlie."

"Fair enough," he said and began to brush as I stripped and stepped into the shower.

Just as I'd gotten the temperature right, he stepped in behind me and turned me around.

"Better?" he asked as he pulled me to him and our lips touched.

Oh, bloody hell, it was much better!

Thank you for reading!
Sincerely,
Jon Ryder