Stuck With My Christmas Crush (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Jason

C harlie perches on my couch and looks around the room, taking in the wallpaper, pictures, and framed photos. Her eyes come to rest on Rocko who is snoring peacefully on the chair in front of the wood stove. I get the feeling she is weighing up my suggestion of a shower and change of clothes.

“If this was a horror movie, something dreadful is going to happen next,” she says followed by a nervous laugh.

“Are you kidding?”

“Jason. I’ m going to ask you straight out. Are you an ax murderer?”

“Mmmm. I see your point. What if I tell you that nothing bad is going to happen? I’m just trying to help.” Charlie shivers. She sips the hot coffee but doesn’t move at all. Her eyes dart to the door. She’s thinking about an exit plan, I’ll bet. “If it’ll make you feel better, I’ll call my sister, Meredith, and she’ll tell you I’m a good guy, okay?”

Charlie nods, pulls the towel tighter around her shoulders, and sips more coffee. I dial Meredith’s number. The phone rings a couple of times before she picks up.

“Hey, Meredith. I have a guest here who needs you to give me a character reference. Alright?”

“Hey, Jase. What’s going on?”

“Meredith. Please tell Charlie, here, that I’m a good guy.”

“Charlie? Boy or girl?”

I breathe deeply and feel a little bashful. “Girl.” I sit down next to Charlie.

“Ah, Jason. It’s so great that you’re dating.”

“No Meredith. Not dating. I just rescued Charlie at the side of the road. She thinks I’m an ax murderer.”

“Okay. Put her on.” I hand my phone to Charlie. Her pink sparkly dress drips on the carpet .

“Alright, Charlie?” Meredith’s voice is clear. Charlie says hello. Then my helpful sister says, “Run and keep running.” Charlie’s eyes ping wide open in shock. She jumps up, spilling her coffee. “Only kidding. Jason’s my big brother. Ask me anything you’d like to know.”

“Ha! Meredith.” Charlie laughs, putting the mug on the floor and brushing the spilled coffee from her skirt. “You almost had me. Thanks for the scare.”

“Sorry. Just my sense of humor. But really, Jason is a bit rough around the edges and he may come across as a total grump but he’s the sweetest, nicest…” I take back my phone before Meredith gets too carried away.

“Thanks, Meredith. I think I’ve got it from here.” I hang up the call.

Rocko lifts his head and blinks at me. The wind is picking up. Leafless branches thrash around outside the window. My dog grumbles, yawns, and goes back to sleep.

Charlie picks up the coffee mug and holds it with both hands. She’s still shivering but I can tell that she has relaxed a little.

“Maybe you need to call someone? You can use my phone while yours is out of action.”

“That would be…” I hand Charlie my phone. She smiles. “My roommates will be worrying now. Thank you,” she says. Then she looks at the ceiling and laughs. “I don’t know Lou’s number. I only ever call on speed dial.” She thinks for a minute. “No. Wait. It’s on the website. Could you help me?”

“Sure.” I take back my phone.

“My friend’s number is on the Sparkle Entertainers website.” I type the name into the search engine and Sparkle Entertainers is at the top of the results page.

“Is this it?”

“Yup. Okay.” Charlie sits close beside me as I scroll down to the end of the colorful homepage showing an array of photos: jugglers, clowns, stilt-walkers, wizards, and fairies.

“Ah, is that you?” I say pointing at a pretty pink fairy with beautiful wings and a wand, blowing enormous bubbles.

“Yes.” Charlie beams at me. “That was at Coachella a couple of years ago. So much fun, I can’t begin to tell you.”

“Coachella?”

“The festival? Not as big as Burning Man, or Bonnaroo, but it’s right up there for me. And that year, we had the best time. I forget who was headlining but when the vibe is buzzing and everyone is on the same wave, it doesn’t matter, does it?”

“I guess not. ”

“What’s your favorite festie, then? No. Let me guess. South By Southwest? Something more C and W?”

“C and W?”

“Country and western. Stagecoach, say? Or maybe you’re into jazz in which case New Orleans would be your bag.”

“My bag?”

“Yes. What you’re into.”

“What I’m into.”

“Yes. Gosh Jason. Coachella is hands down the best way to spend three days.”

“I’m sorry. You’ve lost me.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard about the best festival in the entire world? Where have you been?”

“Peacekeeping for the United Nations.”

“Oh. Right. In that case, you’re forgiven. But you should go one year. It’s… Well, just go.”

“Alright. Maybe I will.” There’s a moment before I say, “So, here’s the number. I’ll dial it for you if you want.”

“Yes please.”

“It’s ringing.” As Charlie takes my phone, I notice how her eyes are sparkling behind the smeared mascara and smudged eyeliner. She really is very pretty.

“Thanks,” she says smiling warmly which causes my pulse to race. I swallow hard .

“I’ll be in the kitchen.” I walk away to get a grip on myself and to give her some privacy. Lou could be her boyfriend for all I know. They might be serious. She could be engaged to Lou. I don’t even know why that matters. It doesn’t. I hear snippets of her conversation in the kitchen. She says things like ‘don’t worry’ and ‘I’m fine’ and ‘I’ll tell you all about it when I see you’. Are these the sorts of things you say to your fiancé?

I realize that I’m eavesdropping, so I wash some dishes and tidy things on shelves, and think about what to cook. Something hot. A soup maybe.

Charlie ends the call and smiles at me from the doorway.

“Lou’s going to come and get me, no worries. Calvin’s coming too. They’ll be a couple of hours which is alright, isn’t it?”

“Sure. That’s fine with me.” I open the fridge. “I’m going to cook some food,” I say over my shoulder. “You’re welcome to share. Is there anything you don’t eat?”

“Thanks for asking. I’m actually starving, but I’m vegetarian. Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. I’m not, but I can make a meat-free noodle soup. Something like that? Would that be okay?” I close the fridge door and lean on the kitchen counter, aware of the feeling of contentment in cooking for Charlie, and the idea that we have a couple of hours together .

“Perfect. Thanks.” Charlie stands framed by the doorway. Her make up is smudged, her damp hair chaotic. Pink glitter sparkles. She’s pretty as a picture. I realize that I’m staring and lower my gaze.

“I’ll show you where the bathroom is,” I say remembering that Charlie must be dying for a shower. I lead her from the kitchen through the living room to the bathroom. “Help yourself to whatever’s there. Shampoo, um. Anything, you know.” I turn the handle and push open the door for her.

“Oh, goodness. Look at me!” Charlie sees her reflection in the mirror above the hand basin. “What an absolute mess.” Her hands smooth down her bedraggled hair.

“You’re alright.” I laugh. “Anyway. Take your time. I’ll sort out some dry clothes and leave them outside the door for you.” I turn to leave but Charlie stops me.

“Jason.” She lifts her chin to regain some dignity, then says, “Thank you for rescuing me and for not being a psycho ax murderer. That would have been the icing of disaster on the cake of catastrophe today.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’m still going to lock the door.”

“You can’t. There’s no lock.”

“Alright then. See you in a minute. ”

Charlie closes the bathroom door, and I go to my bedroom. I open the closet to find some warm clothes for my fairy guest. I surprise myself by considering what she might like: plaid or plain? Grey or blue? T-shirt or shirt? I hold a shirt in each hand but then I decide on a selection and allow Charlie to choose. Everything will be oversized on her, but my track pants have a drawstring at the waist, and she can roll them up at the ankles. I find a pair of thick hiking socks, but I don’t have any shoes that are going to fit. Never mind. We’ll figure something out.

I hear the shower running and Charlie singing as I leave the pile of clothes outside the bathroom door. In the living room, her ridiculous fake fur jacket still drips on the rug. I take it to the kitchen and wring it out again, more thoroughly this time, before giving it a shake and arranging it to dry on a coat hanger.

Pink glitter seems to be everywhere. It’s on the carpet. It’s on the couch and the chairs. It’s even on Rocko. And it’s on me. It’s a biohazard, an environmental debacle. I decide to vacuum when Charlie moves on to fairyland or wherever she’s going.

In the kitchen, I take some vegetables from the fridge and find a packet of noodles. I could make a stir-fry or a mee goreng. Something hot and nourishing. Maybe a curry laksa. I have most of the ingredients .

I hear the bathroom door open and Charlie yelling out a ‘thank you’ before she shuts the door again.

I chop the vegetables into small pieces and heat up some oil in a wok. It’s simple food. There’s not much to it. Malaysian tasty soup is quick and delicious. I hope Charlie likes it. If she doesn’t, I have some eggs. I could make scrambled eggs. Maybe poached.

Rocko waddles into the kitchen and snuffles around just to make sure I haven’t dropped any tasty morsels. He slurps a messy drink from his water bowl and ambles back to the warmth of the living room.

“Hey.” Charlie stands in the doorway wearing my clothes. She’s small and swamped beneath layers of T-shirt, shirt, and a woolen sweater. “I feel so much better. Thanks for the clothes. Gosh. And thanks for not bursting in with that big knife and slicing me to pieces.”

“No problem. Should I do it now?” I say holding up the kitchen knife.

“Ha. You’re funny.”

“But blood is so hard to clean up. Maybe I’ll just poison you with my Malaysian curry laksa.”

“Smells delicious. I’ll risk being poisoned.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer eggs lightly scrambled on sourdough?”

“No, really. Curry laksa is perfect. ”

“I guessed that you’re a vege,” I say stirring the chopped carrot, broccoli, onions, and cabbage in the oil. They sizzle and spit. “Before you told me.”

“Oh, really? Am I that obvious and easy to read?”

“Yup. Let me see now. Fairy. Drives a VW Beetle painted to look like a ladybug. I’d say chances are high that she’s a vegetarian with hippy tendencies.”

“Yes. You’re right. One hundred percent.” Charlie comes closer and watches as I stir the can of coconut milk through the vegetables in the wok. “What can I do?”

“You can get some bowls out from the shelf there and spoons are in that drawer.” I point with my elbow. “You look almost human without your pink glittery makeup.”

“Ah, yes. I forget that I’m wearing it sometimes.” Charlie puts the bowls and two spoons on the bench top. “Just us for food, then? Or is your daughter joining?”

“My daughter?”

“The little girl in the truck with you when you stopped the first time?”

“Ha! No. I mean. Maddie. She’s my niece. She’s Meredith’s daughter. I was on uncle duty this morning.”

“Okay. That clears up that question… I thought you… Never mind.”

“Curry’s almost ready.” I use a ladle to scoop out a portion into one of the bowls then I hand it to Charlie. “ We can eat in the living room. It’s the warmest place. Go make yourself comfortable.”

I spoon out a bowlful for me and follow Charlie into the cozy lounge. She sits cross-legged on the couch next to Rocko and I sit on the chair opposite. The fire crackles and my inherited property headache floats away. For a while, I forget about my financial burden. A fairy is in my house, and she is lovely.