Finding Charlie

I quickly got up and reached for the towels just out side the shower. I then turned off the water and wrapped the towel around her. I got the other towel and started to dry myself. I then put my towel around Charlie and pulled her to me and dried her back with my towel.

We then got out of the shower and ran back to the bed and fell on it, holding each other with the towels wrapped around us. I was now on my back and she looked down at me. "I'm starving!"

"Me, too!" I said.

"We can get a pizza at the convenience store," she said. "They make pretty good pizza."

"Great!"

I watched Charlie squirm into her jeans and put her t shirt on while I got dressed. We walked quietly to her truck and drove back towards town. While we waited for the pizzas, I looked around the store—the magazine rack, posters for videos, a large refrigerator case with sodas and beer. The store was cluttered with groceries and over the counter, long rows of cigarettes.

When I paid for the pizzas and the two sodas we picked, Charlie stood next to me and the old woman looked at both of us. She obviously knew Charlie but I could tell she was wondering who I was with my long shaggy grey hair and beard.

"Thanks. Grace," Charlie said as she took the pizza box.

"Yeah, thanks, Grace," I said to her and smiled. "Nice place you have here," I added.

When we got outside, Charlie told me, "You made her day. She's the biggest gossip around here."

"Really," I said as we got into the truck. I held the pizza on my lap. "Yeah, with Grace, Jarvis doesn't need a newspaper."

I nodded and laughed. We were silent as we drove back to the motel. Both of us wondering where my surprise visit would end. It was getting dark out. We had spent the entire afternoon in the motel room.

When we got back to the motel, we put the pizza down on the bed between us and ate. Charlie leaned over and kissed me on the cheek and then took a deep breath. "So, mister what made you decide to surprise me like this?"

"I'm not sure. I guess I just had to see you and see how real our relationship is." I paused. "I was curious about the difference between a relationship in cyberspace and a relationship in this reality, you know, here in person."

"So what do you think?" she asked.

"I think we made the transition from out there to in here pretty well—that's what I think." I smiled. "What do you think?"

She nodded. "I think I agree," she paused. "But now what?"

"I don't really know," I answered. "I'd like to stay here for a day or two before heading back to Maine."

Charlie and I continued eating our pizza. We were quiet, thinking about our situation. "I'd like to have a night or two in your bed and see you in your white nightie," I said, smiling at her.

Charlie nodded. "Good! I'd like that."

Two days later, Charlie drove me to the bus station in Tulsa. We were quiet most of the way. When we got to the bus station, she came in with me to wait for the bus. I hugged her and said, "You were everything I thought you would be."

"You were too," she said.

"I'm glad we didn't even talk about the difference in our ages," I said.

"It's not an issue for me," she said.

"Good," I said. "Age is just a number."

Charlie nodded.

Just then I saw it was time to board the bus. I picked up my little back pack and Charlie walked me to the bus. We hugged each other and kissed. We held each other close and tight.

It was hard to leave her, but I knew it was the right thing to do—to go back to Maine and continue our on-line relationship, richer now because of this visit.

As I got on the bus, Charlie waved and smiled. "Hey, baby, don't be surprised if I show up one day."

Again, she waved and we both smiled at each other. As the bus pulled away taking me home, my mind saw her walking up the path to my cabin.