Play It Again, Charlie by R. Cooper Read Free Book Online

had to share. “I haven't had a moment all day to tell you, but... .” Her phone went off for a third time, and she sighed loudly. “Tomorrow.” She pointed at him and studied him so fiercely that he almost scowled back at her. She'd forgiven him already, anyway, or forgotten about it the way Ann always seemed to forget when he told her he wasn't interested in dating right now. “Tomorrow we talk... unless you want to blow off whatever you're taking home to grade and come out with me later. I'll get drunk in front of you this time, I promise.”
    He didn't believe her innocent expression any more than he had believed the one directed at him from a balcony.
    “I know, you have plans,” she answered before he could. Charlie finished his cappuccino in one gulp. The first and only time he'd gone out to a bar with Jeanine, he had made a fool himself by getting drunk enough to talk about his family, and Mark, and every once in a while he could see that look in her eyes that meant she wanted to talk about it again. “If you need to talk... .”
    He straightened, even with his body protesting. “I have to stop at the store.” It was important. He was out of milk and cat food.
    Jeanine's face said she knew an excuse when she heard one, and too much caffeine on an empty stomach was giving Charlie a headache. “Tomorrow,” Jeanine threatened him again and took his empty cup before heading back inside the building.
    Charlie watched her and then gritted his teeth as he swung back into motion. Some of the students he knew waved as he passed, and he smiled without stopping.
    By the time he reached the parking lot, he gave up on smiling and trying not to limp. He shoved the shoulder bag into the backseat and took a few moments once he was in the driver's seat to rest.
    He turned on the radio, tuned it to the news as he pulled out into traffic, and headed toward the freeway on-ramp. It was just after rush hour; the traffic was flowing but busy. Charlie put both hands on the wheel, keeping his attention on the road. It was hot inside the car, but he waited until he was idling at the stoplight before the on-ramp to roll down the window.
    The slight breeze was nice as he made his way toward the hills and had to wait in the mess around the tunnel. He stayed in the slow lane through another interchange, felt the inland air get warmer as he finally got off the freeway. In town the congestion was worse, but he finally got to the store and found a space that wasn't too far away. Not for the first time he thought about applying for a little blue placard for his car, but something like that would make his sisters worry.
    He grabbed a basket right as his cell phone rang from inside his coat pocket.
    “Charlie!” Katia burst out before he could even say hello.
    “Katia.” He lowered his voice in the hope it might make her lower hers, but judging from her loud, long sigh, Katia wasn't in any mood to be reasonable. “Is Alicia okay?”
    “She's fine.” Katia stopped to inhale. Charlie smiled to hear her tone soften. “For the end of the school year, they have these prizes for each classroom, and she got a ribbon for Best Speller.”
    “Of course she did.” Charlie had helped her with her flashcards.
    “So I took her to the mall to let her pick out a new T-shirt for the summer— all the summer stuff is on sale right now— and what do you think we saw when we went into every section for little girls’ clothes?” Katia's voice started to rise again. Charlie put his milk in his basket and then turned toward the pet food aisle. “All these chonies with cherries and cupcakes and dollar signs on them!”
    Charlie grabbed the cat food and then froze when Katia went on, loud enough to be heard through the whole aisle, if not half the store. “For little girls! What kind of parents are letting their girls walk around in panties with such obvious antifeminist symbolism right over their hoo-has?”
    “You called me to talk about chonies