imagining for a brief moment what it would be like to be with her, the thought didn’t seem as wrong as it used to. There was no one left in the world with whom she could talk as openly as she could with Erin.
“So, who is she?” Erin asked, sipping.
Charlotte shook her head and gave a short, clipped laugh. “I don’t even know why I said anything. Yes, she’s gorgeous, but… I hardly even know her. It’s nothing, really. She’s just the, well, coach of sorts for my football team.”
“Look at you, saying ‘football’ and not referring that game with the silly oblong ball,” Erin said. “Does she know you’re an American?” Erin had whispered the word American in the same tone she had used to tease about deportation.
“No, of course not,” Charlotte replied. “And you really shouldn’t joke about such things. Besides, I’m British now.”
“My dear, you’re a British citizen now, but you will always be American. Regardless, I don’t see why I shouldn’t lighten up the subject a bit. You’re here legally. You have nothing to worry about.” She finished her coffee and set the mug down on the end table. “That was delicious.”
“You know what it would be like for me if everyone knew – the harassment, always wondering if I’d be the victim of a hate crime. I’d have to change my name and move into a different flat.”
“Well, this one is so posh, I don’t know how you’d find another one like it,” Erin replied, tongue-in-cheek. “Listen, you know I love you, and I only joke with you to get you to loosen up. You’re too tense.” She reached over and squeezed the top of Charlotte’s shoulder, massaging the muscle with her fingers.
“I know,” Charlotte replied, relaxing ever so slightly but acutely aware of Erin’s touch.
“So this coach…? Does she have a name?” Erin probed.
“Harriet, and she’s married.” She tensed again, which Erin took as a signal to stop her massage.
“Does that matter?”
Charlotte shrugged and looked down, staring into her cup and noticing the coffee grinds that stuck to the bottom. “I don’t know. No, it doesn’t matter. It’s just… a passing interest. I highly doubt it’s going anywhere.”
Erin let Charlotte’s words hang in the air for several long moments before asking, “Do you have any more coffee?”
Chapter Eleven
After the next game, the team again found themselves back at the Red Door, and again Charlotte had the feeling of being ignored by Harriet. When Paul excused himself to the restroom, she contemplated following him. Certainly, she could use a bit of instant relaxation in the form of one of those swirling pills. It would take the edge off, she knew, and yet still she resisted.
She was glad she resisted. While Paul was still in the restroom, Geoff asked Harriet, “How’s Thomas?” Charlotte’s attention piqued. She had noticed Thomas was absent from the game, but she had not given it much thought.
“Fine,” Harriet replied calmly, although the look she was giving Geoff was one of warning and intensity.
“That’s great,” Geoff replied. “Bet he’s missing you, eh? If I had someone like you at home, I’d--”
Harriet cut him off mid-sentence. “His work up north is keeping him more than busy. He’ll be back in two weeks.”
“He’s in Leeds, eh?” Geoff asked. “It’s a nice town. I visited there when I was young, on a trip with my parents.”
“He’s in Hull, actually, probably having his fill of fish and chips,” Harriet corrected.
Something in the way Harriet looked at Geoff stopped him from continuing his line of questioning. He looked almost reprimanded as Harriet started chatting with the blonde woman who was sitting to her right. Charlotte couldn’t hear what Harriet said, but the blonde apparently found it incredibly funny as both Harriet and the other woman laughed out loud. Their conversation and the
“So, who is she?” Erin asked, sipping.
Charlotte shook her head and gave a short, clipped laugh. “I don’t even know why I said anything. Yes, she’s gorgeous, but… I hardly even know her. It’s nothing, really. She’s just the, well, coach of sorts for my football team.”
“Look at you, saying ‘football’ and not referring that game with the silly oblong ball,” Erin said. “Does she know you’re an American?” Erin had whispered the word American in the same tone she had used to tease about deportation.
“No, of course not,” Charlotte replied. “And you really shouldn’t joke about such things. Besides, I’m British now.”
“My dear, you’re a British citizen now, but you will always be American. Regardless, I don’t see why I shouldn’t lighten up the subject a bit. You’re here legally. You have nothing to worry about.” She finished her coffee and set the mug down on the end table. “That was delicious.”
“You know what it would be like for me if everyone knew – the harassment, always wondering if I’d be the victim of a hate crime. I’d have to change my name and move into a different flat.”
“Well, this one is so posh, I don’t know how you’d find another one like it,” Erin replied, tongue-in-cheek. “Listen, you know I love you, and I only joke with you to get you to loosen up. You’re too tense.” She reached over and squeezed the top of Charlotte’s shoulder, massaging the muscle with her fingers.
“I know,” Charlotte replied, relaxing ever so slightly but acutely aware of Erin’s touch.
“So this coach…? Does she have a name?” Erin probed.
“Harriet, and she’s married.” She tensed again, which Erin took as a signal to stop her massage.
“Does that matter?”
Charlotte shrugged and looked down, staring into her cup and noticing the coffee grinds that stuck to the bottom. “I don’t know. No, it doesn’t matter. It’s just… a passing interest. I highly doubt it’s going anywhere.”
Erin let Charlotte’s words hang in the air for several long moments before asking, “Do you have any more coffee?”
Chapter Eleven
After the next game, the team again found themselves back at the Red Door, and again Charlotte had the feeling of being ignored by Harriet. When Paul excused himself to the restroom, she contemplated following him. Certainly, she could use a bit of instant relaxation in the form of one of those swirling pills. It would take the edge off, she knew, and yet still she resisted.
She was glad she resisted. While Paul was still in the restroom, Geoff asked Harriet, “How’s Thomas?” Charlotte’s attention piqued. She had noticed Thomas was absent from the game, but she had not given it much thought.
“Fine,” Harriet replied calmly, although the look she was giving Geoff was one of warning and intensity.
“That’s great,” Geoff replied. “Bet he’s missing you, eh? If I had someone like you at home, I’d--”
Harriet cut him off mid-sentence. “His work up north is keeping him more than busy. He’ll be back in two weeks.”
“He’s in Leeds, eh?” Geoff asked. “It’s a nice town. I visited there when I was young, on a trip with my parents.”
“He’s in Hull, actually, probably having his fill of fish and chips,” Harriet corrected.
Something in the way Harriet looked at Geoff stopped him from continuing his line of questioning. He looked almost reprimanded as Harriet started chatting with the blonde woman who was sitting to her right. Charlotte couldn’t hear what Harriet said, but the blonde apparently found it incredibly funny as both Harriet and the other woman laughed out loud. Their conversation and the
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