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After dinner, everyone made their way to the living room to digest
the big meal the ladies had fixed. Remembering Adam's promise to go for a walk and
visit her family, Charlie waited patiently for the after-dinner talk to wind down,
and for the Westons to leave. To Charlie's alarm, they didn't. And to her dismay,
Adam showed no signs that he remembered his promise. All she could do was sit beside
him on the couch and pretend to listen. If she tried to make any hint to Adam that
she wanted to leave, Charlie was afraid that the others would take it the wrong way,
and the teasing would begin all over again. So, she held her tongue.Click Here
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Late that night, the Westons finally went home. Mike and Sandra soon followed, and the remaining Garners began to part ways to their rooms.
In the privacy of the guest room, the Clarks were getting ready for bed. Adam sat on the edge of the mattress, pulling off his socks, and still talking about something interesting that Mike had said. Only half listening, Charlie went to the bureau and took out her nightgown. Remembering that it was Adam's favorite, she hesitated. Charlie stared at the silky garment and then at Adam. With a shake of her head, she thrust it back into the drawer and went to her suitcase to retrieve some oversized pajamas.
"Mike is doing pretty well at the store," Adam continued, oblivious to the fact that Charlie had gone into the bathroom to change and was now speaking to no one.
Soon, the bathroom door opened, and Charlie crawled beneath the covers while Adam put on his nightclothes.
"That boy is going to do well, if he keeps working like he has," Adam predicted.
Since Charlie hadn't been listening, she could only assume that he was still talking about Mike. With a heavy sigh, Charlie closed her eyes, determined to quickly fall asleep. Then the mattress gave, and she could feel Adam lying down beside her.
"Why are you wearing those ridiculous pajamas?" he laughed softly, pulling her close to him in bed. But Charlie wasn't reacting to him the way she usually did, and when he began to caress her, she stiffened at his touch.
"What's wrong?" he wondered.
"Not now," she pulled away from him. "I'm tired."
Adam didn't have a big ego, especially when it came to Charlie, but he was still a little surprised when she turned down his affectionate advances so completely.
"Goodnight then," he replied, ready to give her a kiss before sleep. But, this too, she tried to avoid, and rolled onto her side, so that she was facing away from him. "Is it just my imagination," he observed, "or are you angry?"
"Why should I be angry?" Charlie exclaimed in a hurt voice.
"I don't know," replied Adam, sitting up in bed and soberly looking at the back of her head. "Why are you?"
Charlie bit her lip. He really didn't remember.
"I don't feel like talking about it," she murmured, tucking her legs beneath her and tightly shutting her eyes. "Goodnight." She switched off the small lamp on the nightstand and pulled the covers around her.
After that, Adam was quiet for a long while. In the stillness of the bedroom, Charlie thought that perhaps he had gone to sleep. However, when he tenderly stroked the nape of her neck with his finger, she realized he had only been thinking.
"I'm sorry," he finally whispered. "I forgot about my promise to take you to see your family."
"I know Shirley and the boys need you," answered Charlie, "but I have a family to think of, too. Grandma is taking care of Daddy all by herself."
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