Three-Kidnapped

In April, only a month after Freddy was sent to jail; Erica called
Charlie at around 11 at night, she had another nightmare. She had
trouble sleeping since the incident, either she could not sleep at all
or when she did finally fall asleep she would have nightmares that were
more like flashbacks. In late March the doctor told her that if they
continued for more than a month that she should start taking an
anti-anxiety medication. She was apprehensive about it, but told him
she would think about it. Charlie told Erica that he would be over in a
few minutes. She told him no, she just wanted someone to talk to; he
didn't have to go out of his way. In the end he went to the school and
picked her up and they drove around town for a while. They eventually
ended up at Charlie's apartment and talked until about 3 in the
morning. Erica wanted to tell him then, how she felt for him, and
Charlie wanted to tell her. Erica was scared of being hurt again, and
Charlie was afraid of hurting her. Eventually around 3 Erica fell
asleep while Charlie was explaining the differences between this
painter and that. Charlie then soon realized that she fell asleep, and
gently moved her so she was more comfortable on the couch, and reached
for the blanket that was resting on the floor nearby and covered the
two of them. He fell asleep watching over her.

In the morning the sun shown onto the couch, Erica was enveloped in not
only the bright sunlight but also the blanket and Charlie's arms.
Charlie opened his eyes and noticed that Erica's face was nestled into
his chest. He kissed the top of her head and went back to sleep. And
hour later, Erica woke up and opened her eyes and noticed Charlie's
face only inches from hers. She took mental note of her surroundings,
and tried to sum up what had happened the night before. She and Charlie
were both fully clothed, so nothing too crazy happened. Then she
remembered she had a nightmare, and that's how she got to Charlie's
apartment. So she must have just fallen asleep, she was slightly
relieved. She stretched slightly trying carefully not to wake Charlie,
in the end he woke up and they both smiled at each other.

"Morning," Charlie said giving Erica a slight hug. "How did you
sleep?"

"I slept, no nightmares," She said and smiled gently. "So, I guess you
could say very well."

"That's great! Let's see, according to my watch it is 10:30, do you
want breakfast or lunch?" He said getting up from the couch.

"Well, what can you make?" Erica said wrapping the blanket around her
tightly trying to keep the feeling of comfort with her even after the
cause had left. The cause of the comfort was Charlie's arms she soon
began to realize.

"Hmm, now there's and interesting question."

"You, just want to go eat at school?"

"You read my mind."

"I'm a college student, I understand the lack of food or culinary skill
or perhaps both." She smiled walking toward him, she looked like a
walking cocoon still wrapped up in the blanket.

"You cold?" Charlie asked.

"No, I'm comfy," she said, then realized what he meant. "Oh, the
blanket. I didn't want the feeling to go away, so I was hoping the
blanket would help."

He then wrapped his arms around her, catching both Erica and himself
off guard. She put her head on his shoulder and the two of them stayed
that way.

"Thank you," Erica said quietly.

"For what?"

"Giving me the ability to just sleep again."

"You're welcome. Did you dream at all?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you, because if I tell you then it
might not come true," she said wanting to just kiss him right then and
there.

"What is it?" He asked noticing her hesitance.

"Nothing, I just realized how I must look right now."

"Oh yes bed hair and morning breath," He said laughing gently.

"That bad huh," she said quickly trying to fix her hair.

"Yes, you look horrendous," he smiled.

"I so hate you." She pouted, and slapped him with a piece of
blanket.

"No, you don't."

"I know," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" He asked pleasantly surprised.

"Just something I wanted to do."

"It's really good to see you smile and laugh again; morning breath and
all."

"Gee thanks."

"Why don't we just order a pizza and we can hang out here for the
day."

"I'd like that. You can have peppers and onions on your half."

"Funny."

"That's why you love me so much," she said batting her eyes.

"I think I might have an extra toothbrush, why don't you go and take a
shower, and I'll order the pizza."

"Ah, so not only are you saying my breath stinks, but I'm dirty as
well."

"Get out of here before I fill the tub full of water and drop you in it
fully clothed."

"Such a gentlemen."

"Would you rather me strip you down first?" He suggested preparing to
grab her.
Erica threw the blanket at him and ran toward the bathroom and locked
it laughing the whole time. Charlie banged on the door.

"Go away!" She yelled in between giggles.

"I just wanted to know what you wanted on your pizza."

"She opened the door, "pepperoni, mushrooms, and sausages. Then of
course the onions and peppers on your half."

"Do you think you can find everything you need? The toothbrush is in
the bottom drawer under the sink."

"I'll be fine, go order the pizza, I'm starving."

"You're always starving," he said leaving to go order the pizza.

Erica undressed; she looked at herself in the mirror, being thankful
that all of the bruises were gone. It was the first time, in nearly two
months she had actually looked at herself fully in the mirror. She
always felt as though something was wrong with her. Then Charlie came
along, and she didn't think like that way anymore. She felt as though,
he liked her, who knows maybe even, loved her for who she was.
Sometimes that scared her, because it felt as though her feelings about
him were so drastically different than what she had felt for Freddy.
The way she felt for Freddy, she came to realize was more physical than
anything. The way she felt for Charlie, was more emotional, of course
it was also physical. She blushed and giggled at the thought. If only
she was able to actually tell Charlie what she felt, or do something
other than just a peck on the cheek.

Erica got out of the shower, she found a fluffy robe in the linen
closet and put it on. She took a deep breath; the bathrobe smelled like
Charlie, it felt like she was wrapped up in his arms. She heard a knock
on the door, she jumped slightly, and it invaded her thoughts.

"I went over to the school, and I brought you some clean clothes. I
hope you don't mind."

"Thank you so much," she said and opened the door so she could take the
clothes from him.

"You're wearing my robe."

"You raid my closet, I raided yours. We're even," she said laughing and
closing the door to get changed. "I just shudder at the fact you
actually went through my drawers."

"I got Vanessa to get your clothes."

"Oh ok, but if you were to go through my drawers I would mind," she
replied putting on her clothes.

"All though, if I'd known you were going to wear my robe, I wouldn't
have gotten your clothes."

"Don't get fresh," she said.

Erica stepped out of the bathroom and slapped Charlie with the robe,
and he grabbed it and pulled her to him. Her heart leapt into her
throat, she was inches away from him, and she backed away suddenly. She
was unsure of what to do. She did want to kiss him, she just wasn't
sure if he wanted her to.
Charlie went into the bathroom and hung up his robe, and looked at
Erica. Did he come on too strongly, he was never certain what line
could and couldn't be crossed. He didn't want to cause her any pain
inadvertently because of a word, or an action. Freddy was a fool, how
could anyone want to do something like that to another human being,
especially one you were supposed to cherish for the rest of your life.
It was a damn good thing Freddy was in jail, or Charlie might want to
hurt Freddy.

"What are you thinking about?"

The question startled Charlie, he didn't want to tell her the truth,
but somehow he found he had to.

"Freddy was such a fool," he said. He realized those few words were a
lot to handle; he knew it as soon as he saw the expression on Erica's
face.

Her smile disappeared, her knees felt as though they were going to give
out. Charlie put an arm around her waist and supported her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, don't be sorry. You're the only person who seems able to talk
about it. Everyone around me talks to me as though any mention of his
name, or what happened would just break me. He's in jail because he
hurt me, he's not dead and I'm not mourning over him. I understand that
people don't know how to handle it, but I won't break I promise. I may
be sad, but I want people to be able to talk to me, so I can move on,
so they can move on." She said moving so she was looking Charlie in the
eye.

"So they can move on?"

"Yes, they seem to fixate on the fact that I am a victim. Yes, I was a
victim, but that was in February. I was a victim for that one night. I
am still Erica, just a little wiser, and a little stronger. I have the
same hopes as I did before that night." She said and she started to
pace.

"You know you should really be a lawyer, or a politician or better yet
a salesman."

"Why?"

"Because, no matter how bad a situation, you manage to make it seem
like a walk in the park. That it will only make you a better person if
you just be patient and wait for the end result. I bet if you tried you
could sell snow to Eskimos."

"I'm only like this when I'm comfortable with someone."

"So no running for president any time soon? I bet you would have been
really good. People would be glued to their TV, just for your State of
the Union address."

"Maybe, I'll write speeches for the president."

"There you go. Isn't that kind of like being Cyrano?"

"Yes, you could say that. What I really want to do is write plays or
movies then perhaps direct one, you can be the camera man, Director of
Photography and my editor."

"Perhaps, I want to act, and be your leading man," he said stepping
closer to her.

"Then, I would want to be the leading lady, and I can't do that, write
the move and direct it all at the same time."

"Why not? Look at Mel Gibson, Jody Foster, Tom Hanks, Barbara
Streisand, and Robert Redford. Shall I go on?"

" I think you made your point. I don't think I could do it."

"Won't know until you try."

"So do I have to find a new Director of Photography then?"

"No, I'll do that too."

"You sure, how about Production designer too?"

"Why not."

So, I don't have to hire anyone else, because the two of us will put
the whole movie together all by ourselves."

"Well, we need extras."

"Oh, ok. So just us and a handful of extras."

"Yep. That sounds good to me."

"Ok, I'll start writing the script then."

"Get to it, times a wasting."

"So, let's see we open on a man and a woman embracing, for what may be
the last time. Think of Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey
Bogart."

"Sounds, good but depressing, let's see what it would look like," he
said stepping up to Erica, and put his arms around her.
The doorbell rang at that moment, and Charlie reluctantly let go of
her. As Charlie let go, the memory faded away.

"And where were you?" Erica smiled down at him as she came and sat next
to him.

"Just thinking about our movie."

"Man, I haven't thought about that in ages. I finished the script by
the way."

"You never told me!"

"Kind of hard, when I never know where you are."

"That was my fault, huh."

"Time and distance. So I don't want you beating yourself up about
it."

"But?"

"No buts," She said putting her hand on his mouth to silence him. "Come
on let's get going," she added, and grabbed his hand.
They went down the hall, and entered the room. Erica's breath caught in
her chest. There was a single yellow rose on the nightstand next to
Ronnie's bed. Charlie noticed this, and squeezed her hand gently.

"What is it?" He whispered into her ear, afraid to disturb
Ronnie.

"The rose."

"What about it?"

"It's like the one Freddy gave me on our first date."

"Hey, there cuz! What's all the fuss?" Ronnie said waking to find
Erica, and Charlie standing in his room with intense faces.

"Who gave you, that rose?" Erica asked, trying to stay calm.

"What rose?"

"The yellow one on your nightstand," Erica clarified.

"Oh, I don't know, someone must have left it when I was sleepin'.
What's the big deal?"

"Nothing, I was just a little rattled."

"Hey, it has a note, and it has your name on it. You want me to read it
to ya?"

"No, I'll talk it, and read it later," she said taking the piece of
paper from Ronnie. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, fine, you know me thick skull."

"Did you see who it was?"

"No, I'm real sorry. I should have kept the door locked."

"Stop that. You had no idea that was going to happen."

"Any idea where Carrie might be? She must be scared to death."

"No clue. I haven't talked to the police yet. Charlie told them to come
back in the morning."

"I assume this is Charlie."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Charlie this is Ronnie, Ronnie this is Charlie. Charlie
and I went to school together, he helped me with the whole Freddy
situation."

"If I wasn't hooked up to so many machines right now I would jump up
and give you a hug man. You she won't admit it, but she still talks
about you all the time. Heck she's written like three books and a
script about you."

"Ok, Ronnie that's enough, before I make a matching lump on the other
side of your head."

"Isn't she a sweetheart."

"You'd think he'd be used to it by now, I know I am," Charlie
laughed.

"So you're ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine you're the one who has the bump on the head," Erica said
smiling.

"Wait, what is that? I've been living under the same roof as you for
what 3 years, and I have never seen you smile like that."

"Ironic isn't it."

"Don't let her go this time," Ronnie said pointedly.

To be continued...Feedback is welcome...
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