Chapter 14: The Compound
“HEY man!” Charlie told Jared’s too-still body. “Things are going well with Sam now. She put me off more times than I can count, but tonight is the night. Our first official date. No way is she backing out of it this time. I know she’s worried about how her past will affect me, but I don’t care. I get why Holly kept saying that about you. Others may not have seen you as deserving of her because of your past but she knew better, and she was right. You’re a good man, Jared. I miss you, buddy. Please come back to us soon.”
Jared groaned, and his body moved. Charlie watched closely, wondering if he’d imagined it, but it happened again.
“Doc! Doc!” Charlie yelled out the door and down the hall. “I think he’s waking up.” Doc ran in with Emma Grace at his heels. They checked him over and Doc gave a sad smile. “Lad, the medicine’s keeping him in the coma are running out. I’ve been weening him down, so he’s been more restless. It’s possible he could wake. His leg is healing nicely. No further signs of infection. Physically, he’s going to be okay, Charlie, but we still don’t know what we’re dealing with mentally when he wakes. The hit on his head is still our biggest concern. The wound is closed, but I don’t have the resources to tell the extent of swelling and damage there. It could be nothing but it could be significant. Our prayers are that any swelling or memory loss has repaired itself during the coma. I cannot keep him sedated to the degree he’s been for much longer, so we will soon know.”
“Thanks, Doc. Hey, if you’re weening him, I’d really like to stick around and be here when he wakes.”
“Charlie, that could be hours or it could be days.”
“I understand.”
Doc nodded, “Very well then.”
“Do you need anything, Charlie?” Emma Grace asked.
He shook his head, then remembered … Sam. “Hey, is Ash coming in tonight?”
“Yeah, she’ll be here in about an hour.”
“Great. Can you have her come see me before she starts her shift? I need her to do something for me.”
“Sure thing. She’s usually in early, so I’ll send her back as soon as I see her.”
“Thanks, Emma Grace.”
Charlie sat and held Jared’s hand and talked to him calmly. Over the next hour, his body moved more and more, but he didn’t seem to be as miserable or in as much pain as he had prior to the coma. Doc came in one more time to administer a round of the meds.
“Hold off, Doc, let’s see what he does on his own.”
“You sure?”
“Are you sure it’s safe for him? That his body is recovered enough now?”
“I’m confident in that, son.”
“Then hold off and give him a chance.”
Doc left them alone again. Charlie tried not to think through the negative possibilities of the decision he’d just made, instead he focused on the IV line, watching the tiny drop at the bottom of the bag drip … drip … drip in a constant and steady rhythm. It lulled him into sleep.
When Ash came into the room she found Charlie dozing in the chair next to Jared. She didn’t want to wake him, but Emma Grace had made it sound like it was important.
“Charlie?” she asked, shaking him lightly.
He jumped, startled awake, not having realized he’d dozed off for a few moments.
“What? Where?” He looked down and saw Jared lying before him, then up at Ashlyn. “Oh, sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”
“No, I’m sorry, Emma made it sound like it was important. Did you need me for something?”
Charlie’s head was a little foggy, but immediately he thought of Sam.
“Ash, you know I’m seeing Sam, right?”
Ashlyn smiled kindly, “I’m pretty sure that’s old news in the squad, Charlie.”
He grinned sheepishly, “Good. Then you know we’re scheduled for another first date tonight?”
She looked surprised by that. “No I didn’t. Like a real date?”
“Uh, yeah, she’s already canceled or postponed on me six times.”
Ash looked confused, “You’re trying to take things public then? I mean with you and Sam?”
“Of course. I know that freaks her out, but it’s never really been a secret as far as I’m concerned.”
“Sorry,” Ash said, looking sympathetic. “She does have her reasons, Charlie.”
“I know, we’ve discussed them.”
“Really?” she asked, genuinely shocked.
“Yes.”
“Like about the AMAN attack?” she asked hesitantly.
Charlie nodded, hate flashing in his eyes, letting her know he knew exactly what she was talking about.
“Wow. It must be serious then. But what can I do?”
Charlie sighed. “Before your shift starts, can you run over to the diner and tell her I have to postpone our date for tonight? Doc and I decided to stop dosing Jared with the coma meds, and I need to be here when he wakes.”
“You know that could be in hours, or …”
“Or days, or weeks, or no one really knows. He explained it. I just feel like I really need to be here for him, and for Holly. Sam will understand. She’ll probably be relieved by it even.” He gave her an awkward smile that made her laugh.
“I’ll tell her.” She started to leave, then turned back one last time. “You’re a really good guy, Charlie Jenkins. I’m glad Sam has you.”
He grinned. “Thanks, but I’d say I’m glad I have her.”
“So big guy, way to cock block my big date tonight. I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned it to you,” he said to Jared, but was only teasing. “But seriously. Thanks for bringing Sam back with you. I really can’t imagine life without her anymore. I know it still freaks her out and all, but she’s coming around.”
He wasn’t really sure how long he sat there talking and laughing out loud to an unresponsive Jared. He wasn’t sure if he heard him or not, but he sure hoped so. If nothing else, it helped him pass the time. He only left to go to the bathroom and grab a cup of water twice. On his second trip, he noticed it was dark outside. He thought briefly about where Holly might be at the moment. She’d be so proud of how well Jared was doing. It still hurt to think about her. Every time a fresh wave of pain and anxiety hit him at the thought of her being taken, the way she was. He knew now that his sister was strong and a fighter. He tried to hold on to the hope that she’d find her way back to them.
Entering Jared’s room, he smelled roasted turkey and mashed potatoes, which made his mouth water. A small table had been moved into the corner of the room and it was set for dinner, complete with a candle. He looked around the room and then back out into the hall, but saw no one. The smell was too alluring, he sat down quickly, tucked the napkin into his lap, and picked up the fork to devour the food before him as his stomach growled loudly.
With a juicy piece of chicken halfway to his mouth, a throat cleared behind him.
“This how you treat all your dates?”
He dropped the fork and grinned, turning to the voice he loved most. What he saw was Sam, in a light blue dress that came to just above her knees. Her hair was swept up into a bun with a few wisps that had escaped running down her neck. She looked breathtakingly beautiful and suddenly he wasn’t so hungry for the food. He rose and went to her, capturing her mouth in a sensual kiss that left them both breathless.
Ashlyn giggled in a snort and they both turned red faces towards her.
“I’m just gonna close this and give y’all a little privacy.” She said. “Sorry, Jared, you’re on your own with those two tonight. Enjoy your date, guys.”
“This was your doing??
“Well, I sorta, kinda, maybe promised this guy I like, that I’d go out with him tonight on a real date and that I wouldn’t break it for anything.” She looked over at Jared and grinned, “Sorry, boss, not even breaking it for you.”
“So ya like me, huh?”
Her cheeks flushed, and she wiggled out of his grasp.
“Come on, the food’s gonna get cold.”
She moved to go sit at the table, fully expecting him to follow her.
“Stop.” Charlie said.
Sam did and walked back over to him, hands on her hips, ready to give him the what for. She had gone through a lot of trouble to make this night happen after Ash told her about Jared and Charlie wanting to stay by his side. But how could she be upset over something so sweet? He had known she wouldn’t be, of course. After all, she had been the one to cancel on him more times than she remembered. She was the one that hadn’t wanted their relationship or whatever was happening between them to go public, and she had been the one to open her big mouth and all but ensure it would by asking the staff at the diner to put together a nice date dinner for the two of them. They had pushed back and refused until she confessed who it was for. She was surprised how happy they all seemed to be for her. No one seemed the slightest put out that she was about to officially date Charlie Jenkins.
“Now you look here …” she started but was caught off guard by another toe curling kiss.
“It’s a date, Sam, and we’re going to do this right. Please, allow me,” he said, grinning and offering his arm to her. Tucking her small hand into the crook of his arm, he escorted her back to the table. “You look beautiful tonight.”
She blushed furiously, unsure if she’d ever get used to his compliments. He pulled her chair out and helped her settle, then gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek before returning to his side of the table. They were quiet at first, a little awkward, but it didn’t last long. He asked about her day and she filled him in on the disruption the Sawyer twins had caused at the diner.
It was a nice evening, perfect really. As Sam packed up the dishes and stuff she’d brought back into a basket, Jared started moving and moaning more. Charlie immediately went to his bedside and held his hand.
Sam was supposed to open at the diner the next morning, as it was Courtney’s birthday and she had volunteered as a favor, but even knowing how badly the early morning would suck, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Charlie to deal with everything alone. He had too much of that in his life already, too much on his shoulders.
After realizing Sam wasn’t going anywhere, Charlie went to the lobby waiting room and dragged one of the small couches into Jared’s room. He settled down on one end, holding on to his brother-in-law’s hand and nestled Sam against his side.
“I can tell you aren’t leaving, but you should at least try to get some sleep,” he told her sweetly, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled into him using his chest as a pillow.
He smiled down at her sleeping form stretched out taking up the majority of the couch and tried to rearrange them to get comfortable himself. Jared had settled again, so he thought he should try to get some sleep, too. He stretched and easily lifted her on top of him. Rather liking the position, he wrapped his arms around her and drifted off to sleep.
The door opened, followed by a quick gasp that jarred Charlie awake. Opening his eyes, at first confused as to where he was. Then, he saw his mom standing in the doorway, her hands covering her mouth in surprise. He stretched, looking around and remembering he had slept in Jared’s room waiting for him to wake. He looked over and saw Jared shifting a little, but not stirring as much as he had the night before.
“What time is it?” Charlie asked, stretching and causing Sam to wiggle in his arms, or rather she was really laying on top of him. It dawned on him that that was why his mom had gasped about.
“It’s, um, almost six-thirty. Doc radioed up last night that he was weening Jared off the medicine that was keeping him in a coma, so I came down at first light. I didn’t know that you would, um, have company.”
“Six-thirty?” Charlie asked, still not fully awake. “Shit!” he said, sitting up and taking Sam with him. She barely stirred at all. “Wake up,” he told her shaking her lightly. He wanted to kiss her awake but by the look on his mom’s face, he’d already traumatized her enough for one morning. “Sam,” he said, shaking her a little harder.
“Mmmm,” she groaned and stretched, causing his body to awkwardly respond to the sexy sound of her sleepy noises.
“Sam, we overslept; you’re late.”
“Huh?” She asked starting to wake. It took a moment to realize she was actually sleeping on Charlie Jenkins. They had never slept together, and it felt quite intimate. She froze and didn’t want to move or open her eyes.
“You’re covering breakfast shift this morning, and it’s already six-thirty,” he said.
“What?” She jumped up, fully alert, looking down at the rumpled blue dress she’d worn the night before for their date. “Why’d you let me sleep so long?”
“I just woke up, too.”
She grabbed his wrist and checked the time on the watch he always wore. “Callie’s going to kill me. Is Ash still here? Maybe she can cover for me. By the time I run home, change, and get back, I’ll be lucky if I don’t miss the entire breakfast shift.”
“You left clothes at my place. Just go change there, it’ll be a lot faster.”
“I’d have to pass right by the diner to get there. I am not doing the walk of shame to your apartment, looking like this,” she said, swearing under her breath as she theatrically pointed out her slept in day old clothes. “Everyone I work with saw me last night. They knew I was meeting you. They’re going to know.”
“Know what?” Charlie asked. “Nothing happened. We fell asleep waiting for Jared to wake up.”
“But that ain’t what it looks like!” She said, freaking out, knowing the rumors such a scandal would cause in a small place like Wythel.
“She does have a point, Charlie,” his mom added.. “While I’m glad to hear it was all perfectly innocent, it’s not going to look good.”
Sam froze and turned bewildered eyes towards his mother, noticing her for the first time. She covered her face in embarrassment.
“Oh my God. Oh my God! Mrs. Jenkins, I’m so sorry. I swear to you, this ain’t what it looks like.” Sam wanted to curl up and die. Of all the people that could have walked in on her sleeping on him in such an intimate way, it had to be his mother. She was horrified.
Charlie scrubbed his face. “Fine, I get it. Stay here,” he said getting up and walking towards the door. “I’ll run home and get your clothes and be right back. No one will ever suspect a thing.”
He left two of the three most important women in his life alone as he ran down the street to his home, grabbed a bag, shoved Sam’s work clothes into it, and ran back, wondering the entire time what the two of them were talking about.
* * * * *
The second Charlie left, his mother began the interrogation, much to Sam’s humiliation.
“So, you’re the reason my son insists on living in town. I suspected it was a woman, though I guess I should have known it would be you.” It wasn’t really a question, more like stating the obvious.
“I’ve told him to stop it, especially when he’s up at the bunker all day. No need for him to rush back down just on my account. But he don’t get it. Sometimes I swear he’s even more hardheaded than even Holly.” She gasped, covering her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring her up. I’m just nervous, and that makes me talk without thinking. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’re shocked and a bit disappointed to find me here. I’ll be leaving as soon as he returns. I’ve told him this was a very bad idea.”
“Sam,” the older woman started, sitting next to her and wrapping the poor girl in her arms the way she would her own daughter. “I’m not disappointed, nor the least bit shocked. I’ve seen how my son looks at you when he thinks no one else is noticing. I’ve heard how he comes into the diner anytime you’re working and always sits in your section. It’s a small town, people talk.”
Sam sighed, wanting to cry. “I know that. I tell him all the time to stop it. Ain’t nothing good gonna come from it. And I swear to you, ain’t nothing happened between us, ‘cept a few kisses. I ain’t never done anything like this before.” She wanted desperately for his mother to believe her.
“You’re keeping clothes at his place, Sam. I wasn’t born yesterday. I just hope for your sake, you’re both being discreet about it. You have a good reputation and don’t need that burden.”
“That’s what I try to tell him. I work late nights, and he don’t like me walking back to the house alone that late. I won’t lie, I’m tired by the end of my shift and it’s right there. I know it ain’t right, but it’s not how you think either. We never had sex, or nothing. He’s been nothing but respectful.”
His mother smiled down at her, stroking her hair affectionately. “While I’m happy to hear that, if word gets out, it’ll be your reputation ruined.”
“I know,” Sam said sadly. “I tried telling him that too, but he don’t want to hear it. My mama was a whore and my daddy a drunk. I wasn’t born with a good reputation to begin with, but I’ve tried to live my life like I was as much as possible.”
His mother replied with words that completely shocked Sam and everything she thought. “Your parents aren’t you, Sam. They don’t define you. Nor does anything people do or say. Only you can define you. You are strong and brave. I may not know much about you, but that much I’m certain of.”
“Thank you,” Sam whispered, suddenly going quiet.
“Tell you what. I know for a fact that the apartment next to Charlie’s is vacant. Why don’t you take it? You’ll have your own place, but you’re right there nearby so he can’t fuss about you being out alone after dark, which I happen to agree with. He can keep an eye on you since it’s obvious he’s going to anyway. It’s private, just the two apartments, and I’ll see to it that no rumors otherwise spread around this place.”
“You’d really do that for me? I mean, I don’t think Charlie would mind having me for a neighbor. Probably would be happy to have his bed back.”
She gave Sam a confused look. “Why isn’t he sleeping in his own bed?”
“I just told ya, nothing’s happening. He sleeps on the couch if I stay over.”
His mother laughed. “Well, I can’t say the mother in me isn’t happy to hear that, though the woman in me wonders what is wrong with that boy.”
Sam blushed furiously, and of course Charlie chose that moment to return.
* * * * *