Charisma slowly released the breath she'd been holding and nodded her head even though Esmeralda couldn't see her reaction. "I suppose I could do that. I may have to make a few phone calls first, though," she added as an aside.
"Charisma?" Esmeralda's voice rising almost as much as her eyebrows.
Charisma gave her a deprecating chuckle. "Es, I turn the computer on and I turn the computer off. For everything else, I have interns and personal assistants." She shook her head. "Sometimes I have interns and personal assistants for that too actually, come to think of it," she added drolly.
Esmeralda laughed. "Well, Charisma - I know your staff is supposed to be on vacation. So if you can't figure it out and you can't get ahold of someone, you let me know. I'll come by and give you a hand."
"You'd do that? Es, that's so sweet. I'll tell you what - is Saphira working tomorrow?"
"Yes, of course."
"How about if I pick you both up about nine-thirty? You can come over and share brunch with me, and if I haven't figured out how to scan this thing in by then, you can help me figure it out... or show me how to do it. Whatever works. We can drop Saphira off at the diner on our way back to your house."
"Are you sure?"
Charisma frowned. "What do you mean am I sure?? Of course I'm sure. So it's a date?"
"You bet, Charisma... it's a date."
************
"The house seems so quiet without Adam," Saphira commented when they were ensconced in Charisma's study after brunch the following day. Esmeralda glared at her and Saphira shrugged. "What?? It's the truth. I miss my little buddy."
Charisma laughed. "It is. And I'm sure he misses you too - my mother still hasn't cured him of streaking through the house naked yet."
"Tell her to turn the heat off," Esmeralda instructed seriously. "After about the third time, that one was cured," gesturing to Saphira who gave an incredulous looking Charisma her best sheepish grin.
"What??" she asked again. "We were all born naked - it's a perfectly natural state."
"So is snow and ice - it doesn't mean I want it parading through the house in the middle of winter. Especially when we've got people living with us... even if they are family."
Charisma blinked and shook her head. "You two continue to confound me, honestly," meeting the twin looks of disbelief that gazed back at her. "What? I'm not kidding. You're both so different from anyone I've ever met. I'm sure I've never known a couple like the two of you."
"Not even in your family?"
Charisma shook her head. "Not even - it's not that they're not all happily married and don't love each other, but you two seem like such a part of one another. It's just... it's hard to describe. But it's very different from anything I've ever known."
Saphira's eyebrows went into her hairline. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"A little of both, I think. It's a good thing for me because I know you and have gotten to experience something... amazing. It's a bad thing that I don't really know more like you. The world could use more people like you two in it."
"Yeah," Esmeralda agreed as she met Saphira's eyes, love and mischief twinkling out of hers in equal proportions. "A little bit crazy always helps."
"Especially if the crazy fits perfectly with someone else's," Saphira added with a laugh. Charisma laughed with them and shook her head.
"We're going to miss you at Mama's table in a couple days. Are you sure you can't come? I could stay and give you a ride up and back."
Saphira shook her head. "No, Charisma. I don't get off until four on Christmas Eve and I have to be back for a lunch shift the day after Christmas. Thank you though - we appreciate the thought more than you'll ever know."
"If you're sure...."
"We are. So when are you leaving?"
"Well, since I wasn't able to talk you into changing your minds, I guess I'll leave this afternoon."
"I guess we better see if we can make this thing work, then," Esmeralda said. She motioned to the laptop sitting on the desk. "Do you mind or...?"
"Please. It's password protected, so let me know when you're ready for me to do my part." Saphira moved around Esmeralda, hooking up the to the computer and in a few moments they had Charisma set up and ready to go. She just looked at them. "Wait... that's it?"
"That's it. All we need now is the picture, and we'll scan it in. Then you can attach it to an email and send it on its merry way."
"Well, well - I've learned something new today. I guess you really can teach an old bitch new tricks." Charisma snorted at the shocked expressions on her companions' faces. "Please... like I don't know what they say about me in the halls and offices. You can't be a woman in my business and not be a bitch as far as your colleagues and most of the rest of the world are concerned... not if you're going to get somewhere. Now, show me where the picture is."
"We need to scan it in first," Esmeralda reminded her with a gentle smile that held the tiniest hint of teasing. "You haven't actually given it to us yet."
Charisma just shook her head and crossed to the coffee table where the album was resting once more. "One day," she said, looking at them pointedly as she thumbed through the album to retrieve the picture she needed. "One day, you're going to get old... just like me. And while I know I'm politely considered middle-aged by most of society, the fact is that I am getting old. The mind isn't what it once was and neither is the body."
"I don't know, Charisma - I don't think you have much to worry about on either score," Esmeralda offered honestly. "A lot of women pay good money to look as fabulous as you do."
Charisma smirked. "And what makes you think I don't?"
"I've seen your Mama."
Charisma's jaw snapped closed so quickly she almost bit her tongue. She cut her eyes at Esmeralda who returned the look with an innocent expression. Charisma turned her attention to Saphira who was struggling not to laugh.
"You better keep your eye on her, Saphira. She's sneaky."
"And very good at it," Saphira added without missing a beat. She accepted the photograph Charisma handed over. She put it on the scanner, then nodded to Esmeralda, and in another moment, the job was complete.
"There you go, Charisma - all done."
Thank you... both of you. I appreciate the help."
"We were happy to do it. It's a beautiful picture - looks like a precious memory."
"It was," Charisma replied firmly, effectively ending that line of conversation. "So where is the picture?" coming to stand behind Esmeralda.
With a click, Esmeralda showed her and in another moment, Charisma had sent the email winging towards Brianna's inbox. Then Charisma turned and looked at her friends. "C'mon - we need to get going if Saphira's not going to be late for her shift."
Saphira and Esmeralda exchanged glances, then nodded at Charisma and followed her from her study and out to the garage. Obviously they had upset her with their observations.
************
"Did she say anything else to you after you dropped me off at the diner?" Saphira asked Esmeralda much later that evening when they were getting ready for bed. She stepped into the bathroom to brush her teeth and Esmeralda followed her in with a hairbrush, gently pulling the tangles and snarls out of the long, dark hair. Saphira moaned in response and relaxed into the touch, garnering her a smile from Esmeralda.
"She apologized for being so curt - said she was embarrassed because she needed our help for something so obviously simple and basic."
Saphira arched a brow and snorted. "She needs to add denial to the skill section of her resume. Did she really think you would buy something that lame as an explanation?"
"She hoped I would. You didn't see the desperation in her eyes when she proffered her regret."