Brianna scrutinized Charisma for what felt like forever before she nodded once. "I'm willing to try, Charisma, but...."
"Brianna, all I'm asking for is a chance."
"All right," Brianna agreed with a sigh. "But I need to go. I need to get Esmeralda home."
Charisma nodded. "Go. And call me when you get home... please?"
Brianna nodded and put her left hand on the doorknob before turning back and extending her right to Charisma. "It was nice to meet you, Charisma."
"You too, Brianna Brianna," Charisma assured her as she clasped the smaller hand in hers. Then they released one another and Brianna opened the door and was gone. Charisma waited until she heard the car pull away and head down the drive. Then she blew out a nervous breath and braced herself to return to her family in the kitchen.
************
Jas opened the door for Esmeralda when she reached the bottom of the steps. "Thank you, Jasper," she acknowledged in a faint whisper, then slid into the seat. Jas looked at the front door that had closed again as soon as Esmeralda exited, then she climbed into the back to sit beside her for a minute. Esmeralda turned tired, questioning eyes towards her and Jas shrugged.
"Everybody but me got to say their goodbyes inside before they left. I figure I should grab my chance now."
Esmeralda smiled and clutched the fingers resting on Jas' knee. "I'm glad you did."
Jas used the hold Esmeralda had on her hand to pull Esmeralda into her, and they hugged for several minutes. When she finally eased back, she brushed a light kiss over the blonde hair, not quite surprised to see some silver threads woven into it now.
"I'm gonna miss you, Es."
"I'll miss you, Jas. Thank you...." stopping when Jas shook her head.
"We were glad to do it, Es. We volunteered, you know? We weren't going to leave you stranded with just anybody."
Esmeralda smiled. "Well, I was glad it was you guys... despite how screwy the assignment went."
"Speaking of," Jas segued with a frown, jerking her thumb over her shoulder in the direction of the door. "What's going on?" Esmeralda shrugged.
"Best guess? I think Charisma might be finally stepping out of the closet… or at least peeking out of an open door. The real question is if Brianna will be willing to give them the opportunity to be happy together."
Jas shook her head. "I don't know why anyone would choose to be miserable, but even after centuries of working among mortals I have to admit that I still don't understand them."
"I don't think they understand themselves most of the time, Jas - I think that's part of the problem."
"That would certainly explain a lot. Oh," pulling out of her loose embrace with Esmeralda and sliding to the door. "I think the boss is headed this way. Time to play chauffer one more time." Jas opened the door and stepped from the vehicle, then bent down so she could say goodbye. "Love you, Es."
Esmeralda gave her a small smile. "Love you too, Jas." Then Brianna was approaching and looking between the two of them with concern.
"Is everything okay?" Esmeralda nodded.
"I just wanted to offer Es my condolences," Jas spoke before Esmeralda could. Brianna saw Esmeralda's agreement and bobbed her head.
"Thank you, Jas. Let's get Es home, all right?"
"Yes ma'am." Jas closed the door behind her, then climbed in behind the wheel, and they headed away from Charisma's home. Brianna was pensively quiet, and Esmeralda sighed. Despite the fact that her job here was finished, she couldn't stop caring about the two women who had become friends to her. She moved her gaze from the window to Brianna's troubled countenance.
"Brianna?" wincing when her neck popped as she jerked her head around to face Esmeralda. Brianna tilted her head in question. "Are you okay?"
Brianna chuckled wryly. "Pretty sure I should be the one asking you that, Es. I'm... I'm not really sure what I am, actually. Did I understand you correctly when you spoke to Charisma - that you plan to be at work tomorrow?" Esmeralda nodded and Brianna shook her head though she didn't make any comments as to her thoughts on that particular subject. "Ask me again tomorrow. I'll have the chocolate milk chilled and waiting."
"I'd like that," Esmeralda agreed. The two were silent for the rest of the ride home.
************
Charisma steadied herself as she approached the kitchen, easily noting the relative silence throughout the room. When she reached the threshold, she realized that at least part of that was due to the fact that the kids had once more left the building - quite literally from the sounds of it. If she didn't know better, she'd swear they were all running around in her back yard. The adults, however, still sat gathered around the table and all eyes turned her way as she walked into the room. Kent was the first to break the silence.
"Everything okay?"
Charisma looked at him and saw the hopeful twinkle in his eyes and the tremulous smile on his face. She smiled back at him.
"I think so. She's agreed to give me one more chance to see if I can get things right." She felt the release of tension in the room as a palpable thing and chuckled.
"Does this mean she's part of the family again?" Forrest asked hopefully.
"That will be up to her, Orrie. She and I are going to start from the beginning again - try to learn about the people we are now and be friends again. So it may be a little while before she's comfortable being part of the family again... I don't know. Just be ready to welcome her back when she's ready."
"Not a problem," he assured her. "The kids wouldn't stand for anything else anyway." Hunter laughed.
"God that's the truth. That's all we've heard about since she missed Christmas."
"If it makes you feel better," Kay cut in, "She's missed you all terribly. But don't pressure her... please. There are things she has to make peace with too." They nodded their agreement and let their attention turn to figuring out what they were going to do for dinner. Kay approached Charisma, who simply waited for her with a sardonic smirk.
"What's up, Doc?" she asked when Kay was close enough to hear her without Charisma needing to raise her voice. Kay rolled her eyes, but let a smile cross her face even as she examined Charisma's body language. She nodded in satisfaction.
"You've changed," watching a dark brow shoot into an equally dark hairline. "You're more settled... more at peace with yourself - even since yesterday."
"I am. I realized Es was right, and I was a coward to choose misery."
Kay nodded. "I hope it all works out, Charisma. It would be nice to see you both happy."
"You mean that."
"I really do. Just take things slow - I think you'll be fine." Charisma inclined her head, but before she could respond, Kent wrapped an arm around both of them.
"C'mon, ladies. Mama's calling and reserving an entire section of Outback for us. She figured they deserved some warning."
Kay looked down at her funeral garb and frowned. "Are we going like this?"
Kent shook his head. "Everybody's headed upstairs to change. Theresa said she's about your size if you want to borrow something - first door on the right at the top of the stairs. Just meet back here in fifteen minutes." Kay nodded and headed upstairs and Charisma realized she and Kent were the only ones left in the kitchen. He extended his hand, and tugged on hers briefly when she caught his. "C'mon, Charisma. Harley's watching Adam until we can get upstairs to change him." A beat. "I'm pretty proud of you, Charisma," releasing her hand to guide her up the stairs ahead of him. She smiled.
"I'm pretty proud of you too."
Chapter CIV
"Charisma, please... have a seat," Laura Maxwell commanded as soon as Charisma stepped into her office. "That's all, Jess," dismissing her assistant with a negligent wave. Jess nodded and closed the door. Charisma continued on until she was sitting across the desk from Laura. She had the distinct impression this was not going to go well and sighed. It was too damn early in the morning for DRAH-MAH, but better that they get this over with now.