Conversations

Section 7 —

“I didn’t mean to …”

(Alan POV, Charlie – After Will kisses Charlie)

[Takes place during Looking for Love, Part 24]

“Dad?”style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

Alan looked up from his blueprint to see Charlie standing
before him, looking worried and unhappy. 
“What’s wrong?”

Charlie swallowed. 
“Did I …”  He
pressed his hands together and quickly paced across the room and back.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

“Did you what, Charlie?” 
Alan asked patiently.  Sometimes
his brilliant son forgot that words actually needed to be said to be heard.

Charlie stopped in front of Alan and asked earnestly, “Did I
… steal Colby?”

Alan sat back.  “From
Don you mean?”

Charlie nodded miserably.

“Depends on how you look at it.”

“But, I didn’t mean to!”

“I know, I know,” Alan said soothingly.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He pushed out a folding chair.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “Sit down.”

Charlie slowly sat down. 

“Did you know your mother was engaged when we met?”

Charlie blinked.  “She
was?  To who?”

Alan leaned back in his chair and looked into the far
past.  “Danny Fouts.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  He was a guitar player in a band, very smart
and cool.”

“Oh?” 

“Yeah, and I thought that I should just forget this intriguing
woman because she was already taken.”

“But you didn’t.”

Alan shook his head and smiled, remembering Margaret as he
had first seen her.  “I tried to, but I
really couldn’t.  I’m afraid I kissed her
the first time even knowing she was still engaged.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  That week she broke off her engagement.”

“So you stole her from the other guy?”

“In a way, yes,” Alan shrugged, embarrased.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “But sometimes you just know when you’re
meant to be with a person.  I didn’t want
to hurt Danny, he was a nice guy, but I did.”

Charlie blinked thoughtfully.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> 

“Don’t take this as an excuse to go around stealing people’s
girlfriends – or boyfriends, but sometimes it’s the right thing for everyone.”

Slowly, Charlie nodded. 
He looked at the floor for a moment then said, “Will and Don, they’re
good together, aren’t they.”

“Yes,” Alan said, surprised by his own conviction on the
matter.  “I never would have picked Will
for Don in a million years, but yeah, they’re good together.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Will seems to make Don happy, and that’s
really all I ask.  Especially
with the last few months for Don.”

Charlie frowned.  “Did
I … make that stuff happen cause I stole Colby?”

“Oh Charlie,” Alan said, patting him on the knee.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  “I’m sure it was part of it but don’t blame
yourself for it.  It’s possible that
Don’s relationship with Colby would have disintigrated anyway.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Your brother was hurting and sometimes people
who are hurting do stupid things.”

“Very stupid things,” Charlie said fiercely.

“Yeah …” 
Alan sighed.

Charlie nodded, got to his feet, and wandered out of the
room.  Alan watched him go.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Forgive
me, Margaret, for fudging the truth a little.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>  Alan smiled to himself and returned to his
blueprint.