Gracie and Charlie, Charlie and Gracie

I was walking through Charlie’s house again. The mansion seemed to grow bigger, into more of a castle than a house. It was just as I remembered: Victorian style decorations, leather couches, and a LCD television set.
Instinctively, I began to gravitate toward Charlie’s room.
I entered from the side to see him sitting on a chair with the camera in front of his handsome face. He seemed to grow conscious of my presence and quickly shut the camera off.
“Grace! The love of my life! The apple of my eye!” He declared when he stood up.
I was surprisingly calm. I simply smiled and let him wrap his arms around me.
The scene changed abruptly and I was back in my home in California. Yet I wasn’t shocked. It seemed expected. A Charlie video was playing on my computer. Slowly, I walked toward it.
“I have never had a serious relationship… and I never will.” Charlie was beaming.
I was eerily calm and composed. No emotion was on my face or even inside of me.
“Even if I were to fall in love, I would never think to pursue any kind of relationship involving the slightest bit of solemnity.”
Nope. Still nothing.
“That’s right Grace. We cannot be together, my dear, because of my commitment issues!” His arms were outspread and his face in happy revelation.
Ok that did it. I fell into despair, or as much as one can in a drunk like state.

I woke with a start, still shaky from my dream. It took a minute for me to remember where I was and who I was. Let’s see… my name is Grace Woo and I’m in Bath, England in a nice extravagant hotel. Victoria was snoring next to me. So yes, I am awake.
I stretched and thought back on my dream. Can it be true? Was all this for nothing? I paid good money for that potato sack!
Charlie and I were planning to go to the public gardens today. I decided to wear something dressier today to avoid another episode of staring from those conceited upper classed people.
Choosing a red top with fancy buttons and black form fitting pants, I matched the outfit with dressy slippers.
Victoria stirred and turned over before falling back asleep. I closed the door behind me quietly.

“What’s on your mind, Grace?” Charlie asked as we walked through the rose bushes, “You’re never this quiet.”
I sighed, “Last night I had a dream…”
“A dream…”
“And you were in it…”
“Am I never?” He teased.
I glared seriously. He sobered. I continued, “You professed your love to me.”
“Nothing out of the ordinary there.” He smirked.
“…And said you couldn’t be with me because you aren’t’ into relationships.”
“Which is very true.”
His face was serious. My dream was coming true.
“Then I shouldn’t bother.” With a sad look, I turned and began to walk away.
“Wait Grace!” Charlie stopped me, “You have to let me finish.”
“I do have commitment issues. Then again, it does scare most people!”
“Well that’s not what I need right now.”
“On the contrary, it is.” Charlie rushed to continue, “A relationship should never start out serious. For if that were the case, then it would simply be one with a time bomb ready to detonate.”
I crossed my arms.
He sighed, “To have a good and healthy relationship, you need realistic goals and expectations for it to work.”
“But I’m sure about it!”
“No you’re not!”
“Yes I am.”
“No you’re not.”
Let’s fast forward the yes-no argument shall we?
“Well that’s the case for me.” Charlie shrugged, “I rarely know when I’ve fallen in love and out of like. And I am already willing to take the risk for like.”
“…Like?”
He waved his arms melodramatically, “Yes like. I like you Grace. I like you enough to be interested in what happens next.”
This was it.
“…So… you like me.”
“Yes I do.”
“Have you been drinking or smoking?”
He gave me a flat stare, “No.” Then he smiled, “I’d give you a rose to profess my undying like, but it’s illegal to pick the roses.”
I chuckled as he pulled me into his arms. With a deep kiss, we marked the beginning of a beautiful and liking relationship. Whew. The end. This was the longest journal entry ever.