Charlotte's Will

They weren’t there. Anywhere. She had looked, and searched and looked after that, until there was nowhere to look. She was hopeless, desperate.

Where were those keys?

Charlotte Downs was late. Again. It was too late to walk to work or take the bus and of course, she had to forget where her keys were.

She wanted to cry. She worked so hard for her position as the Pastry Chef at Sous Les Etoiles, the most prestigious restaurant in the state. There was a month long waiting list to get in and that was just to eat. Chefs from all over the state vied for positions and that waiting list was a year backed up. She knew. She had just been hired after waiting for two years on that stupid list.

In one second her chance could be shot. Dead. All of her work to be the best pastry chef wasted, for keys and ignored alarms.

Worse, the boss hated her. He would fire her on spot. She didn’t even know what she did to deserve such detestation. If anything.

She opened her fridge to grab her lunch, prepared to take the bus when—There! There they were!

Right beside the Simply Orange Juice between her lunch and iced coffee was her keys. She sighed in relief.

Maybe she was saved for today. Maybe.

.:CWCWCW:.

“Downs!” Her boss bellowed as she stepped into the employee entrance. His face was unnaturally red, a vein throbbing on his temple. He was dark, the vision of a large, furious man.

He beckoned her to his office. “Here,” She said, feeling much like a schoolgirl sent to the principal’s office.

Mr. Flint’s dark eyes burned into her and his voice was now dangerously low. “You. are. late.” He punctuated each word. She hung her head, wringing her hands. If she had been looking up she would have seen his features soften, an expression of regret tingeing the dark depths of his eyes. Suddenly he sighed. “I won’t fire you,” said the man. Her head jerked up. “You are a good chef; there is no doubt about that. But you need more discipline. To be better than mediocre you have to do more. Be here on time. Do over time. Best is dedication. Best is giving everything you have until there is nothing left.”

By this time, they were staring at each other. Charlotte was shocked at the softness of his voice, the pride in his eyes. Like he’d been there. Until now, she thought it not possible, like a child, thinking their teacher had no life, no childhood. She thought he was never a child, never struggling, never hurting. Everything she thought proved wrong in a second, looking into those eyes.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You’re welcome, Downs.” He paused and broke their eye contact. “Now, get to work. Show me why I didn’t fire you and maybe you’ll have a chance.”

One foot was out the door before… “Ms. Downs?”

She looked over her shoulder.

“Don’t forget your keys.”

She froze for a second wonder if he’d read her mind. How had he known what happened
this morning? Then she realized he hadn’t. They were sitting on his desk.

Stupid Keys, she thought. First, they ruin my day. Then they make it perfect.

.:CWCWCW:.

With precise accuracy, Charlotte drizzled chocolate sauce over the éclair in a squiggle pattern. It was perfect, beautiful. “You need more chocolate. Try crossing your lines with white chocolate sauce.”

She jumped nearly knocking the plate off the counter. “Jeez! You scared me,” exclaimed the dark haired girl, looking into the smoldering eyes of her boss.

He grinned and straightened to his full height. “Keep on your toes, Downs.” He was unusually full of mirth. She wondered what had gotten into him. It had been a couple of weeks since the key incident and she had taken his advice to heart. She was early every day. She worked harder and more efficiently. She worked after hours, perfecting her technique.

He always had something to criticize. It seemed never ending. Yet, when he looked at her, she saw something new in his eyes. Something so familiar that it made her head ache. Her heartache.

No matter how she fought, she could not place the blue eyes that seemed to blaze under curly auburn hair and tanned skin. He was tall, muscular.

She was sure they hadn’t met before. Though, she had never been regarded for a great
memory.

Sighing, she went back to work. The kitchen bustled around her, like a great dance, dodging, spinning and tossing. Everyone moved, but it seemed she didn’t, she seemed still. Stiff.

As did the Head Chef, who stood with a clipboard in his hand. He watched Charlotte, a small, sad smile on his face.

.:CWCWCW:.

It was well after midnight, before Charlotte was finished with her work. The kitchen was dim and desolate, the only lights over her station and from Flint’s office. The silent calm was a nice change from the stressful buzz of the late diner crowd and afterward clean up. She enjoyed winding down, baking after a hard day’s work.

She switched her light out, grabbed her things and clocked out before walking towards Flint’s office door. “Mr. Flint,” She looked around the threshold. He sat hunched over the desk, his right hand scribbling something down while the other held his head up.

“Mr. Flint.,” She said again, this time louder. “I’m, um, I,” she paused, “It’s after midnight.” He looked at her incredulously. “I’m heading home.”

“Alright, Ms. Downs.” He stood up nodding. “I guess I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

“Yeah,” She let out a breath and turned away. She had so many questions about him. So many she never thought she’d have the courage to ask.

.:CWCWCW:.

Cold air rushed around her, rain beat down. She was walking home from work on Wednesday. She had her keys, only this time, she had no car. Or coat.
Cars drove past on Main Street, splashing more water on her sodden body.

Ten steps forward, she was shivering.

Twenty and she heard brakes.

A car stopped beside her.

“Downs!” The person yelled through the rain. “Get it in.”

By luck or fate, blessing or curse, the man in the pick-up truck was none other than Flint.

She sighed, resigned and climbed into the cab.

“Hi,” She said awkwardly after she slid fully into the seat.

He glanced at her and shrugged off his coat, placing it around her shoulders. “You’re shivering. What were you doing walking home in this weather?”

“My car broke down.”

“Oh.” He scratched the back of his head, putting the car in gear. “We can get it towed in the morning. Where do you live?”

“Take a right here and follow Westerly Road until Elm. It’s the blue apartment building.”

Silence lapsed.

She looked at him. He glanced at her.

They blushed when they caught each other.

“Have I met you before?” She blurted out before she knew the stupidity of her question. “Before the restaurant, I mean.”

“You really don’t remember me.” He raised an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no. It’s all right. I understand.” She stared at him as if he’d grown an extra head as he pulled over and turned in his seat. He looked into her eyes and began brushing his shaggy hair into his eyes, where he flipped it and grinned. “No?”

“There’s something. I know you…somehow.”

“You never did have a good memory.”

“I know,” she muttered, searching her every memory.

“Does Darcy William Flint help?”

A spark in her eyes. “Will! You had black hair in high school.”

“Yeah. I dyed it then.” He replayed.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” She exclaimed. “I missed bickering with you!”

He rubbed his neck, a mannerism she recognized now as distinctly him. They had a love-hate relationship in high school. Their older siblings were friends, and they were forced to hang out with each other. All they did was argue and tease when they were together. After she turned down his invitation to Senior Prom, they stopped speaking to each other and he moved a few towns over shortly after that.

To say the least, they never reconciled. It was always one of her greatest regrets. “I regretted it too,” a deep voice startled her. She didn’t realize she’d said it aloud.

“It’s not too late you know.” He started just as she said, “I did miss you, you know.”

They laughed and continued to talk late into the night.

Outside, the sky cleared and the stars above twinkled. Then dawn rose and found them still reminiscing and catching up on everything they missed.

It was amazing what a little time away could do. It amazed them, as they thought about it years later, how a set of keys and a broken down car could have started the rest of their lives.

Just amazing.