Moving to Hawaii

“Yes, I understand but you lied to me first”, Charlotte said to the person on the other end of the phone.

Beth nodded across from her as if to say “good girl”.

“Skipping your court date is not how you take care of your responsibilities”, Charlotte answered. “Now come in here to sign this paperwork so you don’t have to go back!”

She felt a squeeze on the back of her arm and she turned to see Leland smirking at her. She rolled her eyes at him and turned back to face Beth so she didn’t break her concentration.

“No, not tonight, I need you here now”, Charlotte demanded. She could feel herself getting frustrated but she was trying to keep her cool. Beth picked her for this phone call because she could handle her temper the best. “See you in fifteen”, she said before hanging up the phone.

“Good girl, Charlie”, Dog said. “Ok, so when Lei shows up Duane Lee will be out back waiting for her since it’s his bond.”

“You gave me goose bumps”, Leland joked. “You were so scary.”

“Shut up, you’re so full of it”, Charlotte said, giving him a playful shove.

About a month had passed since the day at the beach and Charlotte had only grown closer to the Chapman family; Leland and Duane Lee in particular. She was getting better at the business, and pretty soon would be able to do most of the office work on her own. In fact, today would be the first day she was alone. The show had been filming for around three weeks and this afternoon the camera crew was filming a hunt so Charlotte would be alone at the office.

“Maybe we should start bringing you on hunts as bait”, Duane Lee added. “You’re pretty and unassuming, then when the bounty starts talking to you all you have to do is throw that attitude on them!”

“You guys suck”, Charlotte answered with a blush. She hoped the guys would think it was because they told her she had an attitude and not because Duane Lee called her pretty.

The truth was, Charlotte didn’t think she was ugly but she also didn’t think she was gorgeous. She felt entirely too plain around Beth, who was always completely done up, or around the native women of Hawaii with their beautiful skin and beach bodies. She felt Alabama pretty, but not Hawaii pretty.

“Duane Lee and Leland, leave Charlie alone and get to work!” Beth barked at them.

A couple of hours later Charlotte was officially alone. Everyone else had gone out with the camera crew after the fugitive from that morning had come in. The woman had actually called Charlotte a bitch for lying to her on the phone to get her there. Beth began yelling in the woman’s face, which made Charlotte swell with pride. So far, the afternoon had been uneventful and Charlotte hoped it stayed that way until 6pm when she got to close up.

‘Everything ok?’

Charlotte felt a smile crack her face at the text from Leland. ‘Yeah, dad. I’m fine.’ She replied back. He had literally texted her every twenty minutes to check on her.

‘Ok, because I hope you know I love you and I want to kiss you’

Charlotte rolled her eyes. ‘Hi Duane Lee’ she sent back. She didn’t have to be there to know Duane Lee was probably laughing his ass off.

“Da Kine Bail Bonds”, Charlotte spoke into the phone that was ringing. “I’m sorry, Tim is not here. Can I take a message?”

Charlotte jotted down the message, just someone checking in, and ended the call. As she finished writing the bell above the door sounded and Charlotte looked up.

“Hello, can I help you?” She greeted the woman.

“Hi, I’m Lana. I work here, sort of I guess. Um, is Beth or Dog around?”

“Oh hi!” Charlotte responded, a little startled. “They aren’t. I can take a message, or they will be back in on Monday.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just call Beth on her cell. Long story short, my mother passed away so I won’t need to be gone any longer.”

“Oh, I’m sorry”, Charlotte told her. “I lost my father, mother and father actually, very recently too.”

Lana pulled a rolling chair close to the desk and sat. “Does it get any easier?”

Charlotte shook her head, “not really.”

“Didn’t think so. My father was sick, so we expected it. We thought we had more time but we are glad we got the time we did”, Lana sighed. “I’m sorry, I don’t know you and I’m unloading all of this on you.”

“I’m Charlotte”, Charlotte said with a small laugh. “I’m sort of your replacement.”

“Oh, the competition”, Lana joked.

They chatted for a bit longer before Charlotte noticed it was just about six and she had three texts from Leland just as the crew came busting back through the door.

“Holy shit Char, you scared me to death”, Leland huffed. “You stopped answering my texts!”

“I was busy, sorry”, Charlotte replied.

“Jesus, Leland, give her a break”, Beth scolded as she followed him through. “She’s not two.”

“Leland was totally freaking out”, Duane Lee said with a laugh.

“Lana!” Dog exclaimed. He walked over to the girl and pulled her into a hug. “How’s it?”

Everyone else seemed to suddenly realize she was there as well and gathered around to hear what she had to say.

“So are you actually ready to come back then?” Beth asked.

“I would like to come back, the distraction would be nice”, Lana answered. “Is there room for me to come back?”

Beth realized she meant with Charlotte taking her place would she be able to come back. “We will work something out”, Beth assured both of them. “For now, let’s all get home.”

Charlotte began her shut down procedure, focusing so she didn’t miss anything. She was worried now that they might look at any mistakes as a reason to give Lana her position back.

Most everyone else moved outside to smoke and chat with Lana some more.

“Char, I’m sorry”, Leland said once eveyone had left. “I didn’t mean to get mad, I was just really worried.”

“Lee, I’m a big girl. Thank you for being concerned but you don’t have to worry.”

“I’m know, I just...” Leland began but stopped himself. “I’m just really sorry.”

“It’s ok”, Charlotte said. “Just don’t freak out on me.”

“Deal”, Leland said. He stuck out his hand and Charlotte shook it.

“I’m done, you ready?” Charlotte asked. Leland nodded and they shut the lights down and locked up.

When they got outside Tim and Justin had already left for the night. Beth and Dog said they were going to take Lana out to dinner. Charlotte, Duane Lee and Leland decided to head back to the house. Since Duane Lee and Leland didn’t live on the island, generally just flew in for help and filming, they rode back with Charlotte.

“I bet you guys miss your families”, Charlotte mentioned as they pulled out of the parking lot.

“I miss my boys”, Leland spoke up. “But not Maui. I mean, I almost never see her anyway. As soon as I get back to our apartment she leaves and doesn’t come home until I have to go for filming again.”

“How’s the divorce coming anyway?” Duane Lee asked.

“She’s fighting for spousal support”, Leland said with a deep sigh. “I should have started all of this before we knew about the show.”

“That sucks”, Charlotte said. She pulled into Taco Bell as they all chatted. “Who watches your boys while you’re at work and she’s gone?”

“Mostly a lady that lives next door. She’s been talking about moving though.”

“Damn, you’re in a tough spot”, Duane Lee stated.

“Yep”, Leland said. He sounded pretty defeated.

“How about we do something fun?” Charlotte suggested. “We can get dinner here and go to a movie or something?”

“Yeah, why not”, Duane Lee agreed. “We don’t have anything better to do on a Friday night, ya bunch of old people.”

“Speak for yourselves! I’m barely old enough to drink!” Charlotte declared with a flip of her hair.

“Yeah but you act like one of us old farts”, Leland joked.

“So I’m an honorary old fart?” Charlotte asked.

“Yes, we’ll keep you I guess”, Duance Lee said. He threw an arm over Charlotte’s shoulders and one over Leleand’s, “Let’s get food, I’m starving.”