They both walked into the kitchen. Charles seated Virginia at the table while he poured a glass of water for each of them from the sink. He returned to the table and offered her the drink. She took it with a smile. He sat in the chair next to her and turned to face her.
"Don't you want to leave now?" asked Virginia.
Charles gave a little laugh. "Why? Am I bad company?"
Virginia became worried. "Oh, no, no! That's not what I intended! It's just that it's late. You must be tired?"
"Oh, no. I'm alright. Your uncle said he was worried about you being here all by yourself in the storm, so I told him I would wait until he returned. He should be here any minute now."
Was my uncle worried about me? "But what about your dad? Wouldn't he be worried about you?"
"Nope, 'cause I called him and explained the situation. He understood completely."
She smiled and took a sip of her water.
"My uncle was worried about me?" she finally asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Of course he was."
"But why?"
Charles became perplexed. "Virginia, he's your uncle, isn't he? You're his niece. That man has more of a protective, loving spirit for you than you might know. I've never known someone as strong and fearless of a man as your uncle. If there were anyone who I would like to fight alongside, it would be him."
"You sound so strange. What has my uncle done to achieve such merit?"
Charles smiled. "Oh, Virginia, there is a lot you don't know about your uncle, but believe me when I say this: you are in good, protective hands."
Virginia shook her head, bewildered. "Charles, you are the only one I know here who can relate to me, yet you make absolutely no sense half the time."
Charles gave a little smile and laughed. "Hey! That's me! A man of many talents."
There was the sound of the front door opening and someone stepping into the foyer.
"Hello! Everyone alright?" came Andrew's voice.
"Hello!" Charles called back. "All's well! We're in here."
Andrew walked into the kitchen, his shoulders stained with rainwater. "My goodness! That was quite a storm!"
"Yes, indeed!" said Charles, standing up to greet Andrew. They both embraced each other with a bear hug.
Letting go, Charles added, "But, thank God, we are all okay."
"Well, that's good," said Andrew. He looked at Virginia. "How about you, Honey? Are you doing okay?"
Virginia nodded her head.
Andrew continued to engage with the two. "I saw the tree branch lying out on the front lawn. Man, that must have been something!"
"Eh, it was a challenge, but I eventually got it cleared out of the way and nailed a piece of plywood in front of the broken dining room window."
Andrew let out a mighty laugh. "'Challenge?' What challenge, son?"
He firmly grabbed Charles's right arm. "With these guns? What challenge?"
Virginia could see Charles's face beginning to turn blush red.
"Andrew," said Charles, "don't take this out of proportion."
"Oh, what are you talking about?"
Andrew looked at Virginia. "I tell you, this boy is the strongest young man who has ever worked on my farm!"
"Andrew, you seriously don't have to brag," said Charles. "It's okay."
Andrew turned his head back to Charles. "I have every right to brag. I am responsible for those muscles of yours!"
Charles lowered his head to the floor.
Andrew looked at Virginia. "It all started when he turned eighteen a few months ago. I bought him a one-year membership at this local gym they have in town. I really did not know if he would even accept it or not, but to my surprise, I was proven wrong. Within just a few weeks, his father and I had already noticed a difference in his physique. Why he gained," he looked back at Charles for a proper calculation, "how many pounds of muscle, Lad?"
Charles did not take his eyes off the floor as the color in his face only began to spread. "I don't know."
Andrew turned back to face Virginia. "Oh, who cares! The boy got bigger before our eyes!"
Charles cupped his hand over his eyes, praying that Andrew would shut up.
Andrew did not even notice but continued to sing Charles's praises. "Why, I tell you what! After seeing the improvements, I soon had to put this boy to harder work. I bet he got that branch out of the dining room window in just one try!"
Charles raised his head. "Nope! It took more. Once again, bragging too hard."
"Oh, C'mon! He had to throw away the shirt I gave him for his eighteenth birthday because he bulked up so fast!"
He squeezed Charles's arm even tighter as he looked at Virginia. "Here, Honey, feel his arm. You'll see what I'm talking about!"
Charles's eyes got big in terror, and his cheeks darkened redder as cold sweat coated his face. He pulled his arm away from Andrew's grip. "Andrew! Please, stop!"
Andrew waved Charles off. "Oh, she believes me either way."
Andrew turned to Virginia and gave her a wink.
Virginia's face soon began to blush.
"Well, huh, I have to go," said Charles, breaking the awkward silence. He walked towards the front door.
"Oh, okay then," said Andrew. "I'll walk out with you."
Andrew and Charles stepped out onto the front porch. The night air was colder due to the rain. The wind blew lightly, creating a chill against Charles's sweaty face.
Charles turned to look at Andrew. "What on earth are you doing!?"
"What are you talking about, Lad?" asked Andrew teasingly.
"'Here, Honey. Feel his arm'?"
"Well, I just wanted her to believe me."
Charles buckled his knees in desperation. "Andrew! Who talks like that?!"
"Oh, now, Son. Don't test an old man's wisdom."
"Wisdom?! What on earth are you talking about? That's not wisdom! That's—that's… That's not wisdom!"
"Oh, son, I was just trying to see what she thought of you."
"And how do you plan to get that by asking her to squeeze my arm?! Why not sit down and talk with her over a nice cup of coffee?"
Andrew smiled. "Because this is more fun!"
"Andrew, you're making absolutely no sense!"
"Ah! But you are."
"What do you mean?"
"You like her, don't you?"
Charles paused for a second, taking that in. "You are out of your mind, Andrew!"
"Oh, am I?"
"Yes! Yes, you are!"
"Then why didn't you report this earlier? Instead, you suggested I have coffee with her while trying to find out if she likes you or not?"
Charles froze. "I was just wanting to," he changed his wording, "I was just trying to," he changed it again, "I was just trying to plan out a time for you two to talk with each other, to get to know one another better."
"Oh, you are too thoughtful," said Andrew, smiling bigger.
Charles panicked. "That's not proof! You misunderstand me, is all."
Andrew pointed his index finger to Charles's face. "Ah, but that right there is my second sign of proof."
"What sign?" asked Charles
"That blush you had on your face when you froze a second ago; if I'm not mistaken, it was the same color tone on your face back in the kitchen!"
"See, that's all it was: you were 'mistaken.'"
Andrew gave a goofy smile. "Oh, we'll see…"
Charles rolled his eyes and walked down the porch steps. "Goodnight, Andrew."
Andrew laughed. "Goodnight, Romeo!"
Before Charles walked off too far, Andrew called out to him. "Charles!"
Charles stopped and turned around. "Yes?"
Andrew walked down the porch steps. Charles walked back to meet him.
"Where was it?" Andrew whispered.
Charles turned his head, facing the front lawn. "Right out there, about ten feet from the pond's bank, this side, facing the house."
Andrew breathed a deep breath through his nose and nodded his head. "Alright." He patted Charles on the shoulder firmly. "Thank you, Lad. That's all I needed to know for now."