Cleaning off the grime.

Charlotte's hands felt good on my back, but her words... there was something slightly off about it. Something that seemed a little false.

"So... you're saying I should just listen to you instead of her?" I asked, twisting my neck to the side and hearing the slight crack. "C'mon Charlotte, what is this, the Bachelor?"

"Oh, no no, I wasn't trying to... Brent, I don't know if I told you but I was in a relationship like... well, kinda like this with a wife and a husband once."

"Yeah, does Helen know about it?"

"Yeah, she knows. I told her... well, a lot more than anybody else. She's important to me, Brent. Really important to me, you know that. So, yeah, I was just... their pretty little unicorn. And then... he wanted to play without her sometimes, and she got jealous. And then she started... playing games. You know, I mean, not like Carla, but... bad games. "

"So, you've got damage too here. You ever think about that?" I shrugged. "We all have it, and it isn't going to go away by turning on one another and throwing people out right after they suddenly get a clue."

"Ok... yeah, I see... I see where you're going with this." Charlotte ran her fingers over my neck, teasing at the hickey. She ran the fingers over it again and a nervous smile crossed her lips. "You were just so... scared when you were doing the **** scene. I could feel it. Like you were terrified that you were going to hurt me, and... the only people who I know who get that scared of something are... well... the gals who have been abused."

"I don't want to bring in something that isn't part of what we have. I love Kaila, ok? I'm not happy with her right now, but... I think she gets it. Yeah, maybe we were heading down that path, maybe we would have gotten there. I think whatever happened out there today... just... she saw something different. And I think... well, I think she understands. Enough to tell me the truth. Yes, you helped with that, thank you. Wish you would have told me earlier, but I suppose you had your reasons."

"They... weren't good reasons. I dreamed about it since I was a kid, and that chance... well, I couldn't resist. I... oh fuck, I'm playing bar game shit again." Charlotte groaned loudly. "I cannot believe I just... we did the whole thing too! Complete with sending her out while we talk about her. "

"So, maybe it isn't on her to fix everything, either. None of us are... well, we're not perfect here. She did treat me like that. Yeah. I went along with it. Because I thought it was how I was supposed to behave. I'm seeing that she isn't what I thought she was, but then, I'm not what everybody else thinks I am. But suddenly turning into a raging, oversensitive jackhole isn't going to solve the problem either. You smack somebody back after they drop the stick, only thing you are gonna do is encourage them to pick the stick back up again." I shook my head and pushed my head back, dipping my upper body under the water and allowing it to cascade across me as I straightened myself.

Charlotte helped me dress in the back room after aiding me to dry myself with one of the last clean towels. I was actually pretty happy with the clothing selection she had laid out, and the pair of jeans went nicely with the blue shirt and shawl necked sweater that would somewhat shield my neck from any prying eyes.

When we finally exited into the main room, I noted a rather quiet Kaila sitting at the table, talking earnestly and calmly to Helen. Nikki stood beside them, sipping gently from a beer bottle and merely listening.

"Ok, see, looking decent, I still like him better in floral." Kaila nodded at me. "Van's done. Sex smell intact, and a fresh blanket in the back seat. Just in case."

"Ok, you're really going all out." I appraised the room, noting the neatly stacked dishes and carefully closed hide-a-bed. "Apologetic is one thing, but don't grovel. You have no idea how much that turns me off."