"Yes Benji, I am super excited, it's been a while since we've all went home and stayed there for an entire week," Charlie hummed, he threw the trash into the dumpster.
"Hmmm, so even Louise is going to stay there for a week?" Benjamin asked.
"Mhmm, I am sure she is going to stay for that long as well," Charlie smiled.
"I see, that is interesting.".
"No, no Benji, wrong choice of words, this is not interesting, it is exciting!" Charlie corrected. He threw Benjamin's trash into the dumpster before patting him on the back.
"I know you are going to miss Lulu, but you don't need to, you can easily come over and hang out with all of us, you will be more than welcome Benji!" he chuckled.
"Thank you for the offer Charlie, but I doubt that is going to happen. I am sure Louise will not want me there," Benjamin looked down.
"Oh that's nonsense, so nonsense. She likes you quite a lot, I am sure it would even be such a good surprise for her Benji, you can thank me for the idea later," Charlie laughed.
Benjamin was silent. He knew that once Charlie had an idea in his head, it would be hard to get it out and he would continue talking about it till you agreed. He had interacted with Charlie good enough to know when exactly to stop talking and when to walk away.
"You know what I realized Benji?" Charlie asked letting go of him.
"What?".
"You have not corrected me once since I have been calling you Benji. That's not like you... which means that something is wrong, tell me, what's wrong?".
Benjamin sighed and took a step forward. Was it that obvious to notice that he was not himself.
"I'm listening, you know you can trust me not to spread your secrets around. I would only tell Michael... and that idiot Nine, but no one else... wait, except Dom, but we are all friends so you can trust them as much as you trust me!" Charlie smiled.
Had the circumstances been different, Benjamin would have been annoyed and correct Charlie, but he did not feel in the mood to.
"That's really nice of you Charlie, but I would rather not.".
"Why not? Don't you know that a problem shared is a problem half solved?" Charlie frowned.
"It's not that I don't trust you Charlie, far from it, it's just that Louise and I are not in the best place right now, and I don't want to go around spreading what happened between us like a gossip. She won't like that," Benjamin frowned.
"Well, I won't tell her then. You better tell me, I know Lulu better than anyone, I could get her to forgive you." Charlie said.
Benjamin looked up, "What makes you so sure that I'm the one that caused the problem?".
"Hey, why are you talking like I don't know Lulu? She's been by your side for the longest time even when you did not want her to. So, it's definitely something you did buddy," Charlie laughed.
Benjamin could not believe how true that sounded. But it was the truth, they all knew how cheerful Lulu was. She was like a ray of sunshine, he could not believe that he had finally send her off the edge with him.
"You are right, but just know that the last thing I wanted was to chase her away, I didn't think my careless words would hurt her so much," Benjamin sighed.
"Hmm, well, that's the thing with we men, we don't really think that, but the women around us pick up on every single word, and if you don't clear things up, they will end up thinking that we meant something we didn't mean," Charlie said.
"I know... she asked me what plans I had for the future, and I said something stupid that didn't involve us still being friends and I was such an idiot, because my words hurt her so much.".
"Hmm, you really were an idiot, don't you know how much Lulu likes you? At this point you are her best friend, there is no one else she likes to hang out with other than you," Charlie said.
"I will admit that I did not know just how much she meant to me before she left, and I just want her to forgive me, but she won't pick up my calls, answer my messages, she does not even want to see me," Benjamin said sadly.
"So, you are this sad simply because you haven't seen her or talked to her in days?" Charlie asked.
"Of course I am," Benjamin replied. He did not know why Charlie was asking such a useless question. He could clearly see how he was.
Benjamin did not know when and how Charlie brought out his phone from nowhere, but he did and then he took a picture of him.
Benjamin frowned, "What was that for?".
"Proof of how distraught you are. You know what, can you look even sadder?" Charlie asked as he took another picture.
Benjamin's frown deepened, "Are you alright Charlie? Can you stop taking pictures, I am serious here!".
"And so am I! You know what, you are annoyed now, the first picture was good," Charlie said putting his phone in his back pocket.
"Charlie..." Benjamin sighed, he shook his head, there was no need arguing. He knew how Charlie was, so it was his fault for actually thinking that Charlie would take this seriously.
"Anyway, you have nothing to worry about. I don't need to know any more details. I will help you. I am sure that before the end of next week, she will want to see you again," Charlie smiled.
"Really, what makes you so sure?" Benjamin scoffed. Putting his trust in Charlie would be something he would never do... he was not that desperate yet.
"You want to bet me a hundred dollars that it will happen?" Charlie smiled proudly.
"No, I'm not betting anything.".
"Alright then, just relax, go eat and wait for her call, because she is definitely going to want to see you, but her forgiveness is totally up to her, so you better make sure she wants to forgive you," Charlie said.
Benjamin did not say anything.
"You better believe me, just be ready, anyway, I have to go and finish packing. I'll see you next week, get ready to make the drive up there," Charlie laughed, he gave him a pat on the back before leaving.
Benjamin sighed and shook his head, "What was I thinking talking to Charlie?".
Benjamin walked back to his apartment. Maybe it was not such a bad idea to tell Charlie, either way, he did not know what else to do. Benjamin fell on his couch and groaned. His apartment was so quiet and empty with Lulu present.
...
Dom finished washing the dishes. He walked past the living room where Natasha and Joy were watching TV.
He walked upstairs to pack his bags. They would be leaving in an hours time. He walked into his bedroom brought out a suitcase, he was about to start packing when he heard his phone ringing in his back pocket.
"Hey Charlie, what's up?" Dom answered.
"Nothing, nothing, I just want to know if you're leaving soon?".
"Hopefully in the next hour we are.".
"What do you mean hopefully, is something wrong?".
"Not really, Natasha just doesn't feel well today, I'm hoping by the time we have to leave she feels better, or else we can't go today," Dom sighed.
"Awww what? I hope she feels better soon," Charlie said.
"Yeah, thanks, I hope so too, anyway, why did you call? Are you on your way already?".
"Nope, we haven't left, we are going to wait for Lulu to come back from work, we are all going together, all of us except for Nine," Charlie scoffed.
Dom laughed, "Oh, so you weren't able to convince him to come along?".
"Nope, he's being very annoying for no reason. He does not have to be stubborn, but he wants to be, and it's going to be so bad if he misses this family time that we are sure won't happen for the next five years or so and by then grandfather might be dead!".
Dom could not control his laughter, Charlie's words were hilarious. "Hey, please, please, don't ever say that in front of grandfather, he will say you are the one waiting for his death," Dom laughed.
"Hey, the man can say whatever he wants to say. The truth remains that he is old, he can leave any moment now, which means we need to spend more time with him," Charlie continued.
"I do agree with you Charlie, but maybe Nine is really busy with something important he cannot miss?".
"Oh please, it's not that important, if it was, he would tell us what it is, but he's been silent whenever I ask," Charlie scoffed.