ER: Doug and Carol Series

Story #27

The Big Date

by: Courtney

“Come in,” Charlie calls as she hears the knock at her bedroom door. She looks up to see Carol poke her head into the room.

“How’s it going?” she asks as she enters. Charlie is standing in front of her opened closet doors.

“You don’t want to know,” Charlie tells her as she continues to rummage through the hangers, searching for the perfect outfit for her date. It’s almost 6 o’clock on Friday afternoon and Josh is coming to pick her up at 7 o’clock. “What am I going to wear?” she asks Carol as the start of panic begins to set in. She’s very anxious about this date.

Carol walks over to the closet to stand beside Charlie. She has just come from work so she is still wearing her scrubs. She flips through a few hangers and pulls out a knee length black dress. “How about this?”

“No, I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

“Okay,” Carol reaches in the closet and pulls out another dress. This one is a little longer, sleeveless, and navy blue. “This?”

“No, I don’t have any navy blue shoes I like,” Charlie tells her.

“We wear the same size, borrow mine,” Carol offers.

“Well, I think it’s too chilly for sleeveless anyway,” Charlie points out.

“Oh yeah, I guess you’re right,” Carol says as she returns the dress to the closet. She skims the clothes again and grabs a black, a-line skirt that comes about halfway to Charlie’s knees. “You have any shoes for this?”

“Yeah, but no shirt.”

Carol thinks for a second, then says, “I have the perfect thing.” She takes the skirt and disappears from the room. Moments later, she returns with the black skirt along with a white sweater and cardigan set. “This will be perfect,” she says as she holds up the clothes in front of Charlie. The girl smiles at Carol’s choice.

“That’s great! I even have the perfect shoes,” she says. She bends down into the closet and pulls a pair of black clogs from the floor. Carol nods that they do go well with the ensemble. With this, Charlie begins to get dressed.

“I’ll leave you alone to get ready,” Carol says, turning to leave.

“You don’t have to,” Charlie quickly replies. “I mean, I’d like your help if you aren’t too busy.”

Carol smiles, “Sure, I’d love to help you.”

Charlie gets into her outfit and stands up to show Carol. She has on a pair of black, sheer knee socks that go well with the clogs. “You look great,” Carol tells her. Charlie smiles. She sits down at her vanity and begins to apply makeup. “So,” Carol says, coming up behind Charlie, “ what are you going to do with your hair?”

“I’m not sure. What do you think?”

Carol takes Charlie’s hair in her hands and gently sweeps it up to test the look, then lets it fall to compare. “I like it down. Maybe we should turn it under a little, but I’d wear it down if I were you.” Charlie nods her agreement and continues to get ready for her date.

Carol sits on the bed and talks to Charlie as she applies her makeup. “So, where are you two going again?”

“To see some movie. He said which one, but I completely forgot,” she smiles.

“That nervous, huh?” Carol asks with a small grin.

“Yeah, I guess. I just want this to go well, you know?” she turns to look at Carol.

“I know. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. He obviously likes you a lot. He asked you out pretty quick.”

“Yeah . . .”

“What? Is something wrong?”

“Well, I’m just a little worried.”

“About what?”

“I wasn’t completely honest with Josh. He asked me about my family and I told him you guys worked at the hospital and all . . .”

“Well, all of that is true. What weren’t you honest about?”

“I led him to believe you and Doug are my parents,” she says, looking at Carol for a reaction. Carol expression doesn’t waiver. “He doesn’t know I’m a foster kid,” she says as if a further explanation is necessary.

“That’s not too big of a deal,” Carol says. She gets up and walks back over to stand behind Charlie once again. Carol places her hands on Charlie’s shoulders and both women look forward into the vanity mirror at one another. “You know Doug and I love you, don’t you? I love you as much as I could any daughter,” she smiles.

Charlie turns to look up at Carol. “Do you really mean that?” She has always known that Doug and Carol cared about her. But, somewhere deep inside, she’s always felt like an intruder in their family. She doesn’t feel unwelcome by them at all but she always worries that one day they will have kids of their own and she will just be in the way. Ever since Sarah died, her concern has been heightened. She’s never discussed this with Carol though. The subject is just too hard to breach. What if the answer she gets isn’t the one she so desperately wants? Now, after Carol has brought it up, she feels like she finally has to get everything straight.

“Of course!” Carol’s face registers a look of confusion. “Don’t you feel like we’re part of your family? Because you are definitely part of ours.” She is very sincere in her words and Charlie can sense that. Carol kneels down to be face to face with Charlie. Tears brim in the younger woman’s eyes as a smile spreads across her lips.

“Yeah, I guess I do feel like I’m part of this family. I guess it’s just nice to hear.” She blinks to push back the tears but a few escape despite her efforts. Carol reaches quickly to take the girl in her arms. Charlie closes her eyes and smiles as she hugs Carol.

Carol closes the door behind her and heads back downstairs. It is now almost 7 o’clock and Charlie is almost ready for her date. After their discussion, Carol had calmed Charlie down and helped her fix her makeup. Then, she helped her fix her hair. She really did feel like a mom as she brushed Charlie’s hair and listened to her go on about Josh Moreland and how he was such a great guy. Carol had just smiled at the continuous chatter, not wanting to miss it for the world. It felt so good to be getting close to Charlie. She knew now how right it had been for she and Doug to take care of this girl.

A year ago, Carol couldn’t have imagined how much her life would change over this past year. She had fallen back in love with the man that had always had her heart, she’d moved in with him and gained a teenaged daughter in a few short months, then she’d had a child herself, only to lose her to an unexpected tragedy. It had all happened so fast, sometimes she woke up and wondered what had been real and what was a dream. Her life was almost unfamiliar to her at times.

Carol is still reflecting on all these changes as she enters the living room. “Hey,” Doug greets her as she comes in. He’s sitting on the couch watching a football game.

“Hey,” she replies, breaking from her thoughts. “Who’s winning?”

“Not the Bears,” he says, rolling his eyes and switching off the television. He turns to her and pats the place on the couch beside him, urging her to join him. She does and he puts his arms around her. “Everything go okay up there?”

“Yeah,” Carol smiles, “it really did.”

“What happened?” he asks as he sees that preparations for Charlie’s date are not the only thing that took place upstairs.

Carol opens her mouth to begin explaining but, before she can even get one word out, the doorbell interrupts. “That’s probably Josh. We’ll talk later,” she pats Doug’s leg and smiles. He returns the grin and gets up from the couch, then helps Carol to her feet. They walk together to the door and open it. On the porch is Josh Moreland.

“Hello, you must be Josh,” Carol smiles and ushers him in.

“Yes ma’am,” he says as he steps into the foyer. He smiles at Carol, then Doug. “I’m very glad to meet you both. Charlie’s told me a lot about you.”

Doug smiles and extends his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too, Josh.” They shake. “Unfortunately, Charlie hasn’t had much time to tell us about you. Why don’t we have a chat while she finishes getting ready?” As Doug leads Josh into the living room, Carol hurries upstairs to get Charlie before this interrogation can get too out of hand.

“Knock, knock,” Carol says as she eases open the door to Charlie’s room. The girl is giving herself one last look in the mirror as she enters. “Prince Charming has arrived,” Carol announces.

“He’s here?” Charlie looks around the room and spots her purse. She grabs it and checks quickly to be sure she has lipstick, a hair brush, some money, everything she could possibly need. “Where is he now?” Charlie asks as she and Carol prepare to head downstairs.

“With Doug,” Carol replies with a grin that tells Charlie exactly what is going on downstairs.

“Oh God, we better go,” and with that they head downstairs to rescue her date.

“So, Josh, how’s your driving record?” Doug asks.

“Sir?”

“Any tickets? Ever been arrested? Do you drink, do drugs?”

Carol and Charlie are just entering the room as Doug is ‘questioning the suspect’. “I’m sure he doesn’t, do you Josh?” Carol says as they enter.

“No, no ma’am,” he says emphatically as the women enter. “Sir,” he turns back to Doug, “I promise you that your daughter is in very good hands. I will be sure she gets home safe and on time.”

Doug still looks skeptical of the boy. He had heard these words from his own mouth too many times when he was Josh’s age to fully believe them. Charlie gives Carol a helpless look and Carol quickly goes over to Doug. “I’m sure everything will be fine,” she says as she takes Doug’s arm. She begins to pull him into the foyer so the kids can leave. He reluctantly follows, still not quite done with his questions, but giving in to Carol’s prodding.

Josh smiles at Charlie and takes her arm to lead her to the door. “Have her home by 11 o’clock,” Doug says as they step onto the porch. Charlie looks back with a pleading look.

“Midnight,” Carol says. Doug starts to protest this but Carol quickly waves good-bye to Josh and Charlie and closes the door.

“What did you do that for?” he asks.

“What?”

“Tell her she could stay out until midnight. I thought we decided on 11pm as her curfew.”

“Doug, she’s almost 16. She’s only going to the movies and he seems very nice. I think it’ll be okay. Besides, don’t you remember when you were that age? Cut her a little slack.”

“Yeah, I remember all right. I know exactly what goes on in the mind of a 16 year old boy and if anything like that happens tonight . . .”

Carol laughs and rolls her eyes, “Come on Dad, let’s get dinner started.” She takes his arm to lead him to the kitchen.

“You look very nice,” Josh says as he gets into the car beside Charlie. She smiles and thanks him. “Your parents seem nice,” he comments as he pulls the car from the curb.

“Sorry about that whole thing with Doug. He’s not usually so overprotective. I’m not sure what got into him.”

“That’s okay. He cares about you, it’s understandable.” Josh turns to her as they approach a stop light. “Why’d you call him Doug? Don’t you call them mom and dad?”

Charlie bites her lip a little. She was planning to bring this up later. She had decided after her talk with Carol that she would tell Josh the truth about her somewhat unorthodox family, but she had wanted to get through at least part of their date first. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible. “There’s something I should tell you,” she begins. Just then, the light turns green and he moves the car forward.

“Yeah?” he wants her to continue.

“Well, Doug and Carol aren’t my real parents.”

“Oh, so you’re adopted? What’s the big deal?”

“Not exactly. They’re my foster parents.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Well, for one thing, I’m only temporarily with them. Technically, the state could place me somewhere else at anytime.” This causes Josh to turn slightly to look her way.

“Do you think they’d do that?”

“I’m not sure. I mean, I doubt it, but anything is possible.”

“Oh,” he says. He grows silent for a moment as they get closer to the restaurant where they will be having dinner. Finally he says, “Do you mind if I ask what happened to your real parents?”

Charlie looks a little surprised at this question. She wasn’t expecting it. “That’s sort of a long story. Maybe we should wait until another time.” Josh nods. He smiles at her and she begins to feel better about telling him the truth.

“So,” Doug begins as he and Carol sit down to dinner together, “what were you going to tell me?”

“Huh?” Carol isn’t sure what he means.

“Before, in the living room, right before Josh got here, you were going to tell me what you and Charlie talked about.”

“Oh, right,” she finishes her bite of grilled chicken and sets her fork down. “Well, actually, we had a really good conversation,” she is smiling at the memory of their earlier talk. She tells Doug about their discussion concerning Charlie’s role in their family. He listens attentively.

“You think she feels like part of our family?” he asks as Carol finishes speaking.

“Yeah, you know, I really do,” she replies. “I used to think she felt sort of like an outsider, but I think she’s finally beginning to feel like she belongs here.” He smiles and nods at this. “What?” Carol asks as she sees their is something on Doug’s mind.

“Well, I’ve been thinking a lot lately . . . I’ve been wanting to ask you what you’d think if we tried to adopt Charlie? Would you be in favor of it?”

“Of course! I think that’s a great idea!” she grins.

“Yeah, I’ve spoken to her social worker about it a few times and she thinks it would be really good for Charlie. I mean, it wouldn’t change the way we feel about her because she’s already like a daughter to us, but it would give her more of a sense of stability. She needs that.”

“So, her social worker seemed optimistic about the chances?”

“I guess. She said it would be a lot more complicated than the foster care was, but if it’s what Charlie wants and what the two of us want, they’ll probably let it go through.”

“Us? Are you sure they’ll let us both adopt her? I mean, we aren’t married. I didn’t think they’d do that.”

“Well, I did a little checking and actually we are married.”

“Excuse me?” Carol almost chokes on her chicken.

Doug laughs. “I mean, as far as the law is concerned, we are living in the same house as a married couple and paying bills together, running a household. Under the law we're considered common-law partners which is viewed much like a married couple, at least by the courts. I think that’ll work to our advantage.” Carol nods. “Was there some reason you don’t want to be part of the adoption?”

“No, I want to. It’s just . . . I don’t want my past to keep us from getting Charlie like it did with . . .” she trails off, but Doug knows what she was going to say. Tatiana. That little girl had been so special to Carol. Losing her had almost killed her. He thinks back to that night she came to his apartment after they had informed her that she’d be unable to adopt the girl. She had been so upset, so defeated. It had broken his heart looking in her eyes. He wanted desperately to take away that hurt, but there was nothing he could do. Even now, he can’t make the pain of her loss disappear, but he can comfort her, let her know she’s no longer alone.

He gets up and walks around the table and takes her in his arms. She’s not crying, just very silent. She lays her head on his strong shoulder and lets his embrace envelope her. She always feels safe and loved when she’s in his arms.

Charlie and Josh share a quiet dinner at a small restaurant near the movie theatre. It’s not fancy, but it’s not exactly a dive either. It’s an inexpensive place with decent food and not too many people. They share a nice meal. Their conversation mostly consists of school, mutual friends, and a little more information about each of them. Josh tells her about his family. He has three brothers, all older, and two younger sisters who are 8 and 12.

“You sure do have a big family,” she comments.

“Yeah, it’s a pain sometimes though. Some days I just wish I could get two seconds alone, you know?”

Charlie nods, “Some days I wish I had somebody to talk to.”

“I guess we come from very different places, huh?” Josh says with a small smile.

Charlie nods, thinking to herself, ‘You have no idea.’

It doesn’t take long for Doug to calm Carol down. They finish their dinner and clean the kitchen, then go into the living room to talk. “I’m sure there won’t be a problem,” he tells her as she snuggles close to him on the couch.

“I hope not,” she replies. “I would hate to know I was what kept us from getting Charlie.”

“It’s been a long time, Carol. I don’t think they’d hold that against you now.” He strokes her hair gently as she rests her head on his chest.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I am,” he kisses the top of her head and hugs her to him. “Now, why don’t we watch a movie or something? If I don’t find something to do for the rest of this night, I’m going to go crazy,” he grins.

“You really are worried about her, aren’t you?”

“Well, sure, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I think she’ll be okay. Josh is a nice kid.”

“I know, I just know how much she’s been through in her life. I’d hate to see her get hurt again.”

Carol smiles and looks up at Doug. His concern for Charlie is so sweet. ‘He really is becoming her dad,’ Carol thinks. She kisses his lips gently, then gets up to find a movie.

They decide on a comedy and Carol returns to the couch. She lays her head in Doug’s lap and they sit quietly together as the movie begins.

Charlie and Josh walk out of the theatre arm in arm. The movie was pretty good, but Charlie doesn’t remember much of it. She spent most of the film going over in her mind the dinner conversation. Josh didn’t know how right he was about them being different. Would he ever be able to look at her the same if he knew everything about her past? She’s pretty sure the answer is no. What kind of 16 year old guy can accept the fact that his girlfriend used to be a drug addict, homeless, a prostitute? No, Josh couldn’t know any of that.

“How’d you like the movie? You were awfully quiet,” he says as he opens her door.

“You’re supposed to be quiet in a movie theatre,” she comments. That wasn’t what he meant and she knows it, but he closes the door and goes around to let himself in.

“Do you like me?” he asks as they drive back towards Charlie’s home. She gives him a questioning look. The question comes out of nowhere and she wonders what he means. “Do you?” he asks again.

“Sure, of course. Why would you ask me that?”

“You just seem really . . . I don’t know . . . uncomfortable with me.”

“I’m just nervous, sorry.”

“I think it’s more than that, Charlie. I think there’s something else, something you aren’t telling me.” He looks away from the road to look quickly at her, then turns his attention back forward.

“There’s a lot of stuff about me you don’t know, just like I’m sure there’s stuff about you I don’t know. We just need time to get to know each other. Let’s just take it one step at a time, okay?”

Josh thinks about this, then smiles a little. “Okay.”

It’s 11:45pm when Josh’s car pulls up in front of Doug and Carol’s house. The movie has been over for about an hour, but Doug and Carol have been sleeping for almost two hours. He’s lying on the couch and she is snuggled close to his chest. The headlights and engine out front wake Doug. He opens his eyes and gently lifts Carol so he can get up. He goes over to the window and looks out to see Josh opening Charlie’s car door.

As the kids approach the porch, Doug goes back to the couch. He shakes Carol gently and she wakes up. “What is it?” she asks sleepily.

“”Come on sweetie, it’s late, we should get to bed.” Carol nods and lets Doug help her up. She yawns as they make their way up the stairs together towards their bedroom.

Charlie stands on the front porch with Josh. “I had a really nice time. Thank you for inviting me.”

“I had a great time, too. Maybe we could do it again,” he smiles.

“I’d like that,” Charlie responds.

“Would it be too forward of me to kiss you?” She smiles a little, having never been asked if she could be kissed before. She nods that he can kiss her good night and he leans forward. The kiss is quick and not really passionate, but still sweet. He squeezes her hand once before releasing it, then turns back towards the car.

“Good night, Charlie,” he calls as he walks away.

“Good night,” she calls back. She opens the door behind her and waves one last time to her date, then enters the house.

Several hours later, Charlie is sleeping soundly in her bed. She had sat up for over an hour thinking about Josh, their date, that kiss. Now she’s pretty worn out.

Doug walks slowly across the hall, trying to be quiet and not wake Carol or Charlie. He pushes open the door to Charlie’s room and peeks in. He sees her sleeping peacefully and smiles to himself. Then, he closes her door and returns to his room.

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Created by Courtney Stovall © 1998

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