It Is You I Have Loved

Chapter 23

The group left at Dawn just as Alastor had planned but today sparked a change. Something was different about Charlie and Alastor. Whatever tension had existed between them before was now gone. Now they were talking back and forth as if they had been friends for years.

"So you can cook?" Charlie asked as they were conversing about their hobbies.

"Yes indeedy." He answered with pride. "I can make frog legs, gumbo, fried catfish, crawfish, boiled greens, sauteed mushrooms, barbecue rabbit and squirrel, any method of cooking venison-"

"Can you make desserts? When I was a girl I loved apple dumplings with cream."

"I'm sorry my dear but desserts are not my specialty. I never cared for sweet things."

"Really? Not even as a child?"

"Nope. Not at all. Sugar just never really appealed to my taste buds."

"But didn't you have a special treat that you loved eat when you were little?"

"I did love a warm, buttery, slice of cornbread. Especially with jambalaya."

"Oh that does sound delicious. I've never eaten anything like jambalaya or cornbread."

"You haven't?"

"No. Vaggie only brought me food that didn't require very much cooking like fruit, plain bread, raw vegetables, a few eggs, and an occasional slab of beef."

"Oh you poor thing. You don't know what you're missing."

Charlie giggled a little.

"So apart from cooking, what other interests do you have?"

"I've always enjoyed hearing the splendid sound that is music. Preferably tunes that are upbeat and quick."

"I love music too."

"I know. I heard you singing in your tent last night."

Charlie suddenly stopped dead in her tracks and covered her now red cheeks in bashfulness.

"Oh my God! I was so panicky about you possibly coming into my tent last night that I forgot you might have heard me! Oh this is so embarrassing!"

"What do you mean?"

"My singing voice is terrible! It's so high pitched and squeaky, that whenever I sing glass breaks and birds explode!"

"She's not exaggerating." Vaggie said. "At least not about the exploding birds. How do you think she got those eggs for breakfast yesterday?"

"You mean you actually killed a bird with your singing?" Angel asked.

"I didn't mean to." Charlie said pulling her long hair over her face. "I know that I'm a horrible singer but I still sing! What's the matter with me?"

"Oh I beg to differ my dear." Alastor said. "You didn't sound the least bit horrible to me."

"Please don't lie to me." She said. "It'll hurt my feelings even more."

"But I'm not lying. As a matter of fact, the reason why I was sneaking around your tent last night was because I wanted to know who owned such a lovely voice."

"Lovely?" She squeaked with her eyes coming out from her hair. "You really think my singing is lovely?"

"Dare I say, the most beautiful melody that my ears had ever had the pleasure of hearing."

Charlie then smiled and her blush remained but it was for a different reason.

"Thank you." She said.