Salubrious part 45

Allan and Charlie were about five minutes late to the meeting with Mr. Red.

“Wait so that dream was so sweet though, I am just swooning thinking about a family with you, Charlie…”

Charlie smiled, “Dude we are gonna have to wait though. Don’t we need to talk to a doctor?”

“Yeah. Most likely. I can’t believe, well I can believe it since you’ve always been such a great cheerleader type guy when the situation calls for it, but you… you’re just so gung-ho about it already and I..” Allan rambled excitedly as they walked to where Allan’s dad was sitting.

“Wait what do I call this dude? What’s his name…” Charlie asked.

Allan’s dad stood up, clearing his throat before Allan could answer.

Charlie saw his boyfriend’s father, which honestly, he looked almost exactly like Allan but he had a goatee and mustache.

“Hello, s-sir, how are you? I’m Charlie, Charlie Dompler. It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Charlie stuttered but stood up straight, holding out his hand to shake the man’s hand.

He gave Charlie an intense stare, which made Allan and Charlie feel nervous, so they stayed quiet for a moment.

“I’m, uh, your son’s… I’m his.. Allan’s boyfriend.”

Charlie’s hand was still suspended in the air.

“Shaking hands? That’s for business, Charlie. With family, we hug!” Allan’s father said saucily, pulling Charlie into a fast and steady embrace.

Allan beamed and hugged his father and Charlie together.

Charlie felt crushed by the two men as they sat down, but then got his bearings and sat down.

“So, you two hungry? I’m famished.”

Charlie nodded, and Allan shrugged.

“Order anything. I’m buying today,” Allan’s father said. “So, Charlie what do you do?”

Charlie coughed, looking flustered from the hug and the immediate question.

“Father, why don’t we get drinks and settle in first? This is your first, uh, official meeting with my boyfriend.” Allan suggested.

His father gave him a stern look and Allan sighed, giving Charlie a nod to continue.

“Well, sir, I work with Allan actually for Smiling Friends. It’s a charity, kinda. We go out when a client requests to help someone out to make them feel better about themselves or help get their life back on track. Usually we have someone that has a background in social work, health and human services and other related matters, that’s my partner Pim. He’s got the brains. I got the brawn. Hah,”. Charlie’s voice flattened under Mr. Red’s intense gaze.

“So do you help with the paperwork, like Allan?” Mr. Red asked.

“Sometimes, but my main job is to meet with clients on the field,” Charlie gulped.

“Thirsty, son?”

“No thank you, sir.”

Allan’s father called over for the waitress. “Hey dear, can we get some waters and a few rounds of your house lager.”

Charlie said nothing as Allan’s father ordered for the both of them. When the waitress left, the questions came out like a rapid fire.

“What do you bring to the table for a long term relationship?”

“What’s your five year plan? Where do you see yourself in ten years?”

“Have you gone to college? What’s your level of education at now?”

“Have you ever had a dui or any arrests regarding intoxication?”

And then this one, making Allan look at his father incredously:

“What are your intentions with my son?”

Charlie blushed. Allan growled.

“Father, this isn’t why I wanted you to meet Charlie,” Allan said in an annoyed voice.

“No, it’s alright, hon. Mr. Red, your son and I have been steadily dating for going on three months now. I can honestly say this whole time with him has made me a happier, kinder, healthier and better man. I asked Allan recently to move in with me, he says yes. And I gave him a promise ring. I don’t just give out those sorts of commitments unless something and someone has made me feel… well, safe enough to even consider something so important.” Charlie sighed. “My intention is to make your son so deliriously happy that he won’t ever see another day alone, sad or hurting without me there to hold his hand and make sure he’s okay.”

“So in other words, you are in love?”

Allan’s mouth went agape, shocked beyond all comprehension after the passionate and sweet speech Charlie gave.

“Uh, wowza, Charlie,” Allan blurted out, making Charlie chuckle.

Mr. Red had everyone order their entrees as he was seemingly pondering something for a while.

The appetizers came in and as Charlie was taking a bite, the all hands on deck father asked another buckshot of a question.

“So how do you handle my son’s add-it-tude when he’s in a moody state?”

Allan scoffed, “Please, father, you’re embarrassing me.”

Charlie laughed, “I make him laugh until he is ready to be seen by the public again!”

Allan’s father seemed to love that one and laughed too.

Allan stayed silent, giving both of them the evil eye.

“So, you wanna prove yourself right?”

Charlie gulped, taking a sip of water. “Uh? Yes.”

Allan frowned. “Dad, don’t do this. He’s not going anywhere. He’s mine, I own him.”

Charlie chuckled, looking at Allan with a side eye. “Dude, you don’t own me. But you’re right, I ain’t going anywhere. I am by all accounts, his actual property.”

Allan’s father laughed uproariously.

“Stop making my father laugh, Charlie, it’ll make him think he is powerful!” Allan whispered, and Charlie just scoffed.

“Okay, Mister Smiling Friends Charlie that’s also the love of my son’s life…. Go up to those mean, judgmental looking bikers and proclaim your love to my son loudly and proudly…”

“What the actual eff, dad, no way. No this is where I put my foot down. You do this too much and..” Allan said in an affirmative tone.

“I’ll do it,” Charlie replied, looking at the father seriously.

Allan was flabbergasted, silent and seething at his dad.

“Please father?”

“Even though you’re being nice and polite, son, this isn’t your choice,” Mr. Red said in a serious voice, looking at Charlie.

Charlie drinks some more water to clear his throat and gets up, steadying himself to keep his cool and wits about him.

“Charlie, no,” Allan said, looking at him with big, sad eyes.

Charlie cleared his throat, went over to Allan, kissed his forehead and said, “Don’t you worry your sweet little head, baby. I got this shit covered.”

Mr. Red watched with amusement and barely restrained laughter as he saw Charlie go up to the bikers at the bar with a completely serious look.

“Hey, what’s up? I’m Charlie,” Charlie said to the angry looking bikers gang.

“Uh, who the heck are you? Get away from us,” one of the bikers said.

“Oh, I’m Charlie, I’m here to tell you something. So, you see that tall drink of water over there?”

“Seriously? Can you get the hell away from us? This is a private party,” a more buff biker guy said in an intimidating manner.

“Look, I’m not leaving, man, not until I say something, no offense. I don’t mean to be rude or anything,” Charlie reasoned.

“What tall drink of water? I don’t see no girlys over there. Just two dudes,” another one with a beard laughed.

“The red guy. Not the one with the goatee and mustache. The other one,” Charlie pointed directly at Allan, who covered his face and blushed. “The one that has that hot blue tie on. So yeah, he’s the love of my entire life. I’d die for him. I’d get beaten up for him, I’d..”

“God this isn’t amateur night at the Apollo theater. Shut this guy up. Please. I’ll pay for someone to knock this dude out…” the one with the beard said.

Charlie made a fist. “Dude why pay for someone to beat me up when you can do it yourself.”

“You’re just a little guy, though. That ain’t fair…” the guy with the beard said, standing up.

“So? I’m not scared of you guys.”

“So, we ain’t scared of a little yellow dude that’s in love with a weird red dude!” Another guy laughed.

“You know what, you all aren’t worth it. Have yourself a nice day. Try to smile more. Maybe then you’ll feel better about yourself!” Charlie said, walking off.

“Happy Pride!” The bikers all said in unison, making Charlie blink and turn in shock.

It was then he turned to see Mr. Red grinning at him.

“Thanks fellows!” Mr. Red exclaimed.

“No worries man!” One of the bikers said.

Charlie realized it was a prank, making him feel relieved yet a bit cranky at Allan’s father for setting this up.

“Oh my God, dad. This was worse than with my old girlfriend Stephany.. this was in high school Charlie don’t look at me like that…” Allan said with a nervous laugh.

“Wait you knew what he was doing?” Charlie asked as the father was laughing so hard he fell to the ground.

“I didn’t know. I was hoping he would behave. He didn’t!” Allan yelled at his father, who wasn’t listening.

“Stephany?” Charlie lowered his voice.

“She didn’t pass the test, don’t worry. This was in my freshmen class. It was nothing. You’re everything. Pre and post Stephany.” Allan looked mortified, sipping his water angrily. “I love you!” Allan whispered to Charlie.

Charlie whispered back, “I love you too!”

Allan’s father finally contained himself and got up to the table. “Oh my goodness. Lord help me. Charlie you’re a gem, I love you already.”

“You really got me, sir. My pacemaker went on the fritz for a moment back there.”

“Sorry about that son. I just want you to know what family you’re getting involved with…”

“A crazy one!” Allan added.

“Yup!” His dad agreed.

They finished out lunch and dessert. Mr. Red paid and Charlie put the tip.

“Service workers always get stiffed,” Charlie put out two twenties.

“That’s a real keeper,” Allan’s dad said with a gleam in his eyes, and Allan nodded.

Later, after the couple settled home, Allan asked him why he didn’t question his father and just did what he asked.

“Dude I debase myself on a daily basis with our clients. If I can down a literal French Maid outfit to make an angry dude smile, I can tell a bunch of potentially dangerous bikers that I’m madly in love with you, man…” Charlie said, holding Allan close while they rewatched an old Star Wars prequel.

Allan smiled, kissing Charlie on the mouth happily.

“Wait… you got a French Maid outfit and you didn’t show me?” Allan said loudly. Charlie laughed.

Things were looking good finally. And so did Charlie… in his French Maid uniform (according to Allan who saw it later).