lets think about it

He'd never been to her place. Nor Nico's place, in fact. But here was Draco. Ready to tell Charlie something. He felt he had too.

"Why?" She looked at him as if he should not be here, but Carson wasn't home.

"What's the big deal? He's still at work, isn't he?" Draco took a look at her. He almost smiled, but he knew he didn't have a right, too.

"Did you walk?" She asked.

"So." He shrugged.

"So I guess..you won't be taking Lily, anywhere?" She winced, thinking this visit was all about their daughter, but it wasn't.

"You, don't like me to drive, anyway." He looked at her ever so serious, as if she never ever let him have any fun when they were together.

"Lily's not here." She told him Lily had a play date. She had a new friend from school.

"You're all alone?" His grin was open as he stood there with his hands in his front jeans' pockets ever so casual.

"What do you want?" She was so calloused. That must have been Carson's doing, as far as Draco was concerned.

"So, this is how it is..not even gonna offer me a beer or anything?" He plopped on the couch, put his arm out as if she'd sit right next to him, like she used too. She used to open the beer for him and everything. She was the kind of girl who'd take your shoes off. Even wash'm off..on occasion. Not anymore.

They used to do a lot of camping together. Even on dirt bikes.

Charlie scrunched a frown that he wanted too much.

"We don't have any."

"Well, you gotta have something." Draco looked up at her, as if she was a liar. She was always bringing in something to his folks.

She rolled her eyes at that and got him some tap water.

Draco didn't like this Charlie, but then he hadn't seen Charlie in a good long while. He couldn't bare to look at her, when she was in an orange jump suit, so he guessed he deserved this welcome.

"Is there something I'm ..I'm..missing?" Her face was tight with anguish. She was overworked and thin.

He took a sip of water and decided to gulp the whole thing. He hated to do this..but actually..he really didn't.

"I thought I saw you..other day..with..with..CARSON." He hated that name, but he didn't go on to tell her... he'd been panhandling down by the ritzy mall out in West Omaha. "But..but..it wasn't you."

"Were you drunk?" Her question was an insult.

"NO." He winced hard. "Look, he was with the new and improved you." He stared at her wondering what she'd think of the pretty blond girl. She was practically Charlie's doppelganger.

"Maybe he was." She just shrugged, as it made no difference to her.

"What? That doesn't bother you?" He looked at her as if she should care. "Its not too late, you know? You could kick him out of here."

She closed her eyes ever so gently and shook her head.

"Draco, just go." She said ever so quietly. "I'll tell Lily that you missed her, and you'll be back..some day..to take her to the park."

Draco winced hard. This was not going where he hoped it would. Of course, in his head, she would get back at Carson. They'd be in bed right now. Of course, he didn't really want to think about the part of Carson finding them together. And now he never would know, because Draco was leaving.