Hit Hard

Charlene sat down in her seat on the airplane. Claude sat down next to her. "So." Charlene started. "You get to see where I'm from."

"And take a week off of hockey." He grinned.

"I can guarantee that no one will know a thing about hockey in Ardmore." She smiled.

"A much needed break." He said.

"At least one of us won't be stressed out this week." Charlene sighed. Claude rubbed Charlene's shoulder.

"You'll be fine." Claude said.

"Just wait til we get there." She said as she closed her eyes and laid her head back on the headrest.

"I will see when I get there." Claude crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
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"Hi guys." Charlene smiled as she hugged her mother and father.

"Charlie, this is Claude?" Her mother smiled. Claude nodded.

"Charlie?" Claude mumbled. Charlene gave him a "we'll talk later" kind of look.

"I'm Lillian, and this is my husband, Jonathan." Claude shook both of Charlene's parents' hands.

"It's nice to meet you." Claude smiled.

"So tonight we're hosting the barbecue for the team. It's going to be so great this year! Your father is cooking burgers for it!" Lillian exclaimed.
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"I hope you have a blue polo shirt." Charlene smiled as she threw her suitcase down next to the bed she and Claude would be sharing for the weekend.

"I did." He replied. "You only reminded me to bring it about a million times."

"Good." Charlene smiled. "Tonight might be fun, just be ready for lots of football players and my dad talking about coaching."

"It'll be fine." Claude reassured her with a hug.

"Yeah, you're right." Charlene said. She looked around the room. her eyes rested on a picture on the nightstand. It was the same picture that she kept on hers.

"Those your brothers?" Claude asked.

"Yeah." She paused. "Jason and Tyler. Um, Jason is who's getting married, and Tyler died a year after we took this picture."

"Oh." Claude nodded. Charlene knew he didn't really know what to say.

"He was home from college for the summer and he was driving me and Jason to a party when he lost control and we hit a tree. Jason and I were pretty much okay but Tyler died on the scene." Charlene sighed. "That's why I don't like coming back here." She turned around and placed the frame back on the nightstand.

"I'm so sorry." Claude said as he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Its okay." She smiled and turned around in his arms. "Now put on that blue shirt and let's get ready to go mingle with the football players." Charlene took a yellow sundress out of her bag.

"Hurry and change.” Claude said. “I really want to go down to the barbecue.”

“Fine.” Charlene ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m ready.”

“Great.”Claude smiled. He kissed her quickly, then took her hand and lead her downstairs.

“Oh!” Charlene smiled. “They call me Charlie Anne because its what Tyler called me when I was little to annoy my mom, but it stuck. Everyone still calls me that here.” Claude laughed.

“Cute.” He smiled.

Notes