The York Gallery; Monday [ 11/03. ]

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

Clipboard in hand and a lot of coffee in her system, Charlotte busied herself that morning with going through the open space of the gallery and reviewing her layout plan for the exhibit coming in tomorrow. She'd spent many hours planning it, but, of course, one could never be too careful, and she felt it was important to ensure that everything was planned perfectly to avoid any confusion at all for when the pieces arrived and had to be put up.

She'd also made sure that all the posters were perfectly centered in the windows for people to see.

[[ gallery isn't open but the post is! come on in ]]

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[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

Kevin took a moment to study the poster before entering the gallery. Finally, a form of art he was familiar with. Granted, he had never really been much of a photographer, but he had been paid to "model" several times.

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

Charlotte peeked her head around the entryway into the gallery proper when she heard someone come in.

"Kevin! Hi!" She greeted him brightly and took a break from her organizing to go see him. "How've you been?"

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

Hey, Miss York," he said. "I've been good. You know. Taking it easy." He looked about the space. "Just thought I would come in and see what was going on. My Saturdays have been kinda dull and stuff, you know, without work."

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

Charlotte couldn't help smiling admirably at Kevin for that; it was so nice to see a young person who liked to work! "Well," she said, "the next exhibit starts Wednesday, so you don't have to worry about that anymore. It's showing up tomorrow if you have an interest in helping put up the pieces. You know I always appreciate an extra hand, and it's best not to let all that hammering practice you got in go to waste, right?"

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"Hey, right! I can totally come in tomorrow and do that." He was so gifted at hammering things, and loved that Charlotte appreciated that.

"Should I bring my own hammer?" He had bought one, thinking that he might get some posters for his dorm room.

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"If you'd like," Charlotte said, with a little uncertainty. She never used one enough to know whether it was usually preferable to use your own or if all hammers were just about the same across the board. "There are some here, though, so it's up to you."

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"Okay," he said, trying to look thoughtful. "I'll think it over. It's fairly substantial, so might not be the best choice for delicate hammer work such as this."

He walked over to the closest wall and wrapped it with his knuckles. "So, um, can I ask you a question?"

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"Of course, Kevin," Charlotte said, lowering her clipboard so that he would know that he had her utmost attention. "I can't promise I can help with an answer, but I can promise to try."

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

Kevin smiled. He knew he could count on his boss lady to help him out with this one. "Have you ever called out the wrong dude's name while having sex?"

It had to be a fairly common occurrence, right?

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

Charlotte blushed so hard that she nearly dropped her clipboard. Thankfully, though, she was pretty quick and, with a bit of fumbling, was able to catch it before it reached the ground and, with a deep breath, tried to compose herself from the flustered attempt. "I...well, I...I've never done it personally," she admitted. "I mean, I did confuse Dale for my exhusband at first, but that, I mean, that's an honest mistake because the two look just alike, but I've never...I mean, during...but I do know that it happens with some people, sure! My girlfriends back in New York, I'm sure, have had that happen to them all the time!"

Nope, that wasn't helping at all with the blush.

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"But it was an honest mistake, right? It's not like it meant something or anything..." He scratched the back of his head. "Right?"

Toby had been his world -- still was, in many ways. But Lucas had been so comforting and new and cute...

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"Oh, of course!" Charlotte said, nodding emphatically. "Completely honest mistake."

Not that she could ever imagine doing it herself, or that she could ever forgive herself if she did, or that she could ever forgive Dale if he did something like that, but, well, Kevin was young and...maybe just a little special. She certainly wasn't going to tell him any of that; poor thing would feel so bad!

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

Kevin relaxed visibly. "That's what I thought," he said. "I just wasn't sure. I guess it's just because we both did it that things went so bad." He didn't think of fully explaining what he was talking about.

"But, then again, maybe we both really did mean it, and we just aren't meant to be." He frowned.

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"Problems with your boyfriend, Kevin?" Charlotte asked. Wild guess, really. "if you called out someone's name during...intercourse," she felt odd saying sex to her teenaged employee, "what did he do?"

She almost wasn't sure she wanted to know, but how could she give Kevin advice if she didn't know what was happening?

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"We broke up," he clarified. "So I'm single now." And that just felt wrong.

"But he called out another dude's name the same time I did. I mean, we usually, you know, peak at the same time, but Toby is always like totally into me when we do, so it was a total shock."

He shrugged. The truth was he had woken up cold and alone this morning, and it hit him hard.

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"Oh," Charlotte said, brows knitting a bit as she frowned thoughtfully.

"Well," she offered, and she really did hate to say it; it actually looked somewhat physically painful for her, "maybe there is something in exploring other options if you're both doing it. I mean, you guys are still so young, and if you're thinking about some else during s--things, then, you know..."

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"You're right. I'm totally going to sleep with Lucas!" Kevin smiled brightly. "I knew I should have come talk to you earlier. You're like all wise and stuff, like what you think a cool mother would be like if you, like, had a cool mother or something like that."

He walked up and went to give Charlotte a hug.

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

Charlotte was just a little too confused about whether or not this was a good thing she'd just advised or an awful thing to really do much else but give Kevin a rather befuddled pat on the back as he hugged.

"Uh, just...you know. Be safe?"

If she was inadvertently encouraging kids to have sex, she should at least promote that they do it safely.

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

He stepped back. "No worries there. My general always goes into unexplored territory with his helmet on."

Kevin was feeling much better about things now. "I should probably get going. But I'll definitely swing by tomorrow to help with the setup."

[perfectmissyork.livejournal.com]

"Okay!" Charlotte met that with a big smile because at least having Kevin helping was something she knew she couldn't feel..odd about. "Sounds good! Thank you, Kevin! And, uh, good luck?"

[my-tragic-past.livejournal.com]

"Thanks. You're the best, Miss York," he called out as he left.

He needed to plan out how to approach Lucas.