He notices it first when Judy returns home, shopping bags in hand already babbling on about something or other as soon as she walks through the doors. ‘It’ being the look in his mother’s eyes, the adoration, the gratitude, perhaps the love, as if she’s sending daggers made of hearts and flowers and kisses with her eyes.
“…Oh and Jen look what I got for you…” Judy’s rummaging through the bags herself and his mom had carried to the kitchen counter, food already spread over the top waiting to be put away.
She holds some little container out to Jen, a massive grin on her face that he can’t help but roll his eyes at as he watches their exchange from the couch, phone in hand but eyes fixed on the two women.
“Lotion?” His mom frowns confused.
He stands up and goes to take a packet of Doritos from the large bag Judy’s emptying, ripping them open and shovelling a few into his mouth all at once.
“Yeah, your back’s been sore right? So I though later, me…you a bottle of wine, some essential oils…” Judy’s doing something sort of dance that makes Charlie cringe.
“Oooo now you’re talking..” Jen grabs the lotion from her, a sparkle in her eye.
What is that about?
“Can you stop? I’m about to throw these Doritos back up” He shakes his head at their antics, but can’t help be amused by them. He even likes it really, not the obvious fucking flirting that’s going on between them fruitlessly, but he enjoys the light hearted banter they share, the gentle touches that each of them give the other that seems to make everything better for the two women. It wasn’t like this with his dad, he doesn’t remember what the house was like when he was younger but all he remembers is argues and a strange tension floating between the guest house and the main, his mother would sit alone nursing a glass of wine while his dad would escape to his music studio. The guest house isn’t an escape room now though, not somewhere where his dad plays music to run away from his problems but somewhere that evokes happiness and creativity in a way that it never did with his dad. It was Judy’s for sure, her paintings were hung on the walls and whenever Henry wanted to do something crafty he’d join Judy in the guest house to paint, the room was a full on mess that looked like a first grade art classroom after kids had run wild through it but even he felt safe in it. He’d used it a few times to work on his art project, they’d had to create a black and white landscape piece and Judy had watched over him, helping him to get the right angle or gradient. He likes that about Judy, she’d help all of them even if he was being a dick, she helps his mom even when she’s being a bitch.
“Well then it’ll teach you to save your appetite for dinner” Jen says, beginning to help Judy pack away the groceries.
“Which is when by the way? And what’re we having?” He asks still munching on the Doritos.
“I thought I could try making pizza? It’s your favourite and we usually order I know, but I thought I’d give it a try?” Judy asks, she looks at him as if his response will either fill her heart or drain it.
He nods. “Sure, can I help?”
Judy looks at him, tilting her head. “You wanna?”
Jen frowns, “yeah, you wanna help? Are you feeling okay Char because-“ she presses her hand against his head sarcastically, he pulls away quickly.
“Jesus mum yeah..” he swipes at his forehead as if Jen has left a bunch of disgusting germs there or something. “I’m fine, I like helping Judy cook, she can actually do it, and she makes it fun” he admits, rolling his eyes.
There it is again, that look, Jen stares at Judy as the brunette grins at Charlie wanting to help and at the fact he called her fun, she almost looks as if she’s won the lottery something. He’s a little proud of himself for bringing so much joy to a person, Jesus is it really that easy to make someone happy. He shakes his head and goes to wash his hands, throwing the empty packet in the bin as he goes. His mother is still starring at Judy minutes later as they begin preparing the dough.
*
Charlie notices it next, and he thinks Henry does too because that night he asks if he thinks their mom like likes Judy. They’re in the living room about to watch a movie, he’s actually been able to choose the movie tonight, as long as it was under 15 and suitable for them all to watch. Judy had pressed play on ‘Shrek 2’, he’d argued with Henry that it was the best one, and she’s just come back from getting the popcorn Henry had asked for around half an hour into the film. She snuggles back into his mother, who opens her arm for Judy to lay against her side. He grabs a handful of the popcorn from the bowl Judy’s passed him and then passed it along to Henry who then hands it to Jen. She leaves the bowl on the coffee table and grabs a handful, placing the popcorn on her lap and gesturing for Judy to help herself. She does and after popping one into her mouth she smiles up at Jen.
“You’re comfy” He hears Judy whisper, from the corner of his eye he sees her cuddle further into his mom if that was even possible without her climbing into her lap.
“I can tell” Jen nudges Judy with a small scoff.
Henry shushes her, engrossed in the film. Charlie smirks as Jen motions her fingers pretending to zip her mouth closed, then she rests her cheek on Judy’s head.
“Get a room” He mutters, Henry containing a laugh and Jen and Judy just looking at him, the former throwing a ‘fuck you’ his way.
He rolls his eyes and turns back to the movie, it’s on the part where Fiona doesn’t know who Shrek really is and their kiss doesn’t break the curse, so apparently it’s not considered ‘true love’ or whatever. He hears Judy tutting when the kids doesn’t work, and also a little ‘aww’. She’s always so vocal when watching tv shows or movie he’s noticed, he used to be annoyed at her interrupting every second but he’s gotten so used to it that he almost waits for her commentary. Judy’s actually pretty funny he thinks, they don’t give her enough credit for it. She’s also a sucker for fairytales and she starts crying at the end of this one, like every other Disney or Pixar or Dreamworks film they watch, she’d sobbed her heart out at Frozen when Anna froze.
“Judy…” Jen wraps her other arm around Judy’s shoulders.
“I know…it’s only a film but, aw, it’s so sweet” Judy sniffled, wiping her hand on her face to get rid of the tears. She’s basically ugly crying right now, over a fucking film.
“Maybe we should stop watching happy movies with her…” Charlie nudges Henry who nudges him back in defence of the brunette.
“Don’t cry Judy, it’s a happy ending” Henry says, standing up and sitting himself on the edge of the couch Jen and Judy are sitting on. He reaches out and rubs her shoulder.
Judy nods and composes herself, he can see it in the way she shakes her head and dries her eyes, planting a huge smile on her face once finished. “It is…I wonder if I’ll ever find true love someday” Judy thinks out loud. He looks to his mom to see how she’ll handle this one, he half knows that this so called true love Judy wants is actually closer than she thinks. Sitting next to her actually.
Jen has tears in her eyes, a distant look in them as if she’s thinking about something. He sees her biting her cheek, as if she’s stopping herself from saying something. She leans forward, “Well, we love you Judes…I love you…truly,” she scoffs a laugh, “if that helps…” she offers with a small smile.
Judy nods and bumps her forehead against Jens gently, “I know, I love you all truly too”
*
The next time he notices it he isn’t supposed to notice it, or be awake for that matter. Him and Henry had been left to a takeaway and to entertain themselves while Jen and Judy spent the night out together. “Mommy and your….other mommy are spending some well deserved free time together, so behave and don’t be little shits” She’d left them with money for pizza and that was that. They’d left dressed in fancy clothing, makeup and all. He’d wondered if his mom had finally plucked up the courage to ask Judy out on a date.
Henry’s in bed but he’s been playing his video games for the past hour and he’s kinda hungry, there’s some left over pizza downstairs and he was about to go heat it up when the front door opens and he has to stop in his tracks to hide from his mother and Judy. They’re laughing when they come in, he hears Judy shush Jen and they try to keep it down but it’s really not working. They sling there shoes next to the shoe rack and walk into the kitchen.
“Thanks for suggesting that Jude it was really fun actually” Jen says, dumping her back on the kitchen counter.
“No problem! I enjoyed it too, although you’re a much better dancer than me” Judy says, he hears glasses clinking so he assumes they’ve cracked open the wine.
He hears them talking some more and sits on the top step.
“I can’t believe we did all that and didn’t drink once, I’m like a fucking changed woman I swear” Jen laughs.
“Not that much changed…” Judy slides the glass of wine along to prove her point. “But yeah, you can definitely move” she says.
“I was a dancer so…”
What the fuck since when? He’s gonna have to ask her about that without letting her know he’d been listening to their conversations.
“And you’re still a good one…” Judy tips her head back tiredly.
Jen gulps a mouthful of wine down and grimaces, “I don’t even want this… I’m so tired” she yawns and stretches her arms above her head.
Judy stands up to massage her shoulders a little, Jen groaning in appreciation which makes Charlie throw up a little in his mouth.
“That feels good” Jen relaxes under Judy’s hands, they’re working along her shoulders and back and releasing every knot as they work against her skin.
Judy finishes and sits down next to her, dragging the stool closer to Jen’s so their knees are touching. Jen yawns again. “You’re really beautiful you know that?” Judy says quietly, eyes fixated on Jen.
He hears his mom scoff, “yeah right…”
“You are…” Judy cups her cheek and leans closer to her, breaths warm against each other’s noses. “I wish you saw yourself like I do” She says and honestly Charlie kinda feels like crying a little because he’s never heard anyone say anything as nice as that ever, to his mom as well.
“I wish you appreciated yourself like I do”Jen says back, her hand going up to stroke Judy’s waist through the tight fitted dress she’s wearing, her warm hand against Judy’s side.
He peaks around the corner when it goes silent, and he’s not surprised in the slightest to see his mom with her hand holding Judy’s face while they kiss each other contentedly in the dark kitchen, only the spotlights from under the cupboards were on. He almost blushes but he can’t turn away when they pull back and gaze into each other’s eyes, like they’re the sun and moon and they can’t be without each other. They lean in again, smiling this time, and Charlie’s sure he hears a sniffle come from one of the women, he’s not sure which. He creeps back upstairs with an embarrassing grin on his face.
About time.