Shattered Hearts

Chapter 35

"Hi," she said loudly to get their attention.

"Hey," Louis said looking up, his face relieved.

"Can I have a word?" she asked giving Jessie the side-eye.

"Yeah, sure," he said, hastily standing up and following her across the room to the drinks table.

She poured herself a drink, ignoring the food that was on offer. "What are you playing at? You're never gonna get Lottie back flirting with some bimbo."

Louis scoffed. "She latched onto me, I've been trying to get rid of her." He looked across the room, his gaze resting on Charlotte. "Look it's over with her, I've tried and tried but I'm getting nowhere."

"So you're just gonna throw in the towel after all these months," she said crossing her arms over her chest. "You know she's had a hell of a lot to deal with. The divorce, that dumbass complaint, finding somewhere to live." She counted them off on her fingers, "Plus just getting her head around everything."

"That's what I was telling myself," he admitted his eyes still on Charlotte. "But she keeps pushing me away, I'm making her unhappy and that's the last thing I want. I'd rather she be happy with someone else than miserable with me."

"And that tells me how much you love her," Darlene said softly. "Don't walk away now." She looked over to where Charlotte had been sitting but she was no longer there. "Look I'm gonna go and find her, why don't you go talk to Johnny and let the praying-mantis latch onto another victim."

Louis laughed, "Okay, see you later."

~~~

Charlotte splashed water on her face in the bathroom, trying to alleviate the low level of nausea she'd felt all day. She patted her skin dry and then applied a coat of lipstick trying to make herself look halfway human.

"Hey, are you okay?" Darlene asked appearing behind her. "I've been looking for you all afternoon."

"I'm fine." She raked a brush through her hair making a mental note to get her roots done. "I've been catching up with Judy and Tom, and you know how she goes on and on."

"Don't I just," Darlene said rolling her eyes. "It's like she's the only person who ever got married." She frowned cocking her head to one side. "You look kinda pale, I hope you're not neglecting yourself now you've moved out of Sam's place."

Charlotte winced at the implied criticism before telling herself not to be so sensitive. "I'm fine, it's just..." She paused, she should keep her mouth shut but she had to tell someone before she went insane. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course!"

She took a deep breath. "As crazy as it sounds, I think I might be pregnant."

Darlene squealed. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god."

"I know," she said flatly not sharing Darlene's excitement. "I don't see how I can be after what the doctor said but I've got all the signs. Tiredness, nausea, mood swings." She shook her head. "I guess it could be stress."

"When did you last have a period?"

"Before I went on vacation with Louis," she said biting her lip.

"That's over gotta be at least three months ago." Darlene reached her hands out. "Can I feel your stomach?"

Charlotte backed up against the sink. "Like you're a doctor?"

"It wasn't that long ago I was three months pregnant, I know what I'm looking for."

She nodded and Darelene gently pressed her hands against her, umming and ahhing like she knew what she was doing.

"So what's your verdict?" she asked impatiently.

"Unless you've eaten a shitload of cupcakes I'd say there's a little bump," Darlene declared triumphantly.

"I know," she admitted running her hands over her loose-fitting dress. "I can't believe I haven't miscarried already." Part of her had spent the past month praying that she would.

"The doctor said you were at risk of early miscarriage," Darlene said slowly, her eyebrows furrowing. "I'd say three months isn't classed as early."

She looked in the mirror despondently. "What am I going to do?"

"You have to tell Louis." Darlene reached out and pulled her into a hug. "Lottie this is wonderful news! The only reason you two aren't together is that you thought you couldn't have any more children."

"That's not the only reason, it's more than that." She disentangled herself from Darlene's arms feeling suffocated. "I can't tell him, it wouldn't be fair. He'll think I trapped him."

"No, he won't, these things happen."

"I told him we didn't need to use contraception." She felt face flush. "What if I said that cos I wanted to see what would happen? What if I was hoping to get pregnant all along?"

Darlene waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, who cares. Go tell him and get back together."

"The last time I looked he seemed otherwise entertained," she said feigning indifference. "I guess he's going for gingers now." 

Darlene started laughing. "Ginger crashed and burned, he's yours for the taking."

"I doubt he'd want to get back together after the way I treated him," she admitted remembering how she'd been deliberately cruel and hurtful. "I said some terrible things to him."

"He'll forgive you, I know he will," Darelene insisted. "You can always blame your hormones."

She smiled ruefully. "Even if he does, getting together with someone cos you're pregnant is a recipe for disaster."

Darlene blanched. "Gee, thanks a lot."

"I didn't mean you and John," she said quickly. "I was talking about me and Nick."

"I know." Darlene's voice was subdued, her earlier excitement gone. "But you could be talking about me and Johnny, we've had loads of ups and downs. To be honest, if I hadn't fallen pregnant with Junior, I'm not sure we'd have ever got married. I think he'd have tried to get back with Ros." She sighed, her mouth turning down. "He did try to get Rosalind back."

"Has something happened?" Charlotte asked tentatively.

Darlene shook her head. "We had a silly row on the way here about the affair. He started to say something about how he'd lost Ros, almost like he regretted it or something."

Charlotte gaped at her. "He probably meant he regretted the affair. You were arguing, he probably didn't articulate himself properly."

"I don't know," Darlene said biting her lip. "It's like Rosalind's a scab we can't stop picking."

"I'm sure Ros would love that description of herself," Charlotte spluttered.

"It suits her," Darlene said with a small smile. "But let's forget about her for now. What are you going to do about this baby you're having?"

Charlotte swallowed, her throat constricting. "I have absolutely no idea."

~~~

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