"Darlene's had a baby boy," Charlotte told Louis whilst they were sitting outside Dale's office waiting for her appointment. "They're calling him Daniel."
"Yeah, I heard," Louis said, shuffling in his seat. "So how do you feel about it all?"
"Oh I'm fine," she said waving her hand dismissively but he thought she sounded on edge.
"Good, that's good," he murmured thinking it was best to drop the subject. He looked around the characterless waiting area, his eyes narrowing as he took in the carefully coordinated decor. "Dale's done well for himself."
"He has an office in a building block and not one of the better ones," she said testily.
"But the company has all of this floor?" Louis asked his eyes fixing on the logo on the doors in front of them as he tried to distract her.
"About half of it, I think." They fell into silence and she idly fiddled with the beads on her bracelet.
"Stop fidgeting, you're making me nervous," he said, tongue in cheek. She never used to fidget.
"Well I can't smoke in here," she said although the ashtray on the table in front of them said otherwise. "And I'm trying to quit anyway."
"Charlotte," Dale called stepping out of the office door in front of them. "Good to see you." He glanced at Louis, smiling genially as if he'd expected him to be there.
"Can Louis come in with me?' Charlotte asked hesitantly as she stood up.
Dale paused, giving her a long look. "He can but we've got a lot to run through. For speed, it would be easier to see you by yourself."
Charlotte looked away, biting her lip. "'Oh, okay then, I guess time is money."
Dale indicated for her to go into the office, and Louis watched her go, a deep frown on his face.
~~~
For the next hour, Louis sat flicking through some lifestyle magazine as he waited for Charlotte, not taking in any of the words he was reading. When she finally came out, her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
"Hey are you okay?" he asked tentatively touching her arm. She looked up but before she could speak Dale joined them, a stern look on his face. Louis lowered his hand feeling like he'd committed some faux pas.
"I'm just going to the bathroom to fix my makeup, I'll be back in a minute," Charlotte said lowering her head.
He let her go and turned towards Dale. "What did you say to her?" he demanded, instantly blaming him for Charlotte's state.
"I can't tell you that."
"Well, it seems like you've upset her."
Dale sighed, adjusting his tie and then fixing his collar. "She's going through a divorce. It is upsetting. If you want to know anything, ask her."
Louis bristled at his patronising tone. "Look I'm just trying to support her, someone has to."
Dale nodded in acknowledgement. "So are you back here for good? I heard you left the army."
"Yeah I've been discharged for my sins," he said with a rueful laugh.
"What sins?" Charlotte asked as she reappeared behind them.
"Now that would be telling." He wrapped his arm around her, ignoring Dale's glare. "Let me take you to dinner and I might tell you the story."
"I'm pretty sure you won't," Charlotte said rolling her eyes and sounding like her normal self again.
"You're probably right," he admitted. "But you'll get dinner out of it so what have you got to lose?"
~~~
"I take it, it didn't go so well with Dale?" Louis asked keeping his voice low.
Charlotte paused, holding her empty fork aloft. "It did and it didn't." Louis looked at her expectantly as she tried to collect her thoughts. "Well, Dale suggested I change the grounds for divorce to mental cruelty. He thinks Nick might accept that as it sounds sorta wishy-washy. Like he could just tell people I was over-sensitive, whereas everyone knows exactly what spousal abuse means."
"And why should Nick get an easy ride?" Louis asked scowling.
"It's a means to an end."
"But you'd be lying."
She put her fork down, her food untouched. "He was cruel though and Dale thinks it'll be easier to convince the judge. Like if he doubts Nick physically hurt me, there's still plenty of other stuff to consider. And if the judge accepts everything I've said, then he should be happy to sign off the divorce regardless of how it's worded." It had seemed win-win when Dale had suggested it but she had her doubts as she tried to explain it to Louis.
"So Nick's off the hook?" Louis said without expression. "It doesn't seem right."
She sighed. "That's kinda how I feel and I don't relish redoing all my statements."
"I suppose if it gets you what you want, it might be worth it."
"That's what I'm trying to tell myself. Much as I want some sort of actual revenge." She shrugged. "But short of putting him six feet under no revenge would be enough for me anyway."
Louis laughed. "I daresay that could be arranged."
"So long as I can get him to cooperate," she said more serious again. "There's the whole financial settlement to work out and we can't even get onto it when he's contesting the divorce."
"He must know the divorce will happen eventually."
She nodded. "I think he does and the law's supposed to be changing soon to make it easier. I think that will concentrate his mind." He could only delay for so long.
"Good." Louis looked at her plate. "Are you going to eat any of that?"
She looked down and quickly stabbed a piece of chicken. "You were distracting me," she said, ignoring the concerned look on his face.
"Sorry." They ate in silence for a moment, Charlotte wishing that she didn't feel like she was chewing cardboard.
"Actually, Dale told me something else," she said when she thought she'd eaten a satisfactory amount of food. Louis arched his eyebrows. "He said Rosalind might be pregnant." She made herself smile as if the news wasn't a punch to her stomach.
"Right," Louis said putting his fork down, his eyes on her. "And is this good news or bad news?"
"Good for them, I guess." She was entirely sure, Dale had imparted the information with as much emotion as if he was discussing the weather forecast. That could have been to spare her feelings though. "I don't want to make this all about me but first Darlene, now Ros, and no doubt Judy will be next." She shook her head. "Sorry, I'm wallowing in self-pity and it's pointless, it doesn't change my situation."
Louis touched her hand. "I'd like to say I understand but..."
"No, I'm glad you haven't said that cos it's what everyone says and they don't have a clue. They think they're making me feel better but if anything I find it rather dismissive. Like they're invalidating my feelings."
"Now, don't go using all these long words on me," Louis said and she laughed.
"Okay, I'll keep it monosyllabic."
"You've lost me."
"Haha but let's not talk about me anymore." She gave him a pointed look. "Didn't you have a story for me?"
He shrugged. "That was just a ruse to get you to have dinner with me."
She raised her eyebrows, trying to convey that she did not believe him. She noticed the way his jaw would clench whenever they passed by peace protesters or if they came across 'stop the war' graffiti. "Okay," she said slowly not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. "But you have to come up with a change of conversation."
He grinned at her. "That's easy, how about we go away together for summer vacation?"
She gaped at him. "I can't do that."
"Sure you can. You're off work and I have holidays to take."
"I have Jamie to consider," she said shaking her head.
"Right of course." He was silent for a moment. "Won't he be spending some of the vacation with his dad? We could go away then, just for a few days."
"He will be," she mused. "But still, it would be so inappropriate."
Louis gave her a crooked smile. "Aren't you getting tired of always doing the right thing?"
"Maybe."
"So think about it. What have you got to lose?"
She looked away. "I'll consider it but the answer will probably be no."
~~~
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