Chapter Forty-Three
Picnic In The Park
"You have news?"
Ada held the newly named Peter in her arms as she sat on Lottie's bed as Lottie, herself, busied around looking for his toy as he was screaming at the top of his lungs. Karl ran into the room, his hands covering his ears, Freddie beside him, copying his cousin. "Why is he being so loud!" shouted Karl.
"Because he's a baby," said Ada rolling her eyes. "You did the very same."
"Yes, but not that much," he argued.
"Go play with Freddie," she instructed. "Off you go."
Freddie pulled on Karl's shirt before hurrying away, his legs waddling as fast as they could carry him.
When the crying finally ceased, Lottie sighed heavily, stress clear on her face. Ada smiled at her before resting Henry in the cot. His eyes shut, looking angelic in his sleep. Peter's dark tuffs of hair lay flat on his head at the front but at the back, his hair spiked in curls in all directions. The two women stood at the end of the cot, staring at him. "Let's go and leave him to sleep," murmured Ada softly.
Lottie nodded, the two leaving the room, shutting the door after them. As they made their way down the stairs, they heard Karl and Freddie giggling as they played together in the garden. Ada smiled at the sound. "Karl loves playing with his cousin," she said.
"So does Freddie," Lottie replied. The two of them sat in the living room next to the window so they could watch their children.
Lottie then looked at her. "You know, you didn't need to come all the way here to see me," she said.
She shrugged, her eyes hesitantly going to the window before looking back at Lottie. "I wanted to see how my nephews were doing," she replied.
Lottie nodded, but narrowed her eyes slightly in a sceptical way, but Ada avoided her eyes. She was hiding something and this made Lottie's suspicions rise. It wouldn't be anything bad or Ada wouldn't be able to smile, she wasn't very good at hiding bad news. So it was something, not bad, but still a secret.
Ada cleared her throat after looking down at her watch. "I think Michael told me he wanted you to drop in to see him with the kids at four."
"Four?" Lottie repeated. "But he doesn't finish until six today."
Again, Ada shrugged. "That's just what he said." With a raised brow, Lottie hummed, but amused enough to play along with whatever Ada was in on.
When four o'clock arrived, Lottie had put Peter in a stroller and had Freddie on her hip. Hugging Ada and Karl goodbye, she left to walk to Michael's office. It wasn't a far walk and with the baby asleep, Lottie enjoyed it. When she arrived at the building and opened the door, she lowered Freddie to the floor so that he could run to Michael's office; he knew where it was.
"Daddy!" Freddie exclaimed happily.
Lottie smiled as Michael heaved his son up, a wide grin on his face. "How are you, little man?" He asked.
"Good," Freddie nodded enthusiastically.
Lottie walked over and Michael's grey eyes landed on her. This wide grin changed slightly, into something loving but controlled. He put Freddie on his desk chair before turning back to her. She wrapped her arms around him, loving the feeling of warmth that spread through her body. Tilting her face upwards, their lips met. Even when their lips had parted, she didn't let go of him. "Why did you want us to come by?" She asked softly.
"I've planned something," he said cryptically.
She raised her eyes brows. "A surprise?" She questioned.
Michael nodded. He let go of her and picked Freddie up. "I've got the rest of the day off and I thought we could go out somewhere. Somewhere away from here."
"That sounds lovely," she said.
They weren't in the motor for too long and Lottie enjoyed the scenery as the fields tumbled past them. They stopped at a nearby town and the four of them walked along the streets until they found a park. Freddie happily played with the grass and the mud, Lottie having to try and stop him from eating it multiple times. Michael sat beside her, the gurgling baby in his arms. "Lottie," he said quietly.
"Yeah?"
He looked at her dead in the eye. For a moment he hesitated but he seemed to force himself to continue. "Marry me," he said, rushed.
"What?" She breathed, unable to process the words he had said. Where did that come from? Was this the surprise Ada was hiding, had she known? Marriage. Lottie hadn't allowed her to consider it because of James. She could never marry as she already was tied to another, but now she was free. She could marry. And she could marry the father of her children, the man she'd fallen in love with, the boy who helped her love herself again.
"Marry me," he repeated. "We live together, we've got two children. It makes sense. Marry me, Lottie. It's the right thing to do."
Lottie couldn't fight the smile forming on her lips. She thought how she dreamt of heaven when she was in hell and perhaps this was it. This was her reward for her pain. "Alright. Yes, let's get married." Excitedly, she pressed her lips onto his and felt his spare arm wrap around her. Was this what peace felt like, she wondered to herself. She hoped it would last.
Lottie couldn't stop smiling all the way home, she couldn't wait to tell everyone she knew, to spread happy news for once. She wanted to tell Ada and Maxim and Nic. She wanted to tell the world. The following day, after a private celebration with her new fiancé, she hurriedly made her way to the office to look for Polly, determined to tell her the good news. To actually, finally, have some good news to share. She greeted Lizzie as she passed her, pushing through the doors. "Is Polly here?" She asked looking around. "I thought she'd be here today?"
"She just left," she replied.
Lottie felt herself deflate. "Fuck," Lottie cursed under her breath. "Thanks, anyway." She turned to leave but she came face to face with Tommy who stared at her with that controlled expression he always wore. But she knew how to read the emotions in his eyes. She could read him and she felt her heart flutter at his intense gaze. She breathed his name before making herself smile at him. "Tommy, I have good news."
"I'll give you some privacy," said Lizzie, leaving the room.
Tommy raised a controlled brow. "You have news?"
She nodded happily, biting her lip. "I do." She hoped he'd be happy for her, despite the mistake that had happened between them. She hoped he'd understand. Tommy had meant so much to her her entire life, he understood her like no one, saw her through every up and down. Lottie knew he cared about her in a way no one else could. Surely, he'd share her happiness.
Tommy walked over to his desk and took out a cigarette before sitting down. "What is it?"
"Tommy, Michael proposed."
He froze, then removed the cigarette from his mouth. The news seemed to shock him, catching his off guard. A war of emotions thundered within his chest with each beat of his heart. So, he'd lose her after all, he thought to himself.
"He loves me, he wants to be with me," she continued.
"He'll make you happy?" He asked after a moment of silence.
"I love him," she said simply.
Tommy nodded. She loved him. That was that. Love was difficult. He loved Grace, he always would, despite everything that had happened between them. But he knew, despite his mind fighting against his core nature, he needed someone to love and he needed to be loved. He craved it. He couldn't control his heart but it seemed Lottie could control hers. "Congratulations," he said, standing and opening the door for her.
Her heart dropped, she wanted him to be happy for her, she'd be happy for him. What happened between them was a mistake, he must know that. It was the expression on his face that kept appearing before her eyes the rest of the day. She remained in her daydream thinking how his icy eyes seemed to hurt, to bleed before her. She reached for the hairbrush on the sink at Michael's apartment and was about to brush her hair when a long, dark strand of hair entwined in the bristles caught her eye. Frowning, she pulled it out. She shrugged and dropped it in the bin.
A/n:
As Lottie says, 'tomorrow will be kinder' and it finally is tomorrow. Are her dreams finally coming true? Will she finally get a happy ending?
It's a shorter chapter but I enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it - do tell me your thoughts and stuff as they're so valuable to me and I really appreciate all comments! Do vote and follow and look forward to the next update :)))))))))))
Published:: 12/10/2023