"Wait up Chlo Bo!" Duncan called when he noticed Chloe quickly climbing out of his car and striding across the cemetery. He quickly locked the car and hurried after her.
"You don't have to come with me." she told him, her heart sinking like it always did when she reached her parent's grave.
"I want to make sure that you are okay." he told her, watching her closely as she dropped to her knees in front of her parent's grave. Her eyes were fixed on the headstone as she sat in silence, picking at the grass.
"I'm fine." she said shortly, quickly shutting down the conversation.
"Hey Dad." she whispered.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been to see you sooner. I hope you aren't too disappointed, but the baby decided to try and come early, and I had to make sure that she was okay." she continued, sighing quietly to herself.
"Your granddaughter that you'll never get to meet." she added, her eyes misting with tears.
"I would give anything to have you both here with me, then maybe I wouldn't feel so overwhelmed and alone." she whispered, gently wiping away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks.
"I tried to reach out to Auntie Gwen the other day, but she's still not speaking to me." she sighed.
"And I know it shouldn't bother me, but I just feel so alone." she added, clapping her hand over her mouth when a small sob escaped her lips.
"You're not alone Chlo Bo, you have so many people that love and care about you." Duncan piped up from behind her, his heart breaking a little when he suddenly realised how much she was secretly suffering. He couldn't help but wonder if the fallout with Lee was the straw that broke the camel's back and that she could no longer take anymore pain and suffering in her life.
"Nobody understands me though." she argued.
"Once I have the baby, I need to get my life back on track. Get a job and move back to Nottingham." she muttered.
"What?" Duncan frowned.
"Nothing." she said quickly, squirming slightly when she realised that she'd said that aloud.
"I need to get my own independence, so that I'm not worthless anymore." she said thoughtfully, almost like she was talking to herself.
"You're not worthless." he sighed, quickly kneeling down beside her and watching her closely, a look of concern on his handsome features.
"What's brought all of this on Chlo Bo?" he asked.
"It doesn't seem like it's just your argument with Lee." he prompted, when she didn't respond.
"I've been feeling a bit trapped for a while. I have no job, barely any money and since I'm pregnant I have no prospects. I just feel completely worthless and vulnerable." she explained.
"And I feel alone, like nobody understands me. My body confidence is at an all time low, even more so after what Lee said." she continued, staring at her hands that were resting in place on her lap.
"Didn't he explain the context of the comment?" he frowned.
"Yes, but I still think there was some truth behind his words, he's probably been lying to me this whole time." she sighed, her heart breaking at the thought of it.
"You know him better than anyone, surely you don't think that he would do that." he pointed out. Chloe shrugged, still not quite able to control the doubts that were swirling around her head.
"I've always known that he can do better than me anyway." she said thoughtfully.
"You need Lee though, he's the love of your life. You can't keep pushing him away." he pointed out.
