Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

53 - Trent and Lotte

'Happy Birthday'

Lotte weakly mumbled this as she picked up her now spilt everywhere coffee, bag and it's contents. The person responsible stood in front of her, reluctant to help.

'Thanks' he said, emotionlessly, like he wasn't happy she'd said it or appeared out of nowhere.

'I didn't know you were here. Ella wanted me to see Rhiannon again - if I'd have known, I would have come tomorrow instead' Lotte explained, almost stuttering. She quickly stood up, almost dropping her bag again. 'I'll carry it' Jack Ginnivan said, unable to take it any longer as he snatched the bag and put the strap over his shoulder.

'It's not really a problem, I don't care if you're here and it should go the same way for you' Josh Daicos said, looking her up and down. Something screamed different. The tee shirt she was wearing, he was sure he'd seen that on someone else some other time at work.

'Josh, you ran into Lotte and she dropped her stuff. Stop acting like you both killed someone' Jack said tiredly, straight to the point for once.

'It's nice to see you're finally out of hospital yourself, Gin. How are you doing?' Josh asked, changing the subject. Lotte bit her bottom lip, suppressing the insult she wanted to fly out with.

It wasn't an actual insult. It was the teammate's name.

'I can't talk about it' Jack said stubbornly, looking everywhere but at Josh, who sadly nodded. He remembered what happened just after he was drafted, in 2016. He'd never forget. And now he had to watch it happen all over again to yet another innocent teammate.

'I'm sorry I ruined your birthday by making a completely coincidental appearance. I'm going' Lotte said, preparing to turn around and walk away. Jack grabbed her and held her into place.

'You dragged me here, you're seeing Rhiannon too' he said.

'I've met her. I'll see her again another day when my ex boyfriend isn't celebrating another lap around the sun' Lotte said, glancing back at Josh. He could hear her. It hurt that she talked about him like he wasn't even in the room.

'Lotte Reyann Sullivan' Jack said, through gritted teeth. The young woman looked at him, taken aback and shocked. 'That's not my name' she said.

'Sorry. Lotte Calum. Lotte Calum Sullivan. You'd think I'd remember that' he said, laughing it off as his best friend Callum Brown came to mind. She looked at him, full of uncertainty and distrust. She didn't like when her former names were mentioned. It felt like a threat.

'How do you even know about the Reyann?' She whispered. Jack shrugged. 'I shagged your sister' he said openly, no shame whatsoever.

'You what?' Lotte asked, voice barely audible now. It was Jack Ginnivan. She didn't know whether to laugh and take it as a joke with a grain of salt, or to slap him like Pam did to Michael Scott in The Office.

'Nah, I'm joking. Like I'd touch Essendon' he said, rolling his eyes and giggling again. Lotte recognised it, that was his stupid laugh, meaning he was about to be an idiot. Josh recognised it too and exchanged a look with her, but she didn't look back at him.

'Well, you do whatever you want, but I'll be in between the two wards all day, visiting my niece and my daughter. You're welcome to see Ivy too if you'd like, her mother's not here so Nick and I are taking it in shifts' Josh said. Lotte nervously fiddled with the ring hanging on her necklace chain, and looked up at Jack.

'I don't need to be told twice' Jack said, barging past the pair and walking into Rhiannon's room. Straight away, he copped the insult from Ella. 'Ew, why you?' She asked.