Between us

Chapter 26

Dominic's pov:

He made his way towards the hideout and looked at the time, it's late, but hopefully Charlie's still awake, he wanted to try and convince her that he can change, and that they could be happy again. As he got closer he saw a woman sitting on the porch. 
It was Charlie. 

"What are you doing out here so late at night?" He asked her and she looked up. 

 "Just catching my breath," she said and he nodded, "you know how much I love the ocean." She added and he looked at her. 

He remembered their first honeymoon trip to Hawaii, how she ranted on about the blue sea and how much fun she had trying to surf. Could she also remember it? 

"If it weren't so chilly and rainy tonight, I wouldn't have minded to take a quick swim." She said and tightened the shawl around her shoulders. "And in different circumstances obviously." She added and touched her stomach. 

He chuckled and stepped closer. "May I?" He asked and motioned the open space next to her. For some reason he felt immense joy when she nodded and when he sat next to her. 

Why was Charlie being so friendly with him? Was it just because of her hormones, or because she finally accepted that Ryder's dead and now she wants closure from him? Or could it maybe mean that she's beginning to like him again? 
Oh, how he wished the last one was true. 

"I still want to be friends with you, Charlie." He tried his luck by asking her. 

She looked at him with big eyes. "Really?" 

He nodded. 

"Then okay, for Puppet." She said and he smiled gratefully. Then she touched her stomach suddenly. 

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked her with concern but she only shook her head and took his hand and put it on her stomach. Before he could question her, the baby gave a strong kick and pride began to swell in his chest and he smiled at her. 

"It'll not be easy, but we'll take it one step at a time, Dom." She said with his hand still in hers. 

She called him Dom again. 

                                                                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie's pov: 

It's been two days after Dominic and I sat on the porch. Two days after I tried to 'forgive' him. If only he knew. 

I just came out of the shower with the towel around my body and I sat down, feeling slight discomfort as Puppet kicked again. These days her kicks became more urgent and I realized that it's almost time for her to finally come into this world. Don't get me wrong, I very happy, but I don't want her to be around all this negativity. Especially around Dominic. 

It takes a lot of effort not to visibly cringe when he touches me. To think I had hope for the both of us once. But that was when I thought that I'll never find love, that I'm just meant to be on my own.
Until I met Ryder. He showed me love so unimaginable, and I realized that I can never love someone so deeply like him. 

I missed him. 

A lump began to form in throat and I got dressed to try and forget the pain, but the void felt extra empty today. 

Just as I finished getting dressed, Dominic walked in the room with a grin on his face. "Good morning, Charlie." 

"Good morning, Dom." I answered with a slight smile. 

"You had breakfast yet?" 

"Not yet." 

"Good, we're gonna eat outside today." He said and I looked at him in shock.