Throwing Shadows (A Mialotte Story)

Chapter Three

For once, Charlotte is actually glad that she's at the sister nursery. At least here, in the rooms, nobody knows her well enough to spot the changes in her demeanour or to realise that she's been in the same clothes for two days. She's grateful that Carly isn't in the toddler room and that she might just be able to get away with going unnoticed for enough time for her to get her story straight. Or, as it turns out, possibly not so straight.

That's a thought Charlotte consciously parks for another day as she walks into the office to pick up the day's register and the activity plan for her group.

Of course, Reece is already in. And of course he notices straight away that she's smiling. That's to be expected after a week of her moping around, tearing up at every cross word that has come her way. What she doesn't expect is for him to notice that her ring is missing. He really is an unusual guy. For whatever reason, Charlotte knows she can trust Reece. She can talk to him.

Before she knows it, the words, the truth, are spilling from her lips. It's freeing to finally be honest. It feels like a good next step for her.

"You've already helped me more than you know." She can't help but be cryptic. In truth, Charlotte knows she's enjoying the playful nature of this something she has going on with Mia. The will-they-won't-they is something she hasn't experienced at all since college. The attention isn't exactly her favourite, but it's better than the pitying looks she would have got if people had found out about her separation before Mia had come into the picture.

Reece might actually be too observant, Charlotte realises. It's one thing to notice the ring is missing, but to comment on her wearing the same clothes? He's definitely unlike any other man she's ever met.

Maybe that's why Mia could deal with him. The thought leaves as quickly as it arrives as Charlotte makes her way through the nursery and up the stairs to the staff room. The short commute from Mia's apartment has left her with a merciful few minutes before her shift. Just enough time, she realises, for the second coffee she's going to need to make up for her lack of sleep.

It's as she's almost at the top that Charlotte spots familiar burgundy hair out of the window.

In the car park.

With Marjorie.

Subconsciously, Charlotte pulls out her phone, waiting for the inevitable message from Mia when she tells Marjorie what has been going on. It's scary to finally be honest, but Charlotte knows that having Mia broach it with her boss- her friend- might just be a whole lot easier than trying to get over the acrimony between them and say it herself.

She's taking a sip of her coffee, stretched out in the otherwise empty room, when she hears footsteps. Heavy footsteps.

Reece throws himself down opposite her and lets out a sigh. Charlotte wonders at first if it's because of Marjorie but then he explains that it's Carly and Eric's early morning flirtations that have forced him out of his own office. Then, almost out of nowhere, he mentions that he knows Mia and Marjorie are talking. He confesses that he thinks she's at least partially in the right and admits that he isn't about to go down there and play knight in shining armour to Marjorie's damsel in distress.

Charlotte can't say much in return before her phone vibrates.

Arse = Handed

She smiles. She knows she shouldn't be acting like this, not after everything she said about Marjorie and Reece, but when the next message comes through Charlotte can't help herself.

You don't need to thank me. But if you want to, I accept all sorts of favours...

It's a miracle she doesn't choke on her coffee.

Or chuck it over someone else.

Namely the annoying parent who barges into her in the corridor and then blames her for it. Charlotte is in a good mood for the first time in weeks, but she doesn't think it's going to last long in this place if the parents are going to be testing her like this before the caffeine from her last coffee has even had time to enter her veins.

She's about to formulate a response, to think of something that will get her point across without pissing anyone else off, when she hears Marjorie's voice ring out.

For the first time in a week, it doesn't fill her with dread.

"Thank you." There's a lot underlying Charlotte's words. Thank you for getting that parent away from me, thank you for finally hearing Mia out, thank you for not barging in here demanding to know my business. Thank you for giving me time.

It isn't exactly clear how much of Charlotte's meaning Marjorie actually gets, but in her own way she confirms that Mia has actually done a decent job of bridge-building after their chat in the car park.

"My nursery don't feel the same without you" is about as close as Charlotte has ever heard Marjorie get to being really sincere when she's still in the wrong.

It's as she's walking away that Charlotte realises the impact Mia's words have obviously had.

She isn't a fan of threats or blackmail but she has to admit that, this time, it might just have been the right call.

Charlotte only hopes she never has to find out what Mia threatened to do.