Just us.

2. Doesn't have a heart.

I'm back at the Sister Nursery today and I already want to go home. Last night was my first night without the girls and it felt all too real.

The deal we agreed on, is that Nathan picks the girls up from school on Monday and keeps them until Friday. Then I'll pick them up from school on Friday and keep them the weekend until Monday. It seems like he gets them all week, but really, it's only after schools and mornings. I work late on week days and he works on weekends too so it worked out okay. At least this way we don't have to see each other.

I will admit, he's a good dad to our girls. He plays with them, helps with their homework, takes them to the park. At least when he's not working or in some pub.

I told him if he wanted to contact me to go through his sister, Claire, who I actually get along with. She's happy to relay any messages but it doesn't stop him from trying to call me.

After ignoring another message popping up on my phone from an unknown number, I roll my eyes. I know it's his new girl trying to talk to me again. I told Claire to tell Nate I wanted her to have nothing to do with our children and this is her retaliation. Trying to get into my head that this is all my fault. That I was a bad wife. I blocked the number and headed down to start the day.

...

After doing handover with a few parents, I notice that one of the kids, Sylvia, seems to be struggling to breathe.

I quickly grab her inhaler that her mum sighed in this morning but as it's prescribed medication, I need another staff member to witness it. Calling the office in hopes someone is in there, Mia answers.

I quickly explain to her the situation and she says she'll be right down.
"It's alright sweetheart" I comfort the blond 4 year old.

Mia enters and I rush to give her the papers to scan over while shaking the inhaler to use
"Wait a minute" suddenly she interrupts and tells me the names are wrong. Sylvia's mum explained this situation this morning and that our systems has her last name wrong. I made Mia aware of this, however she said we couldn't give her the inhaler.

I am in no mood to argue with Mia as she's blabbing on about reliability and legal crap. Is she really going to stand there and deny a STRUGGLING CHILD her inhaler?

"There's nothing we can do"
"Actually, there is" rolling my eyes, I give Sylvia the inhaler before telling Mia to do one.

Sylvia regains her strength as she breaths in and out deeply. I stand to my usual hight and watch Mia's eyes run down my body before smirking
"Who knew Charlotte had a backbone?" Hm. Winter would definitely be proud of me for standing up to Mia like that. Hell, I'm proud of me.

...

After another member of staff arrives to take over, I go up to the staff room and take my phone out to check my messages. I click on Carly's number, reading her latest text.

Carly
Hey char, coming up to the sister Nursery tomorrow. Ps. I have gossip.

Carly and I are really close. She's so bubbly and confident even on her worst days. That's what I love about her. She never fails to put a smile on my face. She's also a great source of entertainment as she is always listening in on the drama.

Nathan's name comes up on my screen and the phone vibrates in my hand. I have at least 20 minutes for my break and no one else is in here so I decide to answer.

"Hello?"
"Where do you get off telling me who to spend my time with?" His voice travels through the phone to my ear
"What are you talking about?" I never said he couldn't see anyone. I just don't want her to see our kids.
"Ashley is my girlfriend. Maybe if you were a better wife we wouldn't be in this situation Charlotte."

I am not dealing with this.
"Me? I tried to fix our marriage Nathan. You're the one sleeping around in every pub bathroom you can find! I want you to keep being a dad to the girls. But she can stay out of it and stop contacting me"

I hang up before he can even reply. My breathing deepens as I try to calm myself from that burst of anger. I suppose I've been suppressing it for a while now.

"Trouble in paradise, sweetheart?" Her voice brings goosebumps up my back. Crap.

Slowly, I start to turn around to face her. Red faced surly.
"Mia" I breathe out "how long have you been standing there for?" Do I even want to know the answer to that? Oh god what am I going to do now? Why does Mia have to be the first one to know. This is horrible.
"Long enough. Are you and your husband separating?" Somehow she sounds genuine. Sincere. But I would rather not talk about my life falling to pieces with her out of all people.

"No. We're fine" I fake a smile in which she crossed her arms over her chest with an unimpressed expression.
"Sounds like it" she takes a few steps closer towards me "you know, Charlotte. It's not healthy keeping things bottled in. You should really talk to someone" I narrow my eyes. Who is this person? Offering me a friend to talk to? Definitely does not sound like the Mia I know at all. But, do I even know her really? Or only what others have said about her.
"But what would I know?" She asks before lowering her voice into a whisper, "I don't have a heart" she smirks before turning away and leaving the room.

Well, she's right about one thing. She doesn't have a heart.

—-
A/N
Hey my loves, this chapter is kind of random but now Mia is suspicious :) there is a lot more Mia and Char to come very very soon :)
Xoxo -I