I Might Seem So Strong - (TNN - MATURE & UPSETTING THEMES)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Every day Charlotte was in hospital she had a steady stream of visitors. Mia brought her chocolates and sweets, sitting with her while they ate them together. Marjorie and Reece brought her flowers, carefully arranging them by her bedside and replacing them as soon as they showed signs of withering. Autumn and Winter brought her books and crossword puzzles, which they would sit and do together. Her parents struggled to get down as often as they wanted but after meeting Mia for the first time, they knew they could trust her to look after their little girl. Nobody pressured Charlotte to tell them why just yet. Only Mia had read her own letter - everyone agreed that reading the rest would be the wrong thing to do.

After a little while Charlotte was strong enough to see her daughters. Her ex husband brought them in to see their Mummy and after they left she cried for hours. It wasn't long after this that she was told she could go home. She knew it was only a matter of time before people would be asking for answers from her - the protective bubble she'd been living in was about to burst.

During the first evening back at home Mia tried to give Charlotte a bath. The brunette didn't seem capable of doing much more than sitting on the sofa, unless Mia pushed her. As she ran the sponge over Charlottes legs she was startled when Charlotte grabbed her wrist and forcefully shoved her hand away. "Get off me. I don't want you to touch me."

"Sweetheart, you need to have a bath. I'm just trying to help you."

Tears formed in Charlottes eyes as she saw how stressed and hurt Mia was. This was exactly what she'd tried to prevent and they hadn't allowed her to. She looked away so she didn't have to witness the further damage she knew she was about to cause. "You could have helped me by letting me die. Now I'm stuck back where I started. And you're stuck with me too." Charlotte felt so angry and she had no idea how to deal with this aftermath. This wasn't what she had planned. Mia didn't say anything for several seconds, prompting Charlotte to finally look back over at her. She really wished she hadn't.

Mia looked so tired. Her eyes were dull and lifeless and she'd lost weight. The bright, sarcastic, vivacious woman that had won Charlotte over all those months ago was gone. In her place was the woman that Charlotte had completely destroyed. Mia was trying desperately not to cry and as she locked eyes with Charlotte all the red head could see was anger behind those once loving baby blue orbs. She ran from the bathroom and into the bedroom, throwing herself onto the bed where she finally allowed her tears to fall.

Charlotte could hear Mia crying. She told herself she didn't care. Briefly, she even thought "good, let her cry. It's her own fault." The guilt that subsequently washed over her took her breath away. She imagined Mia dancing the way she used to, spinning in circles and swaying her hips. She remembered watching as Mia twirled Carly around at a staff party trying to make the young girl laugh. She wasn't angry with Mia, not really. She was just frustrated that she'd tried to set everybody free, for their own good and they'd dragged her back, insistent that she should keep fighting. What if she didn't want to fight?

Charlotte got out of the bath and dried off, before putting on her dressing gown. As she walked into the bedroom she saw Mia lying face down on the bed, her whole body shaking with violent sobs. The brunette walked over and crawled onto the bed, wrapping her arms around Mia as she did so. Even after everything, the red head let her in and immediately held Charlottes hands in her own. She allowed the woman who had just hurt her so much to press her body against her back and hold her.

"I'm so sorry Mia. Please forgive me."