Just us.

21. She hates me.

(3ed person pov)
Marjorie and Reece are in her office as Marjorie tells him about her recent falling out.
"It all started with Jodie and then before I knew it, we were practically at each others throats"
"How'd it get that far?" Reece could hardly believe the two friends had fallen out. Charlotte wasn't the confrontational type.
"Well, I made a comment that she was basically becoming like mia"
"You mentioned Mia?" Reece was catching on to something. He had been thinking about it recently but wasn't entirely sure what it was he was thinking.

"Yeah I said that she was acting like Mia and called Mia a wench or something" Marjorie wasn't quite understanding the same thing Reece was. "And then she... she brought up you and me"
"What about us?" He asks
"She made a comment about the fact I spend a load of time on the phone flirting with you" Reece would admit she wasn't totally wrong. Not that he minded one bit.
"She's not wrong though"
"I know, okay? I just..." she sighs, "it just really hurt me" she admitted
"Why?"
"Look, nobody feels worse about that period of time than I do, okay. When you first started, I know that I really took my eye off the ball in terms of my staff and I was so focused on you"
"It is hard not to look at me" Reece couldn't help but smirk a little
"Reece I'm serious. I feel awful about that time. I hate the fact that I completely focused on a man rather than taking care of my staff" the man nods. He understands that Marjorie would feel bad because he knows how much she cared about her staff and her job. "And honestly, if anybody else had said that, yeah it would have hurt. But for Charlotte to say it..."
"Cut a lot deeper" Reece finishes
"It just... I don't know. It just made me... my reaction. I just became an absolute bitch to her and I" the woman sighs, completely regretting the whole situation. "My god. I just don't know where it come from, I just. I hate myself for this, but, she really hurt me"
"So you shipped her off to me?" Reece could tell how distressed his girlfriend was, but he couldn't quite believe she would just throw Charlotte out like that.

"Well, she screamed at a parent"
"Marjorie, my sister's gone stone cold Steve Austin on parents in the car park. Charlotte raises her voice and you cast her out?"
"Cause that is not like her"
"Exactly. That is not like her" Reece agrees, "so maybe something else is going on with her you know? Maybe something with... someone else"
"What do you mean?" She asks
"Nothing. Look,if she really is going through something maybe she needs someone to talk to. Like, a manager, you know? Her oldest friend"
"Okay I just, I feel like I don't recognise her anymore. The Charlotte I know doesn't act like... I don't know. Mia" Marjorie replies.

"All the more reason to talk to her. She's probably feeling alone"
"Okay. I'll come over this afternoon and talk to her" Reece smiles,
"Great"

...

Reece was slowly putting the pieces together. Charlotte has been acting up since Mia left, right? But before Mia left the office that day, she said there was someone she needed to talk to. Charlotte?

He knows the flowers were from Mia. He knows her handwriting to well. But why would Mia send Charlotte flowers? How would she even know it was her anniversary? Charlotte clearly knew who they were from, she couldn't help her smiles and her eyes brightened when she read out the note.

It also seemed like things really kicked off with her and Marjorie after she mentioned Mia. Then Charlotte went into defensive mode.

Charlotte is apparently acting completely different. Not like her at all. And what's the common denominator in all of this?

Mia.

...

"Hey Reece" Charlotte walks into the office, looking rather tired and pale, "I've got another reply slip for the, uh, class trip" she avoids his eyes. The desk is littered with papers and files. "What's all this?"
"Mia's final few observations on children before she left. She was really really detailed" Reece knew that Mia was good with children, he had seen it. But it still surprised him that she was so intrigued and caring towards them. Almost like she did have a heart.