Finding Her Joy

Happiness And Handbags

*A/N- I've been watching 'This Is Us' while I write the chapters, and I really think I should stop doing that because it takes me longer. It's just so interesting and I'm almost finished with it. Definitely recommend watching if you haven't seen it already. Anyway, enjoy reading and sorry it's short. The next chapter is going to be longer and based on the (very awkward, but still my favorite video) flirting between Mia and Char.

(MIA POV)
The whole night, I was tossing and turning. Spending such an intense but romantic evening with Charlotte had me rethinking everything I'd done earlier in the day. Before everything else happened with my mum and dinner.

In order to keep the plan moving and get out from under Roger, I had to turn the staff against me. I needed a reason for an uprising that would only end if I got fired. I had to frame another member of staff and somehow have it all traced back to me. The easiest target was Jodie.

Marjorie and Autumn had already warned me off her the last time I tried to have her fired for eating the plastic fruit. Even if the plan didn't work, at least Jodie wouldn't be around the kids anymore. She was gentle towards them and tried what was assumed to be her best. But she was also a major hazard to the nursery when she was there. I saw how hard it was on the rest of the staff to cover for Jodie and do all the things she wasn't trusted to do. It wasn't fair, so it seemed like a good backup plan to have.

My only worry was that if Charlotte found out, would she hate me? Would she never want to see or speak to me again? I didn't even know if she cared for me the way I did for her. I knew nothing, and I was already scared to lose her. Was she even mine to lose?

I hadn't been happy for a long time, and I was starting to think I never would be again, but then she came into my life. Or was I pushed into hers? Either way, she was there. The mention of her name would bring a smile to my face. Maybe it was crazy to already know I loved her, but I didn't care. I did love her.

I do love her.

Funny thing is that before Charlotte, I couldn't remember the last time I was genuinely happy. Yes, Reecey and I had some good times. A few times, we would have days together with smiles stuck on our faces. Even when we were younger and we would hang out with Autumn, I know we had some laughs. I would be with them and know I was supposed to feel happy and safe... but I didn't. The truth is, I had just spent so long pretending to be happy and that everything was grand, when in the back of my mind, I couldn't tell if it was actually true.

When I looked at her, though? I knew the difference between the fake happy I had been stuck with and what the real thing was supposed to look like.

Although I had been keeping secrets, I felt like I could be honest with her about my feelings if I wanted to. She wouldn't judge me because I was sad or belittle me if I was having a hard day. She was everything I wanted without knowing it before, and she was the person I needed to have for the rest of my life.

The only thing holding me back was Roger. He would use her against me if he even had a hunch she and I might be friends. If I was going to put myself out there and go after the girl I so desperately wanted, then I had to do this first. I was willing to risk it all if it meant I was finally free and could be with her.

Having decided it was a risk I was willing to take, I waited for Jodie to be out of ratio and then went in the room to grab her. "Jodie? Would you come to my office please?" It didn't take much convincing. Not that I thought it would.

I couldn't help myself, I had to look over at Charlotte. She just looked so pretty that I had to tell her. I didn't have time to this morning before she rushed out of the office, "You look nice today, Charlotte." I said, smirking at her and then walking out.

I took Jodie back into the office and made her sit down in front of the computer. I used my reassuring toddler voice on her and made sure to talk slowly so I didn't have to repeat myself. "I've called you in here because when I was browsing online a few minutes ago, I won a hamper."

"Aww, totes, congrats. What's a hamper?" She said, staring blankly at me.

I tried to hide my disdain for her by giving a small chuckle, "It's a basket of goodies, and I really want you to have it. Nobody deserves it more than you." It was so hard to be this nice to her. Is this really someone we allowed to be around children?

"I totes work so hard." She said, still with the blank stare. It was starting to spook me.

"Right... anyway, to make sure no one else gets this, I just need you to put in your information. Then take this card and put it in the bank details." I handed her the card, and she started to put all the information in.

"Wait. I thought you said it was free? Why do I have to put the card in?" She was smarter than she looked. Shocker.

"It is," I said, trying to cover myself, "The bank details are just so the company knows they're sending it to a real person."

"Right. We don't want the robots getting these hampers." She went on putting in the rest of the information and hit pay. I had her use her own address since she lives right across the road from the nursery. It would be easier to sign for the package if all I had to do was run across the road.

I might have been doing this to get fired, but I was still going to get the package she was unknowingly paying for. My thought process was: if Roger had been screwing me over for this long, I may as well get something in return. It's not like he'd given me anything thus far, so a small donation of a £2,000 purse should've been a fair trade.

Roger called not long after I had sent Jodie back to the room. "Hello, Rog. How may I direct your call?" I said, answering my phone.

He was already mad, "Why is there such a high charge on my bank card? That was meant to be for the nursery! You know it's only supposed to be for nappies! Why would you buy an expensive handbag?!"

"Oh no. Someone's grumpy. Is it time for a nap? Should I call your mummy?" I don't remember how exactly, but I knew that's what he called Siobhan. All I remember is the first time I heard it, I ended up choking on my drink and had a coughing fit. Tool me by surprise that he called her that. Why would a man who hates women be getting off on that? No judgment here. I respect all people and their bedroom antics, but for him, I just didn't see it coming.

"This is not a joke, Amelia! What the hell did you do?" He was shouting so loud that I had to move the phone off my ear.

"Relax, Roger. I didn't do anything. I went out of the office for a moment and when I came back one of the staff was on the computer with the card. I think her name is Jodie." I sat back in the chair and acted as relaxed as possible.

"Place her on suspension now. When I get back into town on Friday, we're having a meeting, and she's getting fired! You need to make sure she has that bag so I can return it or you're getting fired, too!" He hung up the phone.

Yes! Fire me rat! Let me out og this so you can handle your own children and I can get on with my life. The next phase of the plan was complete.

I called Jodie in again and made sure Carly was listening in outside the door. I told her she was suspended and pending a meeting with the owner, and she would likely be fired. She had no idea what I was talking about or what was going on. I told her what time she needed to come back on Friday for the meeting and then sent her home.

I knew Carly was already going to go around to all the staff and let them know what happened first thing tomorrow morning. She was probably going to call Marjorie and Reece tonight to let them know everything.

Charlotte was her best friend in the building, so I knew first thing tomorrow that Carly was going to tell her first. She was going to be so angry with me. It was definitely deserved, but I wished I could just tell her what I was doing. Knowing her she would try to fix it, or with her newfound backbone, she would try and confront Roger. I didn't need her losing her job by getting involved in my mess.

I could fix this. I was going to fix this. Maybe if I believed it hard enough, it would be true.