A Mialotte Story: Good in a crisis

A big deal

TW: SA

Carly didn't realise the significance of what she had just blurted out. Charlotte looked at her with an uneasy look on her face and now tears forming in her eyes as she gripped onto Carly's hands tighter. "Carly, did you consent to sleeping with this boy?" It took Charlotte a minute to get her words out. She had skipped over Carly's worries about feeling like an idiot and a disappointment because there was now only one thing she could focus on, but she knew it was important to address that again afterwards. "Oh, I mean, I didn't exactly say no or stop or anything, I don't think it's really big deal." Carly answered whilst looking down. She knew it wasn't right, she had replayed that night over and over in her head. She wondered why she didn't want to tell anyone about it, she wondered why she didn't feel excited, she wondered why she didn't feel any attachment to this boy, and, she wondered why she felt the need to shower twice afterwards and still didn't feel clean.

Charlotte heard what she needed to hear and she didn't want to press Carly on it any more. She gave Carly a look, not a scolding one or one of shame, but one of understanding and compassion. Carly looked back at her with a knowing look, as she realised how she sounded when she tried to convince herself that it wasn't a "big deal." Charlotte of course wanted Carly to open up to her about that night, but only if and when she felt comfortable to. She only came to talk about the issue at hand, Charlotte knew that it wouldn't even have come up if she wasn't concerned about her period being late. She was clearly not ready to process that night right now. Charlotte's heart broke for Carly, but she was content knowing they both understood that it was an issue and that Carly would discuss it when she was ready.

After a few minutes of silence, Charlotte wiped the tears from Carly's cheeks and inhaled shakily trying to stop her own tears. She reverted back the previous conversation with as much composure as possible, Carly trusted her with this and she intended to get her through it. She asked Carly if she had taken a test. "I thought about it, but I was too scared to buy one in case someone saw me." Carly answered sheepishly.
"Would you like me to ask Mia to pick one up? That is, if you're comfortable with her knowing." Carly nodded.
"Yeah, I guess that would be okay. The mean redhead's kinda grown on me." She said we a smirk on her face. It tickled Char, and she was glad to see that Carly was still Carly despite everything.

Char left the room for a moment to give Mia a quick call before she finished shopping. "Hi baby" Charlotte said when Mia answered.
"Hey Sweetheart, everything okay?"
"Not really, are you still at the shop?"
Mia heard the sadness in her sweetheart's voice, but she knows that she doesn't have to pry with Charlotte. She'd tell her anything she needed to.
"Yes I'm nearly done, won't be much longer, I promise"
"I need you to do something for me, okay? But I'll explain when you get home"
Mia paused awaiting Char's instruction, it sounded urgent.
Charlotte continued, "I need you to pick up a pregnancy test please"
There was a long pause, Charlotte understood why, she knew Mia would've pieced it together, for the most part at least. But again, Mia didn't question it, she understood.
"Okay Sweetheart, I'll be home in 10, see you shortly"
"Thank you Mia, I love you"
"Love you too, bye, baby"

Mia's car pulled into the drive and she waited a few minutes hoping that Char would come out to explain the situation further in attempt to stop her from saying the wrong thing and making Carly feel uncomfortable. Carly wanted to quickly phone her mum and let her know that she was out for dinner, giving Charlotte the perfect window to talk to Mia. Charlotte hopped in the passenger seat next to her girlfriend and pulled her in for a deep kiss, she was relieved to let go in front of Mia after putting on a brave face for Carly.

Mia started the conversation with the assumption that Carly thinks she might be pregnant, that was a given. She knew the test wasn't for Charlotte. "Mia, someone took advantage of her, it broke my heart to hear it, but she really is resilient. I can't even imagine what she's been going through these past few weeks, and I hate myself for not noticing. But she's still our Carly, you know?" Mia 's brows furrowed as she listened intently whilst Charlotte elaborated that Carly had been keeping this to herself and she still wasn't ready to discuss it tonight. "Understood Char. And hey, she's got us now. She's going to need that support system." Mia replied sincerely, rubbing Char's back to comfort her.

"Us." Charlotte thought to herself, she picked up on the fact that Mia said "us." It gave her a warm feeling inside knowing that Mia had, without hesitation, offered to be part of Carly's support system. That still didn't mean that Mia was perfect, and Charlotte knew that, but she was building bridges one at a time. For Charlotte.