Mialotte: Eternal Sweethearts

57. Love and war

= The date edges closer, but not without a hurdle.

It was another two stressful weeks for the two lovers. It was definitely time for a rewind. To just sit down and talk.

The redhead was finally going to propose this week, but today, she hit a curb.

The conversation flowed easily, peppered with laughter and playful teasing. As the sun began to set, casting a warmth into their conversing but their banter took a slightly sarcastic turn.

"So, how's it feel to be the queen of surprises?" Charlotte teased, nudging Mia with her elbow. "First the spa day, now what?"

Mia smirked, playing along. "Oh, you know me. Always plotting the next big thing. I am utterly unpredictable my darling..."

Charlotte chuckled, but her tone shifted slightly. Mia couldn't decipher it. "Speaking of surprises, you were pretty unreachable last weekend. Busy plotting more surprises?"

Mia's heart skipped a beat. She had spent the entire last two weekends shopping for Char's engagement ring, on the day she and Marjorie were out together, and the most recent one was more about location and asking for Charlotte's parents' permission to be with their daughter. She had told Charlotte she was handling assets with Reece.

"Yeah, just some boring legal stuff with Reece. You know how it is. It's been going on for far too long."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow, her playful tone edging into something more serious. "Oh really? Is that so? Because I texted Reece to ask about it, and he said you two were at the gym all weekend. He did not mention any solicitors at all, certainly not the two I met. Are you lying to me?"

Mia felt a cold sweat break out. "Uh, well, we were going to do the legal stuff, but then we decided to work out instead. You know how plans change."
Charlotte's expression darkened. "So you did lie to me? You said you were handling important things, but you were just working out?"

Mia scrambled to find the right words. "I didn't lie, exactly. It just... I didn't want to worry you with all the back-and-forth."

Charlotte stood up, her voice rising. "You didn't want to worry me, or you didn't want to tell me the truth? You've been so secretive lately, frankly everyone has. I could expect it from my parents because I'm grown now. But you?" She scoffed in disbelief. "And now I find out you lied about something so simple?"

Mia stood as well, reaching out to her. To hold her sweetheart's face "Charlotte, it's not like that. I promise I had a good reason."

Charlotte pulled away, shaking her head. "A good reason? Then why not just tell me? Why hide it?"
Mia stammered, struggling to explain without giving away her proposal plans. "I just... I wanted to handle it myself. I didn't think it was a big deal."

Charlotte's eyes filled with tears. "Not a big deal? Mia, you're my partner. You are literally my everything? We're supposed to be honest with each other. How am I supposed to trust you if you keep things from me?"

Mia felt a pang of guilt and helplessness. "Charlotte, please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She could feel a lump growing in her throat, her eyes stinging and her words feeling lost, with no place to go. Nowhere to be heard.

She so desperately wanted to be heard by the only woman who had listened to her when she was at her worst.

Charlotte turned away, her voice trembling. "I need some time to think. I can't understand this at all."
Mia watched as Charlotte walked out of the room, her heart breaking with every step. She sank back onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.