Orchards and Moonlight - a Mialotte story (TNN)

The first meeting

It was a normal day for Charlotte. She woke up alone in her bed, and got up to shower. 

As she makes her way down the hall, she sees the guest bedroom door closed, knowing her husband is still sleeping. She sighs as she makes her way to the kitchen to make lunch for her and the kids. 

When she was done she made sure the kids were ready for school and ushered them out to the car. Reaching into her bag for her car keys, she sees the big yellow envelope. She picked it up at the lawyers yesterday. She had already filled in her part, now all that needs to happen is for Charles to fill it in. 

She didn't doubt he would, he was the one who started sleeping in the guest room. She took it out of her bag and looked at the outside for a second before dropping it on the floor in front of the guest room door. He should see it there.

Locking the house door behind her, her heart felt heavy. This was really happening...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mia woke up, a girl, who she couldn't remember the name of, still asleep next to her. She softly got out of bed and put on her clothes, before slipping out of the hotel room. She needed to head home to get ready for her first day at her new job. 

An old school friend offered her a job at his nursery after he and his sister took it from their father not too long ago. They had somehow convinced their dad's girlfriend to vote against him. And now they run the two nurseries together.

Once home she quickly changed into some work-appropriate yet comfy clothes. Grabbing her bag and rushing out the door before she was late. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlotte had just dropped her kids at school when her phone started ringing. It's Marjorie. She quickly answers and puts it on speaker.

"Hey, Marjorie. I am on my way in now."

"Good morning my love. I just wanted to give you a heads-up, we have a new staff member starting at the other nursery. Reece told me they went to school together and they will be coming around later today to introduce her. Autumn and I are going there now to meet her, so you'll be in charge until we get back." She could hear Marjorie pacing in her office, something she often does when on the phone.

"Okay, no problem, thank you for the head up.  I'll see you later then."

"See you later, love." and she hangs up.

Charlotte was grateful for this, something to keep her mind busy during the day, she didn't want to think what Charlie would do when he saw the papers, and she was kind of scared. She still had the bruise on her back from when he pushed her against the wall. He was drunk and mad about something that happened at work. 

She shuddered slightly and tried not to think about that night, as she pulled into the car park. she quickly made her way inside and into the staff room to put her things down. 

The rest of the morning was uneventful, the kids had their breakfast and did their activity without much hassle. They were playing in the garden when Marjorie, Reece, Autumn and the new girl showed up. 

She looked into the car park, to her a head of red hair getting out of the car.

Wow...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow...

That was all Mia could think of as she made eye contact with the most beautiful woman she has ever seen in her life. Her auburn hair, half up, half down, and those strands of hair, framing her face so perfectly. Those eyes were the bluest blue she had ever seen in her life. She is the most gorgeous woman in the world. 

She almost forgot to follow Reece into the nursery, she was so mesmerised by this woman. Once inside she took a look around. It didn't look much different from the other nursery, just a few things here and there. In the main hallway, she saw the photos of all the staff, and her eyes quickly found the woman with the auburn hair. 

"Charlotte" she whispered softly, loving how the name just rolled off her tongue. A small smile on her lips, she continued to stare at the picture.

"Oh yes. That's everyone. You'll meet them all on our tour." she heard Marjorie talk next to her. She just nodded her head and followed the woman. They started in the baby room, meeting everyone. 

Winter, Carly, Agatha, Jodie, Chef. 

They finally made their way into the preschool room, just as the kids were coming back inside from the garden. her eyes immediately went to Charlotte, scanning her as she helped a little by with his laces, and that's when she saw it. The wedding ring. 

Her heart dropped a little, now knowing that the gorgeous woman is married. It doesn't surprise her tho, someone as beautiful as her. Of course, she is married.

"Sorcha, Charlotte, I want you t meet the new deputy manager of the other nursery," Marjorie told the two women.

Sorcha was the first one to come over and shake her hand. 

"Hiya, I'm Sorcha, it's nice to meetcha." the woman said in her thick Irish accent. Mia shook her hand.

"Mia, nice to meet you" Sorcha went back to the kids, and when Mia turned, she saw Charlotte walking her way. She was mesmerized once more. The way her hair swayed while she walked. The way she smiled, Mia could feel her heart beating faster the closer she came.

"Charlotte is my longest-running employee, I would be lost without her. Charlotte, this is Amelia." 

Charlotte reached out her hand for Mia to shake, and when their hands connected, there was a little shock.

"Ah, static," Charlotte said, jumping a bit due to the shock. All Mia could think was that her voice was even more beautiful.

"I'm Mia. I look forward to working with you all." Mia managed to get out.

"As am I, Mia." The way Charlotte said her name sent shivers down her spine.

This is not going to be easy.