Orchards and Moonlight - a Mialotte story (TNN)

You can't leave me

It had been two months.

61 days since Mia had started.

1460 Hourse since Charlotte walked into her home and saw the signed papers on the kitchen table.

87600 minutes that Charlottle has feared for her life. 

The papers were signed, but that wasn't all. There was a note next to it.

"You are going to regret this."

She had no idea what Charlie would do to her. But she hasn't heard a word from him since. Besides everything that came through the lawyers. She hasn't told anyone what has been happening. She couldn't. It didn't feel real. 

After a week of the kids not seeing their father, she couldn't keep it from them anymore, she sat them down and told them what was happening, except for the part where he had threatened her, but she felt like they didn't really understand what was happening, but they knew that daddy wasn't at home anymore. 

To be honest, the divorce wasn't going bad. He agreed to 50/50 custody. He told her that she could keep the house, and he only wanted what was his in the house, and that wasn't much. That is what is scaring her even more. He isn't fighting her, he is planning something, and she doesn't know what. 

Their court date is in two days. She had put in some leave for it, claiming that one of the kids had a doctor's appointment. No one had caught on that something was going on, and she was kind of glad. She didn't need everyone fussing over her. 

It was nearly midnight when Charlotte gave up on trying to sleep. So she headed to the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea and sat on the couch staring out the window. She started thinking about Mia.

Mia.

She has been a side thought in Charlotte's mind since she started. She quickly learned that Mia was a player. She would have girls over every weekend, and then never call them back. Mia was a lot like autumn. She was great at her job, and she didn't take any nonsense from the parents. she would always stand up for the kids and the other staff. 

Her voice sent shivers down Charlotte's spine, especially since she started calling her "Sweetheart". Charlotte has always admired women, and deep down she knew she liked them, but Mia was the first woman she dreamed about. 

And with that thought in her head, she fell asleep on the couch. 

The next morning she woke up from her phone ringing. 

"Hello?" she answered, sleepily. 

"Good morning love, I am sorry that I have to call you so early, but there is a small bug going around, and they are short-staffed at the other nursery, I need you to go help over there today please." She heard Marjorie on the other side.

"Yeah, no problem," Char answered, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Great, good luck for tomorrow with the kiddo's doctor appointment." and with that she hung up the phone. Sighing she got up and headed to her bathroom to start getting ready for the day. 

It was a little bit more warm today so she decided on a sundress for the day. Once she was done she got the kids ready and they were all out of the door. 

The kids were dropped at school and she was parking her car in the lot of the other nursery, already seeing Mia's and Reece's car parked. She took a deep breath and headed inside. 

The entire day she tried to avoid Mia, and she mostly succeeded, until it was time for the last child to go home. Charlotte was very impatient, she had to leave to take the kids to her parents so she wouldn't have to worry about them tomorrow. 

"Somewhere to be, Sweetheart?" she heard the raspy voice from behind her. A shiver went down her spine.

"Mia, hi. Umm, yeah kinda. I.. have dinner plans... with my parents." she quickly said. Mia just nodded.

"Well then, can't have you being late. Go on. I'll stay with the kid." this took her by surprise.

"Are you sure?" Mia just nodded. 

Char quickly said thank you, grabbed her bag and headed out the door. She rushed home, probably breaking a few laws, but didn't care much. 

At home, she thanked the babysitter and got the kids and their bags in the car. It was about a 45-minute drive to her parents, and she didn't want to waste any more time. The kids were more than happy to see their grandparents. Her mother gave her a hug and wished her luck for the next day.

She was home by 10 that night. She was even more nervous that night than the previous one. She couldn't get settled. The house was too quiet. she was absolutely terrified, and alone.

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

"Mr King. You have agreed to 50/50 custody." The judge said.

"Yes, your honour," he said. He was wearing a dark blue suit, and she was in a black and white dress.

"Due to your differences in income, you have agreed to payments for the children to be split 70/30, between you and Mrs. King?"

"Yes, your honour."

The judge nodded her head.

"It looks to me that you two have come to a civil agreement. Is there anything else?" she asked us

"No, your honour." we both replied.

"Well then. Mr. and Mrs King, you are now officially divorced. Court adjourned."

As the courtroom emptied, Charlotte became more and more nervous. Charlie came walking up to her but kept a small distance.

"Are the children still with your parents?" he asked me, with no emotion in his voice. I just nodded my head.

"I will pick them up on Sunday. I'll be there by 4." He didn't wait for a response, before walking off.

Chalotte let a breath go that she didn't know she was holding. Maybe things would be okay.

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

Charlotte was sitting in front of the fire, playing with the ring on her finger. Still debating if she should take it off. She felt like she should, but it would make things more real, and that scared her.

The doorbell snapped her out of her inner debate. Se got up to open the door.

"Can I he... Charlie? What are you doing here?" She asked her (now ex) husband standing on the other side. She could smell the alcohol on him.

"You little bitch... you didn't think this was over did you." He pushed her into the house and grabbed the top of her arm.

"Charlie, you're hurting me." she choked out

"Shut up. I gave you everything you wanted. Now you are going to give me what I want"