Orchards and Moonlight - a Mialotte story (TNN)

The Truth

Mia has not left Charlotte's side all night. Everyone had dropped by after work, Marjorie even brought Mia something to eat. They tried to get her to go home, but she refused. She didn't want to leave Charlotte alone.

The police had taken her statement when they arrived, and they told the doctor to call them when Charlotte woke up. They needed consent to do any kind of test to prove what her ex had been doing. So all they could do now was wait for her to wake up. 

Mia had fallen asleep in the chair she had been sitting in. She had tried not to, in case Char woke up, but her eyes became too heavy. 

She was woken up by whimpering. She glanced out the window, it was still dark, and she couldn't have slept for more than a few hours. That's when she heard it again. Chalotte was whimpering. Mia jumped up and made her way to Charlotte's side. She took her hand.

"It's okay, you're safe. I am not going to let him hurt you again. You're safe. " Mia said loudly. It seemed to calm Char significantly. Mia let out a breath when she saw Char's face relax, and her eyes started fluttering. 

When her eyes finally opened, Mia couldn't look away. Even in this hospital bed, Charlotte looked like the most gorgeous woman in the world. 

"Hey there, sweetheart," Mia whispers. Her thumb rubbed the back of Char's hand. Char smiles slightly.

"What happened?" she looks around confused. 

"You collapsed at the nursery. I brought you in. Char... you... you had a miscarriage." Mia said softly, trying not to stress out the woman in front of her.

"I... I was pregnant?" 

"You didn't know?"Mia asks her, still not letting go of her hand. Charlotte just shook her head. 

"Char... did your husband do his to you?" Mia finally asks her. Charlotte stuffens, and doesn't look Mia in the eyes.

"It's not what you think. I fell."

"Charlotte! How on earth does a fall explain finger marks on your arm?!"

"Listen, Mia, you don't understand okay? You don't know what a marriage is. My kids need their father. It's hard work okay! It's not like you would understand. You can't even settle on one girl!" 

That caused Mia to let go of Charlotte's hand. She tensed her jaw. She didn't say a single word, she just took her bag and walked out. 

Charlotte felt her heart break watching Mia walk out. maybe she was too harsh. But she couldn't tell her the truth, her kids' lives depended on it.

"You tell anyone, and it won't just be you I'll hurt!"

The words rang in Charlotte's ears as she got out of the hospital bed. She pulled the IV out of her arm and pulled off all the wires, causing all the machines to go off. 

A nurse came rushing in, trying to get Charlotte back into bed, but she refused. She was checking herself out.

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Mia was beyond pissed, but her heart was in a million pieces. She hasn't slept with a single person for nearly 2 months, because she was falling for Charlotte. Now that she saw what Charlotte really thought of her, she was done.

She had sent Marjorie a message telling her that Charlotte was awake and she was leaving the hospital. She then turned off her phone and headed to the closest bar. She needed to drown her feelings in alcohol.

She sat at the bar, downing her first, second and third shots. Ordering another she just sat there, Charlotte's words echoing in her mind. She couldn't believe Charlotte was defending that monster, he nearly killed her. 

After doing another 3 shots, she saw someone from the corner of her eye. She had to look back a second time because her mind was playing tricks on her. That woman looked just like her Charlotte. Slightly darker brown hair and blue eyes. Mia put on a smirk and made her way over to the girl.

She started flirting with her. In her tipsy state, this woman could be Charlotte. Her Char. her brain didn't want to see anyone but her girl. The Woman she was head over heels in love with. 

It didn't take this girl long to agree to come back to a hotel with Mia. The drive there was quiet, Mia didn't like the silence, but she needed to forget about Charlotte, and this was the best way to do that.

when they stop at the hotel, Mia pushes this girl against the inside of the elevator. Kissing her roughly. Her lips weren't as soft as she had imagined Charlottes to be. Her hands felt bigger than Char's and didn't feel right on her hips. 

She tried to push Charlotte out of her mind and continue to make out with this girl. Mia could not remember her name. She started kissing down Mia's neck, hands gripping Mia's sides. all Mia could see was Charlotte.

"Ohh Charlotte." she whimpered. The girl stopped.

"Who the fuck is Charlotte?!" The girl yelled, pushing Mia away. before Mia could say a thing, the girl scoffed and walked away. Mia just let out a deep sigh. She just couldn't get Charlotte out of her mind. 

She decided to turn on her phone to call a cab home. Just as her screen lit up, a call from Marjorie came through.

"Yes Marjorie?" she answered with a scoff, thinking she was gonna get yelled at because she walked out of the hospital.

"Mia, Charlotte's missing." 

Those three words sent Mia's mind into overdrive, she didn't even listen to anything else. She immediately sobered up and ran outside, grabbing the attention of a cab and giving them Charlotte's address. 

"Come one, Char. Pick up. Please pick up" She mumbles as Charlotte's number continues to ring. They weren't too far from Char's home. 

All Mia could feel was panic, and guilt. she shouldn't have left. She should have stayed with her. Maybe then she would be safe. If something happened to Charlotte, Mia would never forgive herself. 

They stopped in front of the house, and Mia could see a car in the driveway, and it was not Charlotte's car, that was still at the Nursery. Mia paid for the cab and started running up the driveway.

That's when she heard it. 

Charlotte's scream