Amelia Roberts - The Person She Could've Been

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Charlotte read Reece’s text, and without a moment’s hesitation, she stood up, concern filling her eyes. “Marjorie, I’ll be back. Thank you for the company,” she said quickly, her voice already distant as she rushed out of the room.

As she stepped outside and scanned the parking lot, her gaze immediately landed on her blue Nissan, where she could make out Mia sitting inside. Something felt off—she could feel it in her bones.
Her pace quickened, and soon she was sprinting across the lot.
The closer she got, the clearer the sight of Mia became.
Her heart sank as she saw her girlfriend’s shoulders shaking from uncontrollable sobbing.

Charlotte flung the door open and slid into the car, her eyes wide with worry. "Amelia, what’s wrong?" she asked, her voice soft yet filled with concern.

Mia, startled by Charlotte’s sudden presence, snapped back into reality.
She looked at her through red, tear-filled eyes and whispered, “He’s dead.”
Her voice cracked, and then she paused, as though the weight of the words was too much to bear all at once.

Charlotte felt her chest tighten at the sight of Mia’s broken expression. "I—I know, Mia. I know," she whispered, pulling her into a tight embrace, hoping that somehow she could shield her from the overwhelming pain she was feeling.
It wasn’t that Amelia had ever liked her father—in fact, she despised him.
He had abandoned her and her mother when she was just a child, leaving nothing but questions behind.
All she had ever wanted from Roger was the truth about where her father had gone, just answers—nothing more. But now, those answers would never come.

Still holding Mia, Charlotte could feel her own tears welling up, but she blinked them away, focusing on being strong for her.
"Do you want me to drive us home, my sweet girl?" she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly but filled with affection.

Mia, still lost in her grief, looked up at Charlotte, surprised by the unfamiliar phrase.
"You’ve never called me that before," she said, her voice a mix of confusion and disbelief.

Charlotte gave a small smile, trying to lighten the moment just a little.
"I know. I just wanted to get your mind off of everything for a moment," she replied, her eyes filled with love and tenderness.

Mia wiped at her tear-streaked face, managing a small, fragile smile in return. She didn’t comment on Charlotte’s words, but instead, she simply said, "Yes, I think we should go home."

Her tone had changed, though, and Charlotte noticed immediately.
The pain was still there, buried under the surface. She knew this was far from over.
Mia’s grief, the years of manipulation from Roger, the loss of the answers she had spent so long seeking—it was all crashing down on her now.

Charlotte gave Mia a gentle kiss on the head, a silent promise that she would be there through every wave of pain, every tear.
Without another word, she started the car and drove off, taking them both away from the nursery and back to the safety of home, where she hoped Mia could begin to heal, one step at a time.

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A/N: uhh so this is a little emotional, sorry xx