Back To You /Mialotte

Wake up call

Day 40

The car came to a halt, and Marjorie looked sceptically at her friend's house. It was still early in the morning, but Marjorie couldn't stay quiet any longer. It was no secret that Charlotte was unwell. However, something had changed in her over the last few days. It was almost as if she was in a constant battle with herself. Marjorie actually wanted to give her some space. Thinking that the brunette needed it.

But when Thomas contacted her yesterday and worriedly asked if something had happened because Charlotte was avoiding him and their children, Marjorie knew it was time to intervene. But she didn't want to do it alone. Marjorie glanced beside her, and Autumn returned her look sceptically. "I don't know why you dragged me into this."

"Because you're the only one who always sees things neutrally and isn't afraid to speak the truth," Marjorie replied.

"Very well."

The two women made their way to the front door. Marjorie went over in her mind how best to start the conversation with Charlotte. There was a lot that needed to be addressed. Not just Mia's behaviour, but also how Charlotte seemed to be dealing with it.

It was obvious to Marjorie that Charlotte seemed to spend a lot of nights in the pub. Not only was she constantly tired, but she had now turned up late for work several times. In general, the brunette just looked burnt out and exhausted.

What had worried Marjorie the most, however, were the hickeys she had seen on Charlotte's neck. That was exactly what Mia wanted. But Marjorie knew Charlotte for a long time, and she knew that such behaviour was atypical for Charlotte.

Autumn was just about to knock on the door when it suddenly opened. "Oh." Two surprised brown eyes looked at the two women.

"Sara?!" Marjorie exclaimed in disbelief.

"Good morning, I didn't realise Char was expecting visitors. Well, I have to go, I have to be ready for the pub later." Sara said calmly and walked past the two women.

"Wait! Where's Char?" Marjorie called after her.

"Shower!" Sara got into her car and disappeared.

" Oh my God... I can't believe it... Char and Sara..." Marjorie mumbled, stunned.

"Are you coming?" Autumn asked. She had held the door open so that they could enter.

Inside, everything was just as Marjorie remembered it. Autumn walked straight into the living room to sit down at the dining table. Marjorie, on the other hand, stood at the foot of the stairs and wondered whether she should go upstairs. In the end, she decided against it and joined Autumn. But when she saw Autumn, she had a letter in her hand and another one was lying on the table.

"Take a look at this," Autumn said seriously. Marjorie's anger rose more and more with every word she read. What kind of game was Mia playing right now? Didn't she want to disappear for a year and leave Charlotte alone?

"What is Mia doing?!" Marjorie asked, stunned. "No wonder Char is so upset, not only does she have to come to terms with being left behind, no, now she has to put up with this as well. What's wrong with Mia!" she angrily slammed the letter on the table.

Autumn, on the other hand, looked unsurprised, as if she had expected something like this. "Mia believes that Charlotte won't do what she asked her to do anyway. She thinks that Charlotte is simply waiting for her while she plays detectiv in Europe. But she doesn't want to be accused of anything and thinks she gave Charlotte the option."

"That's manipulative and toxic!"

"That's Mia. Old habits die hard."

"What are you doing here?" Charlotte's voice rang out behind them.

"My love, we really need to talk," said Marjorie.

"How did you get in here in the first place?"

Autumn crossed her arms and looked piercingly at Charlotte. "Sara." Charlotte's posture immediately tensed. She immediately noticed the looks from Marjorie and Autumn. "Don't look at me so judgementally! After all, that's what Mia wanted!"

"Charlotte, stop!" said Marjorie sternly.
"You're destroying yourself and all for a woman who just left you behind! Just forget Mia for a moment! Do you want the life you're leading right now!

Charlotte was taken back. Is that what she wanted? The long nights in the pub. The trivial sex without any real feelings. The excessive consumption of alcohol just to feel good for a few hours. No. she didn't want that. She only did it all because she was afraid Mia might have been right after all.

At that moment, the world crashed down on Charlotte. She felt dirty. She had betrayed herself and, worst of all, her children were suffering as a result.

" No.... I don't want this..."

Day 50

Charlotte put the coffee cup on the table, she herself had her own cup in her hand. She took a seat on the terrace next to her ex-husband. "Thank you." said Thomas. Charlotte smiled briefly at him before turning her attention back to her daughters, who were playing catch in the garden of the house.

In the last few days, Charlotte had stopped her self-destructive behaviour. And even though the first few nights in silence were hard, she was now on the way to finding her peace again. She had to force herself not to think about Mia most of the day, but she felt better when she suppressed the memories of the redhead.

Right now, she was spending time with her children, and the presence of thomas did her good too. They may not have functioned as a couple, but they did as friends.

Charlotte smiled as her youngest daughter brought her a flower. slowly, Charlotte detached herself from all the suffering of the last few weeks.

At home, an unopened letter from Mia lay on the table for days.