TNN ONESHOTS

Happy birthday - AMR & CV & MK & RK & AFK & WFK

"Char, sweetheart." Mia started before taking hold of Charlottes' hands and looking at her before swallowing back her nerves. "Don't be mad, but Marjorie told me what you are planning for my birthday, and i may have cancelled it." She whispered while flinching away slightly.

Charlotte looked at her girlfriend but didn't say anything. As the two women made eye contact, Mia became more nervous. Charlotte kept quiet, just looking at her with pain and disbelief in her eyes. "Im sorry." The red head whispered before pulling her own hands away and stepping backwards.

"Please say something, anything. You are scaring me. At this point, just hum at me, please." Mia practically begged, but Charlotte just shook her head. "I try and do something nice for you, and you do this. Mia, i can't believe you sometimes. I let you take me away to who knows where, and i trust you, Mia. I trust you to keep me safe, i trust you when sorting out childcare for the girls. I trust you with packing. I just trust you, and here you are going behind my back! Really appreciate it, thank you!" Charlotte scolded her girlfriend. She couldn't help but snap at her, but the more she spoke, the harder it got to look at her girlfriend. She knew that her words were slowly tearing Mia apart, but she had started now.

By the time Charlotte had quietened down, the tension in the air was thick. Mia kept her eyes down, she couldnt bring herself to look at her girlfriend or even try and give a response. "Im going back to work." Charlotte muttered before making her way out of the office quickly but still taking the time to shut the door quietly behind herself because she knew that the sound of a door being slammed still startled Mia.

Charlotte's words swirled around her head as she tried to figure out what to do and how to actually speak with her girlfriend after what had just happened. Mia was so lost in thought that she didn't notice the office door open.

"Mia." Marjorie called her name, snapping her from her thoughts. "You need to just be open with her. I dont care what you have to say. That woman is smitten over you, and she will understand." Marjorie told her calmly while also being stern, she needed Mia to listen. "How do i tell her something like that? She's going to hate me even more." Mia mumbled. She hated how open she was being and how Marjorie could see right through her, but right now, she couldn't help it. She needed someone, and that person happened to be Marjorie.

After Charlotte had walked out of the office and into the baby room, she tried to act normal, but the remnants of her argument with Mia clung to her like a persistent shadow. She plastered on a fake smile, hoping it would mask the turmoil inside. As she passed Carly in the corridor, she offered a quick "hey!" Before hurrying back to her own workspace.

The day crawled by, each task feeling monumental. Charlotte found herself staring blankly at the toys the babies had handed her, replaying the fight with Mia in her head. The words exchanged, the hurt feelings – it all swirled around, making it hard to concentrate. She tried to focus on the children, but her mind kept drifting back to Mia's tear-filled eyes.

By lunchtime, Charlotte was emotionally drained. She debated whether to confide Mia but hesitated, unsure if she was ready to face the conflict again, but just as Charlotte went to walk past the office, the door opened, revealing Mia.

"Charlotte, can we talk?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Charlotte, surprised but relieved, nodded and let herself be led to the couch in the office. Mia started, "I'm so sorry about earlier. I was completely out of line, and I hate that I hurt you." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "There's something I need to explain, something I've kept hidden for too long."

Mia continued, "I know it seems crazy, but I really don't like my birthday. It's always been a source of anxiety for me. The pressure to have a perfect day, the expectations – it just overwhelms me. It's never been anything like a birthday should be, and it just brings up old memories that i would rather forget." She took a deep breath, her eyes finally meeting Charlotte's. "And about the holiday, it's not that I don't want to go away with you, I would  love to go away and let you surprise me. It's just that Aut needs me right now. With the twins being so new, she's really struggling, not that she will admit that, and I want to be there to support her. I feel like she needs her sister right now. What if she called and i wasn't there for her? I can't, not while it's still early days."