One Last Chance

Longing

July rolled around quickly, by now they already got the hang of the injections. It had become a comforting routine, every day at 5pm Charlotte would be with Engfa to give her a shot. Some days it would be later or earlier, but they tried to be together during this process. 

Every shot was recorded so that one day they could look back at their journey. Charlotte would massage her wife's stomach, give her a shot, kiss her belly before rising to kiss Engfa, both of them exchanging loving looks. 

Charlotte had just finished her meeting with her executives regarding the newest line, the work was tough but it left her with a great sense of achievement. Most of the important decisions had been made, and she had just assigned some of her workload to her manager.

“That's it for today, thank you everyone.” Charlotte smiled before leaving out the door. 

“P’Char, P’Fa is in your room already ka.” Nuay told her with a wink, “And yes, I already gave her a cup of tea.”

“Thanks nuu, you're the best.” Charlotte grinned then headed to her private office. 

When she opened the door, she saw her wife sitting in her chair instead of one of the guest ones. Engfa was reading something at the table, her face serious as she held the papers like a CEO. 

“CEO Waraha Austin, fancy seeing you here.” Charlotte teased as she walked closer. She thought her wife was merely borrowing her table to do some of her own paperwork. 

Engfa's eyes lifted and locked onto hers, and Charlotte froze mid-step. There was a sharp intensity in that gaze and her shoulders were drawn tight with tension. Something was wrong. Charlotte’s mind raced with thoughts. Was it the media again, or did Boss make another comment about her body? Or was it something she had done?

Her eyes looked around for clues and fell onto the paper in Engfa's hand. On the table, the delicate cover of a Christian Dior invitation card laid open. 

Oh crap.

“When were you going to tell me you got invited?”

“P’Bee, I really, really forgot.” Charlotte walked, no, dragged her feet to Engfa and paused a few feet away. 

“Don't P’Bee me, Charlotte.” Engfa crossed her arms, trying to mask the hurt in her eyes.

“Oh, full name now?” Charlotte winced apologetically. She approached slowly and kneeled down by her feet, something that had become a second nature to her by now. “Baby, I….”

Engfa glared at her, her mood plummeted as she pursed her lips. She waited for the words to come but got impatient too soon, she exploded. “When did you get this letter? It's already July, Char! This event is in-” She double checked the date, then lamented, “September! That's only two months away!” 

“I know, but I've been so focused on you, on us then I forgot about it. I swear, Fa fa, I wanted to tell you last month but then it was Pride month and we finally got an egg! We were so happy then everything else faded to the back of my mind.” Charlotte pleaded. 

“So what? You're just going to suddenly leave me here and go to Paris without telling me?” At the idea of abandonment, Engfa's eyes watered. Ever since she started her hormone treatment, she had been getting mood swings, cramps, bloat and overall, hormonal. It wasn't said out loud, but it was really clear within the two of them that she had gotten emotionally dependent on Char's presence.

“Fa fa, of course I won't do that. Baby, don't cry.” Charlotte quickly stood up and wiped away her wife's tears. 

“I'm not crying, it's these stupid hormones you've been injecting into me!” Engfa pushed her hands away and said resentfully. She never thought she would act like this, she had never imagined she would behave like this. But Charlotte had been pampering her with so much attention that she became spoiled.