TNN ONESHOTS

Birthday alone? - CV & AMR

Charlotte sat in the living room, illuminated by the cold light of her phone. Tears were rolling down her cheeks before she could even attempt to stop them. Each notification, each message, was a fresh wave of pain crashing over her.

The fight with Mark replayed in her mind, a broken record of accusations and bitter words. How could someone who once knew her so well now misunderstand her so completely? The silence of the house amplified her solitude, making her feel utterly alone.

Just at that  moment, Mia walked into the living room. "Sweetheart, do we – " she started, before noticing the tears immediately. She moved slowly, kneeling in front of Charlotte. She questioned quietly while holding her girlfriend's tear-soaked face in her hands. "Baby, what's wrong?"

Charlotte's breath hitched as she looked up at Mia. The concern etched on her face was a stark contrast to the harsh words that were on her phone from earlier. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a choked sob. The fight with Mark had left her raw, and now, seeing her girlfriend's gentle eyes, the dam finally broke.

Mia pulled Charlotte closer, wrapping her arms around her. "It's okay, baby," she whispered, her voice soothing. "Just breathe. You can tell me anything."

A fresh wave of tears started again. "He has them. I don't get my girls, our girls on my birthday again. He had them last year as well, and he's been messaging me," she sobbed before moving away from Mia's touch, bringing her knees to her chest and hiding her face.

The redhead’s heart ached as she watched Charlotte retreat into herself. The pain of not seeing her daughters on her birthday, compounded by the unwelcome messages from her ex, was clearly overwhelming. She reached out, her hand hovering in the air, unsure whether to touch her.

"Hey," Mia said softly, her voice filled with empathy. "That sounds really, really tough. You deserve to have your girls with you, especially on your birthday. And you definitely don't deserve those messages. Want me to read them?" She paused, giving Charlotte a chance to respond before moving her phone to the coffee table to let her girlfriend have some space from his messages.

Amelia's heart broke for her partner. "Sweetheart, do you want a hug?" she questioned quietly, knowing that if she tried to talk too much to Charlotte, she wouldn't be able to listen while so many things were running through her head, and she would shut down.

Charlotte shook her head. Of course, deep down, she wanted nothing more than to be held by Mia, but she was too worked up to actually communicate that properly. The redhead hesitated, her arms still outstretched. She could see the conflict in Charlotte's eyes, the desire for comfort battling with her overwhelmed state.

"I won't hug you yet, but I'm going to sit in here with you, so when you are ready, you can come closer," She hushed, while placing a blanket on Charlotte before sitting at the other end of the couch.

The room was silent except for Charlotte's occasional sniffles. Mia didn't push, didn't pry. She simply sat, a quiet presence offering unspoken support. She watched Charlotte from the corner of her eye, noticing the way she huddled in on herself, the tension in her shoulders.

After a while, Charlotte shifted, her gaze fixed on the blanket Mia had placed over her. Slowly, hesitantly, she reached for it, pulling it around herself more, like a shield. She watched as Charlotte seemed to find a sliver of comfort in the soft fabric. It wasn't a hug, but it was a start. Mia was patient, willing to wait until Charlotte was ready for more.

Some time passed before Charlotte sniffled, then moved from her spot and curled herself into her girlfriend's side as close as possible. Mia wrapped her arms around her girlfriend as she shook, holding her close.