Shattered Hearts

Chapter 5

Louis knocked on the door of his parents' house before entering. "Mom, are you in?" he yelled although he knew she was since the door was unlocked.

"Louis! Come on through, it's so good to see you," his mom said smiling as she poked her head out of the kitchen door. "You should come around more often."

"I've been busy," he mumbled unconvincingly as he stepped into the kitchen.

"Too busy for your own family?" He didn't miss the accusation in her voice but there was no way he could make her understand that after a long day at work forcing himself to be sociable, he preferred to be alone.

"I'll try and make more effort," he said instead. "I'm still adjusting." 

"That excuse is wearing thin," she said with a sigh. "So what prompted you to grace me with your presence?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, I've just been catching up with a few people this week. I saw John and Darlene the other day." She nodded, eager for him to continue. "Just to check the arrangements for Brad's funeral."

"Are you sure you want to go?" she asked as she began to fill the sink up with water.

"Not particularly but I will. It could just as easily have been me who didn't make it."

"That's why I can't go. I keep imagining that it's me burying my son." Her eyes clouded over. "I feel so guilty because, in all honesty, I'm relieved it's happened to them and not us."

Louis nodded. "That's kinda how I feel." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as his mom turned to the kitchen sink and began washing up. "You'll never guess who I ran into at John's house? Charlotte Harper."

His mom paused, holding a plate aloft. "Did you not know she was back in town?"

"No, no one told me." He couldn't believe John, of all people, had never mentioned it.

"Yeah, she's Lucy's teacher." The frown on his mother's face deepened. "I can't say I approve of her teaching kindergarten kids."

Louis gaped at her. "You've lost me. Charlotte's a teacher?" She always was bossy so it probably shouldn't be that much of a surprise.

"A kindergarten teacher," his mom said as if that made a difference. "Charlotte, or Mrs McKenna as she is known nowadays, teaches your niece Lucy."

"And why is that a problem?"

His mom shot him an exasperated look. "Apparently she's getting divorced. It's not appropriate for her to be teaching young children. I know people say times have changed-"

"Wait up, she's getting divorced?"

"Yes, at least that's what I've heard." She threw a plate into the sink. "Rumour has it she's living with her brother so I'd assume the fault lies with her."

Louis was silent as he processed his mom's words. "Do you know why she's getting divorced?"

"No I don't," she said her patience wearing thin. "And I don't understand why you're so interested. You split up years ago."

"I'm just curious that's all," he said trying to sound blase.

His mom turned back to the washing up and he thought she wasn't going to answer but after a long pause, she spoke again. "Charlotte was pregnant, a year or two ago but the baby was stillborn, at least that's what Mark said. One moment she was pregnant and the next she was absent from school. When she returned she was no longer pregnant."

Louis frowned deeply. "Maybe she had the baby?"

His mom shook her head. "No, it would be common knowledge if she had, and she'd probably have stopped teaching so she could look after it. No one at the school has said a word about it so we've all assumed she must have lost the baby. She split up with her husband shortly afterwards."