Shattered Hearts

Chapter 8

"Hi," Louis said as Darlene, John and Charlotte approached him. He took a large swig of his drink to save himself from saying any more.

"Hey, Lou," John said, his voice strangely jovial considering the occasion. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. At the wake, I mean."

Louis looked into his drink. "I did consider bailing after the funeral."

"Yeah, me too." John cleared his throat. "I can't even look Brad's folks in the eyes. But you were out there, you've got nothing to be ashamed of. I got married and I dodged the draft." 

"But it wasn't like you got married to dodge the draft."

"No, but it was an unanticipated advantage," John admitted. "If Darlene and I had got married a few years later I wouldn't have been exempt."

Darlene gave a lighthearted laugh. "You should be grateful for Junior's early arrival, mother nature knew what she was doing."

John laughed and Louis attempted to join in although he wasn't particularly amused. He glanced at Charlotte standing silently beside Darlene. "Oh, hi," he said pretending he hadn't realised she was there even though he'd been conscious of her presence since he'd arrived.

She smiled not meeting his eyes. "Hi, it's good to see you again."

"Can I get you a drink?"

"I'm fine thanks."

"You're holding an empty glass," he said and she flushed.

"A small white wine then, if you don't mind."

He tried to catch the barman's attention while at the same time giving John his best get out of here look.

"What?" John asked disingenuously.

"Could you give us a moment? I need to speak to Charlotte alone." Darlene's eyes narrowed while Charlotte's flush deepened. John hesitated for a moment and then he took Darlene by the elbow, steering her away, neither of them looking too happy.

"Since when did they get so protective of you?" he asked Charlotte in a hushed voice.

She shrugged. "I guess they think it's odd that you want to speak to me alone?" 

"I think I owe you an apology." She arched her eyebrows questioningly but he was saved from continuing by the barman placing their drinks in front of them. "Keep the change," he said handing a bill over. Charlotte took her glass and he followed her to a nearby empty table, grateful it was away from John and Darlene's prying eyes. 

"So why do you owe me an apology?" she asked, sitting down and taking her hat off.

"I was kinda rude to you the other day at John's house."

"No, you weren't."

He tried to think back to what he'd said, some snide remark about her husband? "I think I was."

She ran her fingers through her hair, untangling a few loose strands. "It doesn't matter, I wasn't myself either."

He cleared his throat. "I heard you were getting divorced?"

Her mouth turned down fractionally. "Yes, I am, it's common knowledge." 

"I'm sorry."

She tilted her head to one side. "Somehow I don't believe you. I imagine you think I got what was coming to me."

"Of course not, I don't know anything about it." Well apart from what his mom had told him.

She slowly exhaled, her fingers playing with a collection of bangles on her left wrist. "Sorry, I'm more defensive than I realised." She glanced around the room. "It's not easy being the subject of everyone's gossip. Or one of them at any rate." Her eyes fell on Dale and Ros and he remembered Judy's earlier words. "Still if they're talking about me then they're leaving someone else alone."