Shattered Hearts

Chapter 13

"Jesus H Christ, I can't believe you did that Lottie," Darlene exclaimed pressing the telephone receiver to her ear. "We should never have left you alone with him." She saw John look up and she put a finger to her lips. 

"I'm a big girl," Charlotte said dismissively. "It was a mistake but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

Liar.

"Just don't do it again." Darlene paused, hating the judgmental tone of voice she'd adopted. "You know, if you wanna start dating again I'm sure John could set you up with an eligible young bachelor." She giggled. "Maybe a fit guy in his early twenties, someone without any baggage."

Charlotte scoffed. "I don't want to date anyone, that's the whole point. I'm through with men."

"It probably is a little too soon," she said carefully. "But once your divorce is through then it's a whole new ball game."

"No, not even then. Anyway, I'd better get going, speak soon."

"Okay, bye," Darlene said hanging up.

"So what was all that about?" John asked looking at her expectantly. "Or should I not ask?"

She gave him a rueful smile. "It's pretty much what we'd guessed would happen after the funeral when we left Lottie with Louis. It was so obvious he was gonna take advantage of her."

John nodded turning his attention back to the TV where the Ed Sullivan show was playing. "I guess it was inevitable with their history."

Darlene paused, hovering by his chair but his eyes were now fixed on the TV. "Is that how you felt about Rosalind? Is that how you justified it to yourself?"

John's head spun around. "Not this again."

She held her nerve even though he was clearly irritated by the turn in the conversation. "It's never going to go away Johnny, not entirely. And I was just wondering if you felt that your affair with Ros was inevitable? I could sort of understand it if you had felt that way."

John looked at her incredulously and she gave him a tight smile. She'd probably analysed it a thousand times over whereas he wanted to discard it like last weeks news. However, she could well remember his hurt when Ros had dumped him all those years ago, and how she'd sidled in taking full advantage of the opportunity she'd long waited for. Eventually, he had fallen for her but there had always been a part of her that felt like second best; she was his second choice.

"I was stupid to get involved with Rosalind," John finally said, not answering her question. "I didn't consider what I was putting at stake. She was nothing more than a bored housewife to me."

So why have you been in a foul mood since you saw her at the funeral then?

"I hope you mean that," she said instead. "I'd hate you to throw our marriage away over some floozy."

John gave her an easy smile. "That's not gonna happen but can we change the subject? Louis is coming over any minute now."

She grimaced. "Thanks for the warning."

"I didn't realise I needed your permission to have a friend over."

"No, you don't," she said quickly, wanting to avoid an argument. "And anyway, you can set him straight where Lottie is concerned." John nodded and they sat in silence watching TV until there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get that," John said leaping to his feet and Darlene sat up expectantly. She could hear John exchanging pleasantries with Louis and she rearranged her face into a welcoming expression.