Shattered Hearts

Chapter 41

"Are you sure Charlotte's coming?" Louis asked John as Darlene thrust yet another drink into his hand. He raised the glass to his mouth without drinking from it, he didn't want to have a drunken conversation with Charlotte that he probably wouldn't remember in the morning.

"Relax, she said she was coming," John said making quick work of his own drink. "Where else is she going to go on New Year's Eve?"

"Her mom's house?"

"Yawnarama," John said reaching over to turn the music up. "Besides, she promised Jamie he could come for a sleepover, she won't let him down."

"I guess not." He took a step back and indicated he was going into the kitchen, the noise that passed itself off as music, was getting on his every nerve. Unfortunately, John didn't take the hint that he wanted some peace.

"So is this gonna be make or break time for you guys?" John asked setting his beer bottle on the kitchen table.

"It's always make or break time," he admitted. "At this rate, the baby will be heading off for college and we still won't know where we stand with each other."

John pulled a chair out from under the kitchen table and sank into it. "I know that feeling, boy do I know it."

"How do you mean?" Louis asked sitting down opposite him.

"Darlene and Rosalind, who the hell am I supposed to be with?" He picked up his beer, taking a large swig from it. "I love them both."

Louis gave him a scornful look. "You have a family with Darlene, it's too late to decide Ros is the one."

"Yeah, I guess," John said wearily. "I know what the right thing to do is, but what if I've made a mistake?"

"The only mistake you made was getting tangled up with Ros again," he said feeling surprisingly disapproving. "Far be it for me to judge but what do you see in her?"

John gaped at him. "Are you serious? She's gorgeous."

"And?" He shrugged. "She'll get old, her looks will fade."

"You never liked her."

"True but I think you'd be a fool to throw away what you have with Darlene for a pretty face."

"It's more than that," John said uncertainly. "Or at least I think it is, I'm not sure." He was quiet for a moment and then he let out a deep breath. "I called her the other day."

"You called Ros?"

"I know it's dumb but I need to see her again, to be sure."

"To be sure she isn't the worst thing that ever happened to you?" he said sarcastically. "She's a married woman."

"So was Charlotte."

"She's a happily married woman."

John scowled. "Don't tell me you'd have backed off from Charlotte if you thought she was happy with Nick."

"You're stirring up a hornet's nest," he said, ignoring John's point. They sat drinking in silence until Judy came into the kitchen.

"John, where's the wine hiding?" she asked pulling open the fridge.

"Right where you're looking," he said catching Louis's eye. "You help yourself."

"Don't worry, I will." She spun around a bottle of white in her hand. "Oh Louis, Lottie's here, she's settling Jamie in upstairs."

"Great," he said swallowing. "I'll catch her when she comes downstairs."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Fantastic, if you move fast enough you might catch the baby when she pops it out."