What about us?

4

If there was one thing Molly could say about his residential stay is that it taught Charles to master the art of deception. He functioned pretty well these days, he was much better at hiding it than before. Everything had returned to normal, nearly everything anyway. There was still the Georgie shaped elephant in the room.

She'd almost believed he was better when he first came home. He'd found it in him to be affectionate, he took her out, made a fuss of her. But in the back of his mind was always Georgie.

The final straw came when she returned home to find him laughing over a beer with Beck. His uniform hanging freshly pressed ready to go back to work, that was the biggest betrayal of all. He was going back. They'd never really argued before, the odd bicker here and there but this was fierce. Molly felt herself being pushed closer to the edge than ever. Beck excused himself, the tension between them heavy in the atmosphere.

"That was so fucking rude Molly" he scolded

"I think you'll find I don't give a shit"

He opened his mouth but words didn't come before she rained down on him with fury.

"I'm your bleedin' wife and you can't find it in yourself to put me first? How can you be cleared for active service so quickly? Are they bloody stupid because I can see by looking in your eyes that you ain't all there mate"

"Georgie needs me. She's gets herself into trouble and Elvis won't be there to bail her out, so I will"

"So you're going away? You're gonna leave me here like this so you can run off playing soldiers and look after your best mates bird who can't follow the bloody rules. Do I not matter anymore? Do you not care that your killing me?"

Her eyes were pleading with him. Pleading for him to touch her, make her feel loved. Pleading for him to stay. "Molly, you knew the score when you met me. I am a soldier, I don't know how to be anything else"

The sight of her crying finally stirred something within him, he rushed forward. His large hands cupping her pretty face, pulling her into his chest as he soothed her with shushing sounds "Be a husband Charles. And be a dad. You was good at those things once"

She turned and walked away from him, praying he would follow. That he would give in once and for all and stop hiding behind the uniform. He didn't follow. He was rooted to the spot as he replayed her words in his head, his worst fears confirmed - he was a failure and he'd let her down. She was better off without him, he knew that now.

-OG-

She sat on the doorstep of Georgie's home. She'd never intended on making such a stupidly long journey after a long shift, but she needed to have it out with her. It was long overdue, she deserved to know the truth.

Georgie almost looked pleased to see her, Molly couldn't say the same. "I think we need to talk" she demanded with authority, she wasn't going to let someone take her husband. He was all she had in the world.

Georgie nodded and ushered her inside. This day had been inevitable for some time.

"Can I get you a cuppa?"

The once easy friendship they'd shared felt strained, neither of them able to look one another in the eye.

"Do you love him Georgie?"

She was taken aback by Molly's bluntness, almost forgetting that the woman in front of her was a ballsy fighter. She'd had to fight for everything in her life - why would Charles be any different?