Shattered Hearts

Chapter 9

"Aren't you going to say hello?" Rosalind asked Judy, a false smile plastered across her face. Now Darlene had left the wake she felt emboldened enough to approach her friends. Or should that be former friends?

Judy looked up slowly, making her disdain obvious. "Hello. Is that good enough for you?"

"Jeez give me a break. What happened with John and I has nothing to do with you." 

Judy snorted. "True but that doesn't mean I have to condone what you did."

"And it doesn't mean you have to take sides either." Ros tried to make her voice conciliatory but she could tell Judy was unmoved. "Please, we've been friends for years."

"And I've been friends with Darlene for just as long." Judy stood up straighter, crossing her arms over her chest. "Much as I'd like to brush this under the carpet I won't. I have to take a side and that side can't be yours."

Rosalind inhaled sharply. "Wow, I never thought my friends would be so judgemental."

"And I never thought you'd mess around with a married man, much less one who's married to your best friend. Seems like we were both wrong."

Rosalind turned scarlet. "I guess I won't be going to your wedding."

"News flash, you're no longer invited!"

Rosalind glared at Judy and she returned her stare with equal venom. Around her, she could sense people were watching their encounter, forcing her to bite her tongue. "I'll leave you to your memories," she said with as much dignity as she could muster. "I have a husband to get back to." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, giving Judy a pointed look, before walking over to Dale.

"How's Judy?" he asked as soon as she sat down, his face concerned.

"Fine." His concern annoyed her. "She's here to keep up appearances, she doesn't give a shit about Brad."

Dale held his hands up. "Woah, that's harsh."

She shrugged. "You give these people too much credit." She looked around the room, her eyes landing on Charlotte. "I mean look at Lottie, she's devastated over her marriage break up yet there she is fawning all over her ex-boyfriend."

Dale's eyes shot up, as she knew they would. He studied Charlotte and Louis, his mouth forming into a grim line. "I hope they're just two old friends getting reacquainted. The last thing she needs is Nick casting aspersions on her character, which he will do given half the chance."

Rosalind bit her lip thinking she'd spoken out of turn. "I wouldn't have thought any aspersions cast by Nick would in any way diminish what he's done? He abused her, their baby died because of him, that can't be talked away with fancy words."

"Hush," Dale said raising his hand as if in readiness to cover her mouth. "We don't know that for a fact, we can't say it."

"But it's the truth! Don't tell me you're fighting her case if you're gonna ignore her trump card."

"I'm not," Dale hissed looking furtively around. "Jesus Ros, you know I can't go into the details with you. Charlotte lost her baby following an altercation with Nick, he might be responsible, he might not be." He paused his eyes resting on Charlotte again. "Our personal opinions don't come into it, she's not entirely clear herself about what happened."

"But that's cos she's traumatised and she's used to covering up for him." Rosalind tried to temper her exasperation. "For years she hid the truth and when she finally admits what was going on, no one believes her."

"I believe her," Dale said solemnly. "But you said it yourself, she covered it up so when she tells the truth there is a huge element of doubt. It's her word against her husband's and it could be argued that he is the more credible witness."