Little Miss Tate {Emmerdale}

Eighteen

Chloe looked up as Graham walked in. She sighed as she saw Esmè toddling behind him. "I take it she's following you?" She asked.

"I don't mind."

Chloe smiled slightly. She picked Esmè up and held her close. She sighed. "I'd do anything for her. I'd die for her."

Graham sat down. He placed a hand on Chloe's thigh. Chloe looked at him. "Don't. You're with Rhona. I'm not being the back up. Not anymore."

"Chloe."

Chloe stood up with Esmè. She shook her head. "No. Don't Chloe me. I'm not in the mood for this. You can't do this either. You can't make me feel like we've got something and then get with someone else. Esmè has to be number one priority for me," she told him.

"She will be."

Chloe looked at him and sighed. "Don't ever hurt Esmè. I'll kill you if you do," she joked.

****

Chloe walked into her room and saw Scarlett sitting on her bed with Esmè. Esmè was sleeping. Chloe smiled. "Has she been good?" She asked.

Scarlett nodded. "She got a little hyper in the bath. But my cutie has been golden," she told her.

Chloe grinned and kissed her daughter's head. She sighed. "Graham keeps giving me mixed messages. I don't know how to explain that I'm not being the other woman. He either wants to be with me and be a family with Esmè. Or with Rhona. He's not going to keep doing this," she said.

Scarlett nodded. "Good for you babes. Esmè has to come first," she told her.

****

Chloe left the nursery just as Graham came upstairs. She sighed and looked at him. "She's just gone down. I know you wanted to read her a story," she said.

"It doesn't matter. Was she okay?" Graham asked.

Chloe nodded. "Yeah. My mum called. She's back next week," she told him.

"Right. Do you want a drink? We could order in some food too?" He asked.

Chloe smiled slightly. "I'm not hungry. I could just do with a drink," she told him.

Graham nodded and smiled. He took Chloe downstairs and handed her a glass of wine. Chloe looked at him. "I meant what I said. I'm not going to keep doing this. Where you're the one who's always playing. It's either me or Rhona. That's the way it has to be."

Graham nodded and sighed. He looked at her. "I do love you Chloe."

"Just not enough."

Graham looked at her. He hated how she felt like he didn't love her when he did. He just thought she could do better than be with him. She deserved better than him.

*****

As the night went on, Chloe found herself getting closer to Graham. She looked at him. "Seeing you with Rhona, it broke my heart and I don't think I can ever recover from that."

"I went about it the wrong way. I realise that."

Chloe smiled slightly. "All that matters to me is that Esmè gets the family she deserves. That's all I want for her," she said.

"She will. I promise."

Chloe looked at her glass and then back at Graham. Could she ever give him another chance? Especially when she was still trying to mend her heart?