The right time

Chapter three

Recalling the quick conversation she had with the cold-hearted woman, Charlotte took a stroll down the little path in the garden. Her eyes admire her surroundings, but her heart is aching, and her mind is killing her softly.
"I didn't think I'd see you again," the voice speaks behind her all of a sudden. She shakes and looks behind her and James. With a deep breath, she straightens her body and watches him approach her like out of a movie. "Hello, Charlotte."
"Hello, James," she greets him back with a nod. He stops in front of her and smiles relieved. There's no smile in return from her. Not even a little one. "How are you?"
"I'm great," he chuckles. "How about you?"
"I'm well," she nods and inhales deeply. "Congratulations, though."
"On what?" He asks.
"Becoming a father again," she replies and looks down. James raises an eyebrow and folds his arms. With an awkward chuckle, she looks away from him to the house. "What are you doing, James. A child? At this age? Nadine is getting married, and soon, we'll be chasing around grandchildren."
"You don't think I realize that?" He asks. "Emma wants to have kids. So what's the damage in trying, right?"
"Right," she nods and takes a quick glimpse over his body.
"But we can't get pregnant," he bursts it to her. Her eyes shoot at him like fiery darts. "There's a problem with one of us. Emma is fully convinced it's with me. So she's got me on other medication to make me fertile, I guess."
"Okay. Well, Goodluck." Charlotte giggles awkwardly, trying to make it past him, but he steps in front of her to stop her. She looks at his face and sighs. "James..."
"I get that you don't like Emma, but she's my wife, and she deserves just as much respect as you do," he tells her. One thing about James is that he's a fair person...well, sometimes.
"I've never met the woman," Charlotte chuckles uncomfortably and shakes her head. "Besides, I know she's your wife, James. And I don't care about that, your life or what you want. Right now, I want to get into the house away from you."
"Away from me?" He asks with an odd look.
"Yes, because the longer I look at you, the more it fucking kills me," she says getting tears in her eyes. She brings her shaky hands up to her face. "Listen, I'm happy for you. I really am. I just... I can't look at you right now."
"Charlotte," he steps forward and looks down, running his hand over his mouth. "I know it's been eight years, and a lot has changed..."
"I haven't seen you in eight years, so practically, we don't know how to do this. We don't know how to be divorced around each other, and most importantly, I don't know how to be me around you. Do you know how long it took for me to find myself? To really know myself without you?"
"No," he shakes his head slowly.
"Exactly. Don't ruin this for me now," she inhales deeply and closed her eyes for a little while. James watches her closely as she lets her breath go slowly. The urge to run away from him is still there, but there's more keeping her than chasing her. "Was it so easy to move on, James? When you got married and you two spoke about having kids, have you... ever thought of me by any chance? When you two lie together in bed, do you wonder who lies next to me, who holds me? When she kisses you or even as much as holds you in her arms..."
She sniffs and looks helplessly at him. Only now, they both realize how vulnerable they are. They haven't found peace with the divorce. Charlotte is just bringing that out into the light now.
"Do I ever cross your mind?"
"All the time," James nods sadly and looks behind him at the house and then at her again. "I never knew what we had until we lost it."
"Me too," she agrees and shrugs her shoulders. "And you're right, James. We lost it. So if I avoid you or run away, don't question me. I'm still learning to feel normal around you."
"I understand," he whispers and looks down. Charlotte nods as well and finally passes him. He turns to follow her with his eyes. "Charlotte."
She stops and turns to look at him. He smiles at her and nods his head slowly.
"You're beautiful," he allows himself to say. She raises an eyebrow in surprise and slowly turns back around going into the house. When last did he give her a compliment like that? When she was barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen and he couldn't take his eyes off her.
James pushes his hands in his pockets and looks around the garden. He looks down to his feet, and his eye catches the shiny object between the grass. He goes down and picks it up. It's a hair clip. It must've fallen from Charlotte's hair. He pushes it in his pocket and slowly starts heading back into the house. He stopped when he accidentally walked into Charlotte, who stood with her back to him facing his mother.
"You just can't seem to leave me alone tonight," Charlotte glares at her and grabs her head about to leave, but Tina grabs her arm, getting her attention.
"You know, Emma would never walk away from me like this. That's why I like her more," Tina says. Charlotte smiles at her and pulls her arm out of her grip, leaving her. James inhales deeply and gives his mother an odd look. Tina sighs in relief at him and touches his arm. "I'm so glad you two didn't work out. That woman is toxic."
"I wish we worked out," James mutters and stands up straight. "Listen, mom. I love you and I always tried to be patient with you and in return I kind of... ignored how you've been treating Charlotte. I know you don't like her, but she's your grandchildren's mother and she was my wife. You have to show her a little bit of respect."
"Respect? Her?" Tina gives her son a disgusted look.
"Listen, I don't want to choose between my family and mother," he says, giving her a serious look. "You are my mom, and nothing will change that, but my priorities are my family."
"She's your ex-wife, not your family. And I'll be very disappointed if you choose your ex over your mother," Tina says with a cracky voice walking away from her son. James just watched her leave. For a moment, it felt like he was losing everyone all of a sudden. Emma is mad at him for defending his ex-wife, Charlotte can't face him, and now his mother is walking away for again, standing up for his ex-wife. It all leads down to one person.