The right time

Chapter nine

Charlotte holds tightly unto James's body, both naked and full of sweat. He rests on her breathing heavily. She touches his face to get his attention. He looks at her and takes the hair off her sweaty forehead.
They've spent their whole night in each other's arms cuddling, kissing, making love, and joking around with each other. It's an evening well spent, but for Charlotte, many lonely night waiting.

With a blanket around her body, Charlotte stands by the window looking out. She bites on her lip as she looks over at James, who's asleep with the sheets pulled up to his stomach. She missed everything on him. The warmth of his body, his deep kisses, and the way he would tease around with her in the bedroom. He had his fun with her, and now she has to face Emma, knowing that he cheated on her and might never even tell anyone.
After getting dressed and gathering all her things, Charlotte placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, regretting leaving him there. All by herself, she made her way down the quiet passage down to the lobby, where she immediately phoned for a taxi. She has the choice to go to her daughter's place, pack up and leave , or go up to the love of her life and wake up next to him. He's married, but he was hers first.

It's awkwardly quiet in the kitchen. Charlotte is helping Nadine prepare dinner. Nadine keeps looking over at her mother, finding her silence so awkward. She's there, yet she's miles away at the same time.
"How was last night?" Nadine asks her.
"Great," Charlotte replies, starts cutting another carrot. Nadine puts everything down and turns to her mother.
"What happened?" She asks. Charlotte looks at her and shakes her head awkwardly. "Stop lying to me. I know something is up. Tell me, please."
"We had dinner, and then we spoke," Charlotte replies and inhales deeply.
"You didn't come home last night," Nadine mentions and folds her arms. "Daddy is married, mom. You know that."
"I do," she sighs and puts her hands on her face in embarrassment. "But I just... I love him, Nadine. I love him so much, and it kills me."
"Does he know how you feel?" She asks. Charlotte shrugs her shoulders and closes her eyes to stop herself from crying.
"I thought I could do this, Nadine. I thought that I'll be with you and I'll barely see him. I knew that seeing him would do something to me, but this?" She shakes her head and removes her hands inhaling deeply. "Please forgive me for including you in my mess. I know I said I'll stay until Sunday, but I can't do this. Not with your father around."
"You slept together, didn't you?" Nadine asks. Charlotte nods and looks away unhappily. "Oh my gosh, mom. It's no wonder you're in this state. Listen, I get that you two aren't completely over and that there might be unfinished business, but take it from me. I hate the childhood I had, and I always promised not to be a wife like you or have a husband like dad. You two messed up the first time around. There are no perfect second rounds, okay?"
"I'm sorry," Charlotte whispers with tears in her eyes. She looks around then at her daughter. "I'm sorry, Nadine."
She rushes out of the kitchen up to her room. Nadine takes the moment to herself before following her mother up to her room. She stopped when she saw Charlotte gathering all her stuff.
"Mom..."
"I can't do this," Charlotte cries and throws her shoes in her bag. "I just can't. I love you and your sister so much, Nadine and I gave everything to you two. The person I was supposed to give the rest of myself to is married to another woman. This is all my fault. I should've loved my husband and made time for him no matter how late and how tired I was."
"This isn't about you should've done as a wife. This is what you two should've done as a married couple," Nadine says. Charlotte hugs herself and goes down to her knees, breaking down right there. She goes to her mother and hugs her. "Let's leave dinner for tonight. Cain can order us some pizza and the three of us can watch a movie and spend the rest of the evening together."
"Okay," Charlotte nods in agreement.

With arms fold, James leans against the pillar on his porch, looking at the dead grass. If Charlotte lived her with him, the grass would be green, there would be beddings with all different flowers in and probably garden statues as well.
"You're not drinking?"
He looks at Emma, who comes out from the house and stands next to him. He looks in front of him again, inhaling deeply.
"Have you ever noticed how dead the grass is?" He asks.
"Yes," she answers and rests her head against his shoulder. "James, do you love me?"
"Of course," he replies with an odd look. She looks up at him and smiles.
"You can be honest, you know," she says and looks in front of her again. "I've seen how you look at Charlotte, and I know you two went out last night for old times' sake. I know you still love her."
"She was my wife, Emma. I've loved her my whole life," he acknowledges and sighs unhappily. "I'm sorry for not telling you the truth. I really thought I could make things work between us. I love you, Emma, but unfortunately, I can't stop loving Charlotte."
"What about me, James?" She asks and inhales deeply with tears in her eyes. "What was I ever to you?"
James looks at her and decides to stay quiet. Perhaps they both know how much the truth can scar a person. Emma inhales deeply stepping away from him.
"You're an idiot, James. You're stupid for not fighting for her and an idiot for playing with me like this," she says to him and shakes her head slowly. "I deserve better."
With this said, she leaves him alone outside. James remains quiet and just stares ahead of him. What difference would it make to comfort her?