Chapter Text
Charlotte Wolfe stares toward the ceiling as she lies in bed, the duvet covering the bed lightly covering her torso as the man next to her pulls her closer to him in his sleep. Making partner at her law firm, news of a new baby, and a marriage proposal all on the same day. Her life is truly taking the traditional path, something she has fought hard to achieve, the opposite of her own upbringing. All on the day before her mother’s anniversary.
“Happy Anniversary, Mum.” She says aloud, knowing her partner is much too heavy of a sleeper to hear her in the morning hours, Charlotte still keeps her voice low. “Wherever you are.” She pauses, “ happy is probably the wrong word. Sorry about that.” Charlie swallows, feeling her eyes begin to heat with tears, but she decides to bury the emotion a bit.
Hearing her mobile begin to vibrate against its charging pad on her nightstand, Charlie reaches over, quickly lifting the device into her hand. She swipes her finger across the screen, but doesn’t necessarily look at the screen, “Wolfe,” she answers, carefully sliding from the loving grasp of her partner and dashing to the lounge area of her high end flat.
“Charlie, it’s me.”
Charlotte stops mid walk, having a feeling he’d phone her today. “Cameron, good morning.”
Cam licks his lips, hearing the change in his sister’s voice. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I uh...no.” She glances around, deciding to stand near the large windows. “How are you?”
“Everyday is a holiday.” This is, probably, one of the first times Cameron Dunn has reached out to his sister since his trial. She served as a character witness and, luckily, helped to convince the jury that her brother was acting in a way that was completely detached from his usual behavior. Helping to convince the jury that his insanity plea was founded, along with the testimony of a psychiatrist.
Charlotte ruefully huffs, “as long as you do whatever you need to in order to get better, Cam. That’s all I ask.”
Cameron nods, “I have a free day today though.” He bites his lip, looking to the room around him as he continues to speak, “you...you remember what today is, right?”
“Yes.” She keeps her answer short, to the point, “but we shouldn’t dwell on it much. Mum wouldn’t have wanted that.” Charlotte had always felt a pang of guilt when it came to the relationship with her mother. There were many unanswered phone calls and emails, many times where her mother attempted to speak to her and she just wouldn’t give the woman the time of day. It had been a good six months before Bernie Wolfe’s death that Charlotte had last spoken to her.
Her tone actually hurts him more than he thought it would, but in his group therapy sessions, he’s learned that it’s usually easier for people to push the emotions down instead of confronting them head on. “I received a...a letter from Alex Dawson, of all people.”
A name Charlotte definitely didn’t want to hear again. Someone she had always had bad vibes from, but didn’t feel she knew her mother enough to argue with her. “She sent you something while you’re in hospital?” Charlotte pauses, “how did she even-”
“Serena promised to keep in touch. She phones from time to time and knows where I am, but...I didn’t think they were still in touch.” Cameron licks his lips, “I hoped they weren’t, at least.”
“Was there a reason for the post, Cam?”
Getting him back on topic, Cam nods, knowing that he was getting distracted. “Admission of sorts. That...though she and Mum would remain close friends until the end, they weren’t engaged to be married when she said they were. Alex was afraid we wouldn’t allow her to be included in Mum’s memorial services.”
Charlotte closes her eyes, licking her lips, “I have every reason to...” She sighs slowly, attempting to contain herself, “with the way she carried on...That childish behavior is why I still haven’t spoken to Dad.”
“Probably why she sent this to me and not you.”
“Also, I’d be damned if I’m giving her my flat address.” She lifts a hand, running it through her hair, “not like we’re going to be here much longer anyway. John wants to start looking at detached or semi-detached places instead of this...single bedroom flat.”
“Darling Charlotte’s million pound flat overlooking the Thames?” Cameron raises an eyebrow, remembering when his sister and her partner had moved in and the copious amount of teasing he offered her.
“I worked hard to live where I live. I’m not about to apologize for not letting you stay on my sofa for a month like you wanted.” Charlotte folds her arms over her chest, not ready to have this conversation with her brother. “Look, Cameron, I need to go. Um...” She swallows, “it was good hearing from you. I think Mum...” Charlotte trails a little, taking a moment before speaking, not knowing if she can.
“I think she would have liked if we were closer.” Cam nods, “I uh...I love you, Chaz.”
“Don’t call me Chaz.” Charlie answers instinctively before swallowing, “I love you too.” She’s quick to end the call, still staring absently toward the water of the historical river. Inhaling deeply when she feels her partner’s arms wrap around her waist from behind. “Morning.”
“Felt you weren’t next to me.” John Hampton, Charlotte’s long term partner, kisses her shoulder, “morning sickness?”
“No...my brother phoned.” She licks her lips, “Mum’s anniversary.” Charlotte slowly takes a deep breath and exhales, “nothing to worry over.”
“Charlie, it’s okay to feel things, you know.” He huffs a soft chortle, letting her go as he begins to pad his way to the kitchen area, “I don’t expect you to be a machine. Neither do your partners at the firm.”
“I show any sign of weakness and they’ll eat me alive.” Charlotte shakes her head, turning around to make her way to the stool seating at the kitchen island. “I’m already dreading the moment I start to show, they’ll treat it as a handicap. Not to mention just making partner and informing Mr. Weston that I need to leave in-”
“Charlie, you’re ten steps ahead. Slow down.” John smirks a little, filling the electric kettle with water before placing it on the dock. “One day at a time.”
“Fine, but don’t start psychoanalyzing me in your head. I know how you are.” Charlie folds her arms on the counter top, “I’m not one of your patients.”
“Of course you aren’t, but you are set to be my wife.” He raises an eyebrow, “there’s no need to put up a front around me. I know you’re in pain and it’s completely normal.” John opens the refrigerator door, still speaking with her, “have you thought about calling your father? Might make you feel better.”
“My mobile works both ways.”
“Charlie.”
Charlotte shakes her head a little, “I’m fine not speaking with him.”
“The one thing you said at your mother’s memorial service was that you wish you would have answered her calls and emails. The look in your eye then just...I know that admission came from the heart.” John continues, “no reason to cut your father off because of his behavior on-”
“He knew how important my mother’s memorial was to Cam and I. He was so focused on micromanaging everything and trying to ensure Serena Campbell and Alex Dawson weren’t allowed entrance. Dawson already admitted that she lied about the engagement so she wasn’t pushed out. Not like Cam and I didn’t think that was the case in the first place.” Charlotte brings her hands up to hide her face, elbows resting on the counter top. She does everything in her power not to cry, but is quickly losing the battle. Abruptly turning on the stool and climbing off, she starts to walk toward their shared bedroom for access to the en suite bath, “I’m going to shower and step into the office for a few hours just to-”
“Get your mind off of things.” John nods, knowing the real reason without her saying so.
“Catch up on paperwork.” Charlie pauses in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder. She offers him a quick smile, finally vanishing into their bedroom. Freeing herself from the confines of her hunter green, silk nightie and tossing it into the hamper next to the door to the bath. Charlie stops herself from going through the motions when she catches her reflection in the bathroom mirror.
Bringing a hand up, Charlotte runs her finger along the subtle lines under her eyes. “Older I become, the more I look like you.” She exhales, huffing a rueful laugh to herself, “glad I didn’t go into the medical field. Don’t believe I could have taken the comparisons.”
Her eyes flood more than before, a tear finally escaping the enclosure, “I hear them enough as it is.” Charlotte swallows, quickly turning away from the mirror and turning the knobs of the bath, running water to fill the tub. A bath before her shower would work much better, especially to decompress.
John hears his partner’s mobile begin to vibrate against the counter top, hearing that she’s finally started her bath, he decides to answer the call when he notices the law firm’s name on the caller identification. “Charlotte Wolfe’s phone.”
“This is Reginald Weston, to whom am I speaking with?”
“Oh, Mr. Weston. Hello, this is Charlie’s fiance.” John nods, “Unfortunately, you just missed her. Just stepped into the bath.”
Weston nods, the corded phone still pressed against his ear, “oh, that’s just fine. She has the day off today, as she requested, but...unfortunately, there’s someone here to speak with her. Rather...high profile. Now, I’m certain they wouldn’t mind a short wait for her to arrive, but do you think you could light a fire under her?”
“Today’s an incredibly difficult day for her, reason for her vacation day. In my professional opinion as a psychiatrist, she truly needs to take her time.” John knows the man probably isn’t told ‘no’ very often and there’s no reason for him to attempt to impress him now. “I apologize for any sort of inconvenience this may cause you, or your guest, but she should be there in a half hour or so.”
Sitting up a bit, Weston is taken by surprise, “I’ll inform her guests.” He quickly disconnects the call, looking up to the two men clad in military attire, “I apologize, gentlemen, Ms. Wolfe may be a bit.”
“That’s fine, sir. We’ll wait.” The young Army official continues to stand, “would it be better if we were to wait in her office?” He pauses, “does she have an office?”
“Oh, brilliant idea. I’ll have my assistant take you.” Weston presses a button to an intercom on his desk, calling for his assistant to come into his office. “Felicia, could you please show our guests to Ms. Wolfe’s office and see that they’re comfortable.”
Felicia nods, “of course, Mr. Weston.”
Reginald Weston watches as the two young military officials file out of his office, curious as to what the young woman he’s just made partner could possibly have on her plate. He exhales slowly, thinking about the phone conversation with her fiance. “Oh Charlie...what have you gotten yourself into?”