Chapter Text
Charlotte Wolfe reaches over to the small bassinet next to her side of the bed, kept there to make late night feedings easier for her. She was, by no means, an impressive mother. In fact, she’d consider herself below average, but it wasn’t without her trying. Charlie feels the gentle rise and fall of her son’s resting belly, able to get him to sleep only ten to fifteen minutes prior.
Colic.
The pediatrician said it was colic.
The pediatrician said it was what was making her life a living hell in regards to her first turn of motherhood and that it was completely normal. Charlie knows the pediatrician was being reassuring, but she couldn’t help except find it a tad condescending.
She hasn’t slept in three days.
Too worried that something will happen to her son. Too worried that it will be her fault. Rhys is perfect and chunky with light brunette hair. He smiles often, unless he isn’t...unless he’s crying instead. Sometimes she’s able to feed him from her breast when other times he requires a special baby milk. Something for sensitive stomachs. Charlie and John have attempted to decipher if she was eating something that affected him by changing the composition or taste of her milk, but they’ve never been able to figure it out. Even with the help of her mother and Serena.
Something she’s already failed at in regards to being a mother.
Actually, Charlie isn’t surprised. Not in the slightest. In fact, she thought she’d have failed much earlier.
Charlotte keeps her eyes closed, but sleep never takes her. It rarely does, but three days without so much as a quick kip hasn’t exactly done her any favors.
The sound of John’s alarm to wake him for his day of work causes Charlie to flinch, and for Rhys to flinch by proxy. John sighs softly, leaning over to press a kiss to her eyebrow, “I’m sorry, babe.” The baby begins his whimper, causing John to feel even worse than he previously did for waking his partner in the first place. Gathering the chunky baby into his arms, John presses a kiss to his temple, “alright, little man. How about I get you a bottle while your Mom tries to get a bit of-”
“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it. You’re going to jinx it.” Charlotte turns to her side, watching her husband gently sways from foot to foot as he makes his way to the en suite, keeping the baby calm in the process, “and he likes you more anyway. Rarely hear a peep out of him when he’s with you.” Slowly pushing herself up to a sitting position, she sighs, rubbing her hands over her face in an effort to wake herself more, “I’m surprised Tala isn’t awake yet. She’s usually on your schedule.”
“We had her outside quite a bit yesterday though.” John comfortably keeps his son in the crook of his arm as he peers over at his wife, “did Serena and Bernie say when they’re due back?”
“They went for a romantic week in the south of France. If I were them, I’d never come back.” Charlie yawns, stretching her arms above her head, “reckon they’ll be thrilled that the garden house will be completely finished and furnished. I wouldn’t want to deal with his crying all the time if I didn’t have to either.” She pauses, “or a toddler if I didn’t need to.”
“Tala is a breeze. Absolutely perfect in every way, our two.” John nods, then realizes what he’s just said, “I mean-”
“I know.” Charlie nods, comfortably folding her arms over her chest, “any word from Nicky? She usually contacts you more often than she does me.” It had been weeks, a month or so at the very least, since John had received a short text from Nicky talking about getting a job back in Holby City. No mention of a return. No mention of visiting. No mention of Tala even.
John shakes his head solemnly, “have you asked your brother if she’s reached out to him?”
“She hasn’t.” Charlotte licks her lips, licking her lips slowly, “I told Cam to phone if she made contact just...just to let us know that she’s alive, but...nothing yet.” She starts to rub her hands over her face again, “this is far too heavy a conversation to be having this early in the morning.”
“No time like the present.” John offers her a soft smile, carrying the baby into the bathroom with him in order to brush his teeth with one hand, something he’s managed to master over the course of a few months.
Charlotte glances over at the open bathroom door, wanting to ask her husband to just give her the day. Give her some time to attempt to sleep. Give her some time to go for a jog without pushing Rhys in a sports buggy, or even a walk. Something. Anything that allowed her time to herself.Especially since John has been spending most of his days at the veterans hospital with therapy services, place where it’s most needed. “Haven’t you a day coming up where you...aren’t working?”
“Quite a few platoons just came home in the past month. They’ve...” John sighs softly, knowing there’s no real excuse he can give, or even should give. He looks at himself in the mirror, then down to his now alert son’s face, “I’m home today. All home sessions today.”
“Great,” She knows her tone isn’t exactly one of reassurance, “I’ll um...I’ll go and make us some coffee downstairs. Do you mind getting him ready while I do?” Charlotte licks her lips, swinging her legs over the side of the bed, “I can...make you some sort of breakfast.” She shrugs, “I can try, at least.”
“Egg sandwich with spinach and tomato on top?” John offers, “is that too-”
“No, no. I can do it.” Really, Charlotte will do anything for a moment away from her son at this point. She’s still wearing pajama shorts and one of her husband’s cropped t-shirts, something he liked to wear while exercising or mowing the lawn. Anytime his wife could see him and it would make her laugh. There isn’t much more said before Charlotte leaves the room, trudging down the stairs.
Her head hurts from the sunlight...or is it from the hours of screaming cries from her son over an ailment that has no real easy treatment? Charlotte isn’t certain.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she’s certain she can hear the television on in the den. It isn’t loud enough to be heard by the floor above, but quiet enough just to be barely heard the next room over. Charlotte turns her head around, wondering if she’s simply hearing things. Of course, that is until she hears a familiar giggle, causing her to sigh with relief.
“No, Po!” Tala replies energetically at the television before digging her hand into the bag of Special K with Red Berries that she had managed to obtain after climbing up onto the counter by pulling out various drawers on the kitchen cupboards, shoving a few of the flakes of cereal into her mouth, taking the time to inspect one of the dried strawberries after pulling it out of her mouth again.
“Good morning, Tala.” Charlotte smiles a little to herself, chuckling softly when the girl jumps a little before offering her a hand of cereal. “I’m good. Thank you. I’m making your Uncle John some eggs, would you like some as well?”
Giving a negative head shake, Tala beams proudly toward her aunt, “I good.”
“You absolutely are, my little self-sufficient powerhouse.” The statement earns Charlie a confused look from the toddler, “carry on. I’ll be in the kitchen for a bit.” She exhales as she earns a nod from the girl, making her way to her original destination.
Carrying his son comfortably in the crook of his arm still, the baby still donning a mint green grow suit now with his tuft of curls on top of his head, John’s eyes are wide, “babe, I just looked in on T and she’s-” He smiles a little as he hears another gregarious giggle coming from the direction of the lounge, “in the living room.” John finishes his statement, only then spotting his wife just staring at the pod drink maker. Her hand seems to be holding onto the drawer underneath the device, but hasn’t pulled it open. It is almost as if Charlotte’s batteries have just been depleted and she’s frozen in place.
John cautiously takes a few steps closer, watching his partner for a moment, “babe?”
Charlotte startles with a slight jump, “I’m making your coffee. It should only take a few mo-” She realizes she hasn’t even gotten his mug out, nor has she chosen the pod for the device. “I um...I looked in on Tala. She’s watching Teletubbies.” Charlie tries her best to cover her own odd behavior, “I used to watch that as a wee thing. Can’t believe it’s still on telly.”
“After my time, sadly.” John glances down at the alert baby before looking back over at his wife, “babe, how-”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure you need to prepare for your first patient, but I can bring this in to you toward the end of that one so you can quickly gobble it up.” Charlotte offers, smiling a little as she turns to look at him, “may even add some cheese for you...melted swiss.”
John decides it’s probably best to let the issue go. They’re both tired. They’re new parents. It’s expected, if not celebrated as a right of passage, “Charlie, let me know if...” He pauses, exhaling slowly because he knows his wife well enough to know her response, “you’ll let me know if you need anything, right?”
She won’t. Of course she won’t. Charlotte gives a quick nod, “just put him in the bouncer...and turn the vibration on. He...he likes that best.” She offers her husband a quick smile, “I’ll knock and leave your coffee outside of your door. Tala will be watching telly for a bit still...and, knowing her, she’ll be ready for her nap soon enough.”
“Phone your parents and see when their flight gets in. I’ll pick them up from the airport so they don’t try to get a taxi or something.” John secures his son in the bouncer as it sits on the counter, turning on the vibration as he was asked. He takes a few steps, wrapping his arms around his wife’s waist and kissing her shoulder, “I’ll be out in a few hours.”
Charlotte doesn’t really respond except for another subtle nod, “I know.”
Exhaling softly to himself when she doesn’t so much as lean against him, John releases his hold, turning around to go toward his office without another word. Bernie and Serena couldn’t get home fast enough.
Hearing the door to her husband’s office close with a soft click, Charlotte releases a breath she wasn’t aware that she was holding. She looks over at her son in his bouncer, reaching for the toys that hang overhead as he rocks himself with a chubby leg. It causes her to smirk to herself, amused.
Suddenly, Charlie’s morning peace is disturbed when she hears a knock at the front door, just off of the kitchen. Her smile begins to turn into a grin as she energetically makes her way over to the entryway, pulling the door open, “it’s about time you’ve-” Her thought is stopped mid-sentence, looking at the familiar couple standing on her doorstep.
“Thought we’d surprise you two.” The bubbly brunette replies with a grin, quickly moving forward to pull her into a tight embrace.
The man standing next to her nods, a smile on his face as well, “we’ve yet to see that grandson of ours except for video conferences and the missus was getting antsy. Thought it was long overdue.”
Charlotte stands still, the shock still setting on her. The two people she definitely didn’t need to deal with right now, especially all on her own, her husband’s parents. Shit.