Married Life with Charlotte and Cooper: Chapter 1

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Season 5 – My Version

Charlotte and Cooper's Apartment:

(Charlotte has been home since 6pm at night after finishing work on Friday. She sits down on the couch to do some paperwork on her laptop while watching some TV but instead of watching TV and working, she starts to think about the future. She starts to think on her relationship with Cooper and how much he has changed her for the better. She also thinks about what Amelia told her the other day at work about how she is lucky to have a man like 'Coop'. Charlotte then starts to think about what is most important to Cooper, besides herself and that was to be a daddy and have a baby with her. Charlotte has actually been secretly thinking about babies since they got married and started to think how it might be nice to have a mini 'Coop' or a little girl to teach how to ride a horse. After 3 hours of thinking, Cooper finally comes home to find her on the couch in a 'daze' and wonders if she is okay while having to share some news of his own.)

(Cooper looks at Charlotte with a worried look.)

Cooper: (calmly talks) Charlotte I need to talk to you about something and you will need to sit down for this.

(Charlotte is looking at Cooper with panic in her eyes but she is trying to keep it together because she doesn't know what he is going to say.)

Charlotte: (sounding serious) I need to tell you something too and you also will need to sit down.

Cooper: (sounding surprised) Oh, what's your news? (panics for the worst) Should I be worried? Are you okay?

Charlotte: I am more than okay (slightly smiles but then fades quickly) but you tell me your news first because mine is pretty big.

(Cooper starts to sweat a little and is looking very nervous but he knows he needs to tell her before anyone else does but before he gets to the point he tries to reassure her with his love.)

(Cooper walks over to Charlotte who is sitting on the couch. He sits next to her, and reaches out for her hands while giving them a rub and a soft kiss in each before he starts to talk.)

Cooper: Okay, what I am about to tell you will be hard to hear. Believe me when I say this, I had no idea about it and it will not change the way I feel about you or us.

Charlotte: Now you are scaring me. (Tries not to cry) What is it? Did you do something stupid?

Cooper: I think I am just going to come out with it.

Charlotte: (gets angry) Just say it already!

Cooper: Okay here goes. (Takes a silent deep breath in & out) Before I met you, you know my history of my dating life was... (pause) well it was what it was and I am not proud of the things I did. (pause) I just want to let you know that before I tell you, I love you with all my heart and you will always come first in my life, always, always always!

Charlotte: (sighs and looks down at the floor) It must be bad for you to ramble on like this.

Cooper: You know that Erica lady who came to see me during lunchtime and told me it was urgent?

Charlotte: Well of course I did! She made us cancel our lunch date and I ended up eating alone in my office, so yes Cooper I remember. You didn't sleep with her did you?

Cooper: Well... (gets cut off)

(Charlotte's head shoots up from the looking at the floor to at Cooper with hurt in her eyes)

Charlotte: (looks shocked) OH MY GOD you did!

Cooper: I did but 7 years ago apparently.

Charlotte: Oh! (pauses) Then why is she here to see you?

(Charlotte now realizes why this Erica person has probably come to see Cooper after 7years but wants to make sure first.)

Charlotte: because you got her pregnant 7 years ago. Am I right?

Cooper: Well she has a 7 year old son named Mason and it is possible I am his father.

Charlotte: How certain is she?

Cooper: Well she said she was sleeping around at the time but she is 80% sure that Mason is mine.

Charlotte: Oh.

Cooper: (tries to reassure her) But I will get a paternity test done as soon as possible.

(Charlotte looks like she has been hit by a train and been punched in the stomach, all at once. She was excited to tell Cooper about her news but now she doesn't think it's the right time to bring hers up. She knows Cooper is trying to put on a 'front' for her because being a father is something Cooper has always wanted so she knows deep down he is probably hoping to be Mason's father. Her news for Cooper would change everything but this thing with Erica and Mason is just too much to think about for him so she decides to wait until the time is right)

Cooper: (grabs for her hands) We will get through this!

Charlotte: But what if...

Cooper: Hey look at me.

(Charlotte is trying to blink back the tears while staring at the floor.)

Cooper: Please look at me Charlotte.

(Charlotte finally looks up.)

Cooper: You have to believe me, I did not intend for this to happen and if he ends up being mine, then we will work it out.

(Cooper wipes the tears away from Charlotte's cheeks.)

Cooper: You will always be my first priority in life, you got that?

(Charlotte finally is about to speak but runs to the bathroom like a mad thing. She hovers over the toilet gagging up what looked like her dinner. Cooper walks in and kneels beside her, while rubbing her back. He now thinks that all of this stress is causing her to be sick.)

Cooper: Are you okay Char?

Charlotte: Give me a minute.

Cooper: I'm sorry if I have caused you to be sick. (looks sad) I wish none of this was happening.

(Charlotte picks herself up from the toilet and stands up onto her feet with the help from Cooper. He takes her hand and they walk into the room and sit on the bed. She knows she needs to tell him the reason why she is feeling sick but she just is not ready right now.)

Charlotte: But isn't this what you have always wanted? To be a father and have a kid?

Cooper: Yeah it is!

Charlotte: I see.

Cooper: But not with some person I found off the internet. I want it to be all that with you and only you! If I can't be a father to kids we have together, then I don't want to be a father at all.

(Charlotte starts to cry now. She knows this is a good time to tell him her news so she decides to go with it.)

Charlotte: (speaks quietly) You already are.

Cooper: What did you say?

Charlotte: You can have that all with me because guess what Coop? I am pregnant.

Cooper: You are? (sounds surprised) Are you sure? I mean aren't you on the pill?

Charlotte: I went off the pill after our honeymoon. I was going to surprise you but well I forgot so this surprise should make up for it. (she starts to smile)

(Cooper gets up off the bed and picks up Charlotte's hand to stand her up too. He then brings her into a big hug.)

Cooper: Oh My God! We are having a Baby! This is the best news ever!

Charlotte: Well it would have been more special if this Mason thing hadn't happened. (pauses) I'm not angry Cooper, because it's the past and we were not together back then but well it's just not as special if Mason is yours.

Cooper: what makes you think our little one isn't special?

Charlotte: (looks sad) Because our baby is most likely to not be your first child and not with me.

Cooper: Listen to me Char when I say this, our baby is even more special because it's with you. We will experience the entire first's' together and you have just made me the luckiest man alive!

Charlotte: I am so happy to hear you say that because if I am being honest with you, I have been thinking about babies since we got married.

Cooper: (sounds surprised) Really? You have?

Charlotte: (teases) Yes but if you ever tell anyone that, I will have to kill you with my bare hands!

Cooper: So you are happy about this?

Charlotte: I am definitely petrified about raising a kid, and being a good mother to our rugrat, but I know with your help we will raise the best kid ever.

Cooper: Have you confirmed the pregnancy yet with Addison?

(Charlotte shakes her head.)

Charlotte: Not yet.

Cooper: Okay tomorrow, we will go see Addison and see if she can book you in for an appointment and I will get this paternity test sorted out so we can know for sure.

Charlotte: Deal! (pauses) Oh this baby is already giving me a hard time. (runs to the bathroom to be sick one more time before meeting Cooper in the bedroom.)

(Charlotte climbs into the bed where Cooper is waiting for her. She looks at him and he gives her a passionate kiss goodnight before they roll over in their sleeping positions. As Charlotte tries to go to sleep, she thinks about her own baby which makes her smile until that smile fades as the thought of Erica and Mason steal her thoughts. Now she is wide-awake and Cooper is snoring loud like a pig with big nostrils.)