Better Man

The Upper Hand

Charlie/Laura

…

The smell of eggs wandered through the house as Caroline made her way down the stairs to breakfast, stopping by the mirror to fix her hair before walking through to the kitchen to see her housekeeper Charlie standing by the cooker, turning the eggs in the frying pan.

"Morning Charlie."

"Caroline, morning…eggs?"

"No, just orange juice and coffee please."

"Coming right up."

Charlie made his way over to the fridge to get the orange juice and milk and wet about making Caroline's breakfast. Tom and Joanna came walking in to the kitchen, arguing about how long Tom had spent in the bathroom as they took their seats.

"Oi you two, quit arguing will you."

"Well sorry dad but he takes forever in there, he's worse than a woman."

"I was shaving."

"Shaving what, you haven't got anything to shave."

"Enough, now Tom darling…you have to consider other people in the morning alright, thirty minutes and no more in the morning. Anything you need to do, try and do it the night before please."

"Oh okay mummy but she takes just as long as I do, mind you she needs it."

"Shut your mouth."

"Will you two put a sock in it, now?" Charlie said, getting angry.

Tom and Joanna went quiet as eggs were placed on their plates before Charlie handed Caroline her orange juice and coffee. He turned back to the cooker when he heard the back door opening and Laura walked in.

"Good morning mother." Caroline smiled.

"Morning dear."

"Laura, sit down and I'll bring you some eggs." Charlie added.

"No eggs Charlie, just some tea will do."

"Mother, you never turn down Charlie's eggs, are you alright?"

"I'm fine Caroline."

"I don't know Laura, you look a little pale…don't you think so dad?" Joanna asked.

Charlie walked over to the table, placing Laura's tea on the table before properly looking at her since she's arrived.

"You do look a little peaky Laura."

"For goodness sake, I'm fine. I'm just tired now if you'll excuse me, I have some things to do."

"Aren't you coming in to the office with me?"

"Oh Caroline dear, I have a few things to take care of today…would you mind if I didn't come in today."

"Well, it is rather a busy day but I suppose we can…."

"Great, thank you dear."

Before Caroline could finish, Laura was up and out the door. Everyone went quiet before looking up at Charlie.

"Well that's not like mother?"

"What, skiving…that's exactly Laura." Charlie said.

"Not that Charlie, she seemed…odd."

"Laura's never been normal Caroline."

"Joanna." Charlie warned.

"Sorry."

"Oh Jo's right mummy, grandma's always been weird."

"Say's the boy who collects bees." Caroline smirked.

"Right come on you two, you'll be late."

Right, bye dad."

"Bye love, bye Tom. Have a good day at school."

As the kids ran out the door, Caroline brought her cup and glass over to the sink, disposing of what was left.

"I'm worried Charlie, it's not like mother to be this quiet…something's wrong."

"Well I'm sure that whatever's going on with her, she'll tell us eventually."

"You know mother better than that."

"Give it a few days and if she's not back to her normal sarcastic self, we'll talk to her."

"I suppose so, I better go…I have a big meeting today and I don't want to be late."

"Have a good day."

"Thanks Charlie, oh and I might be late home. I have a date afterwards."

"Oh yeah, anyone we know."

"Jeffery Lambert."

"Oh, you've been seeing a lot of him lately."

"He's nice, I like him."

"Have fun then, we won't wait up."

"Bye Charlie."

…

Laura sat her cup down as she looked up at the other occupier of the sofa.

"So that's it then?"

"Laura, I don't really know what you expected me to say to this. This is something I don't think either of us expected to happen…not at your age."

"No, well you're right of course. It was a shock, but I honestly thought you were better than this."

"We were just supposed to be a bit of fun, I was under the impression you felt the same way."

"Yes well in the beginning I did but then this happened and I don't know…perhaps I thought…oh I don't know, I doesn't matter now. I maybe a lot of things but I won't beg you to stay Jake."

"This isn't something I ever planned for my future, I'm sorry. Obviously I can help financially if you need it and I…"

"I don't think so, either you're in this all the way or not at all."

"I can't."

"Is it because of me, because I'm older than you?"

"You're a beautiful woman Laura, you're certainly not like other older women I've met, and you're a very vivacious woman."

"But this is now getting a little too real for you now."

"Are you really prepared to do all of this again, at your age it'll be a lot harder, I mean I know you have your daughter and her family around but even then…"

"You don't think I should go through with it, well it would certainly make things easier for you, wouldn't it."

Laura was beginning to get angry as she got to her feet, Jake following her.

"That's not fair; don't make me the bad guy here. I'm trying to do what's best for not only me but for you too. I'm trying to think long term here which I'm sorry, but I don't you are. Do you really want to spend the last part of your life raising another child?"

"I think you ought to be leaving Jake."

"Laura I…"

Jake stopped mid sentence when the front door opened and Charlie walked in, Laura stood frozen when she saw him…not expecting him home so soon.

"Charlie…what are you doing back so soon?"

"Exercise class was cancelled for today, food poisoning. So I just did the grocery shopping early. Hi, I'm Charlie."

"Jake, nice to meet you Charlie." He smiled, shaking his hand.

"Jake…oh so you're the one Laura's been seeing the last few months. She's kept you hidden, she never stops talking about you…I've never seen her so happy in a long time."

"Erm Charlie, Jake was just leaving."

"Oh, you sure…I'm making Risotto for lunch, you're welcome to stay."

Jake turned to look at Laura who was wishing the ground would just swallow her up in that moment.

"Actually Charlie, I have to get back to work, but thank for the offer."

"Well, hopefully we'll see you again. Hey Laura, why doesn't Jake come for dinner one night this week and give the rest of the family a chance to meet him and he…"

"Charlie, he's busy. Just let him go will you….please."

Charlie felt the sudden tension in the room, finally taking in Laura's features and the pain in her eyes.

"I really should go…Laura, look the offers still there, financially speaking if you…"

"Just go Jake, please."

"I am sorry."

Laura just nodded as Jake made his way out the door, Charlie saying bye as he closed the door behind the young man.

…

When Charlie turned back, Laura had already made her way in to the kitchen, he followed her though to see her getting some juice from the fridge and taking it over to the sink, she had her back to him as he put the shopping bags on the table. The silence in the room was unbearable as Charlie finally spoke up.

"So…Jake seemed nice."

"Mmmm."

"When will he be back?"

Laura turned around, the glass of juice in her hand as she looked over at him.

"He won't be, we won't be seeing one another again."

She turned back to the window, her head down as she placed the glass to the side. Charlie walked over to her side, his hand coming to her back as she suddenly broke down, and he brought his arms around her as her head lay on his shoulder.

"Hey, Laura what is it, what's going on?"

"Oh Charlie, it's all such a mess. I…"

"Ssshhh, it's okay."

Laura pulled back, tears down her cheeks as she looked at him.

"I've been such a fool Charlie."

"He's married?"

"What, no…I wish it were that simple, oh Charlie what am I going to do."

"Laura, I don't know what you're talking about. Jake said something to you before he left, about helping you out financially, you haven't done anything stupid have you, sold something of Caroline's or…"

"It's nothing like that."

"Come and sit down and talk to me."

Charlie took hold of her hand and guided her over to the table and waited for her to sit down before bringing another chair to sit closer to her.

"What's happened?"

"You'll think I've gone insane."

"I wouldn't think that."

"You haven't heard what I have to say yet."

"Well what ever it is, it can't be that bad."

Laura wiped the tears from her eyes before speaking again.

"I'm pregnant Charlie."

Charlie looked at her, a smirk on his face.

"Wait a minute, this isn't April is it?"

"April?"

"You know, April Fools."

"Charlie, this isn't a joke…I'm being serious."

"What…but how?"

"Well how do you think, oh Charlie this is such a mess I…"

"Hang on, when you had that surgery on your gallbladder, you told Caroline you couldn't have any more children."

"Well that's what the doctors told me all those years ago and who was I too argue with them."

"You never got a second opinion?"

"You didn't do that sort of thing back in those days, back then you took the words of the doctors as read. If I'd known back then that it was still possible then Caroline's father and I could have had the big family we'd always dreamed off, but…"

"Laura I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't supposed to happen now, not at this stage of my life…when I'm on my own."

"You're only in your early sixties; yeah okay I get your point."

"Charlie, what am I going to do?"

"I assume Jake doesn't want it?"

"He said children were never in his life plan, I think he thought we were just a bit of fun, nothing serious and honestly, I thought the same until…well now."

"When did you find out?"

"A few days ago, I've been feeling a little run down lately. I assumed it was my age, so I went to see my doctor Wendy and she ran a few tests. She contacted me as soon as my results were in, I didn't believe her at first, not until I saw the results for myself and even then I made her run them again just to be sure."

"What are you going to do?"

"I always wanted more children after Caroline; I just…didn't expect it to happen now. I don't want to do this on my own Charlie."

"Hey, you are not on your own. We are all here for you, me..Tom, Joanna and Caroline."

"Oh my god Caroline, how do I even begin to tell her…she'll hate me?"

"She will not hate you, she loves you. She's really worried about you, and now at least we know why."

"Oh Charlie, I can't tell her yet. I need some time to let it all sink in first."

"Are you sure that's a good idea."

"I just can't, not yet. Please don't tell her."

"Yeah okay, I won't say anything but you have to tell her soon."

"Thank you Charlie."

"Why don't I make you something to eat?"

"I'm not really that hungry."

"You need to eat Laura, I'll make you something light."

"If it'll make you happy, okay."

"Good, now you just sit there and relax and leave the rest to me."

Charlie gave her hand a gentle squeeze before leaving the table to make her some lunch, Laura feeling a little better now that she'd finally confided in someone.

…

To Be Continued…