There was something about working from home that was one of life's little pleasures, Charity thought as she spun around the room, from the kitchen to the lounge whilst singing along to the advert on the television, pretending to be a famous popstar at the Wembly arena. Soon she was propped up on the settee with her laptop positioned so she could watch the latest episode of Doctors and still look like she was working, with tea and a packet of biscuits on the table in front of her. She really did know how to appreciate the finer things in life. The sun was shining, Noah was at school, Rishi and Priya at work and Jai was out with the kid. A day all to herself. But not for too long. The hours sped by like the hands on a disney clock and suddenly Noah was through the front door and stood in front of her.

"Why are you home?" Charity asked suspiciously.

"I live here" Noah replied sarcastically, knowing full well that wasn't what Charity had meant.

"You know what I mean" Charity said more sternly, giving her son the stare that meant she wasn't joking.

"Jai picked me up" the little boy answered, a little nervous that he was in trouble but had no idea why.

"And where's Jai now?" Charity knew that Jai loved them both and he was doing all he could to stop them from leaving him. He could never make amends for being the father of Rachel's baby, she would never forgive or forget, but she was trying to move on, for Noah's sake, but her own too.

"He's taken Archie back to Rachel's" Noah looked at his feet, growing increasingly worried. Charity picked up on this and called the boy over to her. He sat beside her, his head buried into his mother's chest, her hand stroking his hair in a soothing motion.
"Mum" he began

"Yes" she replied in the same tone

"Why was Cain crying?" He asked innocently.

Charity pulled away from Noah to look him in the eye. "When was this?"

"As we drove past the garage, on the way home, Cain was sat on the floor crying"

Charity didn't know what to do for the best, her mind had gone into overdrive. It was rare that Cain cried, rare that he showed any emotion at all. She knew something was wrong. Her first instinct was to go to him; he was her childhood love, they had a daughter together, they had a lifelong bond that could never be broken whether they were together or not.

She had decided. "Come on you, get your coat, I'll drop you off at Debbie's"

They sped out of the gravel drive and down the country lanes until the came to an abrupt halt outside Debbie's house. Charity ran her son up the path to the front door and hammered on it until her daughter answered.

"I need you to look after Noah, just for an hour or so" Charity began

"Oh, hi mum, how are you?" Debbie replied sarcastically.

"Please Debs, this is an emergency"

"Of course I will. Is everything alright?" Debbie asked, just as concerened as Noah.

"I don't know yet. Thanks babe, be good Noah" Charity trailed pff as she jogged back down the path and headed for ghe garage. By the time Debbie and Noah got inside the front door, Charity had spotted Cain, slumped against the garage door, his head in his hands.

She slowed her pace as she approached him as not to startle him. "Cain" she whispered, crouching down in front of him.

"Oh go on, have a good laugh"

"No, darling, I'm not here to mock, Noah said he saw you crying and I came straight away, I was worried. It's not like you to cry, so it must be serious" Charity tried to re-assure.

"It's Moira. We're finished. I've lost everything and I could end up back inside" he cried a little harder.

"I'm sorry.."

"But you're not are you? You've never liked Moira, I bet you're glad its over" Cain snapped, knowing Charity too well.

"You know what, I don't like her, and you two were so mis-matched" Cain shot her a disgusted look before she had the chance to finish. "Let me finish. But she made you happy, and that's all I wanted for you, you deserved to be happy"

The broken man let his head fall foward as he cried into his chest. Knowing that he was appearing as weak and letting his tough guy mask slip, Cain got annoyed with himself, which only made him cry more. Charity could feel herself welling up in sympathy. She leant forward and pulled his head into her chest, just like she had done with her son. She gave him a peck on the top of his head and whispered in his ear "Let's get you into the office eh? We can talk properly there"

Charity went to stand but Cain grabbed hold of her wrist, pulling her back down. "You tell anyone I got in this state and I will kill you" She just laughed and reached out a hand to pull him up.