Brax was gone when she woke up. She looked over at the pillow next to her, a note from him resting there.
Gone to work - early delivery, Tegan's coming around tonight, I'll tell her then.
Can't wait to be with you. I've missed you. I love you.
Brax.
She sighed as she ran her fingers over the words. She had until tonight.
"Everything's looking good, Charlie." The Doctor says, looking at the results of Charlie's tests.
"That's good." She smiles.
"We'll just do your scan and then you're good to go. The ultrasound technician will be in soon." the Doctor smiles.
"Thank you."
Charlie sighed. This didn't feel right; Brax should be with her for this.
"Charlie Buckton?" The technician asks, walking through the door.
She nods.
"Hi, I'm Dan; I'll be doing your scan today." He smiles
Charlie smiles, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."
He looks familiar but she can't place it.
"Ok, so this will be a little cold" He says, placing the gel on her stomach.
She looked at him as he was staring at the screen, trying to figure out where she knew him from, when suddenly it hit her.
"Oh My God." She whispers.
"Babe what do you want for dinner?" I'm starving, Tegan calls from the couch.
"Tegan, we need to talk." Brax says, walking in from the kitchen.
As she went to answer they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Brax went to open it, only to find Charlie standing there.
"Hey!" He smiles.
"I haven't done it yet." He whispers as Charlie walks in.
"Charlie this isn't a good time, we're just about to have dinner." Tegan says rudely, tired of her boyfriend spending so much time with her.
"I know, Tegan." Charlie says coldly.
"Good, well off you go then." Tegan replies, her voice dripping with bitchiness.
"No. I know." Charlie repeats.
"What are you talking about, Charlie?" Brax asks.
"Seen Dan lately?" Charlie asks.
Tegan's eyes widen.
"Either you tell him, or I will."
"Charlie..." Tegan warns.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Brax speaks up.
"Your choice Tegan," Charlie continues.
She pauses for a moment before lunging at Charlie.
"I FUCKING HATE YOU, YOU STUPID PIG. WHY DO YOU HAVE TO FUCK EVERYTHING UP?" Tegan screams.
"TEGAN!" Brax shouts, pulling her off Charlie.
"Brax, baby listen to me. I only did it because I love you and I..." Tegan starts.
"DID WHAT?"Brax yells at her.
Tegan sighs, defeated. "I paid Dan to alter the test results and to tell you that I'm a month less than I really am, when we went for our scan."
"You what?" He asks.
"... You're not the Father, Jake is."
Brax froze, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"Get out!" Brax says, in an icy tone.
Tegan knew better then to argue, she made her way to the door before Brax's voice stopped her.
"Don't you ever come near me again! I don't want you anywhere near me or anyone I care about. You got that?"
She nods. "What about Darcy?" she asks softly.
"You get your Mum to drop her off to visits with Heath, or Heath goes to you. You're not setting foot in this house ever again. You got that?"
She nods again before leaving.
Brax sits down on the couch, his head resting in his hands.
"Are you ok?" Charlie asks, sitting beside him.
"How did you find out?"
"I saw her giving a man money on the beach and then I saw him again at the hospital, it turns out he's an ultrasound technician. I asked him about what I saw and he wouldn't tell me anything, but I knew I'd discovered something."
"Cop instincts, huh?" He chuckles.
"Something like that" She smiles. "I figured if Tegan thought I knew, she'd fess up to what was going on."
Brax nodded.
"I'm so sorry Brax.
"It's alright. I was stupid to trust her ay" He sighs. "Tegan only cares about herself, I should have known better."
"You weren't to know."
"Thank you though, for telling me the truth. I don't know what I'd do without you, Charlie."
Charlie closes her eyes as Brax wraps his arms around her. She breathes in his scent as she clings to him tightly. She feels his lips on her neck, leaving a trail of feather light kisses as he finds his way to her mouth. He kisses her deeply and intensely, his tongue finding hers, just as she pushes him away.
"Brax, wait!" She's says breathlessly.
"What's wrong?" He asks, cradling the side of her face in the palm of his hand.
"I have to tell you something..."
"You know you can tell me anything" He says gently, his thumb running across her cheek.
It's now or never.
"The reason I saw Dan at the hospital today was because I had an appointment there..."
"Are you ok?" He asks taking her hand, concerned.
"I'm fine." She assures him. "Brax I was there getting tests and scans done myself."
Brax furrows his eyebrows, trying to understand.
"I'm still pregnant. I didn't go through with the abortion."
He stays silent. Trying to process the information.
"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you." She chokes out, unable to stop the tears that had formed from falling.
"Wh, Why? ...I don't, I don't understand?" He breathes out, letting go over her hand.
Charlie begins rambling, "Originally when I was going to tell you, you started talking about Tegan and how you weren't ready to be a Dad and I didn't know if I could trust you after everything and I didn't want you to have to choose between Tegan and I, so I decided to get rid of it..." she tearfully explains. "...But then when I got there I couldn't do it. I went in the room with the doctor and I froze, I couldn't go through with it..."
"So you thought it was better to lie to me instead?" Brax says angrily, standing up.
"Brax I'm so sorry. I was so scared that I couldn't trust you and then when I was going to tell you, I could just never find the right time." She says, trying to get him to face her.
"I guess there isn't really a right time to tell someone that," Brax answers. "I can't believe you would EVER think that I'd choose Tegan over you? Or worse, that you'd think I wouldn't be there for my kid, especially growing up the way I did. What kind of man do you think I am?"
"I wasn't thinking, I was just scared. You know I think you'll be a good Dad to our baby" She sobs.
"...Apparently not good enough." He says sadly, gutted that Charlie of all people would ever think this way about him.
"Please forgive me." She begs, grabbing his hand and placing it on her stomach "...I want us to move on and to be a family."
Brax looks at his hand on her stomach and then back up at her .
"I think you should go. I can't even look at you, you're just as bad as Tegan" he says quietly.
"Brax..."
"NOW, Charlie." He repeats, opening the front door.
And with that Charlie left. Devastated that she'd managed to destroy her future with the man she loves and the father of her baby.
I'll be updating again later tonight.
Please Review.
~CB
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