Thanks again for all the reviews, PMs and support.
WARNING- for those of you who like to have a cheeky look at the end of a chapter, or those of you who whenever you start a book, read the last page, whatever you do, don't do it for this chapter or it'll ruin it for you!
PS. Probably won't get another chapter up before this weekend but hope you all have a wonderful Easter and eat lots of chocolate ;) xxx
Chapter 10.
Charlie wiped her tears as she entered the house and put Zoe down on the ground, "I tired, mamma," Zoe yawned as she rubbed her eyes and yawned before looking up at her mother.
"I know sweetheart," Charlie smiled before gently running her hand through Zoe's tiny curls, "Just give mummy a minute and then I'll put you to bed, okay?"
Zoe looked up at her mother and nodded before settling herself on the couch in the living room, Charlie took out her phone and sighed as she read the screen, another missed call from Brax, making that 10 in total since she left his only about twenty minutes ago, and 5 messages.
'Charlie, we need to talk about this.'
'Just pick up the phone'
'Stop being stubborn, come on Charlie'
'We need to talk, can you get someone to look after Zoe and come back over?'
'Please'
Charlie frowned before angrily slamming her phone down on the kitchen unit before walking into the living room and picking up a limp Zoe, "Okay baby, time for bed, hmm."
Zoe curled into her mother's chest sleepily as Charlie walked into her bedroom to get her ready for bed.
x-x
Brax groaned in frustration as his calls and texts kept going unanswered, he knew how stubborn Charlie was and right now, the only way to get through to her was face-to-face.
He walked up to the front door of the house she shared with her two daughters and knocked quietly, hoping she would open the door.
x-x
Charlie had just put Zoe down when a faint knock came from the front door, she walked into the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Brax through the window, she managed to pry herself away from the position she became stuck in and walk backwards until she hit someone.
"Charlie, what are you doing?" Ruby asked softly, not wanting to wake her now-sleeping little sister.
"I eh... Brax is at the door." Charlie replied nervously.
Ruby frowned at her mother, "So answer it?" She asked as she took a step into the kitchen, Charlie looked to see Brax wave slightly to Ruby to let her know it was him,
"Damn it Ruby, tell him I'm not here!" Charlie whispered loudly before retreating into the doorway of her bedroom.
x-x
Ruby frowned before opening the front door to Brax, "Hey kid," he smiled at her warmly.
"Hey," Ruby returned his smile,
"Is Charlie home?"
"No," Ruby immediately shook her head.
Brax laughed lightly, "Isn't that her car in the driveway? And that's her phone behind you on the kitchen unit?"
"Ooh, look at you all detective," Ruby teased, "But no, she's gone out for a walk, meaning no car, and certainly no phone." Thank goodness for Charlie, Ruby had always been a good deceiver.
"Eh, did she tell you where she went on this walk?" Brax questioned.
"No, why?"
"We just need to talk, about stuff," Brax kept it concealed of what he had to say.
"What stuff?" Ruby asked.
"Has she not told you?" Brax asked.
Charlie kicked herself from the doorway as she listened to their conversation, now she'd have to explain what happened to Ruby.
"Told me what?" Ruby asked, frowning at Brax.
"Never mind, I better get home, you just, tell her to call me please, as soon as."
"Will do, night." Ruby smiled before closing the front door and walking back over to Charlie, "You better tell me what's going on right now." Ruby told her mother before dragging her over to the couch as the pair of them sat down together.
x-x
Charlie lay in bed the next morning playing with the locket she hadn't separated from since Brax presented it to her. She hadn't got much sleep that night, and she didn't see herself getting any anytime soon unless she cleared the air with Brax.
Charlie smiled as her bedroom door opened, allowing some light to stream through from the rising sun. Charlie smile grew as she heard the little pitter-patter of tiny feet standing in the doorway, "Mamma," Zoe said softly, Charlie's smile grew even more as she sat up and looked at her little girl,
"Hey beautiful," Charlie extended her hand towards her daughter, "You coming into Mamma's bed?"
Zoe nodded before yawning as she tiredly shuffled towards her mother's bed, Charlie peeled back the duvet before picking Zoe up in her arms and placing her into the bed beside her, "My little baby's getting big now, isn't she, hmm." Zoe cuddled into her mother before looking up at her with her big green eyes, Charlie smiled before placing a soft kiss on her forehead, "Mummy doesn't like how quickly you're growing up." Charlie sighed as she ran her hand over Zoe's head, "You're gonna be two years old in a few months aren't you baby?" Zoe looked at her mother before holding up two fingers to her mother, "Yeah," Charlie cooed, "Two years old."
Charlie smiled before holding her little girl closely to her chest, and finally she could get some sleep.
x-x
Charlie was awoken by a persistent knocker at the front door, she frowned before looking over at her clock, it was only 9:45am she sighed before gently untangling herself from a sleeping Zoe, she made a small fort made out of pillows and cushions either side of her to stop her rolling out of bed before pulling the duvet over her. She pulled her purple dressing gown off the hook and tied it around herself before walking into the kitchen and opening the front door.
"You've been ignoring me." Brax said immediately as she opened the door.
Charlie's heart rate increased significantly at the sight of him, a mixture of anger, lust and fear. Out of reflex Charlie quickly attempted to slam the door shut, "No, Charlie wait," Brax pleaded, she didn't listen, still adamant on pushing the door shut only to have Brax use little force to push it back open again as he took a into the kitchen and closer to Charlie, "We need to talk about this." Brax tried to convince her in vain.
"No we don't." Charlie replied shortly.
"Listen to me for a second Charlie, I'm sorry, I should never have tried to kiss you, I crossed a line."
"Damn straight," Charlie answered coldly.
"But you did kiss me back," Brax added, a small smile playing on his lips,
"Brax, it was a mistake." Charlie struggled to convince him as she could barely convince herself.
"Charlie, it was more than a kiss, for goodness sake we were so close to sleeping together."
"No we were not," Charlie whispered loudly, "Not with our daughter in the room we weren't and I have a boyfriend!"
"The way you were behaving last night you could've fooled me," Brax replied harshly.
"I love him, Brax." Charlie answered confidently, because she did, she loved Matt.
"You don't, you can't love him if you'd do that."
Charlie scoffed, "Really? Do you remember Ali, Brax?" Brax's face fell as she brought her up, "I thought so, you see, you told me you loved me at that point, but I caught you both on the beach, together."
"We never slept together though, Charlie."
"I know you didn't Brax, just like I didn't sleep with you. And just afterwards, you convinced me to get back with you because we were in love, and I was stupid enough to come back to you! But mistakes happen, like yesterday, and I love Matt but I made a mistake kissing you out of lust, nothing more."
"So Matt would think that would he just a heat of the moment thing?"
Charlie's eyes stung as she looked at the angry, hurtful man in front of her, he was causing her so much pain. It wasn't the Brax she knew and it certainly wasn't one that she liked, "Why are you doing this?" Charlie asked softly as an uncomfortable lump grew in her throat, I mean, if you're trying to hurt me, it's working, I already feel terrible." Brax let out an angry laugh at her comment, "What's happened to you?" Charlie asked as a tear cascaded down her cheek, she was quick to wipe it away.
"What do you mean what's happened to me? More like what's happened to you? The Charlie I used to know would never claim she loved a guy and then be eager to drop her knickers for another." Brax said spitefully, "This a new thing for you, is it? Sleeping around?"
"NO! THAT'S JUST YOU!" Charlie yelled before she landed a firm slap across his cheek, "Now GET OUT of my house!" Charlie yelled as she pushed Brax towards the door,
"What? Charlie I know you were an early-starter but really? Got another guy on standby for right now, hm?"
"EARLY-STARTER!" Charlie yelled, "You don't know what I've been through, Brax!"
"I know that you had Ruby when you had only just turned fifteen!" Brax yelled back at her.
Charlie broke down in tears right in front of him, failing to hold them in any longer, no longer in control of her emotions or words, she said something Brax never wanted to hear, "I hate you Brax, and I want nothing, NOTHING more to do with you, so you can go back to the City, you can go back to your flings because I couldn't care less, I hate you, I hate you so, so much!" She raised her eyes to meet his before she finished what she had to say, "And I don't need you anymore, and neither does Zoe, because we've got Matt, and she loves him just as much as he loves her, I don't need you in my life, and neither does Zoe, don't worry though, I'm sure she'll be fine being looked after by her whore of a mother and her boyfriend though, HAVE A NICE LIFE!" Charlie screamed before slamming the door in his face.
She quickly walked into the living room as her breathing became heavier; she collapsed onto the couch and finally burst into tears.
x-x
Matt quickly ran up the pathway towards Charlie's house when he heard Zoe screaming and crying, he quickly burst through the front door and ran through to the living room to see Charlie bawling her eyes out on the couch, "Charlie," he said softly as he knelt in front of her, "Baby, what's wrong?" Charlie refused to move to meet his gaze, "Charlie for goodness sake, can you not hear Zoe crying?" As a response, Charlie's cries became louder, as did Zoe's, Matt sighed and shook his head disappointedly before quickly walking into Charlie's room to find Zoe bawling her eyes out on the bed,
"Mattmatt!" She cried as she held her arms out to him,
"Hey baby, it's okay, Matt's here now," he smiled before gently rocking her as he placed soft kisses on the top of her head.
He joined Charlie back in the living room, she was now sitting up and looking towards Matt and her daughter, "I... is she okay?" Charlie asked as Zoe's cries began to fade out.
"She's fine, no thanks to you." Matt answered coldly.
"Matt, I-"
"No Charlie," he interrupted, "No more excuses, you promised me, you promised Ruby and I that you were alright, you promised us you could cope with having Zoe."
"B..b... but I can,"
"Obviously not." Matt replied, just as Bianca came through the front door,
"What's going on?" She asked, having also heard Zoe's cries from outside on the way into her house,
"I'm gonna take this little one to the beach, recon you could talk some sense into her?" Matt gestured to Charlie before he held Zoe in his arms and walked out to his car.
Bianca sighed before settling herself next to Charlie on the couch, "Sweetie what happened?" She asked Charlie,
"I hate him, I hate him so much," Charlie cried before bursting into tears again,
"What's Matt done?" Bianca asked.
Charlie choked back sobs, wiped her tears and composed herself before she spoke again, "Not Matt," she shook her head, "Brax."
Bianca sighed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "What's he done now?"
"It's a pretty long story," Charlie responded.
"I'll put the kettle on then." Bianca smiled at her best friend before standing up,
"Bianca." Charlie interrupted.
"Mhm?" She asked as she turned around to face Charlie.
"Thank you." Charlie said gratefully.
Bianca smiled and nodded before she made her way into the kitchen.
x-x
Brax's thoughts swirled around in his head over and over and over again, he kept thinking of her words, 'I hate you, I don't need you, and neither does Zoe! We've got Matt now. 'You don't know what I've been through, Brax!'
What confused him the most was the last thing she had said, what was there to know? She fell pregnant when she was just fourteen years of age, as a result of unprotected sex with some stupid guy that didn't care enough to stand by her. It hurt him to know she had to go through that pregnancy by herself, even if it was a result of her own stupidity, no matter how scary it would've been, if Brax got his girlfriend pregnant at fourteen, he would never have left her to fend for herself.
What scared him the most was that she had told him neither she nor Zoe needed him, and that hurt, that hurt him the most. He didn't want to go back to the City, his life was in Summer Bay, he belonged in Summer Bay since the day he met Charlie, they fell in love and now they have a child. But the constant thought that another man had been there for his two girls when she should have been upset Brax, and now that Charlie finally realised he was worthless to her, Brax was frightened, he was frightened through to his very core.
What disgusted him the most was that he had thrown it back in her face which was something he promised himself he'd never do. Charlie had never judged him, not once, he was a Riverboy, the cliché bad-boy with the tattoos and heart of stone, but not once did she take him for a stereotypical bad-boy, she fought for him until the real him shone through, she fought until she was satisfied with the man she was proud to call her boyfriend and declare whom she loved, and she never judged him, not once. As a result of her undying support and faith in him, Brax chose never to judge her about her very early pregnancy with Ruby, before she told him, she was afraid, however he promised her she wouldn't be judged, least of all by him, with a life as shady as his it'd be wrong to judge her, and so, she told him, but what did he do? He broke his promise to her, and in his eyes, that was unforgiveable.
x-x
"Oh," was the only response that had escaped Bianca's lips after Charlie had finished telling her the story of what had happened.
Charlie nodded, "It hurts that he'd throw it all back in my face, he promised me he'd never judge me, that promise was just broken, and now he's promised to never leave us again, I just can't trust him, I can't let myself love him again, because I can't afford to have my heart broken again, because this time, I just don't think I'll pull through."
Bianca sighed before reassuring her friend, "Listen Charlie, you're the strongest person I know, you've had to fight to get where you are today, and you're still fighting, and I admire you for what you've done, and Brax would too, if he knew the full story."
Charlie sighed, "But he doesn't know the full story, and now he never will."
"Well..." Bianca trailed off before looking at Charlie, "You know what you've gotta do."
"I can't relive it all again, Bianca, not again, I've had to do it so many times in my life before, to you, Ruby, my mum and dad, to Angelo, Sam, Matt."
"Yeah, and I bet you anything, Brax will be the most supportive that any of us have been."
"I doubt it." Charlie frowned.
"Don't doubt it, plus, you've told so many people, but why not Brax? Charlie he means the most to you out of all of those people you listed." Bianca told her friend, "Look Charlie, you might not like it, but he loves you, and yeah, I know what he said wasn't on, and it hurt, but he was angry, and he said things he shouldn't have, things he didn't mean, just like you did."
"I guess you're right."
"No, you know I'm right." Bianca corrected, "Now how about you ring Matt and ask him to look after your little one for a little bit longer while you go and set the record straight with a certain Braxton?"
"I don't know," Charlie replied unsurely, Brax's comments early on had well and truly knocked the confidence out of her.
"Charlie, just get off your skinny little ass off this couch and go and speak to him."
"He hurt my feelings."
"No, he broke your heart, again, now just get out of here, go and see him, tell him what happened, tell him what you've wanted to tell him since the day your relationship started, and let him comfort you."
Charlie sighed before she stood up and picked up her phone and keys, "If this goes wrong, Bianca-"
Bianca interrupted her, "It won't, Charlie, how could it?"
Charlie smiled lightly at her friend's confidence before she turned on her heels and left the house.
x-x
Charlie nervously walked up the steps to Angelo's, in a way she was hoping Brax wouldn't be here so she wouldn't have to tell him, but she also wanted to get it off her chest. Her breath caught in her throat as she reached the entrance to see Sam and Brax talking behind the bar, it didn't take Brax long to look up and acknowledge her presence, the surprise of her visit evident on his face,
"Hi," Charlie began quietly as she joined the two men that were a huge part of her life at the bar,
"Hey," Brax replied.
"Eh, listen, we need to talk." Charlie told him before looking into his eyes,
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Brax smiled lightly, "I'll just grab my jacket."
Charlie watched as Brax left her and Sam alone as he walked to his office, "You should be messing with his feelings like that, Charlie."
"Excuse me?" Charlie asked, hurt that for the third time that day, she was getting the blame for everything, first Brax for being a whore, second to Matt before being a terrible mother, and now from Sam for being a heartless bitch. "You've no idea what went on early today." Charlie added coldly.
"I'm sorry Charlie, it's just, the guy's broken."
"Oh really?" Charlie's voice was dripping with a cold, un-witty sarcasm, "How do you think I felt when he ran off to the city? Leaving me pregnant with his child."
"Sorry," Sam said softly.
"No, don't be," Charlie let out a small, angry laugh, "Sure, Riverboys stick up for their own, right?" Charlie smiled lightly, "You're family." She added sadly.
"Yeah, but you're my family too." Sam told her as he joined her on the customer side of the bar, "And I'll always stick up for you, y'know that? You and my beautiful little godchild."
Charlie smiled lightly, "I know," Sam smiled as Charlie stepped into his open arms,
"Speak of the devil, where is the little one?" Sam asked as they parted.
"Oh, you know, I'm a terrible mother so currently not allowed to look after her." Charlie said scornfully.
"Who said that?" Brax asked as he rejoined them,
"Nobody." Charlie answered.
"How'd you come up with the solution you're a terrible mother then?" Sam asked.
"You don't always need to be told," Charlie told him before glancing over at Brax,
"So, who's she with then?" Brax asked.
"Matt."
"And he said you're a terrible mum?" Brax questioned, unable to prevent the surge of rising anger in him.
"Can we not talk about this please? Can we just go for a walk and talk please?" Charlie asked as her and Brax's eyes met,
"Yeah, sure, let's go, you alright looking after this place, Sam?" Brax asked.
"All good," Sam smiled at the couple, "Have fun."
x-x
Charlie and Brax had been silently walking along the darkening, secluded beach in an uncomfortable silence for a while now. Brax finally decided to step up and break the ice, "I am so, so sorry." He stopped and looked down at Charlie.
"You should be." Charlie said softly as she could feel tears brimming her eyes again,
"Please don't cry," Brax pleaded with her, "I hate seeing you upset."
"Well, it's your fault I am upset, so get over it." Charlie snapped. Brax stood in silence, knowing he deserved everything she threw at him, "I'm sorry too." She said softly before brushing away her tears and looking up at him, "What I said about Zoe and I not needing you, it wasn't true, I do need you."
"Really?" Brax asked, unconvinced by Charlie's apology, "Because Matt seems pretty damn perfect and everyone loves him, he's kind, caring, great with Zoe, you love him, she loves him, and if you don't want me here, if you want me to go back to the City, that's your call, it's fine, you say the word and I'm gone."
"No," Charlie shook her head, "Everyone might love Matt, and yeah, Zoe too, but he's been there for her for a long time, and she's grown up with him, but think about it like this, she's known you for about two months, and she's madly in love with you, she's gonna be calling you Daddy soon, I can see it, and she loves you, so, so much, even more so because you bought her that damn giraffe."
Brax smiles and says "I love her so much too, more than anything."
"I know you do." Charlie smiled lightly.
"Charlie listen, those things I said about you, and Matt, I-"
"Don't." Charlie interrupted.
Brax shook his head, "Nah, I was so, so out of line Charlie, you need to hear this. I don't think you're a whore at all, I guess it's just, it's hard seeing you with another guy, knowing you were mine this time three years ago, and we were happy. And I guess I'm just jealous of him, because he's lucky to have a girl as amazing as you and I was stupid enough to lose you." Brax took a deep breath before speaking again, "And what I said about Ruby, you being an early-starter and all-"
"Stop there," Charlie interrupted, knowing she had to tell him now or she'd chicken out.
"No Charlie, I really need to say this."
"No Brax, there's something I really need to tell you, and it's more important."
"Please Charlie, just let me finish." Brax didn't wait for a response, he continued, "I just want you to know that if it were me who got you pregnant when you were fourteen, I wouldn't have run off."
"I know you wouldn't, because you're an amazing guy." Charlie said softly, her chest tightening as she wanted to tell Brax what happened, but the longer he spoke for, the more afraid she became, and the less likely she would tell him,
"And even though he's an idiot, he's Ruby's father, and-"
"SHUT UP." Charlie yelled, "JUST SHUT UP." She ran a hand over her face, surprised at her own sudden outburst, just like Brax was, "Look, I'm sorry, I just, if I don't tell you now I never will." Brax kept silent and nodded, "It's a good thing he's not in my life anymore, I'm really glad he's not around."
"Why?" Brax asked softly, "Didn't you want Ruby to know her father? Even if he was a useless-"
"Brax." Charlie interrupted, "There's a reason why I don't want him in our lives, why he's not around." Charlie sighed as she looked up at Brax.
"Okay." He responded, trying to make himself appear as comforting as possible, sensing how on-edge Charlie had become. "Charlie? You can tell me."
"I know, I just, I eh, need a minute."
"Okay," Brax repeated as he waited for Charlie to begin speaking, "Charlie, are you alright?" Brax asked before taking a step forward.
"No," She whispered as she took a step back, "I'm not, but I need to tell you this, because you need to know, and I want to tell you because it's time." Brax looked at Charlie intently, waiting for her to speak, "I eh... I..." Charlie trailed off as she looked to the ground and nervously played with her hands.
"Charlie?" Brax asked as he again took a step forward, this time Charlie didn't step back, she looked into his eyes and there, that was all the assurance and comfort she needed before she spoke,
"I was raped."
x-x
Dun dun duun, I know that chapter was very dramatic hehe, what are your thoughts on it, lovelies?