Chapter 14

It's Christmas Eve, Sam invited his co-workers over for dinner. Charlotte sits on the couch by the fire while Cooper fixes them each a drink.

"Naomi?" Sam calls from the kitchen, "How much sour cream do I need to add to the ambrosia?"

"Just eyeball it Sam." Naomi calls back as she gently bounces Olivia on her knee.

"I never made it before. I can't eyeball it." Sam calls out.

Naomi turns to Charlotte, "Can you hold Olivia while I help Sam and Addison in the kitchen?" She passes Olivia to Charlotte before Charlotte answers.

Baby Olivia grabs for Charlotte's necklace and puts it in her mouth. Charlotte gently pulls it back. "No, baby that doesn't taste good."

Lucas toddles over pointing to Olivia, "baby, baby." He tells Charlotte.

"Yes, Lucas, Olivia is a baby." Charlotte answers the toddler.

"Baby!" Lucas points again and reaches over Charlotte for Olivia. He drops his cupcake on Charlotte's lap, smearing the chocolate frosting on her red Christmas skirt.

Violet rushes over. "I'm sorry Charlotte. I'll get a washcloth for you."

Lucas tries to clean up the frosting with his hand by further smearing it on Charlotte's skirt. Olivia grabs for Charlotte's necklace again. "No baby, you can't have that." Charlotte gently pulls her necklace form the baby's grasp.

Violet comes back with a wet washcloth and tries to clean Charlotte's skirt. "Sorry Charlotte," she says as she wipes away the chocolate frosting."

"What happened ?" Cooper asks holding their drinks.

"Lucas dropped his cupcake on Charlotte."

Charlotte looks at Cooper and rolls her eyes as Violet wipes her skirt clean.

"Thanks Vi. Now Charlotte's never going to want kids."

Olivia smiles and coos at Charlotte. Charlotte can't help but smile back and kiss the baby on the head.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Violet tells Cooper. Violet looks to Charlotte. "That's the best I can do with your skirt." The chocolate frosting is off but now there's a big wet spot on the skirt.

"I'll go to the bathroom and dry it off." Charlotte hands Cooper the baby. "Here Cooper hold Olivia."

Cooper puts the drinks down and follows Charlotte to the bathroom holding Olivia. Charlotte blow dries her skirt while Cooper plays with Olivia. After Charlotte's done, "there good as new," she tells Cooper.

He hands Olivia back to Charlotte. "You look good with a baby." He smiles and tells her. Charlotte and Cooper join everyone back in the living room.

"It looks like Olivia loves her Auntie Charlotte." Addison announces as she watches Charlotte play with the baby on the couch.

"Would you like me to take her back now?" Naomi asks.

"I don't mind holding her." Charlotte tells Naomi, not wanting to give the baby up just yet.

"Thank you Charlotte. Maya and Dink should be here soon to get her." Naomi puts a tray of food on the table.

"Charlotte's softening to the idea of motherhood." Violet tells Cooper as they drink egg nog with rum. "You must be happy."

" A lot about Charlotte has changed since the attack. She wants children now." Cooper sips his eggnog with Kaluah. "Except I don't know when we'll ever have the sex it takes to make one."

"Give it time Cooper. It's only been two months." Violet assures him.

"How long do you think it will take?" Cooper asks.

"I can't answer that Coop. Every woman's different. Some women have no problem having sex after a rape and other's can take a long time to get comfortable with it again. It depends on a lot of factors."

"You know Charlotte, how long?"

"Charlotte's comfortable with her sexuality but the rape turned her world upside down. Give her time Coop." Violet pats him on the back. "You'll get there."

Maya and Dink come to the house to pick up Olivia. Cooper can see Charlotte's disappointed to give her up. After they leave Cooper sits on the couch near Charltotte. "Miss your little friend?" He asks.

"She's adorable." Charlotte watches Maya and Dink leave with Olivia.

"What happened to the Charlotte King that hates babies?" He teases.

"She's gone, grown up maybe?" Charlotte answers.

Cooper puts his hand on her knee. "We've both changed and grown up the past couple of months. It's not a bad thing Char."

"Out of the darkness comes the light." She tells him.

Sam clinks his glass with a spoon. "Everyone come into the dining room. The lobster is ready."

Charlotte sits at the table with Cooper. Pete and Violet sit across from them. Addison and Sam sit on each end. Naomi sits on the other side of Charlotte. The doorbell rings and Sam lets Sheldon and Amelia in. "Just in time for dinner." He tells them. They sit at the table and talk about work. Sheldon tells a funny story about Wendy the Woodpecker. Amelia whines about her lack of a love life. Naomi brags about Olivia. Charlotte doesn't think about her attack much tonight. After dinner they sit near the Christmas tree and exchange gifts. Amelia and Sheldon drink. Sam and Addison sit by the fire all snuggly. Naomi plays with Lucas. Violet and Pete relax and look on. Charlotte and Cooper sit on the couch with their drinks. "This is the perfect Christmas Eve," she tells him. He smiles and squeezes her hand.

Later that night at home Charlotte waits for Cooper to come to bed. "Merry Christmas Cherie!" He's all smiles as he comes in the room with a small jewelry box in his hand. "Here, open this tonight."

Charlotte tears the wrapping paper off the little box. It's a locket with a picture of the two of them inside. "How sweet." She tells Cooper. "Help me put it on."

"Look at the back first." He tells her.

Charlotte turns the locket over. "You had it engraved. My Cherie and the date. Thank you Cooper." Charlotte kisses him. She pauses and kisses him again. This one is more passionate. She pulls his shirt off and then hers. "Merry Christmas," she says and nods her head yes.

"Are you sure?" Cooper asks.

"I'm ready."

"Remember our code word?" He asks her.

"Yes, do you?"

"Mocking bird."

"Got it." She answers and she kisses him again, pulling him down on top of her.

She looks into his eyes most of the time. "Cooperyou need to talk to me." She reminds him as their bodies intertwine with each other.

"I love you Charlotte," and "you're my Cherie amore," he alternates whispering in her ear to keep her focused on him.

Afterward, they lie together all sweaty and catch their breath. Charlotte rests her head on Cooper's chest. "How do you feel?" Cooper asks as he wraps his arm around her back holding her.

"Like a new woman." Charlotte answers.

"We didn't need to use the code word." Cooper catches his breath and comments.

"I focused on you." Charlotte says. "Your eyes, your voice, your scent. I never went back to that night."

"That's great. I'm happy for you, for both of us." Cooper squeezes her shoulder.

"I'm relieved. I was gettin' worried it could take us years to get here." She tells him as she closes her eyes.

He kisses the top of her head and is relieved they're going to be alright. I would've waited years for you."

She looks up at him with her nose wrinked like she can't believe it.

"What?" He smiles, "You don't believe me?"

"Years is a long time Coop."

"And you're worth it." He holds her tight. "It was worth the wait. You were worth the wait." He kisses the top of her head and they both close their eyes for the night.

To Be Continued

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