The week that Charlotte had spent with Bron was the happiest of her life, or so she thought. Years of yearning to have a child were beginning to resurface, and Charlotte didn't know how much longer she could on living with Bron and the children. To live with Bron would make her the happiest woman in the world, but could she keep the relationship going with the children in tow? It wasn't that she disliked the children, they weren't hers, but then she had to think how Bron would feel if the situation was reversed. In the type of relationship they were in, one of them was going to feel left out for not having a child, who would be the one to carry it and where would the donor come from? All these questions raced through Charlotte's mind as she lay in bed, on her own, since Bron had gone to work.
After an hour of soul searching, Charlotte got up and got dressed in shorts, t-shirt and runners, heading out the front door for a good 3 mile run. "I hope this clears my head," said Charlotte to herself, "I really need to talk to Vincent about this, but the person I should be talking to is Bron. I've got to sort this feeling out, before it wrecks our lives". With that said, Charlotte started to pound the streets releasing all the tension she had felt over the last twenty-four hours.
After about 2 hours, Charlotte arrived back at her house and went straight for the shower. It was pure bliss as she stood under the warm jets of water, relaxing all those muscles that had been tense for so long. Once refreshed, Charlotte went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee, strong and black, like she always had. "Now, I've got to think about what I'm going to do about the way I feel. I don't know how to approach Bron without hurting her feelings, I love her too much for that, but I can't go on feeling all churned up inside." "What can't you tell me?" said a voice that shattered Charlotte's serenity. "Bron, what are you doing home at this time?" said an extremely flummoxed Charlotte. "Well, lover, I had time on my hands to spare and as you were sound asleep this morning when I left, and as you will have left home before I finish my shift, I thought I would surprise you with a romantic lunch, just the two of us." said a wary Bron.
"I'm sorry you had to hear what I said. I've been dreading trying to tell you how I feel for the last two days, because, Bron, I thought I'd lost you all those years ago, and now that you are back in my life, I don't want anything to come between us. I really need to talk to you and tell you how I feel but I don't think we have enough time now. You have to be back in work in an hour and this is going to take a lot longer to explain to you than that. I'm sorry if this making you feel anxious but believe me, once I get this out in the open, I think it will help us both to move on with our relationship. Well, now I've broken the ice, it won't be as bad when we sit down together and talk." A sudden weight had been lifted off Charlotte's shoulders as she finished her uninterrupted speech. "Charlotte, what are you saying?" said an anxious Bron, "Are you saying you want us to break up and you don't know how to tell me?" "Just come straight out with it, if that is what you want, I don't think I will ever find anyone that I have loved as much as you, and when we were apart, I never stopped thinking about you."
"Hold on a minute, Bron, that's not what I meant" said an exasperated Charlotte. "Bron, there is just something we have to talk about that has been eating away inside me for the last number of years, and now with you and the children living here, it has really started to resurface and I have to do a lot of soul searching before I can find the right answer. Please can't we wait until I come home tonight. I will be home around midnight, and you will be still awake as normal." "Very well, but can't you give me any sort of clue as to what is going on inside that pretty head of yours?" said an extremely worried and anxious Bron.
It was around midnight when Charlotte got home and to her surprise Bron was fast asleep on the couch in the living room. "Bron, wake up, come to bed, we'll discuss the situation in the morning as neither of us have to work." Charlotte took Bron by the hand and led her towards the bedroom. "Look Bron, I really love you from the bottom of my heart and please believe me when I say, I don't want you ever to walk out of my life again, I just couldn't bear it." Bron, still half asleep wasn't quite sure what was going on but said "Charlotte, I love you so very, very much, and being here with you has made me so very happy. The children absolutely adore you and I know you adore them, so please tell me what the problem is." Charlotte decided maybe the time was right to get the "baby" issue off her chest so she breathed deeply and began :
"Bron, ever since you walked back into my life, I have been the happiest woman in the world but seeing you with the children has made me realise that what I want, more than anything, except you of course, is a baby. I know this is going to come as a shock to you, but please Bron, my biological clock is ticking, and if I leave it much longer, it could be risky. What I haven't worked out yet is who the father will be, and no I am not planning on sleeping with them, if that was what you were thinking!" Bron, was dumb struck and for quite some time couldn't say a word. "Charlotte, I had no idea you felt this way but just because you don't have children, doesn't make you any less adorable to me. You have 3 already, in a matter of speaking, and this is going to such a huge commitment. What about your career? I thought it was the most important thing in your life? Remember you left gynaecology because you wanted to at the coal face of medicine and as a gynaecologist you know exactly what's going to be involved from start to finish over those long nine months. May I remind you that I have done it three times and at the end of nine months you swear never again, although, I wouldn't have changed anything for the world. Having the children has been one of the best decisions I made, that was before I decided you were the love of my life!" After a brief pause Bron continued, "Charlotte, are you really sure this is what you want? I am not so sure that I really want to have a baby around the house, you are plenty for me to deal with but if this is what you really want we had better start making some plans. I will give you as much support as I can but I honestly don't know if I will be able to give you 100 support." Charlotte looked up towards Bron, and for the first time she realised that what an enormous decision she was about to make. It was going to affect her for the rest of her life and maybe Bron wouldn't stick around to find out.
Bron sensed that Charlotte was in turmoil and decided she needed some reassuring, as much as she could give at this stage. "Charlotte, I will be with you for as long as God intended, but this is going to change both our lives. It is not something that you can just turn on one day and off the next. Come here darling, I'm going to show you just how much you mean to me, with or without a child." Bron took Charlotte in her arms and gently stroked her hair and face. Charlotte began to moan with pleasure and suddenly Bron had pushed her onto her back and began to gently caress Charlotte's breasts in slow movements which sent shivers down her back. Slowly and with expert hands Bron began to move down Charlotte's stomach and to the inside of her thighs. At this point Charlotte arched her back as the most exciting feeling swept through her body. Slowly, Bron began to inch closer to the hidden treasure and with one swift movement she was inside Charlotte, who let out an almighty scream and the two of them moved in almost perfect sequence.
It was almost 11.00 o'clock before Bron and Charlotte awoke and Charlotte had the biggest grin on her face that reflected just how much love she felt for Bron and the feeling that was still running through her body after the previous night's exertions. "Good morning, darling, how do you feel this morning?" said Bron. "I feel like I am on cloud nine and all the tension that has been going through me for the last week, just melted away in our night of passion. What you did to me last night was incredible and I am so luck to have you come back into my life after all these years. I think I can wait a year or so before having that baby that I so desperately want. If you can make me feel like that then I have all I need at the moment. Bron, you make me so happy to be alive and I want to repay the pleasure, so I am going to get up and make us some breakfast, good and hearty, so that we can they have the energy to spend the rest of the day in bed!"
To follow chapter 3 : A Terrible Mistake