CHAPTER 9

Charlotte rang the doorbell of her old house.

"Hello Bama." Matthew greets with a big smile. "Come on in. You must be tired from that long drive."

"Actually I think I need to stretch my legs a little from sittin' in the car for nearly six hours. Then I want to drive up to Big Sur with you for the weekend."

"Really? You sure you want to sit in the car another couple of hours." Matthew asks.

"Yes. I've been dying to go back there. Just get away and relax. Ya know?"

"Yeah. I know. I'll drive. Stretch your legs out while I pack." Matthew heads upstairs

Meanwhile back in L.A. Cooper knocks on Violet's door.

"Hey Coop" Violet opens the door and smiles. "Ooh Are those beautiful flowers for me" Violet laughs.

"Sorry Babe. These beauties are for Charlotte."

Violet's face gets serious. "Coop, Charlotte went away for the weekend. I thought she told you."

"No. No. She didn't tell me." Cooper's face drops.

"Yeah. Her family left yesterday, she figured she'd get away for a little while. It's just for the weekend. She'll be back Sunday night. She has to work Monday," Violet pats her friend on the shoulder.

"I figured we would spend the weekend together. I had all these plans to take her out."

"Well Coop. Give her time. She loves you. She just needs to think. You had a nasty breakup and it isn't easy for a woman like her to just forget about it. You really hurt her. She had to move in with me. She had nowhere else to go. It wouldn't be normal for her to just forget all about that."

"I know but I just want her to understand it wasn't her I was upset with it was me. I just took it all out on her."

"What do you mean?"

"We had this big fight. I told her she wasn't a normal woman, then she told me I wasn't a man. But that's really how I felt. I felt like I'm not good enough for her. She has more money. She's Chief of Staff and works at our office. She's beautiful and hot. I'm forty with a receding hairline. She's got it all going on and I'm a loser, middle aged pediatrician. That's why I figured she really wouldn't marry me.

Violet handed Cooper a beer. "You know that's not true Cooper. She gave everything up for you. She sold her place. She sold her furniture . Everything. She was ready to commit to you for life she told me. She moved all her clothes into her office at the hospital. I felt bad for her that's why I invited her to live with me" Violet slugged her beer.

"What should I do Violet? How do I fix this?"

"I think you just need to give her time." Violet advises and hands Cooper another beer.

"I don't think I have time. Charlotte went away this weekend and I get the feeling she is not alone." Cooper lays down on his back on the couch with his hand on his head and swallows his beer. "I think I went too far with some of the things I said I was just so angry."

"Why? What did you say Coop?" Violet opens another beer for herself now.

"I called her a sex toy, a miserable bitch, a trashy little girl just trying to please her dead daddy and more." Cooper closed his eyes and finished his bottle of beer. "Can you pass me another beer, Vi?"

"My God Cooper! You must have been so full of anger to say all that to her." Violet hands him another beer.

"I was. I just said anything I could think of to hurt her. I wanted her to feel as miserable as I was feeling about myself. And now I'm so sorry Violet. I was wrong and you need to help me fix this.

"I don't know Coop. Sometimes it just takes time to soften the blow. I know she still loves you. You just have to keep that in mind. It helps that she's pregnant with your child. That's a major connection you share and maybe she'll be willing to work things out."

"I don't know Vi. I think she found someone else. Someone she's spending the weekend with." Cooper says defeated.

"I have an idea. You'd be taking a chance but I have an idea how you might win her back." Violet's wheels are spinning.

"I'm listening Vi. I've got nothing to lose anymore."

"Okay then. Let's get started with the plans." Violet gets up and grabs her purse. "Come on Coop we're going shopping."

"For what?"

"You'll see. Let's go!" Violet grins and opens the door for Cooper.

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