Chapter 11

"Morning, sleepy girl," Jessica murmured into her daughters ear.

Charlotte groaned, "Not yet," she grumbled.

Jessica chuckled, "It's getting late, honey."

"No, no, no," Charlotte turned her face into the pillow.

Jessica ran a hand through Charlotte's hair, "Don't make me go all mom on you."

Charlotte smiled secretly, "But I like it when you're all… authoritarian."

"Is that right?" Jessica half purred, half laughed in Charlotte's ear, "You're so fucking adorable."

"Mm," Charlotte hummed, "You're sexy when you swear too. You don't do that enough."

Jessica began planting kisses on her daughters neck, "Yes, well profanity is not really my thing. I guess I'm too old."

"You're not old," Charlotte mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"Thank you," Jessica whispered, "Now, get out of bed."

"Uh-uh," Charlotte shook her head, "I'm too sleepy."

Jessica nipped Charlotte's ear, a little harder than necessary, "What if mommy says you have to?"

Charlotte squirmed a little, "But the blankies so warm," she grumbled.

"Don't you want to be a good girl?" Jessica's voice deepened slightly.

Charlotte bit her lip and opened her eyes, "Yes," she whispered.

Jessica smiled as Charlotte turned over to face her, "Of course you do," she chortled, "Now, up!" she rolled off the bed.

Charlotte yawned as she sat up, "Only because you're so pretty," she mumbled and crawled over to the edge of the bed but Jessica backed away, "Ohh, you are such a tease," she stepped off the bed and walked over to her mom.

Jessica laughed, "Good girl," she whispered as she embraced Charlotte, "At least now I know how to get you up in the mornings."

Charlotte snuggled into her mom's chest, "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, "No fair you using… wiles."

"Wiles," Jessica laughed, "Now, come and let me make you some breakfast."

Charlotte smiled, "Mm, well that is the least you can do, getting me out of bed and all," she giggled.

Jessica rolled her eyes, "You love it."

"I love you," Charlotte whispered, kissing Jessica's lips.

Jessica hummed happily until she pulled away, licking her lips, "I love you too, beautiful."

"That was Mary," Charlotte said as she placed the phone back in its cradle, "Um, she wants to see me… she's over in Courtland, so I said I'd go tomorrow. There's a bus – "

"It's fine, Charlotte," Jessica cut in, "I'll drive you over."

Charlotte looked uncertain, "Are you sure? I don't mind…"

Jessica smiled, "It's okay, honey. I don't mind driving you."

"Thanks, mom," Charlotte smiled, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Jessica nodded.

Charlotte hesitated, "Do you think you and Mary will ever… mend your bridges?"

Jessica pondered a moment, "I really don't know, Charlie."

"So… that's not a no, right?" Charlotte tried not to sound hopeful.

"Right now," Jessica spoke carefully, "Why don't you just focus on your relationship with her?"

Charlotte nodded, "Okay."

"Charlie, just promise me you'll be careful with her," Jessica chose her words carefully, "She can be… very charming but also manipulative."

"Because she was sick?" Charlotte supposed.

Jessica sighed, "Maybe. Even before that… I just want you to be smart around her, okay?"

Charlotte nodded, "I will, mom," she smiled, "I promise."

"Charlotte," Mary smiled and embraced her daughter, "I'm so glad you came," she stepped aside to let Charlotte enter the house.

"Sure," Charlotte nodded, "Um, are you settling in okay?"

"Oh yes," Mary said, "It's definitely nicer than…" she trailed off, looking conflicted.

Charlotte looked a little nervous, "I'm sure it is… it must have been pretty terrible in there."

"It was," Mary spoke quietly.

"Still, I guess it was better than jail," Charlotte bit her lip the moment she said it, "I mean… I just mean, well I don't know really… "

"Are you nervous?" Mary asked observantly.

Charlotte shrugged, "No, of course not."

"It's okay if you are," Mary smiled, "I'm a little nervous too."

Charlotte smiled in relief, "It's just… been a very long time. I don't really know what to say."

"That's okay," Mary said quietly, "You know, you have my eyes."

Charlotte grinned, "Oh yeah, I noticed that!"

"Did you…" Mary hesitated, "Did you grow up knowing that Jessica wasn't your real mom?"

Charlotte bit her lip, "Well… I think I always knew she wasn't my biological mom. Mostly because of dad I think, he always treated me differently and sometimes Jason would tease me so mom told me pretty young but," she shrugged, "I already knew."

"Were you angry at me for not being there?" Mary asked quietly.

Charlotte thought for a moment, "Well, I don't think so," she supposed, "Mom told me she didn't really know where I came from, she just found me. So, I guess I just figured that my bio mom couldn't take care of me for some reason. I wasn't mad though. Mom's always been there for me so I never felt like… abandoned or anything."

"You're very close to her, aren't you?" Mary observed.

Charlotte nodded, "Yeah, well… things haven't exactly been easy for me and she's never given up on me. Sometimes I felt like she was the only person in the whole world who loved me for who I am… she's my best friend," she smiled for a moment, "I know you don't like her much… but she really has taken care of me."

"I am getting that impression," Mary watched her daughter carefully, "Does she mind that you're coming to see me?"

"Oh, no," Charlotte shook her head, "She drove me here. She doesn't mind at all," she took a deep breath, "May I ask you something?"

"Of course," Mary smiled.

"Do you think you'll ever speak to her again?" Charlotte asked.

Mary took her time to answer, "Well, I suppose it's going to be unavoidable that we run into each other at some point."

"I guess it will get easier with time," Alison was saying as she sat with her sister in the Brew.

Charlotte shrugged, "I guess so. I mean, she's okay. She seems like… interested, she's just so concerned with mom all the time."

Alison hmmed, "Yeah, well they have their issues to resolve," she sucked on the straw of her drink, "Try not to get too caught up in it. That's their responsibility, not yours."

Charlotte smiled, "I know, I know. It's just sad…"

"Well, we'll never be like that!" Alison said confidently.

"No, never!" Charlotte agreed, putting an arm around her little sister.

Jessica turned the key in the lock and elbowed the front door open. She walked through the dark house, supposing Charlotte and Alison must still be at the Brew. She placed some groceries on the kitchen bench and flicked the light on, startling as she did so.

"Mary," she breathed, "You scared me. How did you… get in?"

Mary shrugged, "You're the one who taught me to pick locks, Jess."

Jessica shifted uncomfortably, "You could have called… or at least knocked."

"Don't like surprises, huh?" Mary stepped forward.

"What are you doing here?" Jessica asked carefully.

Mary took another step forward, intimidatingly close to her sister now, "You took my child from me," her tone was gravelly, "And you didn't even tell her about me."

Jessica sighed, "Mary, not this again please. She was young. I didn't want to fill her head with all that darkness. It was all about keeping her safe, you took second place."

"I took no place," Mary hissed, "I haven't seen her since… since she were a little boy. She's an adult now and I missed it all. I had no say in how that child was raised – "

"I did everything I possibly could for Charlotte," Jessica heard her own voice raising, "That you weren't capable of doing. I looked after her like she was one of my own. Because she is. She wants to get to know you and I will support that because you are her biological mother and it is what she wants but I will not apologise for raising her as I saw fit."

Mary shook her head, pausing before speaking and taking another step forward, "You stole my daughter from me – "

"Mary," Jessica was exasperated, "How many times – "

"You took her from me and raised her as… what did you say, one of your own?" Mary huffed, "So tell me then, does she still call you mommy when you're fucking her?"