Conrad nervously approached his wife as she poured her coffee. He got closer, but she blocked him.
"Stay away. I have nothing to say to you!" She snapped. She had never felt as humiliated as she did when Charlotte walked in on them. The look on Charlotte's face was enough to keep Victoria from her husband.
"Calm down. Charlotte isn't a child anymore." Conrad tried to reason, although he secretly felt as embarrassed as Victoria. Unlike Victoria, he realized that while embarrassing it wasn't enough to keep him away from her.
"Conrad, listen to me carefully. Last night meant nothing. It was Halloween. Call it a tradition. Call it a fluke. Call it a lapse in judgement. But do not, for one second think it meant anything more."
She turned her heels to walk off. "What about your breakfast, dear?" Conrad called after her.
"I lost my appetite. And don't call me dear." She yelled, not bothering to turn around.
Victoria ignored the knocks on her door, assuming it was her husband. Instead, Charlotte came in, sitting down next to her mother on the balcony.
"Mom, I've thought about it a lot. I shouldn't have overreacted this morning. That doesn't mean it wasn't seriously disgusting seeing... I don't want to repeat what I saw. But, it was also a little nice seeing you and Dad how you used to be. It was nice having you guys in love again. Still gross, but forgivable. And a little nice."
"Charlotte, I don't want you to get the wrong idea. What you saw, that was a mistake. It didn't change things with your father and I. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression."
"I'm not a little girl. I know the difference between sex and love-"
"Charlotte!" Victoria gasped, surprised by her daughters honesty.
"I'm just saying, I didn't mean you love him because you had sex with him. I'm saying it because you still love him. And he loves you, too. Everyone can see it except the two of you. I've got to go. I have plans."
Charlotte kissed the top of her mothers head and flitted off, leaving Victoria to wonder if Charlotte's perceptions were accurate. She couldn't possibly love Conrad, could she? And it didn't matter. He didn't really love her. Did he?