AN : Heyy guys ! here we go for another chapter ! Let's see how Cathry will deal with the situation…

Disclaimer : I don't own these characters and I don't make any profit out of this story.

Chapter 11

At the top of the stairs

Henry was still sitting there, wondering what he had done to deserve this… why did she have to say that or even think it ? Especially now that she knew that he had never cheated on her… what was happening now ? who was she becoming ? or was that who his wife had become during all the years of their estrangement ? Did she change so much ? No… surely the loving woman he had fell in love with couldn't have turned heartless, could she ? He didn't know… he wasn't sure of it anymore. Maybe he had no seen it and – he sighed – no… it was not possible, was it ?

He didn't want to think anymore about the possible issues of this… he just… wanted to be happy again, finally…

/-/-/-/-/

In Catherine's chambers

She couldn't think straight anymore, all these emotions were far too much for her… she felt that she didn't belong here anymore. She felt… weird. What was wrong with her suddenly ? Couldn't she see how hard her husband was trying ? she told herself she was a fool, she always ruined everything anyway… everything that had gone wrong during their marriage was her fault… she was convinced of that. If only she had talked to him about Diane's messages, everything would have been different… but no, her stupid self had completely shut Henry out… Everything was her fault… she sobbed in the pillows. The guilt was suffocating her. Just the idea that she could have been happy with a loving husband during all these was unbearable…

Once her breathing was calmed when no tears left her eyes anymore. She looked one last time at the cup of tea that was now barely steaming and took her decision…

She slowly left the bed, her bed, their wedding bed and dressed herself in comfortable clothes. Then, she went to the bathroom and tried to fix her reddened face after gathering her hair in a messy bun. Once this was done, she came back to into the room and took a big bag, she messily put clothes for her and Margot in it and took a deep breath. She looked one last time at the room… everything in it reminded her of the past… she closed her eyes and sighed.

She was ready.

/-/-/-/-/

Back at the top of the stairs

Henry tried to calm down. This was probably just a phase, maybe it was her hormones. He sighed and got up. He made sure he was okay, took a deep breath and walked down the stairs and to the living room.

In the living room

Francis was still holding his new born sister and looked up at his father when he heard the sounds of approaching steps. "She's been sleeping the whole time."

Henry smiled softly "We're quite lucky with her, she's been very calm." He stayed silent for a while but them realized his other son was missing "Where's Charles ?"

Francis smiled "He went to do his homework in the kitchen."

"Oh.." Henry nodded.

"Speaking of Margot, I think mom didn't have time to buy a stroller for her." He whispered so he wouldn't wake up the baby.

"Oh okay, I'll go buy it now then, if you don't mind taking care of your sister a little while longer."

"No, of course not, you can go" Francis nodded.

"Thank you for helping, see you later" he winked at his eldest son, grabbed his car keys and left the house to buy a new stroller for Margot.

/-/-/-/-/

In Catherine's room

She was ready.

She walked out of the room, then down the stairs with her big bag. She took a deep breath, she had no idea her husband had left. So when she walked into the living room she was prepared to see him and was very surprised to find that he was not there.

His mother had been so silent that Francis hadn't realized she was in the living room until she called his name softly.

"Mom ?" he looked up at her and saw her appearance. "Are you alright ?"

"Yes… well, no. It's complicated…" she sighed and looked down at the floor.

Her eldest son followed her gaze and only now did he notice the full bag she was holding. "Mom ? What's that for ?" he had a bad feeling.

"I… I'm going to Madeleine's house." She replied softly. Madeleine was Henry's sister but had long before become her best friend. She was the only other person beside her and now Henry that knew of Diane's messages.

"What ? why ?" Francis' eyes widened.

"I… I just need it… I don't know where I am or what to do anymore." She barely answered, she felt so weak, she hated herself.

"And Margot ? Are you taking her ?" He saw there was no point in trying to convince his mother to stay… and anyway, the only person who could maybe have succeeded was currently absent.

"Yes, of course, I'm breastfeeding her…" She sighed "Where's your father ?"

"He went to buy a stroller for Margot… I told him you didn't have time to get one before the birth…" he explained.

"Oh… I see… well, it's probably better this way" she knew her husband would have tirelessly been trying to convince her to stay.

Francis answered nothing and just looked at his mother when Charles who had just finished his homework walked into the living room

"Mommy ?" the little boy looked at his mother.

Catherine took a deep breath and told him she would be staying at aunt Madeleine's house for a little while.

Charles tried to act like a grown-out boy but his lower lip trembled slightly while he ran to hug his mother.

Catherine hugged him back and kissed the top of his head "We will see each other again very soon Charlie and now you have daddy to take care of you."

The seven year old nodded slightly and then went to hug Francis. His older brother explained to him that their mother needed a little time on her own to get better.

"And you want mommy to get better right Charlie ?" Francis asked softly.

Charles nodded softly "I want mommy to be alright."

Catherine's heart broke, but she knew she had no choice, if she didn't leave now, she didn't know what she would do or how she would get back to herself. She didn't know if this herself existed anymore.

Therefore, she gently took her baby girl in her arms kissed each of her sons cheeks and headed for her car. Just before she got out of the house she turned around towards her boys with teary eyes "I love you both, I'm not abandoning you, alright ?"

Francis hugged his little brother. "We love you too and we know that mom. Just get better quickly." He smiled sadly.

Catherine nodded "I'll try." She started to cry and got out of the room with her baby and her bag. She walked to her car, put the bag in the trunk and Margot in her car seat. In that moment she was very thankful to have bought two car seats, one for each of their cars. Then she got into the driver's seat and remembered she should get away from here before her husband came back… but her tears were very hard to fight…very hard.

AN : I hope you don't hate me too much for this chapter :) and that you still "enjoyed" it haha.

Take care

Laura D.