"Jesus H Christ, I can't believe you did that Lottie," Darlene exclaimed pressing the telephone receiver to her ear. "We should never have left you alone with him." She saw John look up and she put a finger to her lips. 

"I'm a big girl," Charlotte said dismissively. "It was a mistake but I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

Liar.

"Just don't do it again." Darlene paused, hating the judgmental tone of voice she'd adopted. "You know, if you wanna start dating again I'm sure John could set you up with an eligible young bachelor." She giggled. "Maybe a fit guy in his early twenties, someone without any baggage."

Charlotte scoffed. "I don't want to date anyone, that's the whole point. I'm through with men."

"It probably is a little too soon," she said carefully. "But once your divorce is through then it's a whole new ball game."

"No, not even then. Anyway, I'd better get going, speak soon."

"Okay, bye," Darlene said hanging up.

"So what was all that about?" John asked looking at her expectantly. "Or should I not ask?"

She gave him a rueful smile. "It's pretty much what we'd guessed would happen after the funeral when we left Lottie with Louis. It was so obvious he was gonna take advantage of her."

John nodded turning his attention back to the TV where the Ed Sullivan show was playing. "I guess it was inevitable with their history."

Darlene paused, hovering by his chair but his eyes were now fixed on the TV. "Is that how you felt about Rosalind? Is that how you justified it to yourself?"

John's head spun around. "Not this again."

She held her nerve even though he was clearly irritated by the turn in the conversation. "It's never going to go away Johnny, not entirely. And I was just wondering if you felt that your affair with Ros was inevitable? I could sort of understand it if you had felt that way."

John looked at her incredulously and she gave him a tight smile. She'd probably analysed it a thousand times over whereas he wanted to discard it like last weeks news. However, she could well remember his hurt when Ros had dumped him all those years ago, and how she'd sidled in taking full advantage of the opportunity she'd long waited for. Eventually, he had fallen for her but there had always been a part of her that felt like second best; she was his second choice.

"I was stupid to get involved with Rosalind," John finally said, not answering her question. "I didn't consider what I was putting at stake. She was nothing more than a bored housewife to me."

So why have you been in a foul mood since you saw her at the funeral then?

"I hope you mean that," she said instead. "I'd hate you to throw our marriage away over some floozy."

John gave her an easy smile. "That's not gonna happen but can we change the subject? Louis is coming over any minute now."

She grimaced. "Thanks for the warning."

"I didn't realise I needed your permission to have a friend over."

"No, you don't," she said quickly, wanting to avoid an argument. "And anyway, you can set him straight where Lottie is concerned." John nodded and they sat in silence watching TV until there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get that," John said leaping to his feet and Darlene sat up expectantly. She could hear John exchanging pleasantries with Louis and she rearranged her face into a welcoming expression.

"Louis, it's so good to see you. All this time you hid away and now you're becoming like a piece of the furniture!"

Louis shrugged looking down. "I guess I've been imposing on you guys."

"Don't be so silly," she said standing up to embrace him. "We both wish you'd got in touch sooner. It shouldn't take Brad's death for us all to reconnect."

"No it shouldn't," Louis said as he awkwardly hugged her back. "That's my fault, I haven't been the best of company."

"Like you ever were," John said with a laugh. "Let me get you a drink."

Darlene waited until John was safely out of hearing. "I know about you and Lottie," she said her voice barely above a whisper. "I swear to God if you hurt her-"

"Why does everyone think I'm gonna hurt her?" He ran a hand through his hair, his face a picture of confusion. "If you think back, she was the one who dumped me."

Darlene snorted, making her impatience clear. "She dumped you cos you cheated, don't play the victim here. And she's been to hell and back with Nick so the last thing she needs is you messing with her emotions."

"I know that. I understand," Louis said quietly taking her by surprise. "She told me about the baby, about what happened. I'm not going to hurt her."

Darlene frowned, somewhat perplexed that Charlotte had taken Louis into her confidence so readily. It wasn't until she'd left Nick that she'd finally confided in her, by which time she'd already pieced things together with John.

"I'm glad you feel that way," she said trying to put her feelings to one side. "I can't even begin to imagine what she went through, and to be honest, I don't want to." She rubbed her stomach, feeling her baby that was not much younger than Charlotte's had been. "If I lost my child now...if John were to blame, my god I'd go insane."

Louis looked at her his brows furrowing. "But why would John be to blame? I'm not sure what you're saying."

She felt briefly grateful. "No, whatever his faults, John wouldn't do anything to harm our baby. He'd never lay a finger to me and at times I've certainly pushed him. But he wouldn't hit a woman, never mind a pregnant woman." She allowed herself a small moment of contentment.

"But Charlotte's husband would?"

She rolled her eyes. "Well obviously. You know, John and I, we blame ourselves. We look back and we can see all the signs. I wish we'd acted sooner."

Louis's frown deepened. "You've lost me. Are you saying Charlotte's husband hurt her?"

"You said you knew?"

"Yeah about her baby? And that she was unhappily married."

Darlene sank into her chair. "Jeez, have I just put my foot in it?" Louis raised an eyebrow and her shoulders sagged. "Right, you've gotta take this to the grave. Nick, Lottie's husband, is an absolute bastard. Forget about his job, his standing in the community, he's a grade-A shit."

Louis sat down opposite her. "Go on."

"He abused her, mentally, physically, every which way possible." She closed her eyes gathering her thoughts. "But when Lottie was pregnant, he pushed her and she fell down these steps outside their house and that's why she went into early labour. That's how she lost her baby."

She heard Louis slowly exhale. "I kinda figured there was more to their break up than Charlotte let on." He was silent for a moment. "Are you sure it wasn't an accident? Was he responsible for her losing the baby?"

Darlene nodded. "I think so. Lottie isn't certain of what happened, she was knocked unconscious but she remembers them arguing and him pushing her." She looked up at Louis, his face was ashen and his fists were clenched. "Louis, this happened over a year ago, there's nothing that can be done about it now. What we've gotta do is support Lottie with the divorce."

"Yeah, of course," he said grim-faced. "So when Charlotte's husband was beating her black and blue did nobody notice what was going on?"

Darlene dipped her head down, guilt washing over her. "We didn't, no. She was used to covering for him and I don't think he hit her on a regular basis. Not that I think that makes it better." She paused before taking a deep breath. "We kinda suspected though. Not necessarily about the abuse, but I think we knew something was seriously not right with her marriage."

"And you did nothing?" Louis asked his voice accusing.

Darlene looked away, she could well remember that time. She'd been distraught knowing John was seeing another woman, waiting and praying for his affair to fizzle out. Yes, she'd done her best to support Charlotte when she'd lost the baby, but after she'd gone home with her husband Darlene had told herself that nothing was amiss.

"That's right," she finally said meeting Louis's eyes. "We stood back and we did nothing."

Louis opened his mouth but no words came out, thankfully John rejoined them, a couple of drinks in his hands. He thrust a can of beer towards Louis, his eyes then resting on Darlene. Silently she tried to communicate with him, and he nodded his head.

"So you know the full story now?" he asked cracking open his beer. "This is why you need to stay away from Charlotte, she's been through enough."

"And you think I'm gonna hurt her?" Louis asked his eyes narrowing. "Are you putting me up there with her husband?"

"No way, but you need to know what you're getting involved in. Potentially, that is."

Louis raised a hand. "Hold up, you guys stood by and did nothing and now you're warning me off?" 

"It wasn't that simple," Darlene said hotly. "We didn't know, not exactly, and we had our own stuff going on." Louis looked unconvinced but it was John who spoke up.

"I guess I stood by and did nothing." He looked Louis square in the face. "And I won't make that mistake again. Keep away from Charlotte for both your sakes."

                                                               ~~~

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