Darlene inhaled sharply as another contraction took hold. They were definitely getting longer and more regular, and she was regretting that she hadn't called Charlotte earlier to come and look after Junior.

"Do you want me to try and get hold of Doris?" John asked as he rubbed her back trying to soothe her.

"No! Lottie will be here soon enough and it'll be hours before the baby comes." Hopefully. She breathed out slowly as the pain subsided, swatting John's hand away. "Besides, Junior will be happier with Lottie, he'll have Jamie to play with too."

"I guess," John said looking towards the clock, his eyebrows furrowing. "I hope she's not getting the bus, I think she said Sam would drop her off but maybe I should go get her?"

"No, she'll be on her way already." She knew Charlotte wouldn't delay, and they'd planned months ago for her to look after Junior if she went into labour on the weekend. "And if she is late, well I always fancied having a home birth."

John visibly paled at her joke. "Don't even think about it, you need a hospital, and a doctor, and drugs."

"I know," she said sighing. She so wanted the baby to hurry up and come but she didn't dare think too much about the hours ahead or the days ahead cooped up in the hospital.

"I think that's the door," John said quickly striding across the living room.

Darlene strained her ears to hear. "Thank god," she muttered as she heard John greeting Charlotte and Jamie. 

"Hey panic over," John said his face relaxing as he ushered Charlotte into the living room, Jamie following shyly behind her. "We were beginning to think you'd got lost."

Charlotte frowned slightly putting her bags down. "You called less than half an hour ago and I had to get my stuff ready."

"Ignore him," Darlene said rolling her eyes hoping Lottie wasn't offended. "You know what a stress head he is. Anyone would think he's having the baby."

John grimaced. "Can we get going now?" He grabbed her bag and took a step towards the door. "I don't want to be delivering this baby."

"It'll be hours," Darlene said again, trying to ignore the contraction that was building up. "Now Lottie, just help yourself to anything you need."

"I was going to ask if I could use the phone," Charlotte said sounding on edge. "Only I was supposed to meet Dale this afternoon so I was hoping to call him instead."

"You don't need to ask. What's mine is yours." She giggled despite herself. "Well, not Johnny. Keep your hands off him."

Charlotte laughed. "You have nothing to worry about there."

No, I don't. I can trust Lottie even if I can't entirely trust John.

"Enough with the yakking," John said, his impatience clear. "Junior come and say goodbye to your mommy." Their son came into the living room, a curious expression on his face. Darlene reached out to hug him and he looked up at her warily.

"What's happening, mommy?"

She made herself smile despite her discomfort. "The baby's coming so I've got to go to the hospital. By this time tomorrow, you'll have a baby brother or sister."

"Oh, okay," Junior said pulling himself out of her grasp. "Hey Jamie, wanna play football." And before she could say any more the two boys were running out of the room. She guessed it was a good thing that he wasn't unduly concerned.

"You should get going," Charlotte said, her voice flat. "I'll take care of things here."

"Great, thanks." She reached out to hug her and for a moment Charlotte was rigid, before hugging her back. "I'll see you when the bump has landed!"

                                                   ~~~

By this time tomorrow, you'll have a baby brother or sister.

Darlene's words were on a loop going around in Charlotte's head. She tried to tell herself that lightning didn't strike twice and all would go well but until she had heard that the baby had been safely delivered her anxiety was unlikely to subside. Thankfully the kids were oblivious to her worrying. Seeing they were happy enough playing in the garden she went back inside to make her phone call to Dale, having put it off for the past hour.

"Hey Dale, it's Charlotte, " she said as soon as he answered. "I'm sorry but I'm not going to be able to come around this afternoon. Darlene's gone into labour so I'm looking after Junior while John's at the hospital."

"Is he the one having the baby," Dale said and Charlotte was taken aback by his sarcasm.

"He called and said he was going to stay and wait since the doctor was hopeful that the baby would come by this evening," she said trying hard not to react to his tone of voice. "So, anyway, I thought we could talk on the phone."

"I guess we can," Dale said after a long pause. "Cutting to the chase, you need to decide how you want to proceed with this. Nick's contesting your claims and you have no proof."

She inhaled sharply. "No proof? So you don't believe me?"

"What I believe is irrelevant. But if you go before a judge with such flimsy evidence you won't get very far."

She gripped the receiver tightly, trying to hold her temper. "And you've only just realised this? After all these months?"

"No," Dale said curtly. "I always knew it was your word against his but I was not expecting him to contest."

"Well, maybe you should have thought about it! Isn't that what I'm paying you for." She began to shake, furious at Dale, at Nick, at the world.

"I think we need a different approach, and I don't mean you and Rosalind going freelance," Dale said and she could tell he was pissed off. "Worst case scenario, you go before the judge and he accepts Nick's version of events."

"And why would he do that?"

"Because he's the more credible witness, looking at the evidence I mean."

Charlotte felt bile rising in her throat. "I haven't done myself any favours have I? I should never have taken those damned tablets."

"Look, worst-case scenario, Nick could counterclaim and go for custody of Jamie."

She felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room and she struggled to get her breath. "You said that was an empty threat..."

"I'm warning you of the possibilities."

"You're warning me now," she snapped. "After all of this time, and god knows how much money! If you'd said this on day one I wouldn't have bothered. Nick wouldn't go for custody if we were just living separately. Darlene's right, you've been ripping me off." She slammed the phone down and sank into the sofa, her mind going into overdrive. She pondered on Dale's words until a knock at the door interrupted her.

"Louis, what are you doing here?" Talk about timing.

"I was at a loose end," he said frowning. "What are you doing here?" 

She beckoned him inside and updated him on the situation. "It looks like I've found another place to decamp to, at least Sam will be happy."

The frown on Louis's face deepened. "What? You're not gonna stay overnight with John here are you?"

Charlotte laughed at his expression. "Yeah but only so he can go to the hospital first thing in the morning."

"I don't like the sound of that. This is John Lombardo after all."

She laughed. "Don't be absurd, he's a married man."

"Like that's ever stopped him," Louis said arching his eyebrows.

She looked at him, her mouth turning down. "I really don't need this right now, and it's none of your business anyway."

Louis held up his arms. "Okay, I get it, I-"

"It's not you," she admitted sitting down. "This divorce is an unmitigated disaster."

Louis sat down next to her. "Go on."

"I can't see a way forward without losing custody of my child." Louis gaped at her. "Hear me out. Nick's contesting my allegations and Dale thinks the judge will side with him, or worse, Nick will counterclaim and get custody of Jamie." She took a couple of deep breaths trying to still her shaking hands. "I might as well go back to Nick."

"Now hold up," Louis said standing up and beginning to pace. "You can't do that."

"I don't have much choice!"

"Your son is the most important thing right?" Louis said as he stopped pacing. "Didn't you leave your husband so you could both have a better life? Do you think it's a good idea for him to grow up watching his mother get abused?"

She sprang to her feet. "I would never expose Jamie to that."

"You wouldn't be able to hide it and he'd wind up thinking it was normal." He looked at her impatiently. "Is that what you want?"

"Of course not," she said her shoulders sagging. "Maybe in a few years, I'd be able to leave again. Nick will get fed up with me eventually."

"No, he'd have you right where he wanted." He met her eyes his face softening. "You've done the hardest part, you've left him. In a few years, Jamie probably won't even remember that you were ever together but if you go back it'll be a hell of a lot harder to leave again."

"Maybe," she said picking at the sleeve of her cardigan.

"There is no maybe. Don't give up now because Dale's running scared. Get a better lawyer."

She looked up her eyebrows knotting together. "You don't much like him do you?"

He shrugged. "I always thought he was a pompous asshole."

"I guess he can be," she admitted. "And I think he's pissed with me at the moment." Cancelling on him to do John a favour was obviously a no-no. "I wouldn't be surprised if he refuses to see me at my next appointment."

Louis shook his head. "I doubt he'd do that but why don't I come along for moral support?"

"That might be inappropriate."

"So what? You need somebody on your side."

"I guess I could do with a friend in my corner," she said tentatively. The phone rang, startling them both and she quickly reached for the receiver. "Hello? Oh hi, John. Have you got any news? Has Darlene had the baby?"

                                                                              ~~~

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