Charlotte and Louis were sunbathing on the final day of their holiday, the time passing by too quickly. Charlotte sat rubbing suntan lotion into her arms, paranoid about getting burnt.

"You should put some on," she said scolding Louis.

"I can handle a bit of sun," he laughed. "Pass that here and I'll do your back."

She scooped her hair up and swept it off her neck as he began to lather the lotion into her skin. "This has to be pretty close to perfect," she said watching the sea's gentle waves.

"Why not perfect?"

"I miss Jamie, I know I'd have missed him if I'd stayed at home though." She let out a small sigh. "Sorry I shouldn't have brought him up."

"Don't be sorry, I know you have a son. I don't expect you not to mention him around me."

"It's just Nick's his father..," she broke off unsure how to explain.

Louis paused, his fingers resting lightly on her. "We broke up and you had a whole other life. I don't have an issue with Jamie cos of who his dad is."

"I guess I'm not giving you much credit," she said sheepishly. "But years ago you'd never have said anything like that."

"No, but we hadn't lived then." He grinned at her, "I remember when you were obsessed with getting straight As."

"I'm not going to remind you what you were obsessed about," she teased back.

"Touche." He resumed applying the lotion to her back. "Charlotte, you've gotta make the best of your life. I hope I'll be a part of it, but whatever happens with us, you have to move on."

She momentarily froze. "I know but Jamie deserves to have a normal family life, and that's not going to happen because of me."

"I'd say that your husband was more to blame."

She turned around to face him. "He was, but I was pretty immature. I had no idea of what having a husband and a child entailed."

Louis scoffed. "I'd have thought the husband would take care of himself."

"Yeah but I had this romantic idea of happy ever after and I guess I was a pain in the ass," she said her face flushing.

"Stop making excuses for him," Louis said chiding her. "Your case is coming up and you need to be completely focused on your side of things."

She groaned looking away. "Don't remind me but you're right, old habits die hard. I've got to make a witness statement, to try and demonstrate how he was mentally cruel." Her shoulders sagged. "It's actually more difficult to explain than 'we had an argument and he slapped me.'" 

"So why don't you use me as a sounding board?" Louis suggested. "Pretend I know nothing."

She paused, conflicted. On the one hand, she wanted to keep her past as far away from Louis as possible, on the other, she had to write a convincing statement. "Okay, I'll try."

"Charlotte where's the paperwork I left on the table?" Nick asked, picking things up and putting them down impatiently.

"I put it in a pile over there," she said indicating to his desk.

"You did what?"

His raised voice startled her.

"You'd left a big mess on the dinner table so I tidied it up..."  She faltered as he glowered at her, his jaw clenched.

"I was working on those papers, I had them in order."

"Oh." She recoiled hearing the barely concealed anger in his voice.

"Oh," he sneered. "That's just great, I'll explain that to my students when they wonder why their work's not marked."

"I put everything together," she said speaking rapidly. He rounded on her, grabbing her by the shoulders, his face inches from hers.

"Don't interfere with my stuff again, you stupid bitch," he hissed before abruptly letting her go. He snatched his papers from the desk and she watched feeling utterly bewildered. She'd only been trying to help.

"I'm going to check on Jamie," she said retreating from the room. She went into the nursery, quickly wiping her eyes and telling herself not to cry. Fortunately, their baby always seemed happy to see her and he raised his arms when she looked into his cot. She lifted him out and snuggled him into her chest as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

She didn't know how much time had passed before a quiet knock at the door alerted her to Nick's presence.

"Hey," he said stepping into the room. "I'm sorry that things got a little heated back there."

She turned to him frowning. "You called me a bitch."

"You know I didn't mean that sweetheart, I'm just under so much pressure. I guess I take it out on you sometimes."

She swallowed hard. "Lately I feel like you hate me. That you regret marrying me."

"Hush now," he said, placing his arm around her shoulder and looking down at Jamie. "How could I hate the mother of my child?"

"The way you speak to me..."

"I'm sorry, I get frustrated. I guess we're both under a lot of pressure." He cleared his throat. "Like I know your grades haven't been too good lately."

"They're not that bad," she said trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.

"But you can do so much better. I hate to see you not reaching your full potential." He spoke softly, his hands rubbing her shoulders. "Maybe you shouldn't go out with Judy this weekend, use the time that I'm at home to concentrate on your schoolwork."

Her heart sank, she'd been looking forward to having a day out with her friend for ages. "I've not been out in six months."

"I know sweetheart, but I'm thinking of you," he said stroking her hair now. "I don't want you to be disappointed, I'd hate you to feel you've let yourself down."

"I don't think one day will make a difference," she said doubtfully.

"You know best," he said continuing to stroke her hair. "If you think the best thing for your long term prospects is to go shopping or watch a movie then you should do that. I'll support you either way."

"Maybe I'll concentrate on the essay," she said glumly, there was no way she'd enjoy her day off now anyway. Nick smiled and kissed the top of her head making his approval clear.

"I guess that doesn't sound so bad does it?" she said to Louis watching his reaction closely.

His mouth turned down. "Well, he sounds like a jerk, to say the least."

"But does that sound like mental abuse to you?"

He shrugged. "To be honest, I don't know what that even is. Isn't that sorta-" he broke off, struggling for the right words.

"It's subjective," she said for him. "What's water off a duck's back to one person, crushes another. Dale said that's why it'll work. The judge just has to accept that I felt abused, that Nick's behaviour could be construed as abusive."

"And do you trust Dale?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "I don't trust anyone, but no, as my lawyer I have my doubts about him. He's so tormented by Ros having an affair, I think he's distracted."

"I dunno," Louis said his brows furrowing. "It sorta makes sense to me. Isn't the point of claiming mental abuse that you get a divorce and Nick gets to walk away with his reputation intact?" He grimaced, "I don't like it but I can see how it would work."

"I guess I'm scared that I'll get the judge on a bad day and he'll think my testimony is lame."

"It's clear from what you've just told me that he was manipulative and controlling," he said his face darkening.

She nodded, relieved she'd at least she'd conveyed that part of it. "Yeah, I tolerated it for a long time and I sort of learnt to manage his moods. If I went along with what he wanted then I avoided an argument I couldn't win, and at least I didn't wind up disappointed."

"But you must have seen what he was doing to you, at the time I mean?"

She frowned deeply. "Not really, it was all so insidious. Even when I knew he was manipulating me I also thought I was being immature and he had my best interests at heart. At least before the abuse turned physical."

Louis scowled. "I can't help thinking my original idea of taking Nick out should be considered. I know how to do it or how it could be arranged." She gawped at him and he chuckled. "I'm joking Lottie, but I kinda wish I wasn't."

She shook her head. "He's not worth it.'' She made herself smile. "And anyway, I will get divorced eventually. Governor Reagan's changing the law so neither party has to prove fault. If it comes to it I'll just have to bide my time."

His face broke into a smile. "So you'll get there one way or another. You should focus on that, he's not going to win."

She picked up a handful of sand letting the grains slowly slip through her fingers. "I want to get on with my life now though. I don't want to stay married a minute longer than I have to."

"I'm glad to hear that." He placed his hand over hers as she reached into the sand again. "Charlotte I want to be with you, as more than just friends or whatever you want to call this."

She swallowed, her mouth dry. "That's not possible."

"Yes, it is. You're scared and I understand why. After what you've been through it can't be easy to trust another guy but I'd never hurt you. No matter how bad things got - if they did - I would never raise my hand-"

"I know that Louis," she said her chest tightening. "But you're wasting your time with me."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that."

"It's not that simple."

"It is," he said, his eyes intense. "It is that simple."

                                                                                 ~~~

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