"Lottie don't worry, my mom won't bite," Louis said, urging Charlotte through the door of his parents' house. At least he assumed she wouldn't since she'd insisted they bring Jamie along as well. That had to be a good sign, her wanting to meet Charlotte's son.

"Sorry," Charlotte said resting her hand on her stomach. "I don't know why I'm so nervous."

"Hey, I'm always nervous when I enter the dragon's den."

"Not funny," she said but he could see she was trying not to smile. She held onto Jamie's hand as he led them through to the living room.

"Mom, meet Charlotte and Jamie," he said awkwardly as his mom stood up smiling. "Well, I'm sure you remember Lottie from all those years ago, or from when you've picked Lucy up from kindergarten."

"Louis you're rambling," his mom said shaking her head. "Charlotte, Jamie, do sit down. I'm so pleased you were able to find the time to join me."

Charlotte looked uncertainly at Louis before sitting down, while Jamie hovered at the side of her seat. "Mrs Kinsella, it's good to see you," she said her voice stilted. "Thank you for having us."

"Please call me Maria, you always used to."

Charlotte flushed. "That seems like such a long time ago."

"Yes, you were only a girl back then."

Louis sat at the edge of his seat while they made small talk, silently willing his mom not to say anything contentious. He began to relax when he realised that apart from mocking his academic achievements - which was well deserved - she was being perfectly polite.

"Louis, why don't you take Jamie through to the kitchen and get him some milk and cookies," she said startling him. "I baked them especially." She gave him a big smile. "And once you've done that, you can bring some through for me and Charlotte, run along now." 

What am I five years old, he thought, and he could see Charlotte stifling a smile. "Okay Jamie," he said standing up. "Let's see what these cookies are like. I bet they're burned." He ushered Jamie out of the room. "She's an absolutely terrible cook." He spoke loud enough for his mom to hear but she didn't retaliate. They went into the kitchen and he opened the oven, breathing in the smell of freshly baked cookies.

"They smell nice," Jamie said inhaling deeply. "I think she must be a good cook."

"Wait until you taste them." He pulled the baking tray out, which was still slightly warm. "How many do you want?"

"Mommy never lets me have more than two," Jamie said pouting. "She says they have too much sugar in them."

"My mom says that kinda stuff to me."

Jamie looked at him curiously. "Is that why you love my mommy, cos she's like yours?"

"I'm not sure your mom would appreciate you saying that," he said struggling not to laugh. "But everyone loves your mom, she's pretty amazing."

"Daddy doesn't," Jamie said frowning. "He used to shout at her and make her cry."

Louis slowly put a couple of cookies on a plate as he contemplated his reply. "Sometimes adults aren't very nice to each other, they say things they shouldn't."

"My daddy was mean to her."

"So long as he isn't mean to you, that's the important thing," he said trying not to overstep the mark.

"I guess," Jamie said taking a cookie and biting into it. "You lied, your mom cooks real good."

Louis relaxed, sitting down opposite him as he made a mental note to tell Charlotte of their conversation. "Yeah my mom can cook, but I like to pretend she can't," he said winking.

Jamie looked at him through narrowed eyes. "You grown-ups are weird."

~~~

"So how have you been?" Maria asked Charlotte tentatively. "Has the pregnancy been hard?"

"It's been fine, all things considered," she said wishing Louis would hurry back. "My doctor's happy with how things are progressing, there's no cause for concern."

"That is good news." Maria folded her hands in her lap. "It must be such a relief after all that happened. Last time, I mean."

Charlotte nodded. "I hope that was exceptional circumstances, I'm sure it was, but at the back of my mind I do still worry."

"Of course you do, that's only natural but god willing in two or three months you'll be holding a baby in your arms," Maria said giving her a reassuring smile.

"Fingers crossed." She crossed her fingers on both hands trying to ignore the wave of fear that washed over her. "I daren't take anything for granted."

"But you're not alone, whatever happens, I want you to know I'm here for you." Maria looked down, shamefaced. "I admit I acted like a jealous old fool when I heard you were back in my son's life but I was being ridiculous."

Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "Jealous? Ridiculous?"

"Yes, exactly that," Maria said her cheeks flushing as she looked up again. "When Louis was discharged from the army I was so relieved, I was practically walking on air. I didn't even consider how badly injured he must have been to be medically discharged, I was just glad to have him safely home." She took a deep breath. "But he came back a different person, it was like a light had been switched off. He didn't want to know me or his dad, he could barely tolerate spending time with us, much less anyone else."

"I imagine it must have been a big adjustment for him," Charlotte said hesitantly.

"I'm sure it was, but he'd been home before on leave. On those occasions I'd be moaning that he was drinking too much, spending too much time with random women." Her flush deepened. "I'm sorry, you don't want to hear this."

"It's okay, I know he was no choir boy."

"That's it," Maria said getting into her stride. "I used to hate how he acted, I was pretty ashamed of him but this time he was positively reclusive. He'd go to work, go home and be locked away for hours by himself. I was worried sick. I tried everything I could think of to coax him out of his shell but it wasn't until you came back into his life that he began to recover."

"I think you're giving me too much credit," Charlotte said awkwardly. "I met him again through John, I think he was already taking steps to sort himself out."

"Baby steps, maybe," Maria said doubtfully. "And that's why I was jealous. I couldn't help him and you did."

"It wasn't intentional," Charlotte said, embarrassed by the praise. "And he's helped me far more than I've helped him. I only helped him in the sense that I was a real-life demonstration of how badly someone else could mess up their life."

"You didn't mess up your life," Maria said softly. "You were a victim of circumstance, and I owe you an apology."

Charlotte cringed. "No, you don't."

"I do because I said some harsh and judgemental things about you that I never even meant. But I said them so I owe you an apology."

"Honestly it's fine, there are no hard feelings."

"I'm glad you feel that way because I want to be there for you." Maria took a deep breath. "You're having my grandchild and I want to be involved."

"You are its grandma."

"But I mean in more than name only," Maria said meeting her eyes. "Louis said you might go back to work, and I hope you don't, but if you do I'll be here to help out. I don't mind doing the mucky parts of grandparenting."

Charlotte cocked her head to one side. "The mucky parts?"

"The diapers and the vomiting." She let out a laugh. "I've helped out with all my grandchildren and this one will be no different."

"Thank you," Charlotte said tearing up. "You don't know what that means to me."

"And you don't know what it means to me to get my son back." She reached over to Charlotte and squeezed her hand. "You've turned Louis back into a normal functioning human being, after everything that happened. For a time there I was worried he'd never get over it."

"I think you're giving me too much credit," Charlotte said, feeling the praise was a bit undeserved. "I try to be there for him. I'd like to think he knows he can confide in me, but he's still pretty reticent when it comes to talking about Vietnam."

"Right, the important thing is he's his old self again," Maria said slowly, contemplating her words. "I suppose he doesn't want to keep dwelling on the past, and I'm sure he doesn't want to burden you with it."

"I guess not," Charlotte said trying not to let on that she was bothered that Louis was holding back on her. She couldn't help feeling hurt that his mom was party to information she wasn't, especially when he knew her deepest, darkest secrets. However, it was a conversation for another day.

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