Charlotte ended up talking to her parents for over an hour.
Even after Damon returned to his office, she was still on the phone with them. And in that moment, she finally realized something. It felt so much better to talk about her pain than to her parents rather than keep pretending it didn't exist.
The wound in her heart was still there. But after opening up to her parents, it didn't hurt quite as much anymore. Just a little lighter. Just a little easier to breathe.
"But I still want to have a baby with him, Mom," Charlotte whispered. "Just … not now. Is that okay?"
Both of them were silent for a while. It felt like both of her parents were thinking deeply about her words.
Finally, Hattie spoke gently. "Sweetheart, that's not something anyone else can decide. It's between you and Damon. All we can do is support you, no matter what."
"Charlotte," Derek added, "we don't hate your mate. You don't have to be so afraid of what we think."
