Finding Charlie Rose

As Sam, Byron and Charlie walked around the different shops, Charlie was getting slower and slower. She had never walked around so many shops before. Where she grew up was a small town with only a few shops and her mum only went to the shops every fortnight for food or to the Salvation Army store to buy second-hand things. She was tired and hungry, she was used to eating small meals often. "Hey baby girl do you want me to carry you?" Sam asked his sister, she just nodded her head yes and looked ready to drop. They had been shopping for four hours straight and hadn't thought how it would affect Charlie.

When Sam picked up Charlie she whined "Charlie hungry" before snuggling into Sam's chest. Sam chuckled "ok baby girl let's get something to eat" Sam replied heading straight to the food court. Liam had been texting Sam and Byron constantly to see how Charlie was going and Oliver was going to meet them for lunch because the gym was right around the corner from where they were shopping. They sat at one of the tables with Charlie still snuggled into Sam.

"Hey, munchkin how was shopping?" Oliver asked while sitting down at the table with a box of sushi. Charlie looked to Oliver then to the sushi "Charlie has some?" She asked Oliver. Charlie had eaten sushi several times and her mum used to make it for her too. She liked the tuna and cucumber. "Do you like sushi?" Byron asked her. Charlie nodded her head, she was hungry and wanted to eat something so she could sleep on Sam's chest. "Come on then" Oliver said standing up and grabbing his sister from Sam.

Charlie sat on Oliver's lap and picked up the tuna sushi nibbling the sushi slowly. Her mummy told her she had to be careful when eating as she didn't want to choke. Sam and Byron headed off to get some food for themselves and also something else for Charlie because they didn't believe she would eat the sushi. They brought her McDonalds, Sam got nachos and Byron for himself fish and chips. They were surprised to see Charlie eating the sushi still when they got back.

"Here baby girl, I got you some McDonald's" Sam said handing Oliver the bag. Charlie looked at it and shook her head. She didn't know what McDonald's was but she was eating her third piece of sushi and there were two more left for her to finish. Oliver had left them for her to have. "Dude that's her third piece. What kid turns down McDonald's for sushi?" Oliver asked.

"What's Donald's?" Charlie asked to which Byron laughed. He remembered he would beg his mum every weekend to take him to McDonald's as a kid but she said that it was garbage and she hated paying for rubbish food. They had always gone through it because they begged their father. As kids they didn't understand what he did to their mother and when they realised how he made her do things they stopped asking to go. All the boys soon realised their mum hadn't taken Charlie because she in fact hated to waste money on garbage.

Oliver ate the happy meal meant for Charlie while she finished his sushi. She got the apple juice though she didn't like it. Byron went to get her water which she happily drank while she finished her sushi. When she was done she said "Charlie wee wee" All the boys looked at her like she had grown two heads. How were they going to take her to the toilet? Men's toilets were not the place for little girls and they couldn't exactly walk into the lady's room. "Ok munchkin, I'll take you" Oliver said standing up while holding his sister. He didn't know how but he knew he had to work something out.

Oliver walked to the bathrooms and stood in front of the men's toilets. He didn't really want to take her in there but what choice did he have? "Excuse me, the parent's room is free if you want to take your daughter in there," a lady with two kids said pointing to a sign that said parents' room. "Thank you" Oliver said walking over to the parent's room.

"First time watching your kid alone?" The woman asked laughing. "Actually she is my baby sister" Oliver replied. "Oh well, the parent rooms are for people with young kids. Every shopping centre has them. Also, the disabled toilet is an option when the parent room is occupied. Kids don't tend to be held for long periods of time. When they need to go they need to go" the woman said.

Oliver looked at Charlie who looked about ready to wet her pants. "Thanks" he called rushing into the parent's room and locking the door. Charlie quickly used the little toilet being able to get on and off the kids toilet herself. She finished and was able to use the sink by herself as well washing her hands and dry them with a paper towel. "Charlie tired" she told her brother who quickly picked Charlie up holding her close to his chest. He hoped his brothers were finished shopping because it seemed Charlie wanted to sleep.

Charlie began to suck her thumb as Oliver walked back to the table. She was fighting to stay awake. "Charlie worm" she whispered. "We will get your worm when we get back to the table munchkin" Oliver whispered. Charlie nodded her head and began to doze off.

When Oliver reached the table he asked his brothers for Charlie's worm. Sam dug it out of the bag and handed it to Oliver. Charlie held the worm to her face smelling the scent and pressed its tummy letting the music pull her to sleep laying on Oliver's chest. "She is asleep, have you guys finished?" Oliver asked his brothers. "Nah we have to get her a bed and stuff then we are done" Sam replied. Oliver nodded his head. "I'll take her with me so she can sleep. I just have some paperwork to do and man the desk. Come get her when you are done" he told his brothers who quickly agreed.

Oliver headed back to the gym with a smile on his face. He felt complete with Charlie in his arms like he was getting a second chance to make things right with how he had treated his mum. He swore to himself that he would never allow anyone to hurt his baby sister like they hurt his mum. When he got back to work several people looked at the sleeping Charlie with curious eyes. A few of his mates were there working out and came to see who the kid was. They couldn't believe the big bad grumpy Oliver was snuggled up with a baby girl. "Back off, she is my sister," he told them all. He wouldn't let anyone touch her at all, he would protect her from the world if he could. Charlie was sweet and innocent and he never wanted that to change.