Finding Charlie Rose

Jackson stood watching as his children fretted over the small child who looked to be about 2 years old. The child was obviously sick and John was helping them out. "Does someone want to introduce me to my grandchild?" Jackson asked causing all his sons to turn around and stare at their father. "I told you to leave" Liam barked out scaring Charlie who was now crying loudly. "That child wants its mother. It's a mother's job to care for a baby" Jackson told them all which caused them to glare at their father.

"I want mummy, Sammy" Charlie cried. "Well, clearly the child isn't Sam's so who fathered the bastard?" Jackson asked. John stepped forward ready to knock out the piece of shit but was stopped by Charlie crying "Tummy, bad ouchie, Charlie die like mummy". "No baby girl" Sam said picking up his sister in a towel and holding her to his chest trying to shield her from his father. "I'm sorry, I didn't know" Jackson spoke up now realising he had put his foot in it.

Sam handed Charlie to John asking him to get her dressed in something cool. John took Charlie upstairs trying to shield her from his brother-in-law but Charlie looked to her brothers wanting Sam or Liam. Jackson got a look at her face and was shocked. He remained quiet though when Charlie called out "Sammy, Lee Lee Charlie bad ouchie". "I'll be up in a minute babe" Liam called out and Charlie snuggled her head into Uncle John's shoulder. She was in pain and just wanted someone to make the pain stop.

When Charlie and Uncle John were out of sight all the boys turned to the poor excuse of a father standing in their house. "You aren't welcome here Jackson" Sam told his father. "I am here to discuss business and this was once my house" he replied. He had wanted to talk to his sons and would use the business to do so. He had stayed away from his children for years to give them time so he could come and apologise. He knew he was in the wrong and wanted to apologise to them and his wife. He had joined AA and got himself clean and apologising and accepting he was in the wrong was one of the steps to complete. He was ashamed of how he had treated them all.

"This is no longer your house. When our mother left, I inherited the house as it was our grandparents. I kicked your sorry arse out" Sam spat out. "As for business, we can discuss that in the office only. If I see you here again I will have the police remove you" Sam said slowly panicking in case his father worked out that Charlie was in fact his child.

"Fine, I wanted to see you all. We have business to discuss, if you all agree to come to the office tomorrow I will leave" Jackson replied. He had a feeling that he was missing something. The small child known as Charlie was being protected by his sons but he couldn't work out why. He also wanted to know who fathered the child seeing the child had called Sam and Liam by their names. He worked out the child's mother had died but he didn't know who that person was. The boys quickly agreed to be there tomorrow morning for a meeting and pushed Jackson out of the house locking the door.

John walked back downstairs with Charlie who was once again sleeping. "What the hell was he doing here?" John asked his nephews. "He said business we have a meeting tomorrow. Are you able to stay with Charlie?" Sam asked his uncle. "Sure I'll take tomorrow off. Seems she has a stomach bug" John replied. "Oh," said Liam who was now embarrassed he had been insisting they rush Charlie to the hospital. "She will need to drink fluid to keep hydrated and have bland food for a few days but she should be ok" John told the boys who were very grateful that John had experience with this because they had none.

Their mother had always taken care of everyone including when one of them was sick. The boys discussed how they would handle their father and also none of them would tell him anything about Charlie and would dodge questions if their father brought it up. They headed off to bed with John taking Charlie and a bucket with him. Charlie woke a few times in the night to vomit and then would go back to sleep.

The next morning the boys were dreading going to see their father. They hadn't spoken to him since they kicked him out of the house when their mother left. Now they hated him more because they had learnt that he had raped their mother. John walked downstairs with Charlie in his arms who was still a little warm but hadn't vomited since 2 am.

"Hey munchkin how are you feeling?" Oliver asked his sister. She looked at Oliver with tears in her eyes "I want mummy. Charlie sick. Mummy kiss it better" she cried out before throwing herself into Oliver's arms. He held his sister rubbing her back softly "I know we miss mummy too" Oliver replied. Charlie took a sip of watered-down juice before snuggling into Oliver who was giving his sister comfort as much as she was giving him comfort. Charlie soon fell asleep on Oliver with all her brothers watching on wanting to hold onto Charlie.

Someone knocked on the door just as the boys finished breakfast. It was 8 am and they had to leave to meet their father in 30 minutes. Sam answered the door to see his father standing there looking like he hadn't slept. "The child is mine," his father said before pushing his way into the house.

"Where is my wife? That baby is mine and she didn't tell me" Jackson ranted waking Charlie up. "Where is Sally? How dare she keep a child from me" Jackson yelled. Charlie was watching "You need to leave" Sam replied. "That child has a right to know I'm the father" he ranted causing Charlie to climb out of Oliver's arms. She knew she had to call 000.

"Charlie no you need to stay here" Oliver told his sister scared of what his father might do. "Charlie call 000 bad man is here. Mummy said bad man is dad Jack call 000" she said causing Jackson to freeze. He spun around looking at Charlie properly for the first time. "Charlie, princess come back here" Byron called out frantically. "Charlie hide call 000," she said trying to find a phone and somewhere to hide.

"A girl? I have a baby girl?" Jackson stated. "No. You have nothing. You raped our mother, she ran because of you. She died alone because of you" Sam yelled at his father. "She is dead? Oh god. Sally is dead? You knew about my daughter this entire time and didn't think to inform me?" Jackson fumed. John quickly exited the kitchen. "Charlie is in there scared shitless looking for a phone to ring the police because you are here. Take it elsewhere" he scolded them before stomping back into the kitchen to calm Charlie down.