Finding Charlie Rose

Once they arrived home, Damien was sitting on the couch topless with Charlie in just her undies sound asleep on his chest. "She was so distressed, I remember you said she liked skin to skin and she settled better like this. Why are you back so soon?" Damien asked the others. Shane was off cleaning the house, especially the bathrooms. He was freaking out that Taylor would be here tomorrow.

"What the hell happened to your face, Sam?" Damien said quiet loudly waking Charlie who started to cry. Sam and Liam rushed to Charlie to comfort her, both also wanting comfort from their sister only for Oliver to sweep in and take his sister into his arms. "Hey munchkin, I got you" Oliver whispered to his sister.

Shane came down to see why Charlie was crying to see everyone back. He looked at Sam's face and went straight to the kitchen grabbing out an ice pack from the freezer and wrapping it in the towel. He came back into the lounge room handing it to Sam who was watching Oliver settle Charlie back to sleep. Byron walked up to his room and came back with some lavender oil before dabbing a little on Charlie's worm which was playing. Charlie smelled the worm mumbling "Mummy pretty" before settling and letting sleep take her.

"Want to explain what happened?" asked Damien again. "Jackson was drinking and lost his temper. He stepped towards our grandmother and I stopped him. Grandma will be staying with us from now on. She will help take care of Charlie when we are at work or out" Sam told them.

Damien looked around and saw Maree smiling at her. Maree was uncomfortable with all the males here which was noticed by John. "No one will hurt you here and tomorrow Shane's boyfriend will be joining us for Christmas. Which reminds me what food should we get? I have never cooked a Turkey before" John spoke. This perked Maree's interest. She loved to cook especially for other people. "I am happy to make Christmas dinner for everyone, as a thank you for allowing me to stay. If that's ok with you all" Maree stated. "That would be perfect Grandma and we could get fresh seafood for Christmas Eve and invite Ross and Mrs Harper" Liam responded. "Oh, what about Charlie? She won't eat that" Maree replied "That girl doesn't eat junk food, she picks sushi over McDonald's and enjoys lobster, prawns and Henry" laughed Byron. "Henry?" Maree questioned. "Octopus" replied Byron. Maree smiled, she was relaxing now and was happy that her grandsons didn't seem to be like her husband and son. They spoke for about an hour before they all went off to bed. John found some clothes for Maree to change into and assured her he would take her tomorrow to pick up some of her clothes.

The next morning everyone was woken early by a banging on the door. Sam and John were the first ones downstairs opening the door to two police officers. "Can I help you?" John asked while Sam stayed quiet. The last time he had interacted with police it was to get Charlie, had his father done something to make them lose their sister? "We are looking for a Maree Clark. Is she here?" One of the officers asked. "Yes, Grandma" Sam called out.

Maree was already coming down the stairs along with Oliver who was holding Charlie. Damien and Shane were standing at the top of the stairs. "Are you Maree Clark?" The female officer asked. "Yes, that's me" Maree replied. "I'm sorry to inform you, that your son Jackson Clark was found unresponsive in his cell in the early hours of the morning. He was rushed to hospital however he was unable to be revived. I'm so sorry for your loss" the officer stated. "Oh, what happened?" Maree said before starting to sob. "The doctors believe it was his liver however an autopsy will be performed" the officer replied. Sam pulled his grandmother into a hug holding her as she broke down for her son. Regardless of what type of man he was, no parent should have to bury a child and this was the second child she would be burying.

Everyone was sitting in the lounge room, Oliver had given Charlie her breakfast and she was now sitting on the floor playing with some blocks. Everyone was talking about Jackson's passing. Maree was still silently crying when Charlie walked over to her and climbed on her lap. "Sad," Charlie said. "Yeah Grandma is sad baby girl" Sam replied. "Gamma no be sad" Charlie replied wiping her eyes and then putting her hands on the sides of Maree's face and kissing her forehead. Charlie did not like people being sad. "Baby girl her name is Grandma, not Gamma" Sam stated. "Nuh-uh, she gamma" Charlie replied. "Ok, sweet girl I'm Gamma" Maree stated earning a nod from Charlie.

Maree and her grandsons spoke about a funeral for her son and she had decided he would be cremated after Christmas. She wouldn't ruin the week before Christmas for her grandchildren. She hoped her husband would be present but after Sally's funeral he had disowned Jackson and she wasn't sure he would be attending.

"Charlie gamma make cookies?" Charlie asked when she saw Maree crying again. When Charlie was really sad her mum used to make cookies. Liam laughed "Mum used to bake when she was upset," he told them all. "You really are a mini Sally" John chuckled out. "Gamma will make cookies after, I need to go and get some clothes and tell Jackson about our son" Maree stated. "We will come with you," Sam told his grandmother. "Yes me and my sons will watch Charlie, we will take her with us to get Taylor and can grab some lunch" John told his nephews. "No no, that's too much trouble" Maree stated. "Grandma we are family, we stick together. We are coming with you whether you like it or not" Byron stated causing Maree to sob again but this time for a different reason. She was crying because her grandsons were decent men and Sally had done that. She knew her son hadn't had a hand in creating decent men. When her son was sober he was fine, she knew what his father and he had done was wrong, the minute he had a drink he would turn into his father and both of them had been monsters.

"Come on grandma let's get going and you can shower at Jackson's place before we head to see your husband" Oliver stated. They took Liam's car, leaving John and his sons with Sam's car to get Taylor.