Finding Charlie Rose

Ben dialled Samual's number as soon as he sat down and hoped the guy would pick up. He didn't want to send Charlie into foster care. She had been through enough finding her mum the way she had. Samual answered just as Ben was about to hang up. "Samual Clark speaking," he said. "Yes. My name is Officer Jones, are you related to a Mrs Sally Clark?" Ben asked. "Yes, she is my mother. What's this about?" Asked Samual. "I'm sorry to inform you, but your mother was found in her home deceased this afternoon. It seems she fell off the ladder. We received a call from her three-year-old" Ben stated. "I'm sorry you must have the wrong Sally my mother doesn't have a three-year-old" Samual replied.

"Sally Clark originally from Sydney is married to Jackson Clark. She fled into a women's refuge 4 years ago after she was raped by her husband which resulted in a 5th pregnancy" Ben replied. "He raped her? That fucken bastard raped her?" Samual replied. "I'm sorry Mr Clark, I thought you were aware, it did say in her file she left her son's letters explaining her departure," Ben said. "She did leave letters" Samual replied.

"Mr Clark, your mum doesn't have a will that we are aware of and I'm calling to ask if you would be interested in taking Charlie in. I have read the file and don't believe the father would be a suitable candidate to take custody. If you are unable I will start the process to have the child put into foster care" Ben told Samual. "No no, I'll take him. Just tell me where you are and I'll come get him" Samual said. He assumed the child was a boy with a name like Charlie and after all his father had despised his mum for only birthing boys. "We are at Tweeds' head police station. Charlie can spend the night here to give you enough time to get here from Sydney" Ben replied. He would stay at the station with Charlie overnight so she wouldn't be entered into the system. Once in the system, her father would get the first claim for custody and he didn't want that from what he had read about that man. "I'll be there tomorrow," Samual said before he hung up the phone.

Samual rushed home to his brothers. None of them had been the same since their mother left. They all blamed themselves because they had pushed her away. Their father had said it would keep her safe but in the letters she had written them it had the opposite effect. He tormented her more because they no longer could see the damage he was doing.

When Samuel got home he called all his brothers into the dining room. None of them were happy to be here but the way Sam was speaking they knew it was important. Sam even called his uncle to be here to deliver the news. When everyone was seated Sam took a deep breath before he began. "I had a call today from Officer Jones. He called about Mum. She was found dead today in her home" Sam said. "What?" His brothers all asked at once. His uncle John put his head down on the table trying to stop himself from breaking down. His sister Sally had died alone and he never got to tell her how sorry he was for not knowing she was being abused.

"That's not all. When Mum left she was pregnant. We have a brother who is 3 named Charlie. Our father raped our mother and that was why she left. Charlie is at Tweed Heads police station and the officer is keeping him there overnight so I can pick him up tomorrow" Sam told them. "We have a brother?" A baby brother?" Asked Byron. Sam nodded his head.

"I'm taking custody so dad can't, it was me or foster care. I'm flying to the Gold Coast in the morning and then hiring a car. I'll stay the night check out Mum's house and see if there are any of Charlie's things he wants to bring back and head back the day after" Sam told his brothers. "I'll come with you," Liam said. Sam nodded he had expected as much and had already booked the tickets. "Plane leaves at 6.47 am. You boys will clear out the room next to mine and get it ready for Charlie. I'll send you a list of things he will need once I see what we can bring back with us. Uncle John, will you help them set the room up?" Sam asked. "Sure kid" John replied. He had let his older nephews down by not noticing the abuse in the house but he would not do that with Charlie. He would stay and make sure the boy grew up knowing how great his mum was. He swore that he would protect Charlie from his dad as well. John had seen the damage that Jackson had caused his sons when they reached out for help when Sally first disappeared. He only wished he had known sooner so he could have helped his sister.

The boys spoke about what would happen with a young child in the house now. They knew things would have to change. They would need to have proper food and someone to watch the child when the others were at school or work. They knew that they could no longer drink and smoke in the house. They were excited to share with their youngest brother everything they had done with their mum when they were kids. They eventually went their way to grieve for the mother they lost. They were upset about missing out on the first three years of Charlie's life but were looking forward to making memories with him and hopefully making their mother proud of the men they grew up to be despite what they had witnessed their father do. They knew when their mother left that they would never be like their father.