Finding Charlie Rose

Liam and Sam were at the airport at 5.30 am. They were excited about meeting their baby brother and scared all at once. Neither of them has been around little kids since Bryon was a baby. They grabbed breakfast at the airport and waited for their flight to be called. They didn't have any check-in luggage just a carry-on with a change of clothes because they were only staying one night. They had booked a return flight for three with check-in luggage just in case they had things to bring home for Charlie. As they boarded the plane the nerves increased. What if their baby brother didn't like them?

Charlie hadn't got much sleep the night before neither had Ben or Mike who had stayed the night at the station with her. She only ever slept with her mum and cried most of the night to be with her mum. Ben hadn't told her that her mum had passed away, he thought it was best to leave that to her brothers. All Charlie knew was that her mum wouldn't wake up and some people came to help her so she had to stay with Ben and Mike. She had gotten a little sleep when Ben had held her in his arms when he was desperate at 3 am to get her to stop crying. She fell asleep on his chest with her glow worm tucked under her arm sucking on her thumb. He was sitting on the lounge in the break room with her.

Mike had fallen asleep about an hour earlier after they decided to take shifts with Charlie. Ben fell asleep sitting up after Charlie had gone to sleep. He was woken at 6.30 am when the guys came in who were starting their shift for the day. He had tried to stop them from waking Charlie but it was too late. She was awake and crying for her mum again. Mike came racing in at 7 am apologising to Ben for not coming in sooner so Ben could get some sleep.

Mike took Charlie who was still sniffling and cranky from lack of sleep and went to sit in the kid's room to wait for her brothers. Ben used the showers at the station and changed into a spare uniform before making himself strong coffee. He knew it was going to be a long day and just hoped Charlie's brothers got here soon. He then could have a nap if he wasn't busy at work. His boss had said that he could go home early due to being at the station all night.

Liam and Sam had just pulled up at the station and stayed in the car collecting their thoughts. They had hired the car at the airport and would drop it back tomorrow. They didn't have a car seat and realised they should have got one when they hired the car. Liam googled the closest store to where they were to buy a car seat. They would get their brother and Liam would stay with Charlie at the park across from the station while Sam got the car seat before coming back to pick them both up.

The boys headed into the station and stopped at the front desk asking for Officer Jones. Ben was called to the front desk just as he had settled Charlie again. He handed her back to Mike before going out to see why he was called. When he got to the desk he saw two men waiting for him. "Can I help you? I'm Officer Jones" Ben stated. "I'm Samual Clark we spoke on the phone yesterday. This is my brother Liam" Sam said. "Ah yes. I'm very sorry for both of your loss. I have some paperwork for you to fill out Mr Clark then I will take you to Charlie" Ben replied.

Ben ushered the pair into an interview room bringing the paperwork which Samual had to fill out. He did so quickly wanting to meet his baby brother. He signed the forms and so did Liam just in case anything happened to Sam, Liam would also be the legal guardian of his brother. Ben informed the boys that he hadn't let Charlie know their mother was in fact dead. He thought it would be best coming from them.

Ben took the paperwork to his desk before he opened the interview room letting the Clark brothers out into the foyer. "I have to warn you both. Charlie didn't get very much sleep last night and is a little cranky" Ben told the pair who just nodded their heads. Neither of them had slept well either, all for different reasons though. Ben informed them he had Charlie's car seat they could take which the boys were happy about. Sam also asked if they could collect Charlie's belongings from their mother's house before they headed home. Ben agreed to accompany them as they were still collecting evidence from the house even though it was deemed an accident. Ben led the boys over to the kid's interview room where Charlie was currently sitting with Mike. He opened the door and ushered the boys in.

Liam and Sam were shocked there sat a beautiful little girl who was the spitting image of her mother. She had tears in her eyes and was holding onto a teddy of some sort sucking her thumb. "Charlie I'd like you to meet Samual and Liam" Ben stated. Charlie held her worm in front of her face blocking her view of the strangers. She was in no mood to meet new people, she just wanted her mummy. "Charlie these people knew your mummy too" Ben coaxed.

Sam and Liam had not moved, they were mesmerised by Charlie. The mention of her mummy had Charlie asking "They know mummy?" That seemed to snap Sam out of his shocked state and he slowly walked closer to Charlie. He knelt down making himself smaller before softly saying "Yeh baby, She was my mummy too". "Nuh uh, Charlie's mummy, not yours" Charlie replied causing Liam and Sam to both chuckle. They weren't going to get into a fight with an adorable 3-year-old.

"Ok baby, she was your mummy," Liam said. Charlie nodded her head. The boys talked with Charlie for a few minutes before they asked her if she would like to go get her stuff from her house. Charlie quickly agreed thinking they would see her mummy back at her house. She waved bye to Mike and was carried out to the car by Sam. Ben helped to install the car seat and they set off to the house to collect what they needed.