From The Day I Met You

15

Liam

"Hey baby." My baby sister Charlotte was put on the phone by my father. Or the sorry excuse for a father.

"Hi Li-Li. Daddy says I can come see you. He wants to know where you are so he knows where to leave me."

Again? Richard can't keep doing this. He needs to give Charlotte a steady life he can't keep having her move around almost everyday.

"Tell him Gianna's house, baby."

"Okie dokie." I hear Charlotte faintly telling Richard where to go before she says I love you and hangs up.

"Who was that?" Gianna perks up from behind me.

"Oh it was my baby sister. Is it okay is she gets dropped off here?" I felt bad for asking if she could but I know Gi loves Charlotte.

"Of course! I can't wait to see my baby!" As long as I've known her, she's loved kids. Had a passion for them actually. She took every course during high school to be a teacher's assistant to middle schoolers or elementary students. She's been trustworthy with them all her life too. I remember when we were just six she would take care of five of her baby cousins at the same time with no hassle. She's just been a natural at it.
-

I heard a car drive up to Gianna's driveway and I felt my protective instinct start to boil up again.

I've always been protective of Gianna, especially around men. She's too kind for her own good but I also don't doubt she can stand up for herself.

"I got it!" The doorbell rang but I ran to the door first, I really don't want Gianna meeting Richard.

"It's okay I can get it." I open the door to see Charlotte all alone outside holding a huge backpack on her back, that is two times bigger than her, with a stuffy in her hand.

I felt my blood start to boil. Who the fuck leaves a god damn toddler on the steps of someone's house. I saw Richard's car sitting at the end of the driveway so I decide to talk to him.

"Take Charlotte I'll be right back." I kiss Char on the head, leaving her standing in the middle of Gianna, and walk straight outside, making sure to close the door behind me.

"What the fuck Richard?" I knock on his window and he lowers it down. What the fuck?! There's a woman and a baby in there.

"Who are they?" I was probably red at this point. I can't believe Charlotte was exposed to this. I'm not mad at the lady or her child, not at all. I'm mad at Richard. Knowing him, he told Char that it was her new mom.

"My new wife and stepdaughter." He smirks.

"You can't fucking do that Richard. Charlotte is a growing little girl and I was her to have a steady life. I don't want her to keep going to court for your shit." Charlotte had to keep going to court so my dad could fight for custody over her with my mom. My mom isn't the best fit for Char and I'd rather have her with Richard even though I hate it.

"Charlotte's fine. She loves Maria and loves her baby sister." Richard waves me off. His new wife smiles at me apologetically. She seems sweet. I'd love to get to know her more without my dad lurking around.

"Richard she needs a family. A stable, real family that isn't gone half the time." Richard was rich, I'd give him that, but he is never home. Ever. I want Char to have the best childhood surrounded by people who actually love her.

"She's obviously fine. Stop making everything so dramatic."

"Richard, she hates going to your house. The only reason she goes is because of the law." When I had to give her over, she would cry and kick in fear. What goes on over there, I don't know, but it's hurting Char.

"Just shut the hell up god. I'm keeping her. Don't think of coming back to get her before it's your week or I'm calling the police." He always comes back before my week is over and I've already talked to CPS about it.

He pulls out of the driveway and I walk back inside fuming. I need to punch something.

I almost slam the front door but I catch myself.

What the hell am I doing.

Slamming the front door? Punching someone? Especially with Gianna and Charlotte in the house?

"Hey you okay?" Gianna came walking in holding Charlotte's small fingers.

"Yeah I just need to cool down." I sit on the couch and lay my head in my hands. I can feel Gianna and Charlotte standing behind me worried.

"Char, why don't you go upstairs? I have something for you and I'll bring it up in a minute." 

"Liam..." She started to stroke my hair like my mother used to do when I was younger. She remembered it.

"Yeah?"

"Who was that?" She asked. I've kept Gi away from my dad for the longest time. My mother always told her he was just gone, as in he left when I was baby.

"It's nothing you need to worry about babe." I kissed her forehead and made my way upstairs to her room where I plopped on her bed. Her scent was in her bed which is why most of the time when she sees me in her bed it's because it calms me.

"Liam you can tell me you know. I've known you your whole life." Wrong. She missed a few years because of our age gap.

"I know it's just something I need to deal with alone." She sits down next to me and hugs me tight. She's always been good with that. Always been good with comforting and hugs, especially hugs. There's just something about the way she lures you in, and the way her smell just calms you.

"Okay, I won't push then. But I swear, if I see you punching some shit I'm really going to intervene." She laughs.

Her laugh. It's like it can put you in a trance. Her godamn laugh. I would pay to have her laugh replay in my mind over and over again.

"Alright I won't punch shit." I kiss her on the forehead and she grabs the remote to turn on her tv.

"Fear street marathon?" She smiles. She's always loved horror movies.

"You know it."

A/N: OML- THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 1.14k READS!!!! (as of jan 7 2022)

Also: Sorry for the late update! I've been traveling so it's been hard with the wifi and such.