GIRLS BREATHE FIRE - Paul Lahote

Chapter 3

Song: Sh-Boom (The Crew Cuts)

RORY'S POV

Sleep, One of my favorite parts of the day.

I would sleep any chance I got and I was pretty good at it as well. I had over time learned to sleep even while standing or simply leaning against something but I hated being woken up. My only exception was if it was an absolute emergency or it was a situation like this one where Maxi was the one waking me up.

"Aunt Roro. Aunt Roro." She whispered time after time into my ear until finally, I was awake.

"ugh, Max, what do you want." I cried out, craving to fall back to sleep. It was then that I heard the screaming. Bellas screams sounded like she had just seen a ghost or witnessed a murder though I couldn't be sure as to which I thought was the case.

"Okok. I'll go check it out ok?" I looked at the little girl as she nodded before climbing down to latch onto my leg. once I was sure she was coming I dragged myself down the hall to Bellas room. Mumbling out profanities the entire way.

As I approached the open door, I found Charlie cooing Bella in his arms, The bags under his eyes from earlier now understandable.

"Hey Chief, who died." I joked lightly though I wouldn't be surprised If he actually gave me a name.

"Sorry for waking you two." he apologized after a light chuckle.

"I didn't wake up. I never do unless someone forces me awake or it's morning. This little rascal woke up tho. So I had to come check to Yknow... make sure there wasn't a murderer." Me and Charlie had always had a certain understanding of each other. So when I said things like this he knew I wasn't being insensitive, after all, neither of us did well with emotions.

Example number 1: Bella had just woken up screaming bloody murder and I made a joke.

Example number 2: Charlie laughed at said joke.

Eventually, Bella had calmed down now with all of us comforting her, but now she had moved into this phase of just asking why he left

And this time it was Maxi who saved our asses from having to attempt a heart to heart.

"Bella?" Maxi looked at the old girl who looked back. "Yknow, my momma left me here with Aunt Roro because she knew I'd be safer here. Maybe that's why your boyfriend left." She soothed crawling into Bella's lap. "Sometimes people do things that they think is right when it's not but they don't mean to do that. Maybe if you think like that, you'll feel better."

Looking over at Charlie I saw him gawk at the little angel while I couldn't get the smile off my face. I wasn't joking when I had said that she was smart. The girl could see social injustices from a mile away and had actually called people out for it too. I couldn't name 5 adults that were more impressive than Maxi and seeing her in action was all I needed to know that she would be fine here with me.

"Wow." Charlie muttered before sighing relieved that Bella was now calm. "Your really something else Kiddo." He went and gave his daughter a final kiss on the head before leaving.

I was about to head back to my own room when Bella called out to me.

"Thank you, Rory, Maxi. I- I really needed that." Me and Maxi looked at each other before facing the girl again with a big grin.

And finally, I was back to my sweet slumber, with a good 3 hours left to sleep.

***

The next morning came around quickly and after a quick breakfast of Eggs, Bacon, and toast, I was going back up to the attic to do a second round of paint on the room.

Once the paint had dried, I opened the windows and aired out the room before putting the furniture in the room including beds, bedside tables, some lounge chairs and a big mirror. The beds were decorated by me and Maxi and our clothes got shelved accordingly into the storage closet at the end of the room. And finally, I got to put up all the little details. My band posters, Maxi's prize drawings, and a bunch of fairy lights. Maxi had demanded there be fairy lights and I couldn't really complain since they looked so good, however I had my doubts about the excessive number of pillows Maxi had applied to her bed.

"So. What do you think?" I looked down at Maxi who looked back up at me with twinkling eyes.

"It's perfect."