Little Gaskarth

Part 3

"Alex, can I talk to you outside?" Asked the social worker, I nodded in response.

"I'll be right back Char, okay?" I smiled confidently at the little girl sitting in the bed.

"Okay, Alex." She smiled back, I stood up and walked out of the room with Grace.

"Well, you are Charlotte's father. Now either you can take her in or sign away your parental rights." Charlie is coming home with me no matter what. No, if, and, or buts about it.

"I'm gonna take her in," I answered, she nodded.

"Well I'm gonna get you the paperwork, and the doctors are good to discharge her. So she will probably be coming home with you by this afternoon." That's fast. Well, I guess I should call Jack to get a bed at least and food. Clothes?

"O-okay" I nodded. Then she went off to get the papers and I went back in.

"Alex, I wanna go home." Charlotte reaches out to grab my hand as I went to sit.

"I know baby. It's okay. We can go soon." I was taken back by my words, "baby", "we". I had never spoken like that to someone.

"So um Charlotte, I am your d-dad." I stumbled, She smiled at me. The prettiest smile I've ever seen.

"Okay, does that mean I am gonna go home with you?" She asked the beauty of children is that they accept you. No matter what.

"Yeah, is that okay?" I asked anxiety fill me, is it gonna be okay?

"Yeah. Alex, I'm hungry." I chuckled.

"How about this, I'll call Jack and he can bring us some McDonalds?" I smirked, she giggled.

"Yes please!" She giggled, I pulled out my phone.

"So let's call Jack then," I spoke call him.

"Hey, Lex what's up?" He sounded out of breath, and I could hear the other guys in the background.

"Jack?" Charlotte giggled, Jack, paused.

"Charlotte? Alex? I'm so confused?" He spouted dramatic, I laughed.

"Hey Jack, it's both of us. So Charlotte is coming home today, but right now we want McDonald's."

"Breakfast or lunch?" He responded I looked at Char. She thought for a second.

"Breakfast please!" She called.

"Good choice girl." Jack and I both said in unison. I heard Zack and Rian on the other end arguing.

"Hey guys, I here to ask adult questions." Rian started, of course, he is here to be an adult.

"Zack and I are gonna get a car seat, and get her some clothes and pj's. Do you have food at home Alex?" He asked.

"Good idea Rian, I have frozen pizza? I think." I responded Rian laughed.

"Okay, Zack we need to get food too. Lex, we will meet up at the hospital, Jack's gonna get food. Zack and I are gonna get stuff."

"Okay, Rian." Charlotte giggled.

"Okay, guys we'll all be there soon." Jack took the phone back and cheered.
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Rian's POV
"Okay Jack, you're on McDonald's duties. Zack and I are gonna run to Target." I reminded him, gotta keep Jack on track.

"Okay, don't forget to get her cute clothes and junk food. Don't let Zack make this kid too healthy..." Jack called, we all laughed.

"The kids gotta eat fruit, not just skittles like some people..." Zack shot back. Jack turned to face him.

"Skittles are fruit-flavored," Jack yelled in response, I shook my head. The things he says sometimes.

"Come on guys, there's a little girl who wants McDonald's and so does Charlotte. We gotta get moving." I joked, the room broke out with laughter as the three of us got up and exited Jack's apartment building. Zack and I jumped into his car and Jack went into his car.

"Do you think Alex can do it? Be a dad and all?" I asked Zack thought for a minute.

"Yeah, he's a good guy. Irresponsible at times and lacks planning skills. But I think with us all together helping him he'll get the hang of it." He commented, I nodded.

"They'll grow up together..." I chuckled, Zack laughed.

"Yeah she's little, all he's gotta do is keep her clean, fed, and happy. No teenage hormones or I don't know what yet." I nodded in response. The one and only Alex Gaskarth taking care of a child? What kind of world is this? I worry he's not able to separate bands' life and his real-life now, that he'll get lost in writing music and forget to be a parent. But maybe this will fuel him to write about new things.

  We pulled into a parking spot at Target and Zack turned off the car.

"Okay so car seat, food, clothes, and..." I acquired aloud, kids need more than that, right?

"Toothbrush and toothpaste, soap?" Zack suggested back, I nodded.

"Yeah, soap lets just get as we shop. Things will come to us." I smiled, we have no idea what to do but whatever. We got out of the car and walked into the store, grabbing a cart on the way in. We went into the food section first grabbing some snaked we liked as kids like cookies and fruit snacks. Then juice and a case of water. Zack ventured into fruits and other foodstuffs. After we went into kids clothes, which two grown men going into the girls section looks a little strange, but we walked around we grabbed a few shirts and leggings in "4t" not wanting to figure out jeans for kids and some PJs in the same size and some a little bigger, as well we got some underwear and socks.

"Look at the headbands! Omg and bows..." Zack cooed, I laughed but they are pretty cute.

"Well, I guess we need a few? It couldn't hurt..." We collectively picked a headband or two with a couple of bows. Then continuing on into hygiene stuff. Grabbing a cute toothbrush and some kids toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Zack grabbed a duck for the bath and I threw in some hair ties.

"I feel like we should get her some toys, Alex's place isn't really a place for kids..." Zack commented, I agreed. We got a couple of stuffed animals and blocks. Lastly, we went into the car seat area, into the thunder dome. We spend about ten minutes just walking around confused.

"You boys lost?" Zack and I turned around to see a woman with only a box of pull-ups in her cart. We nodded.

"Um our friend just found out he has a kid... and she needs a car seat." I stumbled over my words, not sure of what to say.

"Well, how old is she?" She smiled, we answered with "4" and she hopped into it.

"Well she will need to be in a forward-facing seat but she will still need a 5 point restraint. So this one." She said pointing at a particular box. We thanked her and she went off. We put the box into the car and checked out. Then into the car.