Little Gaskarth

Part 6

"It's pretty here..." Charlie mumbled as we walked in the front door, her head on my shoulder.

"Yeah, it is. I hope you love it here." I spoke truthfully. I hope this is the house she grows up in, the house we become a family in.

"Okay, so this is the living room, kitchen, bathroom, music room, den." I gestured to each room as I walked around with Char on my hip. "Then upstairs, my room, a bathroom, an office, and your room." I smiled. We went into her room and I put her down. She giggled at me.

"We can paint it if you want, and we will decorate it for you." She turned to me with a big grin.

"Can we paint it purple?" She gleamed, I nodded, she jumped up and down in response.

"Anyone home?" Called Jack from the front door.

"Yup we're here!" I called back and walked to the stairs then down to Jack, Rian, and Zack now standing in the living room. They were holding target bags, presumably stuff for Charlotte.

"Hey, Charlie! Rian and Zack got you some stuff." Jack called up the stairs, we heard an "okay" and footsteps but stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Alex... I don't know how to go downstairs." She spoke quietly, I quickly went up the stairs and grabbed her hand.
"Okay how about I hold your hand. Keep on hand on the railing and I'll take the other. Good. One step, two, three, four, five, six..." I counted as we stepped down the stairs. Char was extremely nervous as she went down the stairs, she didn't trust her feet or the stairs. She gripped my hands tightly and walked slowly.

"Okay good job!" I smiled as we got to the last step, she grinned too.

"Good job Charlie!" Jack gave her a high five. We all sat down in the den and started going through the stuff they had bought. Some toys but mostly clothing, hygiene stuff, and a few accessories. I could tell Rian and Zack had some fun shopping for all of this stuff. Charlie seem unsure of all the new things, she stayed on the couch next to me just looking about. It seemed she was in her own world and didn't care to be a part of the conversation going on.

"Hey Charlie, are you hungry or anything?" I asked, try to spark conversation.

"No thank you I'm okay Alex..." she smiled looking past me.

"Do you see all your new stuff? We can go put this stuff in your room and in the bathroom." Jack suggested, she shrugged and smiled.

"How about you and Jack go put all your stuff away?" Zack suggested, Charlie nodded and stood up.

"Come on kiddo!" Jack grinned grabbing the bags from the coffee table and the Char's hand. She giggled at him and they went up the stairs slowly.

"She's shy Alex." Rian commented, I nodded.

"Very shy, she nervous." Zack followed up, I sighed.

"Maybe after you guys leave and we eat dinner maybe watch a movie she'll warm up." I wondered aloud, pizza... I'm gonna make pizza for dinner. The two of us will eat pizza.

"Maybe, but tread lightly Lex. You don't want to scare her. You're new in her life, she's trying to figure you out." Zack is right, and I'm new at this too. How am I supposed to raise a child? How do you teach someone to live? I don't want her to grow up and hate me for messing up. I felt myself losing my breathing, like I can't breath. My hands started shaking and my heart pounding in my chest.

"Lex... Alex it's okay, calm down." Rian assured reaching his hand out and grabbing my shoulder.

"Alex, deep breaths... in... out... in.. out..." Zack coached, trying to stay calm himself.

"H-how can I do this? I-I can't raise a kid?" I hyperventilated, I can't to this.

"Alex no one knows how to do this at first, you are not alone in this. You have all of us to help you." Rian comforted,
you are not alone in this... you are not alone in this... you are not alone in this...
I sighed still shaking and fighting to breath, I don't know how to do this but I don't have a choice.