Chapter 30
Remedy
Three days passed before I called Brooke.
Not because I wanted to punish her.
Because Sunshine and I needed time.
Charlie needed normal.
Grace had started sleeping through the night.
Emma had begun helping Daisy with the younger children.
Harbor House no longer felt like an emergency shelter.
It felt like home again.
Only then did I think Charlie was ready to meet someone new.
Not her mother.
Not yet.
Just...
Someone.
Brooke arrived at the park just after lunch.
She wore jeans, a blue sweater, and nervousness she couldn't quite hide.
She spotted Sunshine and me first.
Then her eyes found Charlie.
Charlie stood beside the swing set helping Grace push one of the younger girls.
She laughed at something the little girl said.
Brooke's hand flew to her mouth.
"She's..."
Her voice disappeared.
I nodded.
"Yeah."
"So big."
I remembered thinking the same thing almost every birthday.
Sunshine touched my arm.
"You want me to stay?"
"Please."
She squeezed my hand once before we walked toward the playground together.
Charlie looked up first.
"Daddy!"
She ran toward us before stopping when she noticed Brooke standing beside me.
Her little head tilted.
"Who's that?"
I crouched so we were eye level.
"This is Brooke."
Charlie waited.
"She wanted to meet you."
Charlie looked back at Brooke.
Brooke smiled carefully.
"Hi, Charlie."
Charlie gave a small wave.
"Hi."
Silence settled for a few seconds.
Not uncomfortable.
Just uncertain.
Brooke looked toward the swings.
"You like the playground?"
Charlie nodded.
"I go really high."
"I can see that."
"I almost touched a cloud."
Brooke smiled.
"That's impressive."
Charlie accepted the compliment.
Then she looked toward Sunshine.
"Can Grace come too?"
The question made Brooke blink.
She hadn't expected another child to matter so quickly.
"Of course," I said.
Grace wandered over shyly.
Charlie slipped one hand into Grace's.
"This is Grace."
Brooke smiled warmly.
"Hi, Grace."
Grace nodded politely.
"Hi."
Then Charlie announced,
"She's Sunshine's friend."
Grace corrected her softly.
"I'm family."
Charlie's face lit up.
"Yeah!"
She looked at Brooke.
"Family."
Brooke's eyes filled immediately.
"That's wonderful."
She meant it.
There wasn't even a hint of jealousy.
Only relief.
Charlie wandered toward a nearby bench where Daisy had unpacked juice boxes and cookies.
She stopped halfway there.
Turned.
Looked back at Brooke.
"You coming?"
Brooke glanced at me.
I smiled once.
"If you'd like."
She walked slowly toward the picnic table.
Charlie handed her a cookie without being asked.
Brooke accepted it like it was made of glass.
"Thank you."
"I have lots."
Charlie pointed toward the container.
"You can have two."
Brooke laughed through the tears she was trying to hide.
"Two?"
"I'm sharing."
"That's very kind."
Charlie shrugged.
"Daddy says sharing makes snacks happier."
I rubbed the back of my neck.
"I may have said something like that."
Sunshine grinned.
"You definitely did."
For nearly an hour, they talked.
Mostly about things only Charlie found important.
Dinosaurs.
Mr. Pickles.
Pancakes.
Why ducks were allowed to swim whenever they wanted.
Brooke listened to every word.
She never interrupted.
Never tried to become the center of Charlie's attention.
When Charlie ran off to play tag with Grace, Brooke simply watched.
"Thank you," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"For what?"
"For letting me see her."
Sunshine sat beside us.
"This isn't a promise."
"I know."
"It isn't a schedule."
"I know."
Brooke nodded.
"I'll take whatever she wants to give."
That was the right answer.
Not because it guaranteed anything.
Because it respected Charlie.
Later that afternoon, Charlie climbed onto my lap while we watched Grace and Emma organize a game for the younger children.
She leaned close enough that only I could hear.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah, Bug?"
"Brooke's nice."
I smiled.
"I think she was nervous."
Charlie nodded wisely.
"Me too."
"Were you?"
"A little."
She thought for a moment.
"She's funny."
"I thought so too."
Charlie rested her head against my shoulder.
"Can she come again?"
I looked across the park.
Brooke and Sunshine stood together near the walking path, talking quietly while Grace chased bubbles with three younger children.
Sunshine glanced toward me.
I nodded once.
She smiled.
Then I looked back at Charlie.
"If that's something you want..."
Charlie interrupted.
"I do."
I kissed the top of her head.
"Then we'll make another day."
She smiled.
Then added with all the seriousness a four-year-old could manage,
"But Sunshine comes too."
I laughed.
"I think she'd like that."
Charlie seemed satisfied.
She climbed down and ran back toward Grace, already calling for another game.
I watched her go.
Brooke wasn't replacing anyone.
Sunshine wasn't losing anything.
And Charlie...
Charlie had somehow found room in her enormous little heart for one more person.
Not because anyone had asked her to.
Simply because that was who she was.