Way Forward (GirlxGirl) [E-book available on MEB]

I'm sorry it hurts

"It's alright." Blake pulls back and shrugs. He didn't really care then and he doesn't really care now. He still gets to play baseball and that is all that matters to him. "Coach also said that it should have been called ball. He was pissed too."

"Hi, Charlotte." Billy greets as he enters the kitchen area after his mission of getting Blake prepared is accomplished. "Have you decided on the color you want to paint your bedroom?"

"Not yet." Charlie secretly grabs a couple of berries from the basket; one for herself and one for her little brother. They quickly put it in their mouths before their mom would see and they would get into trouble. Billy who witnesses it all smiles and shakes his head a bit at the inseparable duo. He now has a secret to keep; another one on top of the others. "I haven't got enough time to choose the color and everything."

"I want to help you paint." Blake chews his berry thoroughly like he is constantly taught but that gains him no benefit now when that catches Patricia's attention. "Miss Glover said I was good at painting last year."

"What are you eating, Blake?" Patricia asks something she has already known the answer to. They are eating the food that they shouldn't be eating now.

"Let's get these to the car and get ready to leave, shall we?" Billy saves the day before his son would choke on the truth he refuses to tell.

"Charlotte, what did you get your brother?"

"Charlotte, take this to the car. Blake, this one is quite light." Billy ignores the interrogation his wife wanting to initiate with her daughter and assigns her to the job that will get her away with stealing. "Honey, you get the cupcakes, alright?"

"You are spoiling them." Patricia complains although she loves the fact that Billy treats Charlie like his own. Charlie deserves this. Charlie deserves to have a father figure that loves her unconditionally. She has never had that and she needs that more than ever now that her granny is gone.

"They are my kids." Billy gets the last basket from the dining table before approaching Patricia with a kiss. "What else would I do?"

"Blake, don't run." Charlie says calmly as soon as Blake is about to take off like a sprinter who is completing in the last round of the Olympics across the parking lots to the beach. With a basket in her hand and shades on her eyes, she takes the paper bag Blake has been assigned to hold and makes sure that there are no other cars driving in before giving Blake a go. "Alright."

"Do you want me to get that?" Billy asks while closing the trunk with a couple things already taking space in his hands.

"I got it, Billy. Thanks." Charlie smiles politely as she waits for her mom and starts walking with her. She steals a couple glances at the cupcakes on the tray that her mom is trying her very best to balance in her hand. They are the best cupcakes in the world and the world will fall into pieces if she doesn't get a piece of it.

"Is Nicole taking that boy she is dating?" Patricia finally lets the question that has been wandering on her mind the whole ride out in the open. She doesn't want to hurt Charlie's feeling but she wants to be prepared for whatever that might happen.

"Yes." Charlie answers along with the sigh. "I met him."

"You did?" Patricia can't quite believe what she has heard as she pauses her steps to review the information. Her pause almost causes havoc when Billy doesn't get the stop signal and gently bumps into her. The tray of cupcakes in Patricia's hand almost faces the end of its fate as she stumbles. Charlie quickly swoops close to help her mother find the balance that has been knocked out. One of the cupcakes make its grand escape from the tray and Charlie goes the extra mile to get it back in custody. She will be shattered if it goes to waste. She holds up the basket in her hand and uses it to catch the cupcake. As soon as it falls safely on the basket, she smiles with such relief.