Sunshine

000

Charlie Swan had no idea what to do. It had been a week since Renee walked out on him, taking Bella, his oldest daughter, with her. His 3-year-old daughter, Ivory, looked up from her bowl of eggs, giving Charlie a large, toothy smile. He knew in that moment he would do anything for Ivory. Picking up his phone, Charlie dialed the one number he knew by heart.

"Charlie, it's seven in the morning. Is everything okay?" Billy asked, picking up the phone on the 3rd ring. Billy Black was Charlie's best friend, the two being friends throughout their entire childhood, only for it to follow them into their adult lives.

"I don't know what to do, Billy. Renee left; she took Bella and just left." Charlie confessed. Billy knew about Charlie and Renee's relationship problems, but he didn't know that Renee had left.

"Where did she go? Where's Ivy?" Billy questioned, worried about his youngest goddaughter. He had babysat the small brunette girl countless times, watching as she had played in the front yard with his youngest son, Jacob.

"She left Ivy behind. I don't know how to do this by myself. I just became a deputy; there's no one here to watch Ivy anymore since she's gone. Mrs. Adams next door can't do it anymore; she said she's too far up there in age to be watching such a young child." Charlie told the man.

"I might know someone who would be willing to watch her, but he's still young." Billy thought out loud. "He's only ten, but he's very mature for his age. He had to grow up quick on his own."

"Who?" Charlie questioned.

"Samuel Uley, he's Joshua's boy," Billy admitted. Everyone knew about Joshua Uley; he was a mean drunk who had been thrown out of multiple bars throughout Forks and Port Angeles. "He's a good kid; he's respectful, knows his manners. He's watched Jacob for me a few times. I trust him around my kids."

Charlie thought about it for a minute, knowing he didn't have another choice. "Do you think he would do it? I mean, I would definitely pay the kid."

"He's actually asleep on my couch right now. Why don't you bring Ivy over so they can meet and we can talk to him together?" Billy invited the two over. It wasn't often that Sam would crash on Billy's couch; it was mainly just nights that his dad actually came home, which wasn't frequent.

"Alright, I'll have Ivy finish her breakfast, and then we'll be over," Charlie said. The two said their goodbyes before they hung up. "Alright, Peanut. How about we go see Uncle Billy today?" Charlie asked his youngest, watching as her eyes lit up at the mention of her uncle.

Charlie and Billy watched from the back porch as Sam chased Ivory and Jacob around the backyard. Charlie had a smile on his face as he listened to Ivory squeal with excitement as Sam caught her, picking her up off the ground as he spun them around. Sam had agreed to babysit Ivory, knowing he needed something to do during the day instead of walking around the reservation all day long or sitting on the beach watching the waves. 

"He seems like a good kid," Charlie commented, watching as Sam laid on the ground pointing at the cloud with the 2 kids. Charlie had never seen Bella even play with her sister since she was born, let alone just lay in the grass with her, but now, here was a kid that barely knew them making a huge effort with his little girl.