The March of the Black Queen (book III)

55.) Aint Nothin Like the Real Thing

She cries in my arms, sniffles her nose on my shirt and I let her. I let her get it all out as I try to console her with tight hugs and back rubs, caressing wet cheeks, stroking her long hair. My baby girl is heart broken like never before and she only wants me.

"Papi, I've messed everything up!," she cries, nuzzling her head against my chest as we cuddle in my bed. "He'll never talk to me again! You should have— you should have seen the way he looked at me! Like I was the most cruel person in the world..."

Funny, the kid was right under my nose the whole time. I should have listened to my intuition. My guy that told me that boy was smitten with my little kitten. I'm not saying I wasn't still angry when I found out; I felt fooled— jipped, even. But I'd much rather prefer him. Just wait until Richie finds out. That'll be another round of drama, of course.

A knock sounds at the door, followed by a muffled call. "Freddie? Everyone's here... are you two coming down yet?," I can tell Cherie is worried and probably a little hurt that she's not the one Charlie ran to for comfort. But right now that doesn't matter.

"Just a minute!," I call back to her. With a sigh, I try to quickly rack my brain for some kind of words to heal my daughter's heart, but this is all too much. Much more than I ever wanted her to have to go through.

"We're going to sort this out, Princess. Everything will be fine with out or without him-"

"I don't wanna be without him, Papi, I — I love him!," She lifts her head to speak to me only to tackle back into my chest as her whimpers quicken and her tears entirely soak through my shirt.

I lift her off of me as I turn my legs off of the bed. She follows my lead like a shadow. "If he won't be here for you, I will," I declare, pinching her chin between my fingers. She's still my little girl, nothing will ever change that.

"Oh, Papi," Her voice is hoarse from sobbing. She tightens her hold around my neck; I cradle her in my lap once she swings her legs over comfortably. "It's not the same. I know you'll always be here for me," she hiccups, sniffing her nose. "The only man a girl can ever really rely on is her father..."

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to...," I tell her, completely on her side whichever way she chooses to go.

"I made the mess. I have to be the one to straighten this out," she nods against my shoulder as the dial tone starts up.

I've had a bit of a tumultuous relationship with Wigg, but he's agreed to publish Charlie's side of the story as far as her pregnancy is concerned. Frankly, I'm still counting my lucky stars at the fact that Sid is not ever going to be affiliated with my family. But I can't let that side of me show, not now. My daughters feelings are far more important than my own.

—————————————-
Charlie:

"Charlie, you've barely touched your dinner, sweetheart," Mum wraps her arm around me, rubbing my shoulder, giving me those big sympathetic brown eyes.

I swear sometimes just a single loving look from Mum can feel like a well-needed embrace. And right now, if someone were to hug me, I'd fall apart. I can't be touched while sensitive, I'm too far strung along by my guilt; far too emotional.

"You have to get some food in that belly for my great-grand baby. Just some nibbles, dear," Mama smiles sweetly at me from the other side of the dinner table.

I'm really surprised at how everyone has taken the news. My grandmother was over the moon with joy and she's been extra sweet to me all day. Mum says that's just grandmas way; she's a naturally nurturing matriarch.