Just a fun bit off fluff with Charlotte acting the big child we know she really is. Obvi Jessica is alive in this.
"Charlotte," Alison called, "Lunch is ready."
Silence.
Alison sighed and walked into the lounge room, "Charlotte?"
"Shush," came the muffled reply, "I'm playing."
Alison went in the direction of the sound, climbing on the sofa and peeking behind it to see the fort her older sister had made out of blankets and was hidden in. She smiled, shaking her head. She was just a big kid, she thought.
"Well, are you going to come and eat?" she prompted.
"Nope," Charlotte's voice floated through the blankets, "Playing with my dolls."
Alison rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, you can play with them after."
"They'll get lonely if I leave them now," Charlotte said, somewhat petulantly.
Alison huffed and gave up, going into the kitchen to find her mom.
"Where's your sister?" Jessica asked.
Alison shrugged, "She's built a fort in the lounge and she won't come out."
Jessica smiled, "Oh, she'll come out," she put the dishes she was holding down.
"Mom, I've tried, she won't – "
Jessica signalled Alison to follow her as they walked into the lounge. Alison pointed to the sofa where Charlotte had taken refuge.
"Charlotte," Jessica called softly, "Come on out. Mommy wants a hug from her little angel."
Charlotte perked up at the sound of her mom's voice. She turned to her dolls, lining them up against the back of her home-made fort, "I'll come back, I promise," then she quickly pushed the blankets aside and clambered over the couch clumsily to see her mom waiting. She threw her arms around her mom and buried her face in her shoulder, "Hi, mommy."
Jessica stroked her hair with a chuckle, "Why don't you come and have something to eat, honey?"
Charlotte nodded into her mom's shoulder, "Okay."
Alison shook her head, "That easy, huh?"
Jessica smiled, "It is when you have the magic touch," she winked.
"Momma, after lunch can I show you the fort I made? It's really cool," Charlotte said excitedly, "It has three exits, well four if you count the secret one but you can't tell anyone about that one, okay?"
"Okay, okay, " Jessica held her hand as she led her down the hall and into the kitchen.