Dads Point of View
"No! You cheated!" Charity says shaking her head and I lean back.
"Please tell me how I cheated" I say to my daughter.
"You just did! I was going to win" she says and I laugh. It's times like these that I just love with my little girl, my daughter.
"You're a sore loser" I chuckle and she sighs and folds her arms and looks the other way and I can't help but laugh and kiss her head.
"I'm just better at this then you sweetheart" I smile and she sighs.
"Your so mean" she says and I put the board game away.
"Where's the fun is letting you win?" I ask and she rolls her eyes and strips and I can't help but laugh.
"What time is it?" She asks.
"I believe it's half past sweetheart" I say and she nods.
"What time we off to Michael's house?" She asks me and I look.
"3, Thought we could take a game" I say.
"Can we do something together like a jigsaw before we to?" She asks.
"We have a few hours yet darling, I'll make us a drink" I say and she nods and she gets a folder of hers out with some work.
"I thought I'd do some of my health studies and then maybe some math" She tells me.
"Just relax, sweetheart, your off school to try and help you, I don't want you burning yourself out" I say and she slumps against the sofa and I answer the phone when it rings.
"Hello" I say.
"Hi mate, wondered if you and Charity wanted to come round earlier so she can help Hannah with making dinner and try and get her mind off everything" He says.
"Actually, That is a good idea, we'll walk across now. Anything about the investigation?" I ask.
"They believe this could be targeted at Shona after all, you know that gang who she helped the prosecute?" Michael asks and my heart drops.
"Yes, I know the one" I whisper.
'Well we believe this attack on Shona could have been one of their members" Michael says and I try and blink a tear away.
"God dammit, I wish the boss would have let me on that case, that way I could have protected my wife" I whisper.
"You know they wouldn't let that happen" He says.
"We're on our way now" I utter and hang up and close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"Dad?" Charity asks and I turn to her and look at her.
"Yes sweetheart" I say and wrap my arm around her and kiss her forehead but her gaze was on me, worry in her eyes.
"What was that about?" She asks me curiously.
"Just Michael, they have a few new leads" I whisper gently and rub her back.
"Was Mum targeted?" She whispers and I just hold her.
"I don't know Charity, but I don't think that we should be torturing ourselves, come on sweetheart let's get to Michael's house" I whisper and she nods and we get our stuff we're taking as knowing Charity, she'll challenge Michael to a game of monopoly and we walk hand in hand across the village.
"Hey you two" Michael says and Charity bends down to give his and Hannah's dog some fuss.
"Aren't you a handsome boy? How Hannah still needs Michael when she's got you, I've not a clue" she fussed and the dog wags it's tail.
"Well, my love, that is very charming my dear" Michael says scoffing and Charity stroked the dog lovingly and we had a girl.
"Like I just tell my mum to get stuffed when she says things like that, I hate her" I hear a blonde haired girl say and Charity also looked.
"Oh Ingrid, look, there's the skiver" A boy says.
"Oh. Charity, how are you? You know your really screwing up your education by skiving and you're the talk of the class"The girl says and Charity stands up, "How are you? Everyone says your mum left, god you must be a screw up" The girl says and Charity lunges towards the girl and I grab her and hold her back.
"Get the hell off of me. Dad" she yells.
"Just ignore her, Charity" I whisper but she breaks free,
"You know Ingrid, I've not been skiving. For your information my mum got killed, she was attacked and me and my dad have been grieving for her and it's been a crap time. And I hate everything that has happened, I've lost my mum, I've lost the person I would go to if I couldn't go to my dad, the person who use to take me shopping, do my hair" Charity shouts, her voice cracking.
"Charity-" I say gently.
"No! Ingrid, you talk about how you hate your mum all the time for wanting you to be responsible and work hard at school or I don't know for doing things wrong and how you wish she'd disappear. You know what, I wish my mum was here and I wish I had put on a hideous dress she doesn't like and that she could tell me to go and get changed or that I could forget to put my make-up away and she could tell me off, but I don't have that, I will never see my mum ever again. People like you make me sick" Charity says tears pouring down her face.
"Seems like your mum had a lucky escape, god your mad, you're a nutter, Charity" The girl says and Charity lunges forward and I hold her back..
"That is enough! If you continue, I can find out where you live and talk to your parents! I'm a cop! Show some respect! You have. I right to wind someone up, especially when they've just lost their mum!" I shout and the girl looks at me.
"She's skiving school though" This girl Ingrid says.
"The girl is grieving for her mum, show some respect please" I say.
"What about her education? She's never going to be valedictorian" The girl says.
"That's the last thing on her mind, and it's none of your business, now go away" I say and Charity just walks with Michael and I follow, I can't believe someone can show that much disrespect, we go to Michael's and Charity just sat, staring out the window.
"Come here" I whisper after taking my coat off and she walked over to me and I wrap her in a gentle cuddle and she buries her head in my chest and she starts to cry in my chest.
"I'm so sorry I embarrassed you, I'm really messing up" Charity whispers and I feel my heart break but I just hold her straight and I kiss the top of her head and then she wipes her eyes and grips on me.
"Poor girl" Hannah says as she sits down on the opposite sofa.
"You've not embarrassed me, that girl was getting a reaction out of you and she clearly just wanted to wind you up, you've got nothing to be sorry for" I soothe to her.
"I can't ever ask Mum to tell me what to wear and Ingrid just made that pain worse" she whimpers and I pull away and I wipe her tears as she sniffles.
"I know sweetheart" I whisper and I kiss her head and she just rests against me.
"I love you so much Dad" she whispers and I look at her and kiss her cheek.
"I love you so much Charity, your my girl" I whisper gently.
"Are we going to be happy this afternoon Charity? Because we thought that we could possibly go in the hot tub me and you and do your nails but I need you to be happy" Hannah says.
"I am sorry" she whispers.
"Don't say sorry, my love. You've lost your mum you silly girl, you don't need to be sorry, all you need to do is know that me, Michael, your dad, and all these other people love you and we are all here" Hannah says.
"I know" Charity whispers.
"And you are going to be welcome here all the time" Michael says.
"And they can come see us whenever, and I'm sure we can go and see your Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Vicky too" I say rubbing my girls head and she sniffles and wipes her eyes.
"I mean it" Charity whispers.
"Mean what?" I ask.
"That I love you Dad, I always have and always will. I'm so lucky to have you" She whispers, my daughter really fills my heart with pride and love, I love her so much.
"I love you too, my Charity Cat" I whisper.
"Now, are we going to have a nice afternoon?" Michael asks and she nods and rests her head in my chest.