Charlotte was startled awake by a big thud. She heard a bunch of yelling and realized that it was coming from her parents' room. She pulled the covers closer to her and held on tightly. She didn't know what was going on and was scared that the people yelling would come after her and Josie next. Charlotte saw Josie awake and terrified too. She waved her sister over and Josie climbed into bed next to her sister. They held each other tightly until everything went silent. Then they heard a light tap at the door and their father said the police had to check that their room was safe. The SWAT team saw the terrified young girls and allowed their father to sit with them.
"Daddy, where's mama?" Charlotte asked.
"She's in our bedroom."
"Is she okay?" Josie asked.
"She hurt her back, but she'll be fine."
Lima walked in, "Mr. McVeigh, we've cleared the house and property. We're sending the paramedics in and I apologize again."
"Thank you and I know that you were just following a tip and orders."
"If you would like, I can watch over your daughters and you can go back to your wife."
"Girls is that okay?" the girls nodded and Kurt went back to Diane.
"Why did you break into our house?" Charlotte asked.
"Well, someone called and said something that's against the law was going on in this house."
"So you broke in?"
"It's a bit more complicated, but maybe one day your dad can explain it better. I hope that we can find the people who made that false claim. That's not right."
"Maybe you should make sure someone is telling the truth before you break-in," Charlotte suggested.
Lima smiled, "you know, that's a good idea. I'll tell my boss when I leave here."
Kurt walked back into the bedroom and thanked Lima for watching them. "Girls, Mama is going to get her back checked at the hospital to make sure nothing is broken. Do you want to see her first?"
The girls got off the bed and followed their father.
"Hi, babies," Diane said softly with a smile.
The girls walked up to the stretcher that was still on the floor, "mama, we were so scared," Charlotte said.
"We thought that you were gonna die," Josie added.
"I'm sorry girls and I know that it was scary."
"You'll be back?" Charlotte asked.
"Of course I will. Now, Liz is coming over with Uncle Adrian to watch you."
"They're downstairs, actually," Kurt said.
Charlotte was still afraid that her mother wouldn't come back. When she did, the little girl was extremely grateful. Charlotte tried to help her mother as best as she could.
"Charlotte, can you find daddy?"
"What do you need?"
"I just wanted to go outside."
"Daddy and Josie are outside. I can help you."
"That's sweet, but I don't want to fall."
"I'll be back." Charlotte went to her father's office and took something to help her mother. "I can push you in this," Charlotte had brought her mother's wheelchair. Diane wasn't so sure her daughter could, but knew that the girl was just as stubborn as she was.
"Okay, bring it a bit closer," Diane showed her daughter where to put the chair, "you see those two knobs on the wheels?"
"Yeah"
"Move them the other way to lock the wheels so the chair doesn't move while I sit down." Charlotte did and tested the chair to make sure. "I need you to do one more thing," Diane said, "I need you to move those footrests up." Once Charlotte had done that, she walked over to her mother, "what are you doing?"
"I'm gonna help you up."
"I don't think you'll be able to."
"Make your chair go up and I'll help you." Diane pressed the button to lift the chair up. The wheelchair was in front of the recliner, so she really didn't have far to go. Charlotte held her hands out and Diane took them. The woman was surprised when her seven-year-old daughter was able to help her up. Diane limped a few feet before releasing one of her daughter's hands to grab the armrest of the chair. Charlotte held on as her mother turned around and helped her grab the other armrest. Once Diane was seated, Charlotte had her mother lift each foot so that she could put the rests down. Charlotte unlocked the chair and pushed it out to the back yard.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Diane said, proud of her daughter, "I was wrong. You can do it."
"I know," Charlotte shrugged making her mother laugh. Charlotte became a big help to her mother and that made her parents proud. They did things for her without being asked just because they love her so much.
