Chapter 6

Early the next morning Jack was woken by little fingers poking his ribs.

"Charlotte? What is it? It's early." he mumbled still half asleep.

"I hungry." The little girl complained and jumped on the bed.

Getting more and more awake Jack asked:

"Where's S…your mommy?"

"Mommy say go Daddy."

Suddenly Jack was very awake.

"And so you asked me?"

"You be daddy?"

Oh how he wished he could answer this question with a plain "Yes." But unfortunately he couldn't; so he avoided the answer and decided for distraction.

"What would you like for breakfast, little lady?"

"Mmh…pancakes!" she shouted enthusiastically and jumped off the bed waiting for Jack to do the same. When Jack was finally dressed in sweatpants and a shirt he took Charlotte by the hand to lead her to the kitchen.

"Pancakes is what you want; so pancakes is what you'll get." He stated and picked the little brown haired girl up to settle her on the counter; so she could help preparing breakfast.

While Jack had been woken by little fingers poking his ribs Sam woke by loud laughing which seemed to come from the living room. She was startled; that was Charlotte downstairs and she could hear Jack, too. Her heart jumped with the thought of father and daughter enjoying each others company but at the very same moment her heart ached for not telling him the truth; for leaving him in the first place. She heard Charlotte giggle and the answer she expected.

"No giggling, Charlotte."

Oh…how she had missed that.

Downstairs in the kitchen Jack and Charlotte had started making breakfast which had ended in a great flour and tickle fight. When Sam entered the room her heart seemed to stop; there was flour all over the place; the counter, the cabinets, the floor. And in the middle of that mess she found her two favourite people. Charlotte in her pink princess pjs with flour and chocolate sticking everywhere even in her hair and Jack who almost looked alike.

They hadn't noticed Sam entering the kitchen and so she could enjoy seeing the little girl being tickled and rolling in the flour on the floor. When Charlotte spotted her mother leaning against the frame of the kitchen door she held out one of her tiny arms.

"Help mommy!" she laughed.

"Nah, sweetie. I heard jack tell you not to giggle and I guess tickling is the best way to punish little girls who won't stop giggling although they're told to." Sam stated seriously and then joined them on the floor. Jack had expected her to help him but instead she tackled him; lost in a moment of pure joy she looked at Charlotte.

"Let's tickle Daddy!" and together they jumped on Jack.

Although Sam didn't notice Jack was very aware of the things that had been said. Daddy? Could that be? Nah. They had just have that one weekend together and at that time Sam had still gotten her shots. It couldn't be … but then Charlotte was two years old; everything seemed to fit perfectly.

His thoughts were interrupted by Charlotte who stated that she needed to pee but was still laughing. She got up and left the kitchen. Jack looked at Sam and she automatically knew it was time to talk. One thing she knew for sure he would definitely ask why she was here.

"So Sam…I guess you already know my question. Why are you here? I mean…you left … three years ago…no goodbye…nothing and then all of a sudden you show up here in Minnesota starting to leave when you spot me. What's wrong; Sam?"

He looked at her. His gaze directly boring into her soul. She could tell he was still hurt.

"I left Pete." was all she managed to say.

Although he hadn't been pleased to know that Sam had married Pete Shannahan, especially after they had spent that one weekend together, he was still concerned for her happiness. He wanted her to be happy. She deserved happiness.

"What happened?"

"I dunno. It just seemed to get worse. At first everything was great. We're happy. But then Charlotte was born and everything changed. I was so happy when I got her; she's all I ever wanted. She makes my life perfect. She's wonderful, smart and very friendly although she just turned two some months ago."

"But why Sam? Why are you here? I can see how perfect she is."

"Just like her mother." He mumbled to himself.

She ignored his statement and continued.

"Some weeks ago I wanted to call Janet but before I could dial her number Pete took the phone and told me I wasn't allowed to call her. I should finally leave my old life behind; I had him and Charlotte and I wouldn't need anybody else."

She sighed.

"We started a fight. I wasn't ready to led go of my past and then he slapped me."

Jacks eyes went wide. That bastard. How could he hit her, bruise that beautiful face of hers?

"Why didn't you just kick his ass, Sam? I know you're very capable of that. He shouldn't hit you Sam; nobody should."

His eyes filled with tears created by the emotions he showed.

"I thought it might have happened by accident. We fought, we yelled, we were in rage after all. I didn't want it to be true I guess but it happened again and again. Four days ago it was worst. I was so scared of him so I decided to come here and think about everything. You know, I…" but before Sam could finish her sentence Charlotte chased around the corner and threw herself in her mother's arms, hugging her tight. Then she held out one of her little arms for Jack and drew him close. There they sat on the kitchen floor, covered in flour and bits of chocolate, snuggling against each other; seeking and finding comfort and safety.