WHERE ARE YOU CHARLIE?

BEFORE VI

"What's wrong with her?" Jim pointed at me after I had just served dinner.

It was just him and Charlie tonight.Used to his strange comments about me, I ignored him and went to the laundry room with my plate.

I frowned when Charlie didn't answer him. That was unusual. I clenched my teeth knowing what was bound to happen next.

"I asked you a question, Charlie!" He yelled before punching my brother.

No longer hungry, I pushed my plate to the side and observed myself to try and see what had caught Jim's attention.

I was wearing my favorite knee-length denim overalls with a pale yellow tee-shirt underneath and my old flip-flops. Nothing out of the ordinary.

"I-I'll take care of it..." Charlie stuttered before standing up and walking toward me.Without a word, he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the main bathroom.

What's going on???

He lifted me up and placed me in the tub. He unclasped my overalls and I shrieked when I saw some blood running down my legs.

"Wh-what's happening t-to me?!" I whispered, horrified.

"Take off your clothes, Zoe..." He said softly.

I did and got even more worried when I saw all the blood staining my clothes.He then turned the water on, checked the temperature and gently rinsed the blood away.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Ok..." I muttered, unsure.

"Good. Shower, I'm going to take care of your clothes." Why was he so nice? Why wasn't he worried about me?He'd brought my washing products from our shower room so I took my coconut and vanilla scented shower gel and proceeded to clean myself thoroughly.

I let out a shriek when I finally understood where the blood was coming from.

"Are you ok?" Charlie must have heard me.

"I-it's fr-from fr-from..." I started but I couldn't say it so pointed at it.

"I know, Zoe..." He said softly. "As soon as you're done, put some tissues in your panties to protect your clothes and I'll drive you to the chemist's..."I frowned.

The chemist's?

Ten minutes later, he parked in front of the chemist's. Charlie took my hand in his and dragged me inside.

"How may I help the two of you?" A grey-haired lady wearing a white blouse asked us.

"My sister's just got her periods for the first time..." Charlie said, looking slightly embarrassed.

My periods?

I was thoroughly confused, now.

"Oh, I see..." She smiled one of these really reassuring smiles some adults were good at and turned to me. "How old are you, dear?"

"Hmm... Twelve?" I answered questioningly.

"Well, that's perfectly normal, then. Wait here a minute..." She said before disappearing at the back of the shop.

She came back with two packs of what looked like diapers.

"Wear the pink ones during the day, and the blue ones at night..." She explained and my eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"B-but why do I have to wear diapers?!" I finally blurted out.

"You're growing up that's why..." She answered. "It happens to every girl your age, Dear, and from now on, it should happen once every four weeks or so until you're about fifty..."

Ewww...

I crinkled my nose at the prospect of bleeding like that every month.

"Here..." She handed me a leaflet. "Read it tonight, it should answer all your questions..."

"Thanks." Charlie and I said at the same time.

"I suggest you also get her a box of these..." She was showing Charlie a pink pack of Pamprin. "They are menstrual pain relief caplets... She should take two of them with water."

Charlie paid and we went back home.I cleaned the dining room and the kitchen and went to sit by the open fire place to do my homework.

Charlie, who was a senior, had spread all his books on the dining room table to study.Jim was smoking a cigarette by the window and seemed lost in his thoughts.

"She's old enough to work for me, now..." He stated out of the blue.Not understanding the meaning behind his statement, I looked at Charlie and panicked when I noticed his clenched fists.

"She already does each time she runs errands with me..." He answered seriously.

"I could make a great deal of money with her tight ass..." Jim shot back.

 I literally jumped when Charlie suddenly banged his fist on the table."Zoe's your daughter..." He growled.

Jim seemed totally unfazed by his son's anger."It was just a thought..." He answered with a creepy voice. "Maybe she's still a bit young, yeah you're right... I don't want to work with f*cking pedophiles..."

Charlie was shaking out of anger now, while I still didn't have a clue about what they were talking about.

That night, after I changed into my sleeping clothes, Charlie motioned for me to sleep on his mattress.

"I won't let him hurt you, Zoe... I promise." He whispered before kissing the top of my head.

I love you, too, Charlie. I thought as I fell asleep in his arms.