Broken Descent (Bruno Mars)

Where You Belong

During mid-summer of 2014, Bruno was halfway through the Moonshine Jungle Tour. He was worn out. Because of Charlotte, the agents and managers booked more room in the schedule for hotel stays than usual. Bruno preferred that so much more than staying on the bus for the night.

"Daddy?" Charlotte asked as Bruno put bubbles into her bath.

"Yes?" He smiled.

"I wanna go home."

"Aww...you're not having fun anymore?"

"I miss Rex."

Rex was one of her blue fish that she'd more recently decided was her new favorite after Nemo.

"I know," Bruno said. "We'll be home for a long time next time we go home."

Charlotte smiled and proceeded to play and splash in the bubbles. The routine continued with Bruno reading Charlotte's favorite book for the millionth time.

In the middle of the story, Charlotte asked a question Bruno wasn't ready for. It would only lead to more.

"Daddy how come Rex have spots and his mommy and daddy and brothers don't have spots?"

"Well...." Bruno stumbled. "Charlotte that's a very good question. Rex is a very special puppy, that's why. His mommy and daddy love him just as much as his brothers, right?"

Charlotte nodded and fell asleep shortly after. Bruno took a deep breath and shut off the light, relieved that that was enough information, for the moment.

Toward the end of that year, Bruno was done with touring for a very long time.

"Tiara!" Bruno called at the front entryway. "We're home."

Tiara greeted them at the front door. She decided to stay at the house during the last days before they would return. Bruno talked to her for a bit while Charlotte continued to stand nearby.

"Go see Rex, Charlotte. You don't need to stay here with me," Bruno said.

"Oh," Tiara interrupted. "Charlotte before you go back there..."

Bruno got very nervous. Those fish had been giving him more drama than he ever expected.

"Rex," Tiara smiled. "Rex had babies this morning."

"Yay!" Charlotte yelled, as she ran to see the aquarium.

"Wow," Bruno grinned, walking over with Tiara. "So Rex is a girl...a mom...didn't see that coming."

"Daddy look!" Charlotte squealed. "There are so many babies!"

"I know!" Bruno replied enthusiastically, kneeling beside her and putting his arm around her. "It's like an early Christmas present."

Tiara left to go home. Charlotte didn't leave the aquarium for hours that afternoon. Bruno peeked in a bit later, looking at her suitcase that hadn't moved an inch.

"Charlotte why don't you go up to your room with me and we'll put all your stuff away?"

She was so entranced by all the new fish that she didn't hear him. He knelt beside her on the floor and tapped her shoulder to make her finally notice him.

"Where did all the babies come from?" she asked with wide eyes when it was time for bed.

Bruno got extremely nervous. "Well...peanut... they had a mommy...which I guess would be Rex...and a daddy."

"But how did the babies get there?"

"Their mommy and daddy were in love so much...that...that they decided to have a baby...and they got a whole lot of babies. Okay? Now, it's time to go to bed," Bruno said, reaching for the light.