"ALISSA! Come down, please. NOW!" Pippa Rowan shouted, standing on the bottom floor the Rowan family's tall, thin, three story home. Carrie winces. "Mum, she won't come. You know what she's like. Stubborn. You're gonna have to persuade her." Carrie and Pippa's eyes lock together. "I know, darling." Pippa sighs and looks at the ground. "Sometimes I think you would be a better parent than me..." Carrie comforts her mum and rubs her back. "Mum, don't ever say that. You're doing as great as you can. And you're still doing amazing. Nobody would ever; after the shock and sudden change, be able to do as good a job as you." Carrie smiles at her mother. Pippa looks at her. She gives her a small, half-smirk." They hug. "Okay. Why don't you go up and see if your sister is nearly ready."
Carrie faints.
Carrie smiles at her mother. Pippa looks at her. They hug. "Okay? Why don't you go up and see if your father is nearly ready."
Carrie jumps up the stairs, just as a normal five year old would do. She peeks into her baby sister, Alissa's room. Alissa is 6 months old, and Carrie already knew she would be hard work.
She stumbles up the third flight of stairs.
The kitchen, living room and dining room are all downstairs. Carrie and Alissa's rooms and the big family bathroom sits on the middle floor. Then right at the top, lays their parents, Dominic and Pippa's room. Also, a study which is mainly used as a small office for their father.
After reaching the top of the stairs, she slowly walks along the carpeted, creaky wooden floor. Slowly, peeping around every corner. She always thought the top floor was haunted. Mainly because when their cousin, Jennifer, came to stay, she was rude to the other girls so Pippa threatened to let the 'monsters of the top floor' out to her. Carrie overheard, so she's been afraid ever since.
Even though being terrified, she didn't bother talking back to her mother. She just hopped up the stairs and got on with it.
When she arrives at her parent's bedroom door, she heard her mother downstairs picking up Alissa to put her in the car. "Hurry up now, Rie. Grab your coat, bags and father. You don't want to be late for the first day of school, do you?"
She shakes off her mother. She knocks five times in a secret pattern. Dam-da-dee-doo-da. The knocks echo around the landing.
Carrie and her father have always been relatively close. Every night before bedtime at approximately seven o'clock, she waits for him to come home from work. Sitting on the window seat, looking out the window, no matter what. He was never late. He always promised her. Whenever he arrived, she jumped on his back and he span round in circles making her feel dizzy. He propped her down on her back, on the grey sofa with yellow cushions, and tickled her to death. She screamed, having a whale of a time. She then grabbed his hands and dragged him on the sofa in the same position and spot she was just in. She then clambered up, and used his belly as a trampoline. They had so much fun together... until it all ended...
She knocks again. This time, not waiting for him to open the door, she whispers. "Daddy, it's me, Caroooooonie." She giggles. Her dad always calls her Caroooooonie. She knocks again. "Dad?" This time, she didn't wait. She didn't say anything. She opens the door and sees her dad...
