Cross My Heart and Hope to Die

C H A P T E R 3

Charlotte's POV

I know it's wrong to keep things from her, but I know it's for the best. I don't want her around those things. I've worked so hard on making a better life for her. When I found out she was one, I panicked I didn't want this for her. She was so young and didn't need this burden on her. I knew I couldn't let anyone find out. I started thinking about when she was little and asked about her dad all the time.

"Mommy?" Videl said in her cute toddler voice.

"Yes baby?" I said as I crouched down to her level.

"Jason says I have a dad but he left." She said while pointing at Jason who was coloring.

"Don't listen to him, your dad sadly died a little before you were born." I said, lying about what actually happened. I didn't want her to think I'm a bad person for what I did.

I broke out of my thoughts when I heard Videl walking down the stairs. She was carrying a bag and was in running clothes.

"Where are you going?" I ask, turning around to face her.

"I wanted to go for a run, I haven't been on one in a while." She said as she grabbed her shoes off the shelving organizer we have.

"What's in the bag?" I ask, confused as to why she would be taking a bag on a run.

"Water, I figured it would be easier to carry than holding it in my hands the entire time." She said, swinging the bag over her shoulder.

"Well ok, be back before it gets too dark." I said as I turned around to face the TV again.

"I will." She said, and walked out the door.

I found it odd but didn't really think much of it. I walked into the kitchen and started making dinner. Tonight, since I went grocery shopping while the kids were at school, I'm making lasagna. It's Jason's favorite, and Videl will eat anything so why not. I start getting the ingredients out and start boiling the water to cook the pasta sheets.

Hearing Jason come down the stairs I say, "Out of your room so soon?" I gasp in shock.

"You know you're not that funny, right?" He said, slightly laughing.

"Well what are you doing?" I said, getting a skillet out of the cabinet.

"I don't know honestly. Need any help?" He said, walking over to the sink to wash his hands.

"Sure." I said, pointing to the recipe. "Help me with mixing these together."

He nodded and started measuring the ingredients and plopping them into the bowl. We talked about random things and when we got everything put together I put it in the oven, and Jason went back upstairs. It started getting slightly dark, and I was getting a little worried about Videl. She had been out there for a while.

She finally came through the door and went straight up to her room. It was odd because she didn't say hi or anything just ran right up to her room. I thought to myself that maybe she just wanted to take a shower or something. I heard the oven timer ding and I got up to go take the lasagna out of the oven.

I placed it on top of the stove and yelled for the kids to come eat.

"Dinners ready!" I yelled through the house.

"It smells good." Jason said as he came down the stairs to sit at the kitchen table.

"Where's your sister?" I said, taking the oven mitts off my hands and placing them on the island.