I R E N I C

t h r e e

"Mama loves me..." petals fell into the lap of a small child. Brown eyes then stared curiously at the bored woman. "Did you know my mom?" She questioned.

The woman hesitated, "sort of. I know a friend of your mother." She replied after a while.

The girl nodded. "Are you married?" She questioned. "My momma divorced my papa. Then she married papa Phil." Hailey said gently brushing her dolls hair.

The woman looked at her in disbelief. "No, I'm not married."

"Do you have kids? Mama had me after she divorced my papa Charlie."

"Kid, I think that is too much information now. You don't tell that to strangers." Hailey pouted at the lack of response

She had gotten the carefree spirit from her mother but unknowingly also developed a worrisome habit from her father despite rarely being around him. The small child knew about Forks and Charlie thanks to her older sister but unfortunately it was all based on the bad things she saw in the town.

Hailey had developed an image of her father being a short man, with a beer belly who dressed in merchandise from different baseball teams. The town itself was almost like a swamp; cold, rainy and small.

One person she was excited to meet though apart from her father was a boy named Jake who had been good friends with her older sister. Apparently, for some strange reason he was somehow also her brother according to Bella.

"Excuse me?" She tried to get her attention. "May I have a snack?" The woman let out a groan before handing her a granola bar.

"Here."

Hailey smiled and ate the snack after saying thank you. After taking a bite she realized that it wasn't chocolate chips on the granola bar but raisins. She looked down but ended up eating it not wanting to seem rude.

Her sister had taught her to never take things for granted. If you are given something you must cherish it, in this case she wasn't going to complain about the snack because she had already made the woman annoyed.

"We are at your father's house. Come on, kid." The woman got out. Hailey unbuckled herself and followed the woman.

She smiled, "thank you for bringing me to my papa and to Belle." The woman hummed in acknowledge.

She then knocked on the door, hearing someone pause the television. A voice called out a muffled, "coming." The door swung open.

"Yes?" The man asked, looking at the woman with a questioning look. The woman looked at the paper in her hand.

"Charlie Swan?" She asked, the man straightened up. He crossed his arms, nodding.

"That's me." He confirmed. The woman looked down at the child and gave her a small nudge.

"I am here to drop off, Hailey Swan, on Renée's behalf." She gestured towards the child. Hailey smiled up at the shocked male.

He waved awkwardly at her, smile strained. "And where exactly is Renée?" He whispered towards the woman. She sigh and shrugged her shoulders.

"My job was to drop of the child. Everything you need to know is in her bag." With that she turned at left. The small girl waved goodbye to her with a bright smile.

Charlie was stood trying to comprehend what exactly was happening at this moment. Not only did he have to deal with a broken-hearted teenager who behaved as if someone died but now he had to take care of a child. It wasn't as if he didn't want to. It was the opposite.

Charlie hadn't seen his daughter for quite sometime so it was a relief to have her. The thing was that the situation with Bella was currently haywire.

He wasn't in a position to take on another kid. He would do everything in his power to make sure she was taken care of and safe but giving her the attention she needed? That was something he wasn't sure how to give.

Hailey had came in and made herself at home, hiding away from the cold.

Charlie then decided, he was determined to make sure his daughter had what she needed. That he would make sure she was safe. That she had the attention she needed. The love that she deserved even if it lead to a few mistakes.

(This chapter is edited because after reading it I noticed some contradiction between the chapters.)