When the skyfalls

Chapter sixteen: Charlotte knows best, Mama!

Oblivious to the fact that his wife was actually awake, simply resting her eyes, Dianne chose to remain silent as her husband spilled his heart to their daughter in a bid to explain his recent emotional outbursts. Hearing the man she fell in love with, the man who had been struggling silently for months-talk so openly with their child made her heart swell;

"Mama taught me something very important my girl, its okay to not be okay sometimes..."

Those particular words hit a nerve- they are the very words that her Joseph had muttered against her hairline as she sobbed in to his chest when the doctor broke the news...the words he used as she attempted to process the procedure she was about to endure...the words he relentlessly whispered as she cried herself to sleep on countless occasions. These were the words that he used to mask his own pain- the words he was unable to apply to his own mind as he was too busy caring for her. Fighting back her tears, she felt Joe's weight shift as he tried to stand up whilst still holding onto Charlotte but failed to catch his balance properly, resulting on him simply rolling back onto the sofa. "Joseph, leave her here with me. I'm awake anyway and I really need a cuddle from my baby girl...I missed her. Pass her here love, she can snuggle into my side, she seems a little clingy, was she okay while I was asleep?" Raising her head slightly, Dianne caught the flash of pain in her husbands expression as he placed a firm kiss on their now-sleeping tot before gently shifting her in to the gap between his wife's body and their plush sofa, sighing contentedly as his tiny daughter buried her face into her mothers side, her little hand coming up to grab a fistful of mama's t-shirt. "Hmmm, she used to do that when I fed her Joe, remember? I haven't really noticed it since I stopped breastfeeding but maybe she never stopped? God, I love this feeling-reminds me that I really am her mama, how stupid does that sound?" She chuckles lightly, pulling the child closer and playing with the loose ends of the braids her nana must have done that morning. "Yeah Dot, she was good while you napped; according to Lottie, you looked tired so we left you to sleep and we had a chat...she...she remembered that morning Di. She asked about it...Have you really not noticed that she clings onto you shirt? She always has and I reckon she will for a good few years yet love, it must be a comfort thing. Anyway, are you okay there if I go and try to do some emails? I can take her if you want a nap...I know you've...well its been a tough day." The sigh which accompanied the final sentence did not go unnoticed, nor did the flash of anger in his eyes as he recounted the mornings events in his head-"Go on Joseph, I've got her. When she stirs, I'll make us all a nice dinner- I'm here if you need me little one, try not to beat yourself up."

Watching her husband wander in the direction of his home office, Dianne turned her attention to her child who was beginning to stir already, wriggling against her side, rubbing her eyes and grumbling, "Lottie, Lottie baby, come here, settle now angel. Are you okay?" Blinking those large doe eyes, the small girl lifted her head up to look at her mama, smiling and then resting against her chest again, "I good Mama, but you're not Daddy? I was sleepy with Daddy but Mama is just as good I pose." The total innocence in the statement made the older woman giggle and hold her tighter, "Daddy went to do some work so its Mama-Lottie time. Daddy told me you two had a chat- did you talk about anything nice?" trying to gauge what her daughter pulled from the meaningful conversation with her Dad, Dianne pried softly into the ever-busy mind of her four-year old. " Daddy talked bout rainbow Mama! How rainbow can make us sad and crossy and happy and tears but its okay. He didn't MEAN to shout at me, Daddy loves me." She grinned, reaching out to stroke her mama's exposed tummy whilst still gripping tightly to her shirt with the other hand and looking up to see her Mama's face, frowning slightly when she noticed the tears falling.

"No Mama! No tears, Daddy didn't mean to be crossy and he still loves mama very very much! So much that you made me and rainbow! In fact! You should make another baby and I eben know how babies are made Mama! Lucy at school taughted me." Lottie babbles, jumping up upright so that she was now kneeling beside her mother, excitement written all over her face and completely ignorant to the panic all over her mothers face. Taking a deep breath in and gathering her racing mind, Dianne placed a gentle hand on her child's face after sitting upright and reaching for her coffee, knowing she will need the caffeine to get through this conversation: "And how exactly ARE babies made Lot?" Twirling a straying strand of hair near her Mama's face, the little girl launches into her very logical explanation...

"Well, when a Daddy loves a Mama so so much, all the love goes into a spesh cuddle and the Daddy pokes Mama's tummy button, right here and the baby is magicked in!" Lottie rambles, poking Dianne's belly button with excessive force before continuing, " I love you just as much as Daddy, more eben but I can't magic a baby in there because my no no square is different to Daddy's or I magic the baby in there myself betause I love you and rainbow and baby in there now." She finishes with a kiss to the toned stomach beneath her. Unsure where to start with her daughters anaology, she simply opts to press a sweet kiss to her daughters head, pulling her tight against her chest for a hug all the while grinning, "But Lottie, there is no baby in there at the minute for you to love. Rainbow loves you though." Rolling her eyes with a teenaged attitude, the small girl leaned back and sighed, "No baby YET Mama...duh! But Charlotte Sugg aged four knows best Mama! Now, I want Daddy, can we have dins?" Running off in the general direction of her father, not a care in the world, Lottie now sings a random tune while her mother tries to make sense of what just happened and how her tiny four-year old suddenly morphed into a fifteen year old before her very eyes...

The sight of Joseph dancing into the room, holding their child on his hip and in a loose ballroom hold, the innocence returns and suddenly all is right in the world again. Placing their girl down, Joseph waltzes his way over to his wife, smile plastered on his face and hand extended towards her, "A dance my lady? Lottie is happy enough in the corner over there, lets have a moment for us." Sealing the gap between them with a sweet kiss, Dianne smirks up at him and relaxed against him, laughing lightly..."Joseph...our four year old has just told me how babies are made and if her nono square wasn't different to yours...she would magic a baby in me herself because she loves me more than you do...you've got competition old man." Stealing a glance at their baby, the couple rest their foreheads against each other and take the chance to just get lost in each other's eyes..."She's too smart that girl of ours Dot...some of the stuff she comes out with scares me." He chuckles, kissing the woman he loves once more, "Oh don't I know it Joe...she rolled her eyes at me earlier and suddenly she was fifteen before I knew it! But remember...Charlotte always knows best!" Sharing a few more giggles, they made their way over to their highly intelligent child and spent the evening making memories as a family.

Charlotte knows best, remember.