Smiley and Sunshine

19.

Pissed, livid, irate.

Those words did not even come close to what Austin was feeling right now. If it hadn't been such a serious matter, Francis would have teased him about being such an angry papa bear.

"Go get in the car," He ordered his siblings. Pulling the keys out of his pockets, he passed them to Colton as he was getting up. A brief look of understanding passed between the two before Colton grabbed Glen's shoulder, forcing him to start walking towards the side door. Colton spared her only a second of a glance, his expression undecipherable.

"But Austin," Francis tried to argue but Austin wasn't having it.

"Car now, Francis." Austin didn't give him a chance.

"Bye Lotte," a sad smile appeared on his lips as he obeyed his eldest brother. Lotte sent him a small wave from where she stood, not wanting to stir the pot anymore than she already had.

Lotte's eyes trailed after Francis as he walked out the door before turning to the young girl still in the booth. It was hard to believe her little sister was now all grown up. Same with her little brother. Lotte had been in and out of the siblings' lives since they were all young, to no fault of their own. She just always seemed to have different priorities from them, and was only now realizing how big of a mess she created. It was very apparent that Austin was firm on not letting her see their baby siblings. It's not like she'd kidnap them just like their mother. Lotte liked to think she was regarded above those standards at least, but right now she wasn't quite sure.

Anyone watching would think she was the outcast of the bunch. And they'd be correct.

Dakota was struggling with getting Hayes to evacuate the booth. His hushed words were going in one ear and out the other, with her not comprehending anything. Her brain was just not able to compute what she was seeing. She wasn't able to make sense of her world so her mind just shut down.

Hayes had a death grip on Dakota, her whole body rigid, unmoving.

Austin side-stepped to his right, blocking his sister's view of his little girl. With no other option, Lotte looked back at Austin, able to hold his gaze for a moment before dropping her eyes to the floor. She knew she had just destroyed any remnants of trust there might have been.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Charlotte," Austin spoke harshly, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for pizza, Austin, honestly" Charlotte replied, "I didn't mean any trouble. How was I suppose to know you'd be here?"

Austin stared at her, the rage in his eyes the only contrast to his calm anterior. He wouldn't dare make a scene in public. Especially not in front of his vulnerable siblings.

"Fuck it," Dakota mumbled and forcefully pushed Hayes across the booth seat to the end. "Austin, grab her. She's not listening to me."

Before Hayes could scramble back into Dakota's arms, Austin took hold of her upper arms and pulled her into a standing position. He nudged her chin up so she was looking at his face and not focused on Charlotte. "You're okay, Sunshine. Go with Dakota to the car. I'll be right there." His soft voice was a stark contrast to the harshness that it previously held.

When her eyes began to flicker back to Charlotte, Austin put his hands on her cheeks. "Hayes, look at me baby. I need you to go with Dakota."

"But I don't want you to stay with her," Hayes' bottom lip began to wobble. "Don't go."

"I'll be right behind you," Austin promised, sealing it with a kiss to her forehead.

"Come on," Dakota grasped her hand and pulled her away. The glare he cast back at Charlotte could make a grown man cry. She was nothing to him.