Driftwood

[Ludub]

4 minutes ago, Suzza101 said:

Great chapter I would love Maddy and Jett to get together. 

Oh no at the end 

please update soon 

Thanks Suzza, glad you're enjoying it. Don't know if I'll have time to update this for a little while but the next chapter will have Kyle in it (just a little heads up ).

[Suzza101]

5 hours ago, Ludub said:

Thanks Suzza, glad you're enjoying it. Don't know if I'll have time to update this for a little while but the next chapter will have Kyle in it (just a little heads up ).

Yay thank you ?

[pembie]

Brilliant I could read about Roo being chased by spider like aliens all day Its a shame it had to come to a end Thanks for bringing out my inner nerd

Again I wonder do you like sci fi movies? Because you really brought the aliens to life with your descriptions of them.

I am really happy that I was a inspiration and helped you write this chapter

I have been trapped in the dreaded friends zone with girls before But I have never made a mess of it like Jett has with Maddy.. I'm thinking Jett will just have to kiss Maddy or something...But that's also hard working up the guts to do that with a girl you like. So good luck to him. Lets hope kevin doesn't get the wrong idea too

[Ludub]

6 hours ago, pembie said:

Brilliant I could read about Roo being chased by spider like aliens all day Its a shame it had to come to a end Thanks for bringing out my inner nerd

Again I wonder do you like sci fi movies? Because you really brought the aliens to life with your descriptions of them.

I am really happy that I was a inspiration and helped you write this chapter

I have been trapped in the dreaded friends zone with girls before But I have never made a mess of it like Jett has with Maddy.. I'm thinking Jett will just have to kiss Maddy or something...But that's also hard working up the guts to do that with a girl you like. So good luck to him. Lets hope kevin doesn't get the wrong idea too

Thanks Pembie!  I'm so glad you liked it. I was like 'Alien invasion, eh?! Challenge accepted!'. I wasn't that sure that I'd done a good job though, so thanks!  Yeah, I suppose I do like sci-fi. I absolutely loved Falling Skies so that was probably inspiration. I figured that we're all conditioned to think that aliens look a certain way because of all the films we've seen. Aliens have big black shiny eyes, they're either humanoid or they're octopus like, and they have big grey spaceships. If Roo was hallucinating then the aliens would probably fall within the parameters of all those stereotypes. Given her age, she'd probably imagine the aliens from Independence Day. If I'd been writing a real alien invasion I might have tried to be a bit more original!  Anyway, it's harder to write than I thought it would be, so hats off to sci-fi writers! And thanks for the suggestion. I probably wouldn't have thought of doing that and I think it worked quite well 

I think most people have ended up in the friend zone at one stage or another. It's not fun at all! I think you're probably right. He'll need to just lay one on her but if she's come to believe that he's gay then it might not go down that well. We'll see how it unfolds. 

Thanks for taking the time to comment! 

[hward]

I think they need to run for cover because Alf is going to be on the warpath now!

And oh dear at Maddy still thinking Jett is gay

[Ludub]

3 hours ago, hward said:

I think they need to run for cover because Alf is going to be on the warpath now!

And oh dear at Maddy still thinking Jett is gay

Thanks hward!  Yeah, not exactly the way either of them would have wanted to break it to him. And poor poor Jett.  glad you're enjoying that little bit of comedy! I think the story probably needed it. Hoping to have a new chapter up tonight (tuesday morning in Australia)

[Ludub]

Okay, so... as promised  Really hope you all like this chapter x (And again, thank you all so much for all the feedback and encouragement. I really do appreciate it! )

 

WARNING: ADULT THEMES!

 

Chapter 19

 

 

“Calm down, Dad!” shouted Roo, as she glared at her father across the room, “This has nothing to do with you! This is my body, my baby…” She glanced at Matt, who was trying to put earphones over Alfie’s ears to stop him from hearing the fight, and she gave him a little smile.  “Our baby!” she emphasised, “Me and Matt! …And we only just found out… We’re still trying to figure things out… So, you have no right to come in here and start throwing your weight around! No right at all!”

“No right?!” he shouted back at her, “You’re living in my house! And I’m your father, Roo!”

“Yes, but I’m still a grown woman!” she yelled, “You don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do!”

 “I know you’re a grown woman!” he snapped at her, “But you don’t act like it sometimes! What were you thinking?! You’re 48 years old, Roo! …You’re too old for this! How could you be so… so flamin’ irresponsible?!”

“Irresponsible?!” she snapped at him, shaking her head in a disappointed sort of way, “Nice, dad! Really nice! What is it that you want me to do?! …What?! You want me to get an abortion?!”

“That’s not happening” said Matt, interrupting angrily, “This is our baby and no-one is getting an abortion…

"Not ever!” she said, shaking her head at her father in admonishment. “I can’t believe you’d even suggest it!”

“I didn’t say that, did I?!” he huffed, sitting down heavily on one of the kitchen chairs, “Don’t put words in my mouth, Roo!”

“Well, you know what, dad?! I’m not doing that! Not ever! …Even if I wanted to, it’s too late! …And I don’t want to… This is my baby… our baby… and we want it! …More than you’ll ever know!” She put her hand gently on her tummy, and smiled across at Matt, before tilting her head at Alf in a pleading sort of way, “…This is your grandchild that we’re talking about!”

Alf turned to look at Matt and shook his head disapprovingly. “I suppose you’re happy about this?” he asked.

“Yeah, you know what?! I am!” he said, wondering why Alf always had to be so down on them. Just when things had seemed to be getting better too. “We didn’t plan it” he said, “but it’s happened and…” He got up from the arm of the couch and made his way over to Roo. He gave her a contented little smile and put his hand on top of hers on her tummy, “…And I can’t wait to meet this little one.”

She smiled up at him and then glanced at her father again. “We’re just as surprised as you are… but we’ll make it work.”

“Go on then” said Alf, blowing out a big exasperated breath as he put his head in hands. “Tell me… How do you two think this is going to work?” he asked, in a calmer voice, before looking up at them again, “Neither of you are coping too well at the moment…”

“We’ll be okay” said Matt, trying to give Roo a reassuring little smile, “We’re getting used to things…”

Alf gave a little snort, and sat back in his chair, shaking his head as he looked back and forth between them. The anger that he’d been feeling was slowly dissipating and being replaced with pity. He looked at Roo and tilted his head at her sympathetically. “How do you think you’re going to manage two small children?” he asked, with a heavy sigh, “Alfie already runs circles round the pair of you… You’re up digging holes in the floor and scratching the face off your… off your… boyfriend here… and he’s barely holding down a part-time job without having panic attacks… How do you think you’re going to cope with a new baby? Have you two galahs even thought about that?!”

“We’ll cope” she said, sounding a little less sure of herself. The whole sleepwalking thing had been getting out of hand and she was becoming a danger to herself and to those around her. What if it didn’t stop after the baby was born? What if it wasn’t just hormones messing with her head?! She took Matt’s hand and looked up at him with big worried eyes, “We’ve gotten through a lot worse.”

“I suppose you have” he said, nodding at them sadly. “You don’t like to make life easy for yourselves, do you?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders and giving a heavy sigh. “Pregnant again, at your age, Roo?!” he sighed, staring down at the table, “You’re nearly 50! What am I going to say to people?!”

“So, that’s what this is about, is it?!” she asked, narrowing her eyes at him, “Saving face?! Roo’s gone and embarrassed her family again, has she?!”

He flushed a little red with shame in the realisation that that was partly true. He would feel embarrassed telling people that his 50 year old daughter had gotten herself knocked up for a second time by her live-in 20 year old lover.  He still hadn’t gotten over the shame of the original revelation. All those ‘Castaway Cougar’ headlines had been mortifying enough the first time round!

“I just don’t understand…” he said, ignoring the accusation that she’d just made, “I just don’t understand how the pair of you could have been so stupid.” He gave them an embarrassed little look, blushing even redder in the face, as he plucked up the courage to say this. It wasn’t the kind of stuff that he liked to talk about, but it had to be said. “I thought you two were being… careful? You know?  Taking ‘precautions’?”

“That’s really none of your business, dad!” she said, giving him a look of disgust, “But if you must know… Yes! We have been… since we got home… but… well, I’m four months gone … so it must have happened before we left the island… That’s what Nate thinks anyway…”

He looked at Matt and shook his head again in disapproval. “So, she would have had to give birth on that island again?!” he sighed, “As though once wasn’t bad enough?!”  He couldn’t help feeling angry with Matt, even if he knew that he was being a little bit irrational. They’d been trapped on an island after all, with no access to birth control, so pregnancies would have been a fairly predictable outcome. If Roo had been any younger they might have ended up with three of four children in tow! The only way to prevent that would have been abstinence and it wasn’t like they’d had anything else to do with their free-time. He couldn’t exactly blame them for that. Thinking about his daughter having sex was a little distasteful though, so he tried of push it out of his head.

Matt gave Roo a gentle little smile and squeezed her hand again. “She doesn’t have to now” he said, feeling a wave of relief wash over him, “She’ll have doctors and nurses, and everything she needs here… We have good friends who’ll help out too… We’re not alone on that island anymore.” He looked at Alf and felt a little sad that they seemed to have taken a big step backwards again. Alf was a good granddad to little Alfie and he wanted this new baby to have a good relationship with him too, but he wasn’t willing to take the kind of abuse that Alf seemed determined to dish out every now and then. He was sick of it. It was time to stand up for himself and for his little family. He gave Alf a defiant sort of look, and said, “So the way I see it, you can either get onboard with all of this… and help us out… Or we can just move out and find somewhere of our own… Stop living ‘under your roof’ and…  and you can miss out on the birth of another one of your grandchildren… It’s your choice.”

Roo glanced up at Matt in a worried sort of way. She never would have called her father’s bluff like this because she had absolutely no desire to move anywhere. This was her home! She didn’t want to give her dad the opportunity to push her out of it, disagreement or not!

“Now hold your horses” said Alf, rolling his eyes at Matt, “No-one’s moving anywhere… It’s just a bit of shock, that’s all!” He got up slowly from his seat and made his way over to Roo. “I’m worried about you, Roo… You can’t blame your old dad for that, can you?!” He gave a heavy sigh and pulled her in for a hug. “I can’t pretend that I don’t wish things were different… but I do love you, you know?” He looked at Matt and shook his head at him a little despairingly, “And I reckon I’ll love this baby of yours too…”

 

*****

 

“Can I get a beer?” asked Aden, as he slid onto one of the stools at the bar in Angelo’s and picked up the menu. Roo and Matt had cancelled on him again and he was beginning to wonder whether they were ever going to finish the interview with him or not. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be in Summer Bay, it was just that he wasn’t sure that being here was that good for his mental health. He hadn’t ‘seen’ Belle this much in years and it was beginning to freak him out a little bit. He just felt closer to her here and she seemed to be everywhere he looked.

He glanced at Kyle at the other end of the bar and they each gave the other a little nod of recognition. He knew now that Kyle lived with Irene, along with his wife and kids, and that their daughter was Irene’s biological grandchild. It all seemed a little complicated, with Kyle not being the biological father, but then when had family relationships in Summer Bay ever been straight forward?! Half-siblings, illegitimate children, and long lost family members crawling out of the woodwork, was just a part of modern life, wasn’t it?! He was pleased that Irene had a family around her now, especially with her advancing years, and that she was getting to play an active role in the lives of her grandchildren. Kyle and his wife Billie had given Irene the family that he and Belle hadn’t been able to, so he was glad about that… and a little sad at the same time. He lifted the bottle, and took a slug of beer, as he ran his eyes down the list of pizzas on the menu.

“Settling back in okay?” asked Kyle, pulling up a stool beside him and holding out his bottle of beer to clink off Aden’s.

“Uh… sort of?” said Aden, looking up at him in surprise and knocking the neck of his beer bottle off Kyle’s in an embarrassed sort of way. He hadn’t heard him approaching and he hadn’t been expecting company. Things had certainly thawed between them since their first meeting though. He looked around the bar and realised that he didn’t recognise a single face other than Kyle’s. This really didn’t feel like home anymore at all. “It’s uh…” he said, shrugging a little, “…It’s strange to be back here, to be honest.”

Kyle nodded and took a sip of his beer. “Yeah… I guess this place has probably changed a lot since you lived here” he said, raising his eyebrows at him in a questioning way, “It’s changed a lot since I’ve been here, that’s for sure!”

Aden gave a little snort and shook his head.  “I don’t think I know more than a handful of people now” he said, looking around the restaurant again, “That’s a little sad really…”

“Yeah… I guess” said Kyle. He glanced sideways at Aden and noticed the gold band on his finger. “So… um…” he began, wondering whether to bring this up or not, “Irene said that… that your um… your wife was one of her foster kids?”

Aden nodded and stared down at the bar top. “Yeah… She was.” he said, picking at the label on the bottle, “Irene took Belle in, when she needed somewhere… when she needed someone to look out for her… She was a really important person in Belle’s life… Like a proper mum to her… and she helped me out a lot when… when… when I lost Belle.” He smiled a little sadly to himself, thinking of his attitude towards her when they’d first crossed paths. He’d actually threatened to sue her, and the diner, and to try to take her for all that she was worth! What had become of that stupid and angry young man?! “Irene’s a pretty special person.” he said, “I owe her a lot”

“Yeah, she is” agreed Kyle, “She’s been more than kind to me and Billie… and she’s amazing with the kids…” He laughed a little incredulously and shook his head. “I never thought I’d end up living with Irene Roberts!” he said, “But life doesn’t turn out the way you expect it to, does it?!” He gave Aden a little smile and threw back what was left of his beer. “Another?” he asked, pointing at Aden’s beer bottle, “It’s on the house?”

“Uh, yeah… thanks” said Aden, giving him a quizzical look. “Is there… uh… was there something I can help you with?” he asked, wondering what the free beer was in aid of, and whether Kyle was simply buttering him up in the hope of getting some free legal advice.

Kyle looked at him in confusion and it took him a moment to realise what he was asking. “Oh!” said Kyle, giving a little snort, “No… I just thought you could use a beer… Irene told me… well, she told me about Belle… and about the case you’re working on.”

“The Developers?” asked Aden, raising his eyebrows at him with interest, “Why… I mean… Do you have some personal experience with that?”

Kyle gave a little sigh and nodded. “Billie” he said, staring at the label on his new bottle of beer, “She had breast cancer… after Lucy was born…”

“God” said Aden, shaking his head a little sadly, “This town is… it’s poisoned…”

“They caught it early” said Kyle, furrowing his brow in a worried sort of way, “We were really lucky… She didn’t have to have any chemo… but I’m always really scared that it could come back.” He looked around the restaurant at all the faces of his customers and then back at Aden. “You really think it’s this town that’s causing it? Like something in the water or something?!”

Aden nodded and pointed at the tap behind the bar. “The developers buried toxic material…” he said, “They had developments all over this town so it’s pretty much everywhere… and it’s been leaching into the water for decades.” He lifted his bottle of beer and took a gulp. “You’re much safer drinking this” he said.

“And no-one’s doing anything about it?!” he asked, shaking his head angrily, “I mean, they’re just letting people get sick?!”

“No-one’s doing anything yet” he said, giving him a knowing little smile, “But I can promise you… That’s about to change!”

“Well, if there’s anything we can do, just let me know” said Kyle. He turned and caught sight of Brody as he walked through the restaurant door looking decidedly flustered. “You can meet my mate Brody” he said, motioning to the barman to get him three more beers and rolling his eyes at Aden, “He’s doing his nut about his new menu…”

“Hey” said Brody, giving a tired sigh as he picked up one of the beers, “You and Billie still set for tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, course” said Kyle, laughing a little as he took in Brody’s stressed facial expression, “You’re really nervous about this whole thing, aren’t you?!”

“Wouldn’t you be?!” he asked, puffing out a big breath and running his fingers through his hair, “I have to make this thing work! I’m putting my reputation on the line.”

“Oooh… Your ‘reputation’?” teased Kyle, speaking in a high-pitched  voice and elbowing him in a playful way, “You really need to take yourself a bit less seriously, mate! …I mean… It’s only food!”

“Only food?!” exclaimed Brody, frowning at him and flushing a little red with anger, “You know how important this is!” He looked at the smile on Kyle’s face, and the knowing glances between him and the young stranger sitting beside him at the bar, and rolled his eyes. “And you’re just winding me up, aren’t you?!”

“You have to admit, you make it pretty easy” teased Kyle, with a little smirk on his face.

“Okay, okay!” groaned Brody, shaking his head and laughing a little as he took a drink from his bottle of beer, “Point taken.”

“This is Aden” said Kyle, putting his hand on Aden’s shoulder, “He uh… he used to live here… He’s a friend of Irene’s… A lawyer.”

“Oh, good to meet you, mate” said Brody, sticking out his hand with a little smile, “I’m Brody Morgan”

“Aden Jefferies” said Aden, shaking hands with him.  “So… um…” he asked, “You’re opening a restaurant or something?”

“No, I’m changing the menu” said Brody, shaking his head at him, “I uh… I run Salt. It’s fine dining fusion style food…and… uh… I’m launching a blind event… a sort of multi-sensory experience.”

“Sounds interesting” said Aden, looking quite impressed, “So like… a restaurant in the dark then?”

“Yeah, but with blackout glasses” he said, with a self-satisfied little smile, “and other multi-sensory stuff” He gave a little shrug and raised his eyebrows at him. “I’m having a private tasting tomorrow night actually… Trying out the new menu… Why don’t you come?”

“Uh…” stammered Aden, looking pretty surprised, “Uh… Are you sure?”

“Yeah, sure, why not?” he asked, “I’m looking for honest opinions… You’ve probably dined in some swish restaurants in your time? Big city dweller and all that… You can give me an outsider’s opinion.”

“I guess… yeah…” he said, shrugging and giving a little nod, “Happy to help!” Just then, he saw a flash of long blonde hair as a girl walked through the door of the restaurant. She was very striking in her form-fitting red dress and he couldn’t help thinking that she was beautiful. He felt a little guilty about it, as though he was being unfaithful to Belle in some way, but he couldn’t deny that she was stunning. How different her attitude was tonight, though?! Gone was the scowl. Now she was laughing her head off, flashing her perfect white smile, and linking on the arms of two tall young men as they made their way across the floor. He watched her with admiration as she threw her head back and laughed loudly, before taking a seat at one of the booth tables. Slowly a cheeky little grin crept across his face and he turned back to Brody. “Can I bring someone?” he asked.

 

*****

 

“So…” said Maddy, tilting her head at the two boys sitting opposite her with a mischievous sort of smile, “How did you two meet?” She’d insisted that Jett and Kevin sit on one side of the booth, and her on the other. It didn’t seem right any other way.

“Um… we’ve been partners for a couple of months” said Kevin, glancing at Jett and giving him a nervous little smile. It had taken a lot to persuade Kevin to come out with Jett and Maddy tonight. He really couldn’t understand why Maddy had wanted him there in the first place, or why Jett had been so willing to ruin his date with this stunningly good looking girl by inviting him along as a spare part. It was a pretty weird set up no matter what way you looked at it. Jett had had to bribe him to come, and agreed to do all the house cleaning for the next month. “I transferred in from Western Australia about five months ago” he said, “…and then Jett got a transfer from the city… So I guess…” He looked at Jett and gave a little shrug, “About four months, yeah?”

“Yeah, about that” nodded Jett, giving Maddy a little smile, and desperately hoping that she wouldn’t see how nervous he was. His stomach was tying itself in knots and he could feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Why was he such a mess, he wondered?!

“Only four months and you’re already living together?!” asked Maddy, looking at them in surprise, “I thought maybe you’d transferred in together… like maybe you’d already been together back in the city?! I didn’t realise this was all so new?!”

“Oh no…” said Jett, shaking his head at her, “We actually know each other quite a while… We did police training together so Kev and I go way back.”

“Ohhh… I see!” she said, tilting her head at them and thinking ‘How sweet is that?! They’ve been one of those ‘on again, off again’ couples… and now they’re finally together!’ She thought that they looked quite good together. Kevin was just as tall as Jett, but he was a little more ruggedly masculine than him, in a lumberjack kind of way. He had fair hair and a beard, and was dressed in a way that was maybe more hipster than lumberjack, but it was a nice constrast to Jett’s more clean cut and polished look. They were a good looking couple, she thought, and they balanced each other well. She giggled at herself a little when she caught herself wondering what their kids would look like, and swapping their facial features in her head. “It’s nice that you could both get a job here” she said, smiling at them sweetly, “You know, so you could be together.”

“Yeah” said Kevin, giving Jett a puzzled sort of look, “I mean… Jett and I always got on so I guess it’s worked out pretty well…” He picked up his beer and took a gulp. “So, Maddy?” he asked, looking at her with genuine interest, “Jett tells me you just got back from London? What were doing over there?”

“Bit of a sore subject” said Jett, giving Maddy a sympathetic little smile, “I don’t think Maddy really wants to talk about that.”

“It’s okay” shrugged Maddy, giving Kevin a bitter little smile, “I wasted two whole years of my life over there… That’s what I was doing!” She forced a laugh and began to pick at the sodden beermat on the table in front of her, “I wasted two years on a total jerk who cheated on me with my best friend… And I didn’t even know… I didn’t see what was right under my nose… In my apartment for God’s sake! ...I mean… How pathetic is that?!”

Kevin gave a little huff of surprise. “He’s an idiot” he assured her, shaking his head in wonder, “Any guy that let you get away from him must have rocks in his head.”

Jett glanced at his friend with a sudden flash of jealousy. Kevin was always a lot better with the ladies than he was and he was struck with the horrible possibility that he and Maddy might hit it off. He might have effectively acted as their matchmaker! “Yeah… That’s what I’ve been telling her!” said Jett, turning to give her a sympathetic little smile again, “She can do a lot better than that guy!”

“Aww thanks!” she said, blushing a little and laughing, “You guys are always so nice! I could really do with some nice guy friends in my life right now.” 

Kevin gave her a quizzical look wondering if she had even the slightest inkling that Jett was head over heels about her. ‘Friends’ she’d said. Was there anything worse than that when you were looking for something more?! That word was like a kick in the nuts every single time. This girl was more than a little confusing, he thought. He glanced at Jett sitting on his side of the table, and started to think about the way that Maddy had been behaving towards them, and the questions that she’d been asking, and suddenly two plus two made four. She thought that he and Jett were gay! ‘Oh this is too funny!’ he thought to himself, ‘I can have some fun with this!’ He lifted his beer and took a sip, coughing a little in a desperate attempt to stifle his laughter. Things had suddenly become so clear, but from the puppy dog eyes that Jett was currently making at Maddy, it was clear that his partner hadn’t twigged what was wrong yet. “Oh well, that’s us” said Kevin, giving Jett a little smile and putting his arm around the back of his chair, “Always happy to listen.”

Maddy nodded and stared down at the beermat on the table with a little sigh, “He’s having a baby with her” she said, blinking back a few tears, “She got pregnant deliberately to trap him and he fell for it…”

“Well, isn’t he the idiot, then?!” said Kevin, shaking his head at her, “You’re still so young… I mean… You don’t want to be tied down with a baby yet, do you?! He’s going to be elbow deep in dirty nappies… a kid screaming the house down… They’ll end up hating each other!”

She forced a little laugh and nodded her head at him. “So… you don’t want kids?” she asked, glancing between the two of them, “I mean… Is it something you’ve ever talked about?”

“No… I don’t think we have ever talked about that” said Kevin, turning and smiling sweetly at Jett, who gave him a bemused look in return. “I mean… I know I’d like to have kids eventually… at some stage… Not right now though.” He gazed at Jett in a way that he hoped would convince Maddy of her mistake even more. “What about you, J?” he asked, “Now that we’re opening up about this kind of stuff… Do you see yourself with kids in the future… Daddy J?”

Jett gave a little snort and shook his head at him. This was the most that Kevin had ever talked about his hopes and aspirations, as far as Jett could remember at least. Normally their conversation revolved around the footie scores, and tales of Kevin’s much more successful exploits with the women of Yabbie Creek. He was usually pretty crude, and he certainly wasn’t one for deep and meaningful chats! Jett glanced at Maddy with an embarrassed little smile and shrugged. “Yeah… I do want to be a dad” he said, nodding slowly, “But I guess, I kind of always saw myself like John… a foster dad… I was so lost when I was a little kid… If John and Gina hadn’t stepped in when they did, I dread to think what would have happened to me.” He lifted his beer and took a drink, hoping to catch his breath and calm his nerves. He always found himself talking in a slightly breathless sort of way when he was speaking to Maddy because he genuinely just forgot to breathe. “I guess…” he continued, “I guess, I’d like to give some other little kid the same opportunity that I got… You know, try and change their lives for the better?” He glanced sideways at Kevin who was biting his bottom lip and trying not to burst out laughing. “What?!” asked Jett, blushing a little red with embarrassment, “You think that’s over-sentimental?”

“Not at all!” said Kevin, patting Jett on the hand in a slightly camp way, “I think you have such a beautiful heart, Jett Palmer! …I know I don’t say this kind of stuff all that much… but if you wanted to foster, I would absolutely support you in that… 100%!”

Jett furrowed his brow and wondered what on earth had gotten into Kevin tonight. This was not the beer-swilling, football playing jock that he’d known for the last couple of years. Was it Maddy?! Was she somehow unlocking a more sensitive side to his friend that he’d never seen before? He wasn’t sure that he liked it. “Uh… thanks” said Jett, giving him a nervous sort of half-smile.

“That’s so beautiful!” sighed Maddy, sitting with her elbow on the table and her head resting in her hand. She was gazing up at them both with total admiration. “I think… I think that’s amazing! …I mean… Foster parents can just change a kid’s life completely! I was so lucky with Roo… She just… She rescued me and Spencer… She saved us!” She reached across the table and took hold of Jett’s hand and gave it a little squeeze. “I think you’ll be a fantastic foster father!” she said, flashing them both a big smile, “That’s gonna be one incredibly lucky little kid!”

Maddy picked up her glass of wine and gazed around the room a little sadly. Being with such a solid and loved-up couple was just making her feel even more alone. She wanted someone in her life that truly loved her. She wanted to be able to make plans with someone and think about building a future and a family together. She wanted kindness and tenderness. She wanted what Jett and Kevin had! Was that too much to ask?! She glanced from face to face, wondering if that one special guy was out there somewhere, just waiting for her. Was he watching her now? Turning back to Jett and Kevin, she gave a sad little sigh, and picked up the menu. “You guys want dessert?” she asked, feeling a little relieved that she didn’t really have anyone to impress right now and thinking that she might just try to eat away her sorrows, “I just want to stuff my face!”

 

*****

 

Roo stood for a moment and stared out across the beach towards the horizon. It was such a beautiful day, with a glorious blue sky, and the sun was shining down softly on her face. She took a deep breath of sea air and gave a happy little sigh. Life was good! She turned to look at Matt, who was carrying Alfie on his shoulders, and gave them both a huge smile. “Shall we?” she asked, turning the pram in the direction of the diner and tucking the pink crocheted blanket gently around the baby, “I think Sophie wants to meet everyone!”

Matt lifted Alfie off his shoulders and set him down on the ground beside him, taking his little hand in his, as he leaned in for a moment to give Roo a kiss. “Okay… let’s go then!” he said, grinning from ear to ear, “Leah and Irene are waiting for us… and I’m pretty sure there’s a slice of cake with Alfie’s name on it!”

They started to walk along the beachfront towards the diner. She couldn’t stop smiling. She gazed down at the chubby little body in the pram in front of her, with her round little belly so full of milk, rising up and down as she breathed. She had a pink and white complexion, quite different to Alfie’s, and more like an English rose. She was wearing a hat now, but her perfect little head had a light covering of soft dark hair, and she had gorgeous white-tipped fingernails on each dainty little finger. They’d dressed her in a pink and white striped baby grow, a pale pink hat, and Leah had given them the crocheted baby blanket as a gift. She was a vision of loveliness, a truly beautiful baby! Roo was head over heels in love with her, convinced that she was the most beautiful baby that anyone had ever seen, and she just couldn’t stop kissing her velvety soft skin. She gazed down at little Alfie as he swung from Matt’s arm and gave him a little smile. She had such a beautiful family! How had this happened, she wondered?! How had Roo Stewart found herself with two of the most gorgeous children on the face of the planet?! At her age?! Who could ever have imagined it?! She glanced at Matt, as he gazed lovingly at her, and she wondered how she’d managed to bag herself such a good and kind man?! She was proud to be Mrs Page! He was everything that she’d ever wanted in a partner, and more! It had only taken her half a century to find happiness…

They arrived at the door to the diner and she gave Matt a nervous little smile as she parked the pram. She knew that everyone was waiting inside to meet the newest addition to the Page family and they were all very excited. She wasn’t supposed to know that it was a surprise party but Matt had been acting strangely all morning and she’d guessed that something was up. Matt gave her a little smile and lifted Sophie into his arms, laying her softly against his chest, and rubbing her back to soothe her. He nodded at Roo to go inside. She took a deep breath, before reaching for Alfie’s chubby little hand, and the two of them walked through the door in front of Matt and the baby.

“Surprise!” yelled a sea of smiling faces. There must have been fifty people gathered inside and there were gifts piled high on every surface. This was the baby shower that she hadn’t got to have because she’d gone into labour early.

“Oh my God!” gasped Roo, doing her best to act surprised and putting her hand on her heart to make her shock seem real. “You guys!” she scolded, shaking her head in mock disapproval at Leah and Irene, as she took in the crowds of friends and family, “You didn’t have to do this!”

“We wanted to!” said Leah, walking over with open arms and throwing them around Roo, “We just thought we’d get everyone together and celebrate your new little bub!” She rocked her from side to side in a warm embrace and said, “I’m just so happy for you! Another little baby to love!”

Matt nodded to her that he was going to take Sophie to the bathroom for a moment because she needed her nappy changed, and she gave him a grateful little smile.

“I know… Sometimes I can’t quite believe it!” she said, hugging Irene and laughing a little incredulously.

“Oh Darl! I can’t wait to meet this little one!” exclaimed Irene, pulling away from the hug and stroking Roo’s hair behind her ear, “And you are just glowing, girlie! I’ve never seen you look more beautiful!”

“Thanks Irene!” said Roo, blushing a little and smiling from ear to ear, “I’ve never been so happy in my whole life!” Irene pulled her in for another little hug and they both laughed. Suddenly she saw Duncan smiling at her from across the room. “Oh my God! Duncan’s here!” she exclaimed, as she pulled away from Irene and ran to give him a hug, “I can’t believe you came!”

“Course I came!” said Duncan, giving her a sort of bear hug and lifting her off the floor, “As if I’d miss meeting my little niece!”

She gradually made her way around the room saying hello to everyone and giving out hugs and kisses. She’d never felt more loved. Then came the moment for everyone to meet Sophie. She sat down on one of the chairs and watched as Matt came back from the bathroom, with a freshly changed baby Sophie, and gently placed her in her arms.  She looked up at all the smiling faces and turned Sophie around on her lap to let them all see her. Supporting her little chest with one hand she gently removed her little hat and beamed up at all her friends and family.

There was a stunned silence for a moment. Then there were a few whispers. She looked around the faces with a look of confusion as the expressions on their faces had changed from joyful celebration to confusion and bemusement. “What’s wrong?” she asked, sounding wounded and gazing down at the little baby in her arms.

“Is this… is this a joke, Darl?” asked Irene, looking at her in concern. “I mean… where’s the… where’s the real baby?”

“The real baby?” repeated Roo, staring up at Irene with eyes full of hurt. “I don’t… I don’t understand…” she stammered, “This… this is my baby!”

“But… love?” said Irene, glancing at the others in the room as they began to snigger and point, “Love… that’s not a baby…”

Roo looked at the baby in her arms and took hold of her soft little fingers in her own hand. Every little finger was perfect just like they’d always been. Her skin was soft and pink and perfect. What was wrong with these people?! Why were they being so cruel?! Her eyes began to fill with tears and she turned the baby back towards her and pulled her in protectively against her chest. “I think… I think… We’ll just go now” she said, getting hurriedly to her feet and looking around for Matt and Alfie.

“But Darl?!” reasoned Irene, moving towards her in a way that seemed a little menacing, “Darl… you know in your heart that that isn’t… well, that it isn’t really a baby!” She made a move to snatch the baby from her arms but Roo managed to dodge out of the way.

“Get off me!” she shouted, trying to push her way through the crowds towards the door and cradling Sophie in her arms as protectively as she could. “Don’t you dare touch my baby!” she shouted as hands reached out to her from all directions. “Matt!” she shouted, desperately trying to see where he’d gone, “Matt! Please?! I need you! Where are you?!”

Suddenly Leah stepped in front of her and began to laugh. It was a cold and cruel sounding laughter. Nothing at all like the way that Leah normally laughed. A chill ran down her spine when she noticed the shiny black surfaces that had replaced Leah’s soft brown eyes. Her skin was a strange translucent shade of grey too and she could just about make out the purple veins pulsing below the surface. “That’s not a baby” hissed Leah, in a voice that was completely unrecognisable, “Look for yourself!”

Roo looked down and gave a scream. She was holding a white cat. Its limp and lifeless little body was pressed against her bosom. How long had it been dead?! She could smell the unmistakable reek of rotting flesh and as she peered closer she noticed the tiny maggots writhing in its fur. Her heart gave a terrible thump as the truth of the situation hit her full force. This wasn’t her baby! It was a dead cat! She was holding a dead cat, and someone, some sicko, had dressed it in her baby’s clothes! “Where’s my baby?!” she howled, dropping the cat to the floor in disgust and staring frantically around the room for Matt, “Where is she?! What have you done to her?!” All she could see was a sea of grey and ugly faces, and they were staring at her with black inhuman eyes. They were laughing at her! “Matt?!” she screamed at the top of her lungs as she pushed her way through the jeering crowd, “Matt?! Alfie?!”

“Yes, mummy?” said a little voice and she felt a tugging on her sleeve, “Mummy?! What’s wrong?”

She looked down and let out a blood curdling scream. There was the spider-like alien that she’d seen in her little shack all those years ago. Only this one was a third of its size. The same octopus-like flesh undulating across the floor as she backed away from it. The same black filmed eyes, and pearlescent skin tone… “Get off me!” she screamed at it as it tugged at her sleeve, and followed her through the crowd, “Leave me alone!”

“Roo?!” shouted Matt, crouching beside her on the floor, “Roo! It’s okay! You’re just dreaming! Wake up!” He gave her shoulder another shake, hoping that this one might do the trick and glanced at Alf with fear-filled eyes. It didn’t work. He gave Alf a shrug and took something small out of his pyjama pocket. He really wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not, but anything was worth a try, he supposed. They’d been trying in vain to wake her up for ten minutes now but she just wasn’t coming round. He didn’t know what was happening in that head of hers, but whatever it was, she was more frightened than he’d ever seen her. She’d actually wet herself, and that had been a first! She’d been shouting so loudly that she’d woken the whole house up. Alf had come rushing in just like the last time but he hadn’t been able to get her to wake up this time. Maddy had offered to take Alfie next door and try to keep him calm so at least there was that. The shouting had stopped now. He and Alf looked at each other and shook their heads as they watched her hugging her arms around her knees, and rocking back and forth. She was such a pitiful sight. Matt showed Alf the little whistle that he held in his hand and gave a questioning sort of shrug. “Whaddya think?” he asked, looking decidedly nervous.

“Try it” sighed Alf, kneeling in front of his daughter, “Can’t be any worse than this.”

Roo sat in her tiny darkened cell, leaning against the wall, and feeling the hum of the engines vibrating through her body. Where were they taking her? Why were they doing this?! She glanced at the small bowl of strange and unrecognisable food on the floor and kicked it over with her foot. She wasn’t going to eat whatever that stuff was! They could take her prisoner but she was not going to let them keep her here like some sort of pet! She was going to go on hunger strike until they took her home again! Home to her husband and her babies! She wasn’t going to be anyone’s slave!

Suddenly a siren sounded and her heart began to beat really fast in her chest. What was happening?! What were they going to do to her now?! There it was again! That strange siren, ringing out through the darkness! That was when she heard it! “Roo! Wake up!” came a voice that she knew, “Just open your eyes, Roo! It’s just a dream! Wake up!”

“Matt!” she exclaimed, staring up at him in shock as her heart pounded in her chest. She realised in an instant that she was back in her bedroom. The whole thing had been one horrible dream! She put her hand on her tummy and gave a little sigh when she realised that she was still pregnant. She looked up at the figures in front of her. Her father and her boyfriend were both sitting on the floor with her and they were looking at her with a level of love and concern that she’d rarely seen before. She felt guilty for scaring them like this. “What’s happening?!” she asked, becoming vaguely aware of how wet and uncomfortable she was, “What did I do this time?!”

“You were having a nightmare" said Matt, softly, caressing the side of her face and tilting his head at her in pity, “More of a night terror really… We couldn’t wake you up.”

“I’m sorry!” she sighed, hanging her head and looking ashamed of herself, “I don’t know what is wrong with me!” She shook her head at herself in an embarrassed sort of way and blushed red with shame as she looked up at Matt. “I think… I think I wet myself?” she said, covering her face with her hand, “I’m so sorry… I’m a disaster!”

“Hey” said Matt, putting his hand under her chin to lift her eyes towards his, “You have nothing to be sorry for…” He started to pull her to her feet and glanced at Alf in a way that told him to give them some space. Alf gave a little nod and headed downstairs to get her a glass of water. “C’mon…” said Matt, putting his arm around her back to support her as she wobbled to her feet, “We’ll get you cleaned up.”

“My legs feel like jelly” she said, holding onto him tightly as she shook in his arms. “I’m so sorry” she said again, as they made their way out towards the bathroom. Out in the more harshly lit hallway she looked down at her nightdress and stopped in her tracks. “Matt?!” she said, widening her eyes at him in horror, “I’m bleeding!”

[Red Ranger 1]

Maddy gushing over her "gay" friend while Kevin stirs the pot and Jett remains completely oblivious had me laughing out loud.Mind you, I'm increasingly wondering if Aden might be a serious rival...

Alf made a few below the belt comments but does seem to be trying his best to accept the situation.Roo's nightmare was scary but then that last bit was truly gut-wrenching...It'd be very cruel if she loses the baby after all that.

[Ludub]

10 minutes ago, Red Ranger 1 said:

Maddy gushing over her "gay" friend while Kevin stirs the pot and Jett remains completely oblivious had me laughing out loud.Mind you, I'm increasingly wondering if Aden might be a serious rival...

Alf made a few below the belt comments but does seem to be trying his best to accept the situation.Roo's nightmare was scary but then that last bit was truly gut-wrenching...It'd be very cruel if she loses the baby after all that.

Thanks Red! Wanted to inject a bit of comedy into this otherwise dark story. Poor Jett! what a disastrous date, eh?!  Roo and Matt are having a terrible time of it really, and Alf really needs to cut them a lot more slack, but I think it's fairly true to character that he would blow his top first and talk reasonably second. So glad you enjoyed it! x

[KittCatt]

Great chapter!

Poor Roo!  What a nightmare! And now she might miscarry.. Things aren't really getting any better are they?! I liked that Alf eventually calmed down and tried to talk as rationally as he could to Roo and Matt about the new baby. This is a lot to get your head around, but as usual he shows how opinionated he can be. And not in a good way..

Kevin catching on and playing along with what was going on was hilarious. While Jett and Maddy continue to be absolutely oblivious

Liked Aden and Kyle. And Brody too. Really enjoying the cancer-cluster developments (though I'm certainly not enjoying people getting cancer of course..). Wonder how Brody's private tasting is going to go.

Looking forward to more!