Guardian Angel

[Red Ranger 1]

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CHAPTER ELEVEN

One Month Later

“Maddy!”Cassandra called.Maddy had been in the middle of doing a patient’s obs, but the moment she was free she went over to her supervisor.

  “Yes, Cassandra?”

  “Bed two needs a bedpan.”

  Maddy didn’t make any objections.After all, she was getting most of what she wanted.“You know I’ve got the afternoon off?”

  Cassandra gave a brief harrumph.“Of course, since I authorised it.”

  “Just checking.”Maddy headed off to do the job.

  Fiona felt into step with her as she walked.“You’re lucky you’ve still got a job, you know,”she remarked, as she had done quite a few times since Maddy had come back to work.

  “I only missed a couple of days,”Maddy protested.

  “You also embarrassed a few people.And all for someone you didn’t really know.”

  Maddy gave an awkward smile.“Well…I got to know him a bit better after that.”

  “You’re telling me.Hope it goes all right for you at the hearing.”

  “Thank you.”Maddy hid her blush as she hurried away to carry out the job.

***

A prison officer showed Maddy into the room where Kyle was waiting, then left them alone.Maddy sat down at the table opposite him and took his hands with her good one.“So what happens today?”

  “Depends on what the parole board decide,”Kyle answered,“Inspector Emerson’s spoken in favour of me getting early parole, so have some of the prison authorities.The ones I didn’t get arrested, that is.”

  “And if you don’t get it?”

  “Then chances are I’m going to have another ten years in jail.There’s talk of me being moved to a different prison so at least I’ll be away from Milligan’s friends.Maybe even somewhere lower security.”

  “It’ll be harder to visit you though.”

  “Yeah.”Kyle looked serious.“Look, if things don’t go the way we want today, I’m not expecting you to wait for me or anything.”

  “It’s a good job you don’t get a say then.”

  “Come on, Maddy, we had a few days together.That’s no need to put your life on hold.”

  Maddy gave a slight smile.“Funny.That’s just what Roo and Mr.Stewart said when I told them we were seeing each other.”She became serious again.“Look, I can’t make any promises about what things will be like in ten years’ time.But right now, I’m here and I want to be with you.Okay?”

  Kyle smiled.“That’s more than okay.”He leaned across the table and kissed her softly.

  They were interrupted by the guard from before.“They’re ready for you now.”

  Kyle got to his feet and nodded to Maddy.“I’ll see you soon.I hope.”

  Maddy turned to the guard.“Where do I go?”

  “You can wait with the others.”

***

Maddy wasn’t quite sure what she’d been expecting.In truth, she hadn’t given it much thought.So it was a bit of a jolt when she went through the door that had been indicated and found herself in a room with Brax, Heath, Ricky, Bianca and April.She’d seen them a bit when she’d been dating Josh and when she’d been working at Angelo’s or the gym, but it was still a bit of a shock to find them all standing there facing her.“Is it okay to wait here?”she said nervously.

  Heath grinned.“Course.You’re one of us now.”

  Brax didn’t smile but didn’t exactly glare either.He just looked at her in the same vaguely annoyed manner he usually looked at her.“Yeah, come in.”

  Maddy edged her way around the two brothers and went and sat next to April.At least they were about the same age and she’d hung out with her in the past.“Have you any idea how this works?”

  April shrugged.“I’m a bit of a novice myself.”

  It was Ricky that answered.“If we get the result we want, then Kyle will meet us here.If we don’t, then someone will come and tell us all to go home.”

  “So how did you end up a member of the Braxton wives and girlfriends club?”Bianca asked.

  Being questioned by her old school principal was an odd experience for Maddy but she did her best to answer.“Right place, right time, I guess.”

  “Happens to us all.”

  Maddy began to relax and chat to the other three women, relating the story of her adventures with Kyle. It was slightly disconcerting that Bianca and Ricky in particular seemed to be taking it in their stride like another day at the office.Then the door opened and they all looked round.

  Kyle was standing there, grinning broadly, an expression shared by all the others.Brax and Heath pumped his arm enthusiastically while Bianca and Ricky hugged him.Then it suddenly seemed as though there was space around Maddy and him.He moved over to her and kissed her tenderly.He hugged her and she felt the warmth of his embrace.The way they’d been thrown together may have been unconventional, but what happened from now on was up to them.

  Kyle put an arm round her before turning to the others.“Come on, let’s go home.”

 

 

 

 

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