The Wheel Slowly Turns

[xsianx]

Loved it!

[Sunny Girl]

Beautiful ... You write really well, Angel Rose.

[AngelRose]

Ric got back from his walk feeling conflicted. What should he do today? Should he stay with his Granddad, join the search parties again, go to the hospital to check on Mattie, or even go to work to make sure that there was some emergency money in the house should it be needed? He wondered what Flynn would have advised him to do. He could almost hear Flynn’s voice asking:

“Who needs you most right now mate?”

Ric took a deep breath and having made up his mind headed back home for a shower before setting out.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Mattie was huddled in the furthest corner of her hospital room when the knock came on the door.

“Go away Mum!” she cried.

The door opened just a crack:

“Well, I’ll go away if you really want me to lovie, but I’m not your Mum.”

Mattie looked up surprised:

“Irene?”

“Yep; can I come in for a minute please?” The door opened a little wider.

“I don’t know; I just made you and Mum cry, Luc must think I’m an idiot and I upset Jack and Tasha. I made things worse…” Mattie dissolved into tears.

By now Irene was in the room offering Mattie her hand to help her up. Mattie took it and got to her feet, crossing to the bed as Irene spoke:

“Matilda you did NOT make things worse, I might not know much just now but I do know that. Let me ask you something Mattie?”

The young girl nodded her eyes wide with curiosity and searching Irene’s for approval.

“What do you think was happening when your Mum and me walked into that room back there; what do you think was going on?”

“I was making a complete mess of things.” Mattie sniffed forlornly.

“Ah well now Girlie that’s where you’re flat out wrong; I’m not surprised really though, after all you did have your eyes closed, no wonder you couldn’t see. I’ll tell you what I saw, shall I?” It was a rhetorical question. “I saw my Tasha quiet and calm, that grandbaby of mine behaving itself, Lucas looking flat out amazed, your Mum as proud as punch and Jack, yes Jack, with everything he’s going through, SMILING. Ok, it was a weak smile I’ll grant you, but it was a smile. So, we’ll have no more talk of making things worse, alright?”

“Are you sure Luc wasn’t terrified? I don’t have a note in my head. I don’t know why I did it.” Mattie blushed

Irene smiled and took Mattie’s hand:

“I do, you wanted to help and you did. As for carrying a tune you did fine; take it from this ‘rusty old songbird’, I’ve heard a lot worse in my time and they were getting paid for the ‘privilege’.”

“You were a singer?” Mattie looked up shocked.

Irene nodded:

“Girlie, I’d sung in every tenth rate dive between here and Adelaide ten times over before you were even born I’ll bet. That was partly how I ended up in the state that brought me to Summer Bay, but that’s another story; point is, I know a good voice when I hear one and I heard one today, whether you think so or not. Now, dry your eyes and let’s go back and show Tasha and Jack you’re ok, hmm?”

Feeling a surge of affection for her new found friend, Mattie took the tissue she was being offered and squeezed her hand:

“Ok, and Irene, thanks.”

“Any time Girlie, any time.”

[tasha7905]

Really lovely fic. Im glad Irene made Matilda see she had done a nice thing. You write really well. Cant wait for more

[Skykat]

The exchange between Irene and Matilda was so touching and you got Irene spot on, great chapter AngelRose!

[Jackieleanne]

Only just saw this story and its absolutely amazing, like Skykat has said you describe everything so well. Excellently written you capture the emotions of the characters really well I can't wait to read more of your work. In that last chapter I loved the exchange between Irene and Matilda and I also think you choose the perfect song to fit in with the story and the event that they are all going through.

[Sunny Girl]

I loved the conversation between Irene and Mattie. You have got Irene's character spot on!!!

[AngelRose]

Opening the wardrobe after his shower, Ric gasped in shock. No, surely not?! Dressing quickly and taking what he’d found with him, he hurried down the stairs only to meet a teary-eyed but smiling Cassie in the hallway:

“Look; it was in my jewellery box.” She opened out her hand to show him something. “You know I always liked it, even though it’s meant to be a man’s.”

The tears were in the corner of her eyes but they did not begin to flow until she noticed just what Ric had over his shoulder.

“Where’s Sal?” he asked unsteadily.

“On the back porch with the baby, I saw them from my window.”

Sally sat on the porch swing, waiting. As hard as this choice had been to make, it had been the first choice since Flynn’s funeral she’d been absolutely certain of. This was just right, simply as that. She looked up as she heard the screen-door open. Her eyes were bright with tears:

“Ah, you found your Dad’s presents then; good. I was going to wait until Christmas but I figured we all needed a boost at the moment. Here Cass, let me help you with that.”

With shaking fingers she fastened the watch around Cassie’s wrist.

Ric spoke up: “But Sal; Flynn’s jacket and his watch; we can’t! Surely Pip…”

Sally put up a hand to silence him:

“Ric, I hope you know we loved all three of you as our own; all of you are my children. You all have an equal right to your Dad’s things. There’ll be things for Pippa; I’ve made sure of that, don’t worry.”

(The next time Cassie helped out with the household chores she learnt what Sally meant; she found a tiny pouch under Pippa’s cot pillow and looked inside only to find both Flynn’s St. Christopher and his wedding ring). For now though all she knew was that her beloved foster-mother was still speaking to them.

“Your Dad would want this, I know he would.”

“But Sal,…” Cass looked up uncertain, “Mum?”

Sally’s heart leapt with unexpected joy. She’d thought she’d have to wait for at least year to hear that and in Pippa’s voice not Cassie’s: By now all three were crying:

“Yes Cass, I can be ‘Mum’, sometimes, if that’s what you want, ok?”

“Then thanks, ‘Mum’.”

Ric said as he tried on the jacket (it was a bit big but now wasn’t the time to notice); Sal picked up the baby and all four of them shared a tearful group hug.

[Skykat]

I know I already told you my opinion on this chapter but it doesn't hurt for you to hear my opinion again, in public.

Beautiful chapter AngelRose I LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! and yes it did make me cry.

[~Lynd~]

I loved that chapter!It was so sweet Cassie and Ric calling Sally Mum..