Shadow of the Day

[pembie]

I really do think it is Landon that Brax is seeing in his dreams. It's nice that he is getting support from Ruby without knowing it's her.

It might be good for Bianca and Liam to have this little girl for a while to see how they cope.

[mizziette]

FORTY TWO

The girl hadn’t spoken since she was found wandering by herself. She hadn’t spoken when she sat in the children’s offices waiting to hear her fate. Not when Valerie dropped her off with Bianca and Liam and not the next morning at the breakfast table at the beach house.

‘Would you like some more waffles, Jane?’ The cheery woman called Bianca asked her. Her name was Jane Doe. She looked like she was six or seven, or so they guessed. No one knew. Jane stared at her impassively.

Bianca smiled and bent down to her level at the breakfast table. ‘That’s okay. You probably don’t have much of an appetite, huh? You can go watch TV if you like. We have cable.’

Jane looked at her for a second longer before quietly getting out of her seat, pushing her chair in and walking over to the couch to watch TV. Bianca took the half empty breakfast plates and headed to the kitchen.

‘The little one still not talking, is she?’ Irene asked.

‘No. she didn’t eat very much either.’ Bianca sighed as she put the girl’s scraps in the bin. ‘She probably misses her family.’

‘You’re probably right love.’ Irene assured her. ‘Telling us who her family is would go a long way to getting her back there though.’

‘Yeah, Heath said he’d bring some old clothes of Darcy’s which might fit her later today.’ Bianca smiled as she fiddled with the coffee machine. ‘It’s crazy. I’ve been trying to have a child for nearly four years and one phone call and I get a grown one for the weekend.’

‘For the record, I think you’re doing a really special thing here. Take it from someone who’s had her fair share of fostering. Taking in strays can bring you a whole world of joy.’

‘I’m not exactly accredited to be a foster parent. Valerie said this isn’t exactly protocol.’

‘It’s still something special, giving that poor little girl a home. Who knows what would’ve happened to her. You should be proud of yourself.’ Irene coughed uncontrollably.

‘Irene, are you alright?’ Bianca asked. She patted the woman’s back as Irene went into a coughing fit. She grabbed a glass and used her free hand to fill it up at the sink. ‘Here, drink some water.’

‘Tha…Uh…Thanks, love,’ Irene struggled to get the words out between her coughs and took a sip of the cold fluid.

Bianca put a hand to her forehead. ‘Irene, you’re burning up. Maybe you should…’

Irene brushed it away and began walking out. ‘I’m fine. You don’t worry about me. I’ll go have a little rest before work.’

As Irene left to go upstairs, Bianca sighed and resumed what she was doing. After making her cup of coffee, she went to the living area as she held the cup in both hands. Little Jane Doe was sitting silently watching Rug rats Montana. Cautiously, she sat next to her.

‘Hey there, you like Rug rats? It’s pretty cool.’ Bianca greeted her but was met with silence. ‘It was my favourite when I was your age. I didn’t think they showed it much anymore.’

Of course Bianca didn’t really know the girl’s age. ‘Do you like the beach? I thought maybe if you’re up for it, we could go for a little while. It’s supposed to be a nice calm day. If you know how to swim, I’m sure we can rustle up some swimming clothes. Only if you want to though, if not, we’ve always got Rug rats.’

The girl bit her lip and pondered for a while before nodding slowly. And then she was impassive again.

‘Great, I think I’ll go take a shower. My sister April’s right down the hall if you need anything, okay Jane?’

The girl winced. She hated being called Jane. It wasn’t her name some small part of her knew that it was because they didn’t know what else to call her and it was partly her fault for not telling them. Ever since they’d found her, she’d opened her mouth at least twenty times to tell these people what happened but every time something stopped her. No sound would come out. And trusting outsiders wasn’t natural to her. So she said nothing.

‘You don’t like that, do you?’ Bianca noticed the wince and felt bad. ‘I’m sorry. I just don’t know what else to call you. I know you don’t really feel like talking right now but do you know how to write? Maybe you could write your name.’

Bianca put a scrap receipt from the mess on the coffee table and a stray pen and placed them together in front of her new ward. She didn’t move so Bianca just smiled and stood up. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

Ten minutes later, Bianca stepped out of the bathroom after her shower to find Jane in the same spot. Sighing as she dried her hair, she moved and sat quietly next to her on the couch. Then she noticed something was different. The back of the receipt had childish scribble over it. It was a name; Reed.

After going to Charlie’s grave on the night of Grant’s death, Brax decided to take the short cut home through the beach. It was a windy night and he was starting regret not opting for a jacket on his way out of the house. He was in a rush to get home but when he heard the shouting, Brax felt obligated to check out the commotion.

‘I don’t want you in my life, how many times do I have to make myself clear!’ Ruby flung her flaying hands at Grant and seeing this, Brax immediately ran towards them.

‘Hey!’ Brax shouted and grabbed Grant by the back of his collar just as Grant grabbed Ruby’s wrists to stop her blows. Ruby winced at the iron grip. Brax hissed in the attacker’s ear. ‘You want to let go of her or am I going to have to make you?’

Brax’ nails digging into Grant’s neck were enough incentive to make him let go. Grinning, Grant stubbornly increased his grip on Ruby before letting go abruptly. Ruby was flung backwards and rubbed her wrist.

‘Long time no see, Brax,’ Grant smirked but groaned when Brax’ nails dug deeper into him, letting blood. Brax flung him to the sand in one stealthy push and he struggled up. ‘Ever the thug, your mother really should have told you not to play with your fists.’

Brax pulled Ruby behind him. ‘It seems to me someone should have told you the same thing. I thought I told you to leave. You clearly haven’t got the message.’

‘I can be a stubborn bloke,’

‘Maybe I didn’t make myself clear enough the last time I beat the crap out of you. I’ll be more specific this time around.’ Brax took a step forward.

‘Brax, don’t.’ Ruby put her hand on Brax’ shoulder but he pushed it away. Ruby wiped a tear and stepped in front of him, placing a halting hand on his chest. ‘Please, it’s not worth it.’

‘Charlie wouldn’t be too happy would she? I don’t really know what she sees in you. She’s into the intelligent types,’ Grant mockingly added to Ruby’s argument.

Brax had just nearly witnessed his daughter nearly drown, said a very painful good bye to Charlie and absolutely did not have the tolerance for another bump in the road. His patience was fading.

Despite Ruby’s protests, Brax flung himself at Grant but Ruby was in the middle trying to stop it. She knew no good would come of it and Grant was expecting it. He grabbed Ruby by the neck and held her there. Her screams became lost in the rough thunder of the waves.

Brax put his arms up in concern. ‘Come on, bad move. Just let her go, eh.’

Grant held Ruby’s neck in a strangle daring to squeeze. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against Brax fist to fist. ‘You let me go,’

‘Alright, alright, I won’t lay a hand on ye,’ Brax agreed. ‘Now come on,’

Grant looked at his daughter’s fearful face intently. ‘You really want that brute to be your daddy?’

‘Just let me go, please,’ Ruby gasped.

The second Grant eased his grip on her neck; Grant got rammed with an elbow. Ruby screamed angrily and flung her elbow back and pushed him well out of the way until he groaned in pain.

Stumbling back, Grant was overcome with anger and flung himself at Ruby. Ruby pushed against his chest and the two ended up brawling on the sand. Brax grabbed Grant by the shirt to pull him away but tripped over a rock and fell. Before he could get back to help Ruby, Grant was already up and ready for revenge.

‘I’m disappointed in you. I thought you were a good girl,’ Grant rubbed the spot on his chest where he’d been elbowed. He took a step forward and Ruby in a flurry, grabbed the first thing she could to protect herself. The two of them fought over the thick branch and Ruby stumbled back over a rock. She lost her balance and lost grip of the branch falling onto the sand. The abrupt lack of resistance on the branch made Grant fall too.

Brax rushed to Ruby’s side and helped her up. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Can we go home please?’

‘Yeah honey. Come on,’ Ruby had tears in her eyes and Brax took her by the shoulders and led the way to the car park. Neither of them took a second glance at Grant Bledcoe but they heard groaning. It wasn’t until they were long gone that the groaning stopped.

‘Thanks for doing this, eh. I know it means a lot to Jade.’ Brax told Ruby as they waited. She was wearing a pink structured dress at Jade’s request. ‘You look beautiful,’

‘Um, thanks.’ Ruby fidgeted with her clutch awkwardly. Ever since she started doing her community service assignments at the crisis centre, she didn’t know how to act around Brax given what he had unwittingly confided in him. Aloof wasn’t quite as easy as before but friendliness was even harder; Ruby didn’t know if she could forget all the heartache that had been caused by Brax’ former lifestyle. She was at a cross roads.

‘Jade’s been excited about the dance since about four this morning. She’s been on hyper all day.’ Brax tried to make conversation to the reluctant guest. ‘She’ll tire out the second she gets home if we’re lucky.’

‘Yeah, probably,’ Ruby sighed. The dance was set to end around eight that night; right in time for Jade’s bedtime.

‘Ruby, daddy, close your eyes!’ Jade called out from the hallway. Ruby and Brax smiled at each other before doing as they were asked.

‘Alright, they’re closed.’ Brax told her.

‘And Ruby,’

‘Mine too, honey.’ Ruby assured her.

Jade smiled gleefully and bit her lip as she patted down her skirt and entered the living area. ‘Okay, you open them now.’

As her family opened their eyes, Jade nervously twirled for them holding her full skirt at the side with each hand. At the waist of her pale pink dress was a white flower. She bit her lip shyly, ‘Do I look pretty daddy?’

‘Beautiful,’ Brax assured her.

‘Come here gorgeous girl, let me look at you,’ Jade ran over to Ruby and she twirled her around. ‘Wow, did your dad get you this dress? Your dad surely can’t have such great taste in clothes.’

‘I do alright for myself,’ Brax scratched his head defensively.

‘Daddy does alright sometimes.’ Jade defended him and dreamily twirled around shyly. ‘Auntie Cheryl took me shopping.’

‘She won’t acknowledge I have a daughter but she’ll take her shopping.’ Brax scoffed. It had taken him a while to accept that his mother would never accept Jade completely.

Ruby ignored the comment. ‘Well I think it’s time I take the princess to the ball.’

‘You look pretty Ruby.’ Jade gleamed as she took her hand. ‘Now we both wear pink.’

‘Yes, we do,’ Ruby walked her out to the door. ‘Say bye dad,’

‘Bye dad,’ Jade waved.

‘Have fun,’ Brax smiled as the girls went to the mother daughter dance together.

When they left, Brax sighed and glanced around the empty house. He walked over to the fridge and pulled out a beer before settling himself onto the couch in front of the TV to watch “Deal or no Deal” and pigging out on nachos. It was just another day for Brax. It was yet another night all alone with just the TV, a bottle of beer and his mandatory bowl of junk food. His was a lonely existence.

[Inactive User]

Great chapter

Did it sound like Brax and Ruby killed Grant together...??

Hope the mother-daughter dance goes well for Ruby and Jade

More soon please xx

[soph1303]

Great update,

It sounds to me like either they killed grant together without realizing it was them who killed him, or someone else came back and finished him off ....

If ruby is at crossroads, I hope she turns in the right direction, which is forgiving Brax !!

Hope ruby and jade have a good time at the dance !!

More soon please

[Freakie42]

Awesome!

[RoRo90]

Great Chapter... loved all of it

I am hopeful that Ruby will drop her barriers with Brax soon

I hope it wasn't Ruby and Brax that killed grant unknowingly although I doubt it ... I feel there is a twist somewhere ( I hope so )

update soon so enjoying this fic

[mizziette]

Thanks for the comments, just a short one...

FORTY THREE

‘I just want to run away from all this drama,’ Ruby moaned as she sat on Elle’s bed and hugged a purple cushion. ‘Seriously, the only good thing about all this is Jade. We went to this mother daughter dance at her music school the other week and it

was just so great to just hang out with her. She’s still raving on about how much fun she had, probably driving Brax crazy.’

‘That sounds like fun.’ Elle smiled.

‘It was.’ Ruby smiled back and it disappeared quickly. ‘It’s the only fun I’m having right now. Except for Xavier, he’s been such a rock lately. I’ve got so much chaos in my life, it’s like it never ends. I can’t go out or drink anymore because of the good behaviour conditions; I have therapy, community service, Brax and the cops on my back.’

‘Sobriety sucks.’ Elle sympathised. ‘I can’t wait until this thing gets out of me and I’m done with community service so I can drink again.’

‘Yeah,’ Ruby wasn’t sure she felt the same way anymore. So much had changed in the last half year it wasn’t as easy to go back to the way she used to be. ‘I haven’t seen you in a while. How’re you feeling?’

Elle knew what she was talking about. ‘Pregnant, nauseous, like crap,’

‘Does your mum know?’

Elle shook her head. ‘It’s not like she’s home much anyway. Mum’s got this new guy; she’s been spending all her time at his place lately.’

‘If you want to talk…’ Ruby fiddled with a loose string on the cushion in her lap. ‘If you do, I’m here.’

‘Yeah, I know.’ Elle smiled. She paused while she sorted the words she was desperate to speak in her mind before asking Ruby. ‘Do the cops know what’s happening with your dad?’

‘He’s not my dad,’ Ruby clarified. ‘No, they still think it’s me.’

Elle noticed Ruby looked a little down and put a hand on top of hers. ‘Honey, what is it?’

‘It’s all such a mess.’ Ruby sobbed silently and wiped her tears away but a stray tear slipped down anyway. She looked down at her hands. ‘It’s all one big huge mess and Ella; it doesn’t look good for me.’

‘It’s going to be alright. You’ve done nothing wrong. Surely, the cops will realise that in time.’ Elle comforted her. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong,’

Ruby shook her head uncontrollably. ‘I don’t know that,’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I…just that…I don’t know.’ Ruby looked at Elle pleadingly. ‘He was alive when I left the beach. He was. He was alive, he had to be. He had to be alive. He just had to be. Elle, please,’

Ruby sounded like she was trying to convince herself. Elle couldn’t bear to see her friend in such self-doubt. She hugged the distraught girl. ‘It’s going to be okay. Of course he was.’

‘Of course he was. He had to be.’ Ruby welcomed her friend’s embrace. As Elle held Ruby in her arms on the bed, she couldn’t help but feel horrible. Her friend’s guilt only made her feel worse and there was a tight knot in her chest pulling itself tighter and tighter until Elle could barely breathe.

Elle closed her eyes as she stroked Ruby’s hair and tried to will it all away but like a bad smell, it still lingered. She pulled away.

‘Ruby,’ Elle began. ‘I have to tell you something.’

Ruby wiped her eyes and straightened. ‘Yeah,’

Elle looked at her friend and dreaded her reaction. ‘It’s nothing.’

‘Elle, you can tell me anything, you know that,’ Ruby assured. She’d just poured her heart out and it felt disappointing to find her keeping secrets. ‘Is this about the baby?’

Elle shook her head. ‘It’s not your fault,’

‘You don’t have to make me feel better.’

‘I’m not; it’s not your fault.’ Elle tried to make her understand but shook her head. She propped herself off the mattress and walked over to her phone. ‘It’s just not, okay? Just forget all about it.’

‘Elle…’ Ruby didn’t believe a word. The guilt was still within her.

‘I’m craving pizza. Do you want pepperoni?’ Elle dialled the number to Angelo’s. The conversation was over.

‘Adrian, what can I get you?’ Leah greeted Bianca’s father politely. Adrian Salvatore had become a regular customer at the diner since his arrival.

‘I’ll have a cappuccino and chocolate croissant, grazie Leah,’ Adrian pulled out his wallet. ‘To take away,’

Colleen walked past to the coffee machine and smiled dreamily. ‘Ah, Signor Salvatore, bonjour, welcome to our casa. Come stai?’

‘Sto bene signora,’ Adrian smiled warmly. ‘It’s a beautiful day.’

‘Ah, yes of course.’ Colleen nodded with a blush without understanding a single word.

‘Colleen, take this to table six, would you?’ Leah asked, handing her a plate.

‘Yes, of course.’ Colleen gleamed at Adrian for a second longer before being nudged along.

‘Sorry, here you go,’ Leah handed him the coffee cup and take away croissant. ‘Did you need anything else?’

‘No, no,’ Adrian shook her head. ‘Are you alright, Leah?’

Leah immediately smiled. ‘No, yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for asking though. Business is a little down at the moment, that’s all. It’ll get better.’

‘I hope it’s nothing too much.’ Adrian expressed his concern. ‘This is a good business you have here. Great food, great service, great owners,’

Leah smiled. ‘Thank you. I’m sure it’s just a phase. Every business has slow days. Things will pick up sooner or later.’

‘Thank you for coffee,’ Adrian smiled and headed on his way.

Leah sighed and wiped down the counter. She looked up when she noticed someone waiting for her. ‘Ruby, what’s wrong?’

‘Nothing, what makes you think that?’ Ruby tried to smile.

‘You look a little weary that’s all,’ Leah voiced her concern. ‘You’re taking care of yourself?’

‘Leah, I learnt my lesson when I collapsed. Three meals a day, lots of water, I’m all set.’ Ruby assured her. ‘That’s why I’m here. I haven’t had your renowned tuna puffs in a while.’

‘Renowned, are they?’ Leah set about packing one for her.

‘Yeah, at least it is in Summer Bay. Can I please have some coffee too?’

‘How’s Xavier?’ Leah asked as she worked. ‘I’ve been hearing certain rumours from a certain busy body.’

Ruby blushed to a hot pink. ‘He’s fine. He’s busy with work and I’ve got community service but we’re great.’

‘That’s good.’ Leah handed her the order. ‘Listen, I’m sorry about everything that’s been happening with Grant. It can’t be easy for you having all those bad memories come floating back.’

‘Yeah, well,’

‘The police will get off your back and they’ll find the real killer. I’m sure of it. Just hang in there.’

Ruby felt a pang of guilt at her confidence in her. ‘I should get to community service. It won’t do me good to be late.’

‘Of course, bye,’

[Freakie42]

Excited to find out what happened to Grant

[Inactive User]

Great chapter More soon please xx

[pembie]

Elle and Ruby's chat ended a bit strangely, with Elle telling Ruby it wasn't her fault Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very Intriguing Look forward to next chapter.