No Place to Call Home

[Red Ranger 1]

Thank you for the comments, JosieTash, Romeo&Indi Forever and Jarliefan!

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Maddy grimaced at the latest contraction.It probably wasn’t the best time for the knock at the door and the face appearing round it.“Thought I heard you,”Spencer commented.
Maddy gave him an awkward smile.“Long time no see.”
“Yeah.Mainly because I had no idea where you were.Then suddenly I get Jett’s brother ringing me up and telling me to come to the hospital straightaway.”
“You didn’t tell anyone, right?No-one else knows I’m here?”
Spencer looked awkward.“Well, kind of…”
“Never fear, Chris is here!”came a loud declaration as the owner of that name followed his brother into the room.
Maddy looked at Spencer, aghast.“You told him?”
“He was there when I got the call,”Spencer replied defensively,“And I needed someone who could drive.”
“Hey, no sweat,”Chris interjected,“I think what you’re doing is a beautiful thing.Ah, the circle of life.”
“He is not staying,”Maddy stated firmly.
Spencer looked at his brother.“Chris, why don’t you go and get yourself a sandwich or a hot drink?”
Chris looked slightly crestfallen.“Shouldn’t I be handing around hot towels or cigars or something?”
“I think we’ll manage without you.”Spencer ushered his brother out before looking at Maddy questioningly.
Maddy sighed.“Don’t look at me like that, okay, Spence?”
“Do you have any idea how worried everyone has been about you?”
Maddy bit her lip guiltily.“I…guess I knew they were.But I needed to do this on my own, in my own way.Come on, Spence, you know what it’s like when you’ve got people on at you all the time, thinking they know what’s best for you, wanting you to live your life a certain way.It was stifling.I had to get out.”
“So why did you call me?”
Maddy sighed.“Because you’re my oldest friend and because anyone else would complicate things, having someone who might be the father or having someone who’s going to try and talk me into coming back home.I just…”She broke off, giving a gasp of pain at another contraction.Spencer came to her side, taking her hand and rubbing her back gently until it passed.She looked at him gratefully.“You’re going to stay then?”
He gave a rueful smile.“You haven’t really given me a choice.”

By the time Chris returned to the room, Maddy was cradling her daughter in her arms, with Spencer standing behind the bed.He looked at the baby in wonder.“Wow, she is really small.You kind of don’t think how small they have to be, do you?Considering how they…”
“I think we’re reaching the point where you need to shut up,”Spencer told him.
Chris held up his hands.“Duly noted.So, you thought up a name yet?Because I have to say, can’t go wrong with Chris.”
“It’s a girl,”Spencer reminded him.
“I know.Chris, Christine, Chrissie…Christabelle?”
“I kind of like the idea of calling her Mel,”Maddy mused,“Not sure what it should be short for, though. Melissa?Melanie?Melinda?”She thought for a moment.“Melissa.”
“Welcome to the world of craziness, Melissa,”Chris greeted her.
Maddy became serious for a moment before looking at Spencer.“Do they really miss me?Roo and Mr. Stewart?”
Spencer nodded.“It’s not all that obvious but…yeah.They’re just kind of sad.They see someone that looks like you and they get this kind of look in their eyes for a bit.”
“Anyone else?”
“Oscar’s crying over photos of you in the Diner a lot of the time,”Chris offered.
Maddy nodded.“I suppose Josh is still with Evelyn.”
“Actually, Josh has gone,”Spencer revealed,“He left town after they broke up.”
“Someone slept with her,”Chris clarified, looking pointedly at Spencer.
“It was her idea,”Spencer answered through gritted teeth.
“So, are you two together?”Maddy asked.
“No, turns out I was just revenge sex.I don’t think she ever really forgave him for sleeping with you.”
Once Maddy would have seen the news as a boost, a sign for hope.But sitting there with her daughter in her arms, remembering everything she’d been through in the last few months, it didn’t really seem that important.She looked back at Spencer.“Can you let Roo know where I am?”

[Red Ranger 1]

Thank you for the comments, Romeo&IndiForever, Jarliefan and JosieTash! This is the last chapter, I hope you like.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Roo sat in the car for a few minutes longer than she needed to.It had been a long time, perhaps too long for them to just pick up where they left off.But eventually she found the courage to get out and head up the steps to the door of the refuge.
A familiar blonde answered her knock, but not the one she was there for.Nicole smiled and gave her a hug.“Hey, Roo, how have you been?”
“Good, thanks.”Roo returned the hug briefly and then released her.“Well, I don’t know whether to thank you for looking out for Maddy or have a go at you for not telling me.”
Nicole looked awkward.“Maybe a bit of both?”
“I suppose that would work.So, how have you been anyway, how’s George?”
“Nearly five now.He’s getting big.”
“And Maddy?”
Nicole gestured down the corridor.“Up the stairs and second on the left.”
Roo was surprised.“You’re not coming with?”
“No,”Nicole confirmed,“I think this should just be the two of you.”

Roo looked down at Melissa in her crib.She placed her finger in the baby’s hand, letting her grip it. Maddy was standing at the other side of the room as Roo turned to her and smiled.“She’s beautiful, Maddy.”
Maddy nodded.“Yes, she is.”
Roo straightened up and looked around.“I can’t believe how many people knew where you were. Especially Auntie Morag.I think I might need to have words.”
“They were just trying to look out for me.”
“I guess so.Maybe I should thank them for that.”
“I thought Mr.Stewart might be with you.”
“He wanted to come,”Roo assured her,“He really wants to see you.But we thought it best if I come on my own this first time.Not crowd you.”
Maddy nodded.“I think I want to see him too.”
Roo hesitated.“I’m sorry,”she said at last.
Maddy was surprised.“Why?”
“Because…you didn’t think you could trust us to support you through this.I feel like we failed you.”
Maddy shrugged.“That’s okay.I’m not always the easiest person to live with.”
“I heard you went back to your mum.”
“Yeah, and got a reminder of why I left there in the first place.I’m not sure how good a mother I’m going to be to Mel, but I hope I’m closer to you than her.”
Roo smiled, grateful, then paused before broaching the next subject.“Oscar asked if he could come and see you.”
Maddy’s face fell and she looked torn.“He could be her father.”
“Don’t you think you should find that out?Maddy, he cares deeply about both of you.”
Maddy gave a curt nod.“I’d like to see him too.And we can work things out from there.”
“And what about you?Have you worked out how you’re going to support yourself?”
Maddy smiled.“Well, Nicole says she’ll look after Mel when I’m ready to go back to work.I’m taking a personal trainer course, going to see if I can get a job in a gym again.I ended up being quite good at it.”
Roo looked at Maddy.She had a way to go, but she seemed to have turned into a decent young woman. “You’re going to be all right, aren’t you?”
It was more of a statement than a question but Maddy answered anyway.“Yeah.I think I am.”