Christopher walked down the path to the little house he had been allocated when he had been given a posting overseas. It was just big enough for him, Ruby and Amelia. He had been sorry to miss his mother's wedding, mainly so he could make sure Blake didn't stand her up. Happily he hadn't and the picture that had arrived in the post showed a glowing bride and happy groom. Perhaps he'd been wrong. It was Superintendant Lawson who had sent the photo together with a note Jean had written before she and Lucien left for their four month long honeymoon. Four months! He'd managed a week in Sydney when he married Ruby.

Their first two months in their new home had not been the easiest. He had been surprised at how well Ruby had taken to a new country, but she had said she wanted to travel, see more of the world. Somewhat like his mother in that respect but all the same he hadn't expected her to be so open to the new life. Amelia, however, did not seem so eager. The travelling was ok, but she seemed afraid of the people and it was even worse when they showed her a picture of her grandmother and step -grandfather.

'Gan'ma!' She had bawled and lunged for the photograph, 'Gan'ma!'

'It's just a picture, sweetheart, Grandma's not here.' Christopher told her, but that just made it worse. She screamed for Jean.

'I didn't think she'd remember her that much,' Ruby held her daughter close, 'I mean she doesn't see her that often.'

'Often enough it would seem.'

And so it had continued, to say Amelia had separation anxiety from someone she had seen half a dozen times would have been silly, Ruby said, but the doctor disagreed and asked how she got on with her grandmother.

'They are very close, I suppose.' Ruby bounced the child on her knee. She had made an appointment because Amelia was reluctant to eat much, and didn't sleep very well. Usually waking and calling for 'Gan'ma'.

'Some children form a bond very early, how old was she when they first met?'

'Very young. I struggled in the beginning and Jean came to help. She was very good with her and whenever she has come to see us they have gone for walks and she has read to her at night...'

'Sounds like a wonderful grandmother.'

'She is.' Ruby agreed, 'she's very patient with her, but she doesn't spoil her.'

'Well all I can suggest is you give Amelia the room to explore your plates of food, make sure she has plenty to drink, of course. You may have to give up on proper meals and just let her snack.' The doctor was kind, but it was usually older children and even wives who came to him with these kind of problems.

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'How was your day?' He kissed his wife on the cheek.

'Not the best, but not the worst.' Ruby sighed and leant against him. 'She's eaten a little, mainly snacked on fruit and bread. The doctor said to let her try what is on our plates and give her whatever she will eat, but make sure she drinks.'

'Well, that's all we can do.' Christopher put his arms round her, if Amelia didn't settle soon he had an idea, but it wasn't something he could do just yet, anyway he had to put it to Ruby first.

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Because she had no idea Amelia was missing her so much, Jean sent regular postcards, which Ruby and Christopher showed to Amelia but didn't say who they were from, they didn't even dare pass on the kisses Jean sent. They'd tried it but she had gone to the front door to look for her grandmother. When she wasn't there she bawled for what seemed like hours, until she was exhausted.

'Chris,' Ruby wandered through from the living room, 'have you seen the wedding picture?'

'On the sideboard, isn't it?' He paused in drying the dishes.

'No, it was there when I cleaned earlier, but...'

'Strange, has it fallen down the back?' He put down the tea towel and followed her into the room. The sideboard was light and easy for him to pull out but the picture wasn't there.

'I'm sure it'll turn up,' he mused, 'Amelia spends a lot of time looking at it perhaps she's hidden it somewhere.'

'Little madam.' She smiled.

The picture was found three days later. Amelia had taken it to her bedroom and snuck it into her bed. Because she was no longer in a cot, Ruby didn't notice that she had put it with her teddy, a gift from her grandparents, until she went in to put some clean clothes in her bedroom. Putting the little dresses on top of the bear while she made the bed and opened the drawers of the chest she only found it when the bear fell on the floor. She picked it up and sighed. Perhaps if she left it where she could see it she would sleep better, watched over by her grandmother.

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Jean and Lucien had returned from their honeymoon and settled quickly back into their new routine. It wasn't really new, except for them sleeping in the studio; together; and not having to break apart whenever Matthew caught them kissing.

About three weeks after they had returned Jean sorted the post. Some for the practice, one pile, some for Lucien, another pile and one for them both. She opened the business letters first, mostly payments, one request for Lucien to lecture in forensic pathology and a request for him to give a talk to the last year at Wendouree Grammar about careers in medicine. She separated the payments and entered them into the accounts books. Then she made herself some tea and settled down on the couch to read the letter, which was from Christopher.

At first it was full of the different life they were living, the food, the people and the friends they had made. He told her about the little house and that Ruby was allowed a cleaner once a week. Jean smiled at this thinking Ruby would like that. He told her Amelia missed her, they all did, but Amelia more keenly, and as he had some leave coming up wondered if they could call, perhaps stay a few days.

She was, of course, delighted that he would want to come and see them. She was surprised that Amelia missed her so much. She missed her too, and had been hurt when they had taken her overseas. She put pen to paper immediately to say they would be delighted if they would stay with them, she would organise the guest room for them and the small bedroom for Amelia.

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Christopher smiled, he could almost feel her eagerness to have them stay, in the paper. Ruby had agreed, in spite of the travelling time, that a visit to the not quite newly-weds was a good idea, but they didn't tell Amelia. Neither could work out what hold Jean had over the child. They had given in over the food and let her eat what she wanted, when she wanted. That way she didn't lose any weight, though they couldn't be sure she grew much, and she was pale.

'Well, Mrs Beazley,' the doctor smiled, linking his hands on his desk, 'I think what you have written is the best idea, he looked down at the note she had handed him, and if it coincides with leave, then go and enjoy yourselves.'

'I just worry what will happen when we leave Ballarat.' While Ruby wanted to reassure Amelia her grandmother loved her, she was still worried about the effect a meeting would have on the child.

'Mmm... well, I'm afraid you will have to deal with that when it happens, but this little lady is a troubled child and this may help her come to terms with things.' He could see it was going to be a problem, 'but you could do with the break too, you are looking tired.'

'Well, she doesn't sleep properly, so neither do we. Christopher seems to manage but I've always been one that needs her sleep,' she smiled.

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It was a long trip, made longer with a fractious child. The pressure in the aircraft hurt Amelia's ears, Ruby encouraged her to suck her thumb and eventually she fell asleep. Christopher was amazed at Ruby's patience,

'Don't worry love, when we get to mum's you can lie down and sleep for as long as you need to.' He put his arm round her and kissed her forehead.

'I can't do that, Chris, it's rude.' Ruby thought it would be lovely, but she didn't want Jean to see her as weak or lazy.

'She'll understand, in fact she'll probably order you to do so.' He grinned.

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Jean turned the roast over and checked her watch. Christopher and the family would be there shortly, Lucien was finishing surgery, all was well with her world at this time.

She knew he was behind her, she always knew when he tried to creep up behind her. She smiled as his arms encircled her waist and leaned back against him. She sighed as she felt his breath on her neck, then his lips. She hummed her appreciation and lifted her chin to give him better access to her throat. She was just thinking about turning round and perhaps...

'Bugger!' Lucien hissed as there was a sharp knock at the door.

'Shame,' she kissed his ear, 'perhaps later.'

'I'll hold you to that.' He winked and patted her bottom as she sashayed down the hall to greet the young family.

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'Christopher, Ruby...' She greeted them with a huge smile.

'Gan'ma!' Amelia wriggled and held her arms out for her grandmother.

'Hello, darling girl,' Jean took her from Ruby and hugged her tight. She stepped aside to let the visitors enter just as Lucien joined them, having allowed Jean the time to greet her son and family, on her own.

'Welcome, it's lovely to see you.' He held out his hand to Christopher and kissed Ruby's cheek. Picking up one of the suitcases, 'Guest room, Jean?'

'Thank you, darling.' She smiled and Christopher thought she had never looked happier. 'Come on through, you must be ready for a cuppa.'

'Oh, Jean, that would be lovely,' Ruby smiled but Jean could see she was tired and troubled. 'It's been a long journey.'

'Well, you can put your feet up here, I'll look after this one,' she settled Amelia on her hip thinking she didn't feel any heavier than the last time she held her, 'give you a break.'

'That's kind of you, I know she'll like that.' Ruby smiled, she wasn't going to argue, it would seem her mother in law was going to let her have a rest.

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Jean took the tea tray into the kitchen. They had told her more about their life in Malaya and the house, but neither elaborated on Amelia's reaction to the new environment, except to say she wasn't settling well. As she washed the pots she felt a pull on her skirt and looking down she gazed into the wide blue eyes of her granddaughter.

'Hello poppet,' she smiled, 'come to help?' She took off her rubber gloves and lifted the child onto the counter next to the sink. 'Now, don't wriggle, don't want you to fall off, do we?'

But Amelia wanted more than to watch, she wanted a hug from her grandmother and held out her arms for such. Jean leant over and kissed her cheek, only for the child to wrap her arms round her neck.

'Right, ok,' she smiled into the curls, 'let's see if granddad will wash up, and I think...' she patted the nappy, 'you need changing.' She lifted Amelia up and went back into the living room.

'Lucien, would you finish the pots, Amelia needs changing.'

'Oh, Jean, it's ok, I'll do it.' Ruby stood up.

'Come on,' Jean smiled, 'let's get a clean nappy and I'll show you her room.'

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Ruby sighed as she watched Jean quickly make Amelia comfortable.

'She was almost out of nappies, then we moved.' She sat on the edge of the bed. Jean could see she was tired, struggling, but not in the way she was when Amelia was born. This was a different problem, not of Ruby's making. Jean sat next to her, the baby on her knee.

'What's the matter? You can tell me.' She put her hand round the younger woman's defeated shoulders.

'Oh Jean,' Ruby started to cry, 'she misses you so much. We daren't even mention you in conversation. She goes to the door and when you aren't there screams the place down until she is exhausted. She has to have your picture in her room to get any sleep, she won't eat properly, won't go near any of the locals, we really don't know what to do.'

'Have you asked anyone?' Jean felt so sorry for her, her chance to travel curtailed by a child, as hers was, but for a two year old to suffer so was odd.

'The base doctor. He was very kind. Said we should let her eat off our plates, snack and drink plenty, that was most important. We thought that coming here, for leave, would show her you still love her but... I don't know, it could make things worse. Chris has another year on this posting and then... who knows?' Ruby leant against her.

'We have a week to come up with a solution.' Jean gave her a squeeze, 'don't worry. You must be exhausted yourself, I don't expect you sleep very well.'

'No.' She looked up at Jean's calm face, 'Thank you, Jean, you don't know how much it means, to have someone, other than Chris, understand.'

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Over the next couple of days Jean watched Amelia's parents interact with her. They couldn't be more loving, gentle and organised, but Amelia would go to her grandmother whenever she could. She toddled round the kitchen when Jean was cooking, handed her pegs when she hung out washing, watched her when she tended her plants. Jean couldn't understand it and she said so to Lucien, one night, in bed.

'Why, Lucien, why does she cling to me so? Ruby and Christopher are loving, firm it's true but...'

'I don't know, sweetheart,' he wrapped his arms round her, 'you don't do anything different to most grandmothers, for some reason you are the most important person in her life.'

'Do you think it is something to do with when she was tiny and I went to help out? Not that she will remember, but...' She wriggled closer.

'Who knows...'

'... only Amelia.'

'Why don't you send Ruby into town, to pick something up for you. Get her to take Amelia with her.' He was losing track of his thoughts as she kept wriggling, 'mmph, er... if she'll go with her. God, Jean...'

'Yes, Lucien,' with her back to him he couldn't see the wicked grin.

His hands snaked under her nightdress and cupped her breasts,

'Aahh!' she sighed, 'Ooh, that's nice.' She raised her arms for him to lift the fabric off her, 'I do love you, Lucien.'

He rained kisses down her spine then turned her over onto her back so he could suck at her breasts, trace his fingers down between them and between her legs. She was not quite ready for him but he knew it wouldn't be long, he leant over to kiss her, taste the toothpaste she had cleaned her teeth with, feel the roof of her mouth.

Her hands slid over his shoulders, linked at the back of his neck as her knees rose each side of him. He felt her moist, slick, hot and entered her slowly moving to her needs, feeling her buck against him her breaths coming in short bursts,

'Yes, oh yes...' she breathed, 'oh god... Lucien!' She couldn't help calling his name at the moment of release, gulping for air then finally relaxing and letting him go. She blushed, wondering if her son and his wife had heard her, then giggled. 'I really ought to be a little quieter, while they're here.'

'Oh I don't know, surely you want Christopher to know you are happy.' He winked.

She had no reply to that so just contented herself with cuddling close and slipping into a relaxed slumber.

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'Come on Amelia, let's go and get these things for Grandma.' Ruby held out her hand to her daughter.

'Gan'ma come?' Amelia looked up.

'No, she's got to help granddad.'

Amelia sat down, stuck out her bottom lip and 'folded' her arms.

Watching from the kitchen door Jean grinned wryly. She motioned to Lucien, sitting at the table,

'This happens every time, apparently,' she whispered.

'Grandma needs these things to make cakes. No shopping, no cakes, Amelia.' Ruby told her, not too severely, but firmly enough, 'Come on, now. She'll be here when we get back. Into the stroller now.' It had been agreed between Jean and Ruby that if Amelia would go to the town with her mother she would be allowed to help her grandmother bake. They both knew it would be a temporary solution, Jean could not bake with her when she went back to Malaya.

Jean withdrew into the kitchen so Amelia couldn't see her but she could see Amelia. The child looked heartbroken, 'Gan'ma,' she hiccupped and looked down to where she thought Jean was standing. 'Gan'ma,' she called, louder now and obviously crying.

'Lucien,' Jean pulled him into the kitchen, 'this is silly, why is she like this?'

'I have no idea, but is it necessary for you to have the things they are going for?'

'Not really, I have enough to make a batch of small cakes, which was the idea. I'm not going to punish her by not making cakes just because she won't go with her mother.' Jean sighed and headed out to the hall. Ruby looked at her and held her hands apart, shaking her head, sadly.

'I'm sorry Jean, it looks like it will be no cakes.' She started to unbutton her coat.

'Let's go together,' Jean said, softly. 'I'll just get my coat and handbag, then we can walk down and talk about this. Maybe something will show us why she's like this.' She turned to Amelia, 'Now, Miss, Grandma's going to get her coat and we'll go together. Into the stroller, like mummy said.'

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Amelia settled happily in the stroller as her grandmother was now with her, or so it seemed.

'When did this behaviour start, Ruby?' Jean asked, as they stepped into the grocers.

Ruby tipped her head and thought. It was something she had thought about a lot, recently, trying to see what it was that had set her daughter off.

'I don't think it was any one thing. She didn't like the trip over, but then, all that time in an aeroplane, not allowed to run about, play. We weren't surprised, at first, when she woke during the night, the house was strange to her and she's too young to understand, really.' Ruby picked up the flour and sugar Jean had requested, and put it in the basket, 'I took her into the market to do some shopping, I suppose,' she thought for a moment, 'I suppose it started then.'

'What happened? I've taken her into the market here and in Adelaide and she has been alright.' Jean turned in that direction, she wanted some fruit and vegetables and had her favourite stall.

'There are a lot of loose dogs about, one poked it's nose in the pushchair, spooked her.' Ruby watched Amelia's face as they moved around the market, quite busy for the time of day, 'Since then shopping has been a nightmare, she doesn't like our cleaner, a perfectly pleasant girl, and hates it when some of the older ladies reach out to touch her. That I can understand, in a way, some of them are a bit, well...'

'Bony finger, toothless grins?' Jean suggested, 'small and wizened.'

'Well, yes.' Ruby smiled, 'we really shouldn't judge, they mean no harm, but they obviously frightened her, pushing their faces into the stroller, right up to her.'

'Not nice, being a curiosity,' Jean admitted, paying for the produce. She opened a bag of strawberries and handed one to her granddaughter. 'How much longer has Christopher got, on this posting?'

'Another year.' Ruby sighed, 'what are we going to do, Jean? I don't want to be separated from Chris, we have a good life out there and it can only get better, for all of us, but...'

'Any idea what other postings he's likely to get?'

'Could be anywhere.'

'Ruby,' Jean steered them towards home, 'I know this is hard, but it's doing neither you or Amelia any good, and Christopher must be worried too,...'

'He is, he's even thinking of asking for a desk job back in Adelaide, but I know he wouldn't be happy.'

'...and neither would you, and by extension Amelia. Ruby, do you want to go back to Malaya?'

'Yes, I am learning more about being a service wife, and, in spite of Amelia's problems, I am happy and I feel I have more to offer her, as a parent and as part of her education.'

'I have a suggestion, you may not like it, but...' Jean heaved a sigh, 'would you like to leave Amelia with us, until the next posting? Come and see her regularly, obviously, I'm not suggesting...' She tailed off, it was a lot to ask, and she hadn't even discussed it with Lucien. 'You wouldn't have to wait for Christopher to have leave, either.'

'Oh, Jean. It's a lovely thought. We were going to ask you, when she started school, because we don't want to put her in a boarding school with a lot of other 'service brats' vying for the most interesting posting stories.' Ruby smiled, Jean, it would appear understood more than she was letting on. 'That, and it would be rather expensive. We also want her to have more of a family life, than an institutional one.'

'Well, of course we would have her, you hardly have to ask, Ruby, dear. I must warn you though, Lucien and I had touched on the idea of adopting a child, as I am not going to produce any of my own.' At this Jean looked saddened. 'Perhaps, if we'd met sooner, and Mei Lin hadn't turned up we would have, but there you have it, we didn't, she did, and there's nothing we can do about it.'

'Well, I'm sure Amelia wouldn't mind a sibling,' Ruby laughed, for the first time for a while, she really laughed. A load had been lifted off her shoulders, and even though she didn't want to be parted from her daughter she had to do what was best for the child and for them as a family. Amelia would be well looked after and would be happy.

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Jean spoke to Lucien that night, she had asked Ruby to speak to Christopher separately and they would come together the following morning.

'It would be no more work for me, darling,' she walked her fingers up his bare chest, 'and we had spoken about adopting.'

'If Christopher is happy then I suppose it would be worth trying. I agree with Ruby about boarding school having experienced it, I don't think it would be right for a child like Amelia, if she struggles with change. As she grows and comes to understand more then she will probably be able to handle new situations better, but for now... ' He kissed her.

'So you agree? I thought you might.' She gave in to his kisses and caresses.

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Here endeth the first in these chronicles, thoughts anyone.