*I OWN ONLY PLOT*
Slowly, Jerome padded down the hall. It was darker than anything he'd ever seen and he'd only been living in Anubis house two days. The creepy caretaker walked out of nowhere and shouted "BOY! What are you doing?"
Jerome whimpered. He was only small and Victor looked like a giant in comparison. "I thirsty, sir. I needy drink."
"Where is that useless woman? You should ask her." Victor snarled, then he shouted "Trudy, get down here, you lazy girl!"
A young woman with flowing dark hair shot down the stairs, tripping a little. She was only in her mid-twenties, quite clumsy when she was tired and very adoring over Jerome. "Yes?" She asked, her accent more pronounced with her sleepiness.
"You stupid girl, why weren't you making sure this child was asleep?" Victor snapped.
"He was! I made certain before I went to bed." Trudy told him, desperate. "Why did you wake me?"
"Your pathetic charge woke up, thirsty. You're in charge of it, water the little thing. Go on!" Victor snapped at her, then smacked her around her head.
Trudy gasped and picked up the small boy. "OK! Jerome, honey, are you thirsty?"
"A little, Miss Rehman." He replied, his baby voice working wonders on her.
She cooed, loving the small child. "Come on then, baby boy, let's get my baby some water." She smiled, carrying him like a newborn baby. He preferred her when she was in her nightwear, she looked more gentle. During the day, she wore leather and stiletto heels with a lot of dark makeup. At night, she wore soft white gowns, no makeup and her curls were loose. Jerome liked that version of her.
She handed him a plastic cup. He said "Miss Rehman, you berry pretty."
Her cheeks flushed pink. "Aw, baby boy. Thank you, dearie. Just call me Trudy."
He smiled at her. "You name pretty, too, Miss Trudy." He put aside his cup and hugged her.
Trudy chuckled. "Aw, baby boy. Come, my lovely." She scooped him up and carried him to her room. "You can stay with me, if you like."
He snuggled against her, enjoying her warmth. "Miss Trudy?" He asked sleepily as she carried him upstairs.
"Yes, darling?" She asked softly.
Jerome murmured "Do you know who I want to marry when I grow up?"
She whispered "Tell me, darling."
Jerome smiled sleepily. "You."
Trudy felt like she was going to cry. "Aw, lovely." She whispered.
As she reached her bedroom door, Jerome rested his head on her arm and whispered "Goodnight. I love you, Mummy."
That almost broke her heart. She'd known the boy just two days and he already loved her and thought of her as a mum. "I love you, baby."
As they cuddled up in her bed that night, Jerome snuggled into her arms and smiled contentedly. He murmured in his sleep "My mummy."
She felt a tear slip down her cheek. "Oh, my baby." The next morning, she was making breakfast and little Jerome stumbled in.
"Mummy?" He asked, half asleep.
Trudy cooed and ran for him. "Hello, baby boy. Good morning, Mummy's little darling."
He nestled up to her and let her hold him. She made the breakfast, holding him close. Victor walked in and snapped "You, girl, where's the breakfast?!"
Trudy pointed her fish slicer at a plate and glass of orange juice. "There it is. Here, Jerome, baby, does you want some nice bacon, too?"
"Yes, pwease, Mummy." He smiled up at her. She'd intentionally worn a pretty pastel blue dress and no makeup.
"That's my baby." She grinned at him.
They had breakfast together, enjoying their time together. Jerome said "Mummy, do you love anyone? Speci-pally?" Jerome asked.
"Hmm. I suppose. I love you, but you're like my baby boy. If you meant in a relationship sense, only a fantasy. Come on, lovie, eat up."
"Why, Mummy?" Jerome asked, shoving more food in.
Trudy smiled. "Because, baby, Mummy's taking you to the shops. We're buying you a whole new wardrobe."
Jerome grinned. "I really love you, Mummy." He told her, finishing his breakfast and climbing up on her lap for a hug. He liked snuggling up to her.
Victor stormed in. "Trudy Rehman, you better get that foul thing out of my house today."
"I'm taking Jerome to the shops for new clothes. But I will not take Corbiere." She told him.
Victor snarled and hit her in the head. "You useless girl. Take the boy. Tonight, I want you to meet me by the cellar door."
She took Jerome to the stores, shopping like their lives depended on it. Jerome got tired and lay on the floor, whining. Trudy hissed "Jerome! People are staring, my lovie. Get up!"
He whined loudly. "No, Mummy!"
She sighed. "Come on, hon, let Mum carry you. Come here." She scooped up Jerome, who caught one whiff of her perfume and snuggled up against her.
"Nice, Mummy." Jerome whispered.
People in the store smiled at them. An old woman looked at them and whispered to her friend. "Unmarried mother. Young people today, all of them, little wastes of space. My grandson wouldn't dream of leaving a woman and his child."
The friend said "She's one of those foreigners. You can't trust them."
Trudy whipped around. "Excuse me? Do you have a problem? Because if you do, you can tell me to my face rather than behind my back."
The old woman said "No, ma'am, no problem here."
She raised her eyebrow, but carried on. She muttered something disgusting, something Jerome would never forget, even if he got Alzheimer's disease. He innocently asked "Mummy, what does that mean?"
"You're far too young to know." Trudy told him, her tone dark.
That night, Trudy tucked Jerome up. "Mummy, why aren't you getting in bed?"
"I'll be up later, love. You'll wake up and I'll be next to you." She told him lovingly.
She kissed his forehead and went downstairs. Victor threw her into the cellar and began to beat her up. She sobbed, but allowed the pain. She'd been there since she was seven and Victor had hated her. She'd run away from home, driving her loving parents crazy with worry. Victor had abused her for eighteen long years. He snarled "You're going to be married, child. I've arranged it all. You're going to marry a twenty nine year old millionaire."
"I'm going to what?!" She yelled.
"You heard. And you'd better do as he tells you."
The next morning, a shaking and hurt Trudy made breakfast, when Jerome stumbled in. "Mummy? Mummy?"
"Yeah, honey." She replied distractedly.
Jerome wrapped his arms around her leg, sat on her foot and snuggled her. "My Mummy." He whispered.
Trudy sobbed, giving up. "Baby boy, come here. Mum needs some cuddles."
He let her hug him, snuggling up against her. "Why you sad, Mummy?"
"Oh, honey. Listen to me. Victor's going to get rid of me. He's making me move away, my lovie." She sobbed.
Jerome gasped. "I no want him send you away!"
Trudy cried. "I know!" She wailed. "I don't want to leave!" Trudy knew that every moment she had with Jerome Clarke was precious, that he was going to grow up, use her real name, never cuddle her or kiss her cheeks or grab onto her leg and stay there again. She knew she wouldn't be as special to him when he got older. She had to treasure every moment. Every single nanosecond she had, she was treasuring, carving into her heart.
Jerome said "My Mummy, you're going nowhere."
Trudy sobbed, clinging to the small boy, her one sole reason for existence. "I hope not, baby. I love you, hon."
"I love you, Mummy. Only you." He told her, snuggling in.
She sighed. "I love you, baby." That hug was one she wanted to last forever. "Promise me you'll never grow up, baby boy. Promise me that whatever you do, you'll always be my baby." She whispered.
"I promise, Mummy." Jerome whispered back.
Jerome was her baby and she never wanted that to change. She wanted to snuggle him close and keep that moment forever. She closed her eyes and savoured the warm feeling she got. Her heart warmed and broke at the same time. Victor walked in, followed by the man Trudy was supposed to marry. He said "Hey, man, you never told me about her kid."
"No worries, Mr Rutter. She's not his mother." Victor told him.
The man smiled. "She's pretty."
Jerome said "Hands off, she's mine."
Trudy chuckled, hugging Jerome. "Yeah, I've been claimed. This sweet child owns me, sorry." She smiled, enjoying her charge's cuddles.
Victor pulled Jerome away. "Mr Rutter, she's all yours."
Jerome fought him while the man sat down opposite Trudy. That night, Victor wouldn't let Jerome go to Trudy. "I want her!" Jerome shrieked.
"She's with a gentleman, you can't be in there." Victor told him.
A horrified scream came from Trudy's room and she ran into Victor's office, snatched Jerome and ran for her life, carrying him with her. "Baby boy, don't complain, we're leaving them there. It's time to move in to our own home, baby." She told him.
Forever began that day and she'd make sure Jerome Clarke grew up to be a wonderful man. She smiled as he fell asleep in her arms. She was going to change his surname to match hers. He murmured "My mummy."
She smiled "My baby." She was determined to give him a good life.