Jean has been willing to rush to Christopher and Ruby's aid in the show and in other stories, this time I'm playing with the idea that Ruby can't cope even if Jean has set her on the right road, so to speak.
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The shrill ring of the phone interrupted Jean as she was preparing a stew for dinner. She'd planned to put it in a slow oven and leave it for most of the day while she got on with some serious cleaning. Wiping her hands on her apron she picked up the receiver,
'Dr Blake's residence,' she barely got the words out when she heard the sound of a child, a baby, in obvious distress.
'Mum!' Christopher's voice over the screaming child.
'What on earth's going on? What are you doing to Amelia?' Jean was appalled at the noise from her son's house.
Christopher had to shout over Amelia's cries, 'She's teething, I can't find Ruby, and I can't soothe her!'
'Oh God!' thought Jean, 'what has she done?'
'What do I do?' He bellowed down the phone, which Jean was now holding at arm's length.
'Raw carrot or cucumber stick, for Amelia, call the police for Ruby!' She had to shout to be heard.
'I have called the police!' Christopher yelled back, 'What do I do now? Mum help?!'
'Ok, I'll get the train, I'll be there as soon as I can be,' Jean had no option but to go to her son. He could keep a squad of soldiers in check but he was useless with a baby and a missing wife. She put the phone down and looked at her preparations for tonight's dinner. She could get the stew in the oven and leave it, with a note for her husband. They'd only been married weeks and now she was off to Adelaide again, when she got back she was going to suggest they left the country for a month. They needed a honeymoon, anyway.
She practically threw the stew in the oven, hastily wrote a note to Lucien, telling him what was going on, what to do with dinner, and that she would ring him when she got to Adelaide. She told him she loved him and left lots of kisses on the end of the note. One was in lipstick!
Checking the train timetable she kept by the calendar she saw she could catch the next train if she hurried. Calling a taxi, she had time before it arrived to throw some clothes into a suitcase, just enough for a couple of days. She was sure deep down that Lucien would be close behind and when she rang she would be able to tell him if she needed more.
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Lucien arrived home after an easy day, which was fortunate given that he was about to find his beloved had had to go to Adelaide. The smell from the kitchen was enticing but it was awfully quiet. As he entered the room his eyes were drawn to the note propped up on the table. Jean's familiar handwriting showing. Reading it his stomach lurched. Ruby missing, Chris trying to deal with a teething baby, it all sounded horrific!
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Jean caught a taxi from the station in Adelaide to Christopher's house. On arrival she could hear her granddaughter screaming as she hurried up the path. Christopher must have been watching from the front window as the door opened before she got to it. Her son stood there, still in his pyjamas, his hair sticking up; it always had in the morning; carrying his distraught daughter.
Jean pushed him inside, dropped her suitcase, and took Amelia from him. Her little face was red, her nose was running and, Jean noticed, she needed changing!
'Bed!' she ordered Christopher, pointing upstairs, and he visibly relaxed, turning and trooping up the stairs like a small boy.
Jean turned her attention to Amelia. First a clean nappy, then something to soothe those gums, and a cuddle until she slept, the poor little thing must be as exhausted as her father.
Amelia responded to the expert attentions of her grandmother and was soon soothed and sleeping. Settling her in her cot, Jean took the opportunity to ring Lucien.
'Lucien,' She smiled as she heard his voice answer the phone, 'I'm sorry, but I needed to get here quick. You should have heard Amelia scream when Christopher rang. I couldn't not come over.'
Lucien heard her sigh over the phone, he knew she would need his help.
'Do you want me to come over?' He asked, it was a silly question, of course she did.
'Oh please.' The relief in her voice was palpable. 'But what about your surgery and the police?'
'I'll let Charlie know and they can get a locum or Alice can step in.' Lucien would have left Ballarat untended for his Jean.
'Ok, but when you do, I've only brought enough things for a couple of days, so...'
'Want me to bring more over?' He grinned, even though they were married he was still a stranger to her underwear drawer, even though he saw her dressed thus and was happy to relieve her of said garments, her drawer was a thing of mystery!
'Please.' Jean was probably less embarrassed than Lucien, after all she had been doing his laundry for long enough.
'Right,' he was decisive, 'I'll pack and come over tomorrow. I'll drive so I don't know what time I'll arrive but I'll set off early.'
Jean then told him what had happened. Amelia was not teething well, she spent most of the time screaming and Christopher and Ruby hadn't slept for days. Ruby must had got so stressed she had broken. She had obviously just walked away. Everyone was worried as to where she had gone, Christopher had been given indefinite leave and the police were searching all over Adelaide.
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Jean finished the call sending her love to all, but especially to her loving husband. She then turned her attention to the state of the house. It was a mess; there were nappies soaking, plates and cutlery unwashed piled up in the sink, half eaten meals. She pushed her hands through her hair and set about restoring order.
The nappies were set to boil in the twin tub, the washing up was done and left to drain. The kitchen floor was washed and she found enough food in the larder to make a meal of sorts.
She managed to find time for a quick cup of tea before Christopher staggered down the stairs.
'Mum,' he muttered sleepily. 'I don't know what to say. I didn't think you would come so quickly.'
'Christopher, you are my son, and I will always be there for you.' She smiled, reaching out for his hand. 'Now, how about tea?'
He sat down at the kitchen table and gratefully sipped the warm drink. He breathed a sigh of relief.
'What about your husband?' He asked, he still wasn't sure about the doctor.
'Lucien is coming over tomorrow, sometime.' She informed him, 'I had to leave him a note, his dinner in the oven. That's not what I envisaged after six weeks of marriage. But, as I said, you are my son.'
Christopher heard the disappointment in her voice, and she was right, he was a grown man and should be able to sort out his own problems without asking his mother for help. For advice, maybe, but not for actual physical help. And now, here he was, a small boy again. It was, even in his eyes, humiliating.
Jean looked at him, he was the more reliable of her two boys, but even he was unable to look after himself. She was sorry that Ruby had found motherhood so desperately hard, she didn't find it easy herself, but at least she had straightened her back and got on with it. There was a time for self pity but when your babies were young wasn't it.
She stood up and went to the oven. 'I have managed to put a stew together with what I found in the larder. I'll go shopping tomorrow and fill up the fridge.'
'Thanks, mum,' Christopher murmured. He loved Ruby, but maybe his mum had been right, she was too fragile for an army wife, but it was too late to do anything about that now.
Jean spent the day chivvying her son to keep in touch with the police, gave him chores to do to keep him from thinking too hard. She fed and changed Amelia, and settled her for bed in the early evening. Then she and Christopher sat down to eat the meal Jean had prepared. 'Good old mum,' he thought, 'she could make a meal out of practically nothing.' In return he washed up.
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Jean spent the night alternately tending to her fractious granddaughter and dozing. It seemed that every time she closed her eyes Amelia woke, but she'd done it before and she could do it again, she hoped!
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The early morning sun streamed through the bedroom window. Something warm and slightly whiffy, was curled up against her. Jean pulled her granddaughter close, she must have dozed off the last time she had tried to comfort Amelia, taking her into her bed. She'd had to give in if she was to be able to function the following day. She inhaled and sighed, deciding she'd better get up before Amelia realised she was with her grandmother and could, possibly, get away with anything; as grandchildren tend to do.
Swiftly, Jean washed and dressed before the child awoke. She could hear Christopher snoring in his room and it made her smile. Gently lifting Amelia and placing her in her cot, Jean went quickly downstairs to make tea. The kitchen was just as she had left it, but it was not to her liking. There were the dishes on the drainer, clean but not put away, and laundry on the clothes horse, dry but in need of either ironing or folding and putting away. So much to do before Lucien arrived later that day. Lucien, 'bringer of light' Oriel had said, and he would bring light into this dark time of her life.
She made herself a quick breakfast of tea and toast before putting away the dishes from yesterday. She had just swallowed the last of her tea when she heard Amelia cry. Not wanting Christopher to be disturbed, she ran up the stairs and lifted the baby out of the cot. Soothing the child as she went she took her to the bathroom and cleaned her up and changed her into a new nappy and dress. Amelia was less distressed than when she had arrived yesterday, and looking into her mouth she could see the emerging teeth, having finally broken through the gum. Two top and two bottom at once, no wonder the poor thing was in so much pain!
'Come on sweetie,' she kissed Amelia's head, 'let's go and find some breakfast.'
She carried the baby down the stairs and set her in the high chair. She gave her some cereal and milk, the last she noticed, in the larder. She would add that to her shopping list as well as the rest of the things she had noted the night before. Thank heavens she had the pram, it would be a heavy load. While she was checking the rest of the cupboards Christopher stumbled sleepily down the stairs.
'Mum?' He sat at the table, his head in his hands. He'd thought he'd been dreaming but here she was, picking up the pieces again! He felt a failure. He hadn't been able to support his wife, he couldn't deal with his child; the only thing he could do was control a group of squaddies!
She set a cup of tea down in front of him and rubbed his back between his shoulders. She didn't really know what to say. She'd thought he was more like her than his father, able to cope with whatever life threw at them; but obviously she had been wrong, or she had failed and not supported him enough. However, hindsight was a wonderful thing but she had to get on with sorting out Amelia, propping him up and hoping she had Lucien to lean on, because, for once, Jean felt she couldn't do this on her own.
She put some toast out for him, it was all she could find, and told him to get dressed and go and see what the authorities had done over the last twenty four hours. She was going to take Amelia in the pram and get the groceries and anything else she had noticed was missing. She'd be gone a while, she said. She also told him that she expected Lucien later that day, or early evening. It wasn't a suggestion it was a statement of fact and not up for discussion. Whatever he thought of her husband she needed him and he would have to put up with it. Yes he looked sad, defeated, but he was a grown man and at his age she had two boys and a farm to run, so...
Jean was a very generous and gentle soul but she was also a realist, life had a habit of throwing difficult situations at one, one just had to duck or chuck it back.
Christopher looked up at her, she was right, of course, what kind of man rang his mother when things got tough?
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Jean put Amelia into the pram and put her coat on. Christopher had enough presence of mind to give her all the money he had in his wallet towards the shopping, he couldn't expect her to pay for everything. He also remembered to give Jean the spare key so she could come and go as she pleased.
Jean felt she ought to be more sympathetic but she had to get the house sorted first, and Amelia settled. Order needed to be restored so when Ruby was found...
She didn't want to think about the alternative.
It took her most of the morning to shop for what was needed, she didn't know the area as well as she knew home and Adelaide was bigger than Ballarat so there were more shops to choose from. She had to stop browsing and get done, Amelia would be wanting her lunch and she didn't fancy wheeling a pram with a screaming baby in it back to the base.
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Back at the house she manhandled the pram inside and unloaded the shopping before Amelia woke. She put the kettle on and started to make something for lunch. The baby was on solids now so she prepared some vegetables that she could mash easily and some fruit for her dessert. She was disturbed by a knock on the door. Visitors at this time of day, surely not? Other wives would be busy making lunch for their families so who could it be?
She opened the door and instantly smiled, Lucien stood in front of her grinning broadly.
'Oh Lucien,' she flung her arms round him, 'I am so glad to see you, and I am so sorry I had to rush off like that.'
He picked her up and kissed her, there on the doorstep, in plain sight.
'How did you get here so soon?' She showed him into the kitchen where her granddaughter had decided to make her presence known.
Lucien picked up the baby and tried to distract her while Jean made some tea.
'Oh, the bed was cold without you so I set off early this morning.' He went over to her and kissed her again. Amelia was happily playing with his beard as he balanced her on his hip.
'How early? It's a seven hour drive, at least.' Jean put a cup of tea on the table and motioned him to sit down, while she got one for herself.
'Bout four, I suppose.' he sipped the welcome drink, 'I've brought you some more clothes, hope I got it right.' He looked a little embarrassed at this.
'Well,' she smiled, cheekily, 'if you've forgotten anything you'll just have to buy me new, won't you?' She leant over to pick Amelia up off his knee and kissed Lucien on the forehead.
'Er, yes, ok.' He liked treating Jean so buying her some new clothes would be a pleasure. That said, he would give her the money and she could choose, if it was underwear!
Christopher had left a note on the table,
'Gone to the police, no news yet. See you later. C x'
Well at least he was being more proactive than sitting at home worrying.
'Jean?' Lucien watched her face as she read the note, obviously not good news, but not the worst either, 'did Ruby take any clothes with her?'
'I have no idea, I didn't get round to checking.' She was spooning food into Amelia's mouth, ' I'll get us some lunch first, I only had toast for breakfast. I'll check when madam here has been fed and changed.' Jean realised she was hungry, she was used to a proper breakfast, and toast somehow didn't quite hit the mark, when one had a lot to do. Lucien must be hungry, too. He had driven for hours and probably hadn't bothered to stop, except for petrol.
'Sounds like a good plan. I'll babysit while you do that.' Lucien grinned.
Jean grinned back, she wiped Amelia's face and picked her out of the high chair, and passed her to Lucien. Handing him her drink in a bottle, she turned and started to make something for the two of them to eat.
Lucien raised his eyebrows, he thought he could remember how to give a baby a bottle, but Amelia wasn't going to wait and grabbed his hand, pulling the drink to her mouth.
He laughed and turned to give her his full attention, watching Jean out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't angry that Christopher had called for help, but he felt deep down that Jean thought he should try a bit harder, rather than running to mother when things got tough. He knew she would always be there for him, heck, if had been Li in the same situation he'd probably have forgotten to leave a note!, but Jean had left him a meal and a note. 'She was a marvel,' he thought as he watched her prepare a light meal and put away the shopping at the same time. When this was all sorted he was going to take her on that belated honeymoon, well away from family; just the two of them.
They sat eating lunch and discussing what they should do. First Jean was going to check to see if Ruby had taken clothes. She was fairly sure not, sure that the police would have asked when the whole thing started, and Christopher would have said, wouldn't he? Unless he was too embarrassed to admit she had left him. When they had done that Lucien was going to go down to the police station and see what they were doing to find her. He told Jean he was worried Christopher would think he was interfering but Jean said she wanted him to interfere, and hang what her son said. He called her for help and she wanted Lucien there, not sitting on the sidelines, but actively helping, using his experience and knowledge.
Amelia had fallen asleep, so Jean put her into the pram. Lucien washed the pots while Jean went to her son's room to check Ruby's clothes.
She sighed when she went through the door, it was a mess; clothes lay all over the floor, draped over the chair, the bed was unmade. She wasn't certain she would be able to tell if clothes were missing or not. She started to pile the laundry up by the door, and stripped the bed. She had no idea. There was nothing special missing, all Ruby's makeup and cosmetics appeared to be on the dressing table. It looked like she'd just walked out of the door in the clothes she stood up in. She was standing in the middle of the room with her hands on her hips, wondering where to start when a slight noise made her turn. Lucien; he'd finished in the kitchen so he thought he'd go to see how his wife was getting on. She smiled at him and ran her hands through her hair, undoing her curls , making Lucien smile back. He loved it when her curls were disturbed, but it was usually him disturbing them!
'No luck,' he asked.
'Lucien,' she spread her arms wide, 'I really have no idea. The room is a mess, her cosmetics are there, but that's all I can see. It looks like she just walked out.'
She picked up the pile of washing and made to leave the room. Lucien took the laundry off her and carried it down to the kitchen for her.
'Where will I find clean bed linen?' He asked.
'Pardon?' Jean looked at him as she filled the twin tub.
'I'll make the bed,' he offered, 'I can at least help you that way.'
'Thank you,' she kissed his cheek, 'the linen cupboard is on the landing, next to their room.' She watched him leave. He'd taken his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves revealing those strong forearms that she loved to feel round her.
She got on with the washing and while the tub ran it's cycle she prepared a roast for dinner. Part of it she could mash for Amelia, it was how she had fed the boys and it didn't seem to do them any harm.
'Right!' The sudden sound made her jump.
'Lucien!' She cried, 'Don't do that.'
'Sorry, love,' wrapping his arms around her, 'are you alright if I go down to find out what's happening with the search?'
'Yes, you go ahead.' she agreed, 'it's only a short walk, unless you plan to drive.'
'No I'll walk,' he put his jacket and coat on, 'are you going to come down to meet us?'
'Yes, I'll get this washing on the line and bring Amelia out in the pram.' She took his hat off the peg and popped it onto his head.
He bent to kiss her goodbye. She wasn't going to be happy with a peck on the cheek, so she took the lapels of the coat in her hands and pulled him into a proper kiss. Breaking free, he smiled and kissed the top of her head. He turned, looked over his shoulder, tipped his hat and left the house for the short walk to the station.
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A lot of stories written on fanfiction give Ruby strength, but I thought I'd go back to the original idea that she was a bit 'fragile'. More than one chapter. Reviews and comments welcome, as always.
