So this was a request by someone through Facebook. I originally was going to write this next week, but it was more convenient for me to write it this weekend. I wrote it from the 5th January to 6th January, which makes it the first fan-fiction of The Dumping Ground in this era, (so it runs alongside The Dumping Ground Series One).
"Leaving? What do you mean you're leaving?" asked Mike. He and Gina were in the office with Melanie Jay, who had announced that she didn't want to work in Elm Tree anymore.
"I'm sorry Mike, but it's all too much for me. I don't think that I can hack it anymore."
"Melanie, you've been here for three months now, what's not to like about it?" Gina cut in. She, too, was as shocked as Mike at Melanie's sudden desire to leave.
"OK, I'll explain then." Melanie took a deep breath. "Ever since Tracy left, I was just wondering how the kids would cope without her. So I used some of the things I learnt during my three-year course—bonding with the kids, planning day trips and all sorts, but since Tracy has gone, there's an empty vice around here."
"You know, Melanie," said Mike, "I agree with you. Before Tracy even worked here, this place was out-of-control. When Tracy came in, however, she managed to sort out things that Gina and I couldn't. Tracy could deal with the situation because she was a care kid."
"That's exactly it," said Melanie. "Tracy knows where these kids come from, I don't, because I've never lived in a care home. I didn't even have an interest in childcare until I was 18. And the kids... It's evident that I'm not a replacement for Tracy, because it just feels as if I don't know them at all, I'm not that young and I'd rather just leave."
"I see," said Mike. "But surely that's not enough reason to..." He stopped because the phone rang. "Just wait." He picked up the phone. "Hello, Elm Tree House? What? Today? We weren't informed of this. OK fine, bye."
"What was that?" asked Gina.
"There's a new girl coming here today. Her name is Faith."
"At such short notice? Who's going to visit her social worker?"
Mike said "I can't do it, I have to work here all day."
"Neither can I," said Gina. "It's my turn to restock the files."
"I'll have to do it then," said Melanie. "I'm not in any rush to go yet."
Melanie met with Faith's social worker in a hospice. He was with the girl, Faith Davis, who looked quite relaxed. Her social worker had explained why she was moving to care. "She had lived with her mum and older sister until her mum died. Her sister looked after her, but she got married last month and there's nowhere else for Faith to go."
"OK Faith, I'm Melanie Jay, I work at Elm Tree which is where you're going to, are you happy with that?"
"Yes," said Faith. She looked rather like a young adult than a 15 year old.
"It's time to deal with the paperwork, Miss Jay," said the careworker.
"Where's Melanie?" asked a curious Jody to Mike.
"She's gone out to fetch the new girl," he replied.
"We're getting a new girl? What's her name?"
"Faith," said Mike. "Why are you looking for Melanie anyway?"
"I finally got her a present for when she helped me after my anifactic shock."
"Oh," said Mike. He was thinking that if there was anyone to miss Melanie, Jody would be one to miss her the most.
"So Faith," said Melanie. "We've finished all the grown up stuff now, it's time to go to the care home. Oh wait, it's lunch. Do you want to go out, or would you rather have lunch at the care home?"
"I think I'd rather go out," said Faith. "I don't think I'm ready to meet everyone yet." So the two went to the nearest cafe to dine. "So how it everything like in the care home?" asked Faith.
"It's fine," replied Melanie, "although some of the kids call it The Dumping Ground."
"Oh?" said Faith. "Well, are the kids nice?"
"Yeah they are. They differ in ages, you should be around the same age as the older ones."
When they finished lunch, Faith stopped outside a shop. "Miss Jay, can I go in here for a minute? I've run out of make up."
"Sure," said Melanie. Faith reached into the back of her jeans pocket, and gasped. "Hey, I swear I had £10 in this pocket! It's just gone." She checked her other pockets and her bag, but she couldn't find her £10 note.
"Here you go," said Melanie, reaching into her purse and handing Faith £10. "Go ahead."
"Oh, thanks for this, you didn't have to." Faith and Melanie went into the shop, where Faith bought what she wanted, giving Melanie the change.
"It's time for us to go to Elm Tree now," said Melanie.
"Everyone, a new girl is coming here shortly. Her name is Faith Davis and I hope you give her a warm welcome when she comes."
"How old is she?" asked Carmen.
"I think 15," replied Mike.
"Oh, she's just a little bit older than me," remarked Carmen.
Melanie and Faith were near the Elm Tree House sign, when Melanie said, "So your social worker will drive around later with your things."
"OK," said Faith. "Wow this place looks fancy. Are the people here as posh as the place looks?"
"No," said Melanie. "But some aren't as well behaved as you are. Come. let's meet the head care worker, Mike."
They went inside and to the office.
"Welcome Faith, to Elm Tree House. I'm Mike, the head careworker here. Now Melanie will show you your room, and Gus will probably give you the tour. Enjoy your stay in this care home."
"It's not much lively here, is it?" commented Faith, as they made their way up to her room.
"I agree, but it used to be more fun around here. The oldest girl, Sapphire, she left quite recently, and a lot of people miss her. Oh, and a care worker, Tracy, has also left. She was actually a resident here more than ten years ago."
"Oh really?" said Faith. "I didn't know that kids in care would actually want to become careworkers."
"Yeah me too..." said Melanie, but she stopped herself from saying too much. "Well this is your room," she told Faith. "The walls are gonna stay empty until you decide to decorate them. Right. You can meet the kids now, they're probably all in the living room. Introduce yourself."
"Changed your mind yet?" asked Mike.
"No," said Melanie. "Well, I want to actually leave tomorrow. I found another care home a few miles from here, and they're recruiting workers. I'm gonna try and work there."
"Tomorrow?" repeated Mike "I thought you had a few weeks to think about this."
"Sorry, Mike. But my mind has been made up, You can tell everyone tonight; I'm not expecting any sort of party tomorrow, though." She left the office.
"There's nothing we could do about it, is there?" Mike said to Gina.
"No," she replied. "I don't know why she just wants to leave as soon as possible."
Melanie looked into the living room and saw the kids talking to Faith. Jody noticed her and approached her.
"Hi Melanie, remember that time you first came here and I passed out Well, I got you a present for helping me. Actually, I asked Rick to get it for me, here it is." Jody handed her a box. Melanie recognised the wrapping, She unravelled it and found a box of chocolates.
"Oh thanks for this Jody, you didn't have to. So how is Faith coping?"
"I think everyone likes her," said Jody. "she seems kind to me. Even Elektra's friends with her."
"Oh really?" said Melanie, pleased that the new girl was getting along fine.
"Yeah," said Jody. "Anyway, I'm going back yo see her, so bye."
Faith was in Carmen's room. "So, I heard that it's more quieter here now," said Faith. "Why is that?"
"Well, Harry misses Sapphire now that her house is faraway. But most of us miss Tracy. She used to make this place fun, because she was like one of the kids. Now we have Melanie, she's more like Mike, or Gina because she's not as young as Tracy, and she went to university."
"So do you all like Melanie?" Faith asked.
"Course we do. I hope she stays for long, everyone thinks that she's a good careworker."
"Yeah, I agree," said Faith. "She seems kind."
"Did you finish sorting out your room when the social worker came around?" said Carmen.
"Yeah, sort of," said Faith. "I just have to decorate now. What time is supper?"
Carmen looked at her phone. "In 5 minutes. We should go downstairs then."
At supper, Mike and Gina asked how Faith was. "I'm fine really," she said.
"Everyone, I have something really important to tell you," said Mike. Everyone stopped to listen because he didn't have many announcements like this. "Our careworker Melanie Jay, Tracy's replacement, decided to move to another care home, so it's her last day tomorrow."
"What?" The kids started complaining around the table.
"She's only just come here," said Frank.
"Yeah," agreed Tee. "Why did she want to leave us?"
"We don't really know," said Mike. "She said that it's time for her to go, and tomorrow's her last day here."
"That is so not fair," said Jody. "I gave her a present today, I didn't know she was going."
"Who's gonna drive me to my piano lessons?" questioned Gus. "The only other person was Tracy and she's not here anymore."
"The thing is," interrupted Gina, "We're gonna call in some relief care workers for the period that Melanie's gone. We're also going to recruit new careworkers too. Don't worry, they'll be just as great." No one else commented but Faith said, "She's leaving as soon as I've just started living here."
The next morning, Melanie came into work. Everything was more silent, she noticed, so Mike must have told everybody the news. She went into the office and saw Mike's serious face. "I take it that it didn't go down well with the kids then?" she uttered.
"It did't. But still, everyone's gonna bid you farewell."
"I found out more about the job, and I've actually got good news." She told Mike and Gina, who listened carefully.
"Well that's good," said Gina. "Just remember to tell everyone before you leave."
That evening, Melanie had her last moments in Elm Tree. "I know it's all sudden of me to want to leave quickly, but din't blame yourselves I don't have any particular reason to work in any other care home, just that my mind is telling me to do this. Don't worry, there is good coming out of this."
"Will you ever come back to visit us?" asked Johnny.
"I was gonna get to that," Melanie smiled. "Now, I'm not going to permanently work in this new care home, it's just for a bit. After a short while I will return here. I can't just leave this place forever, so that;s my good news. I'll be back."
"Good," said Tee. "Will we still need the relief careworkers?"
"Yes," said Gina. "They're going to be here until Melanie comes back."
"So goodbye everyone, I hope yo see you all soon."
"Bye!" Every kid gave her the last goodbye, while Faith went over to talk to her. "I guess I didn't see much of you, but you were such a good careworker, helping me settle in here."
"Yes," said Melanie. "I hope you enjoy your stay here, I'll be back don't worry. Listen to this: While I'm away, you try and maintain this lot. Try and be the leader of this pack. I give that responsibility to you."
"OK right," said Faith, who never thought herself to be any kind of leader.
Everyone watched Melanie leave Elm Tree House to continue working somewhere else.
"I've got one last announcement," said Mike. Everyone groaned.
"How many renouncement do you have to make?" Tyler said, exasperated.
"This is my last one. Well, as it is the summer holidays next month, I'm gonna be off on my own. It's the only holiday I've taken for many years. I don't usually stop work for this, but it's time now."
"Where are you going?" asked Harry.
"Only to the Caribbean," said Mike. "I'll be gone for a few days next month, so try to cope with Gina and the new relief careworker. Don't take advantage of them."
"Of course we wouldn't," said Elektra slyly.
"Great," said Faith. "All the careworkers are gone before I even get to meet them!"
I hope you enjoyed this, I only let Melanie return to The Dumping Ground later because I'm pretty sure that she might be in the later episodes.