Charlie stood at the door gobsmacked. It was as if the past had come back to slap her in the face. She couldn't believe it. Her head was spinning with memories that were flooding back at rapid speed. Her knees felt weak and she her breathing became more rapid with each second she stood there rooted to the spot. At that moment she felt like the ground beneath her had opened up and she was in free fall. It was as if she was waiting fo her feet to touch solid groun again so she could engage with reality. And then it did.
"What the hell are you doing here?", she said with a venomous tone that expressed her anger.
"We came to see our granddaughter", the man said with a stern voice, his arm wrapped around his wife as they stood at the back door.
"Like hell you are!", Charlie replied. "You and your son have never been a part of Ruby's life...and you never will be", she said. Charlie went to close the door but the elderly man raised his hand up to stop it.
"Please, we know about the leukemia. Tracy told us you talked to her today", he said.
Looking between the man and the woman and then towards the living room where Ruby was sleeping, Charlie walked outside and closed the door over and stood in the outside dining area with the couple. She looked them up and down. In seventeen years, they had not changed one single bit. Granted they were older, but to Charlie it felt like time had stood still. Even now when she looked at Grant's father, she could see him. The whole situation made her uncomfortable. She didn't want them there but she knew if she didn't talk to them they would never leave.
"Go on then", Charlie said as she leaned against the windowsill
"Tracy came round to ours after you had talked to her about needing a bone marrow match for Ruby...", Charlie cut off the woman.
"Yeah which came to nothing. She doesn't want the kids to do it, that still doesn't explain why your here", she said looking between the man and woman for a viable explanation.
"No, no, you've got it wrong. It's not that Tracy doesn't want to do it, it's well...", the woman trailed off trying to find the words to finish.
"Well what?", Charlie asked growing impatient.
"The kids, they're not biologically Grant's, or Tracy's. They were adopted. Ruby is the first and last child Grant ever had", she finally finished.
Charlie stood there,flabbergasted. It now made sense why Tracy was so against the whole idea, It wasn't because she didn't want to help Ruby. She knew she couldn't. Charlie let out a sigh of realisation and then another of sadness. She was now back at square one with regards finding Ruby a donor. It was as if the universe was out to over throw her at every turn. All she wanted was for Ruby to get better. She didn't care about anything else. Everything in her life had taken a back seat to caring for her daughter. Her job, her friends and Angelo.
Angelo. She didn't know where that relationship was going. If that's what you would call it. All they seemed to do was butt heads on everything and argue. They rarely saw eye to eye on anything. In fact most of the time when they worked together, Charlie didn't agree with his methods. Although sometimes for the sake of preventing another Angelo temper tantrum, she kept her opinions to herself. It was hard to see why Charlie remained with him. At first it was because of the security he provided. But now, with Ruby ill and everything in her life being put into perspective, she wasn't so sure that it was enough.
"Why are you here? Why now?", Charlie demanded to know.
"After everything with Grant, we realised that there was no one to carry on the Bledcoe bloodline. Until Tracy told us that she'd been in contact with you and with Ruby", the man said. "We want a relationship with our grandchild. We want to help her get better. We want to take her to America and...",
"WHAT? NO!", Charlie shouted at them. "Ruby is a Buckton. She will never be a Bledcoe. Not now, not ever. As long as there is breath in my body I will never allow that to happen", she said, tears welling up in her eyes at the mere thought of it.
"Charlie we want a relationship with our granddaughter and we won't stop until that happens", the man said with a furious tone.
"You do what you like. Ruby is my daughter. My flesh and blood and I won't have you coming in and upsetting her life", Charlie spat back.
The elderky couple looked at each other, then back at Charlie. They could see the fire in her eyes. She was angry. They knew she would never back down of her own free will. So they decided that force would be the only way to go about seeing their granddaughter. Reaching into the inside of his pocket, the man oulled out a large brown envelope that was folded in half. Unfolding it, he looked at Charlie and then handed it to her. She snapped it from him and then glared at the both of them with a look of annoyance.
"What's this?", Charlie asked looking at the envelope.
"We're going to fight you for custody of Ruby. If you want agree to letting us take her to the States for treatment, we'll take her from you permanently", he said with a cold look.
"Custody? Are you out of your mind? No judge would let you take Ruby from me", Charlie said as anger and hurt hit an all time high.
"Our lawyer thinks we're in with a very good chance. I suggest you find one if you'e to stand any chance of fighting this", he replied.
With that the couple walked away, leaving Charlie heartbroken. They were actually going to try and take Ruby away from her. It was like somebody had just taken a knife and shoved it right through Charlie's heart. It ached uncontrollably at idea of having to fight for the right to be a mother to Ruby. Why did this have to happen now? Ruby was so ill, she coudn't take the stress of this on top of everything else. Charlie had to use all her strength not to collapse into a heap on the ground. She tried to catch her breath but it seemed like the hardest thing to do.
"Charlie", Ruby's weak voice called from the living room.
Hearing the her daughter call for her, Charlie stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes. Walking back inside the house, she dumped the custody papers on the kitchen work table and then tried to shake off the anger and hurt that was clawing away at her inside. Walking into the living room Charlie gasped at the sight of Ruby sitting uoright, crying her eyes out on the couch. Rushing over to her daughter, Charliesat down and placed her arm around Ruby.
"Rubes what is it, tell me what's wrong?", Charlie asked, her worry taking over.
"Charlie, you can't let them take me away", Ruby said through her tears.
"What? You heard that?", Charlie asked, the high pitched tone of her voice echoing the shock she felt. Ruby nodded her head as she tried frantically to wipe away the mass amount of tears that cascaded down her cheeks. "Oh baby. You know I would never let anyone take you away from me. Ever", Charlie emphasised the last word as she cupped Ruby's face in her hands. "I love you so, so much. I won't let anyone tear us apart. I promise", she finished.
As she looked Ruby in the eye, she saw the teen grimace in pain and then watched on helplessly as Ruby doubled over in agony. Charlie was aware if the side effects of the chemo. Althought Ruby had to deal with nosebleeds, vomiting and the other not so pleasant factors of the treatment, the pain was the worst because it felt like she could do nothing to relieve it. But this time it was worse. For it wasn't just a physical pain that Ruby felt, it was an emotional one too. Charlie tried desperatly to ease her daughter's discomfort but it just proved too difficult. She engulfed Ruby in her embrace, wrapping her arms firmly around her. Her daughter reciprocated by latching onto Charlie. Her grip tightening everytime a pain wave proved too painful.
Charlie rocked Ruby back and forth, hoping that the soothing motion would give her some relief, but knowing in the back of her mind that it didn't make a blind bit of difference. She knew that Ruby would just have to ride it out, for however long it lasted. Just like they would have to ride out the Bledcoes threats. However long thy lasted...