Maddy and Rhydian held hands as the plane flew over the vast expanse of ocean below. From time to time one of them would peer through the window but all they could see was clouds and sea. Maddy had stopped crying once they were in the air. Rhydian had done his best to confort her, but he wasn't sure what he could do or say to amend the situation. After all, he knew only too well from past experience that the only way to ease her pain was to reunite her with her family. He had offered to stay, said that if where she needed to be was with her family, then that was where they would be. But she had remained adamant that what she needed to do was see her friends in Stonybridge.
He had had to tell her about Ceri and Gerwyn living in the Smiths old house, although he had omitted to mention that Jana lived there as well. She had simply shrugged.
"It would have been two big for us anyway. I just hope they look after it!"
Rhydian looked down at her now. She was sleeping with Alanna in her lap, also asleep. Rhydian smiled down at them both and resumed watching the endless clouds speed below them.
At some point, he must have drifted off too because next thing he knew he was being shaken awake by Maddy.
"Oi! Rhydian! We're just coming in to land!" He looked at her and began to laugh. He wasn't sure why, but suddenly he was grinning and the he was laughing. She looked at him with a bemused expression, and soon she was laughing too.
The two of them plus Alanna stepped out of the airport and stared around them, blinking in the light.
"What happens now?" Maddy asked, blankly. Rhydian looked uncomfortable. He hadn't planned this far ahead. Now that they were in the right country, no means of getting to Stonybridge. They could run, of course, but it was a long way, too far for Alanna to cope with being strapped to a wolf's back. Suddenly, they heard a voice from behind them.
"Rhydian?" they both turned, snarling. Jimi Chen was behind them, walking beside a man they recognised as his father. "Maddy? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Canada!"
"We came back," said Rhydian, defensively, "we came home." Jimi nodded.
"That much is evident," he said with a sneer, "So how are you getting there? Walking? You don't look like you could afford the bus fare!" Jimi's father was regarding them solemnly. At this, he spoke.
"Don't be foolish, Jin Gau. We can give them a ride. We're going to Stonybridge, they can some with us." Rhydian and Maddy looked nervously at Mr Chen.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course! It would be ridiculous to leave you here to find your own way there! Besides, the amount that Jin Gau talks about you, I'd like to meet your for myself." Maddy and Rhydian exchanged glances, then followed Jimi and his father to the carpark.
"So, whose is the baby?" sneered Jimi as is father pulled out of the carpark onto the main road. Rhydian looked him in the face.
"Mine." he replied, as though daring Jimi to suggest that Maddy would be unfaithful.
"Can't be, you were only gone for six months... unless... oh!" Maddy nervously turned Alanna's face towards her, hoping that Jimi would not realise that she was only a month old. Rhydian felt uneasy. He hadn't foreseen this problem.
"I was pregnant when I left," Maddy piped up, "so I had Alanna in Canada. Rhydian didn't know until he got there." Jimi nodded, seeming satisfied with this explanation.
"How come you decided to move back here?" he asked.
"We missed you and your delightful comments." Mr Chen looked at his son. Maddy thought she'd blown their ride, but to her surprise, she saw pride in his eyes. He had missed her sarcasm. Jimi didn't say another word until the car rolled into Stonybridge.
Nerves flooding her brain, Maddy climbed out of the car and picked up Alanna, who was now sleeping soundly, while Rhydian bent his head to thank Mr Chen. Jimi scowled at her out of his window. She smiled sarcastically at him. He turned away.
Once the car pulled away and drove off, Maddy and Rhydian looked at each other.
"So... where do we go?"
"We can go to your... your old house. Mum and Dad will be happy to let us stay there. If you want them to, they'll leave, they know they're only borrowing it..."
"No, they can stay. And yes, I'd like to go there." He smiled at her and took her hand, leading her on well trodden paths through the woods to her old home.