AN: Some note for you to understand the "joke" Ruth will be making in this chapter. The Berggasse in Vienna is a reference to Sigmund Freud. He used to have his praxis there, until sadly he had to escape from the Nazis in 1938/39.
And of course many thanks for every review!
Meredith was still standing there awaiting an answer from the boy.
"Now, I'm waiting. What are you doing with my baby?"
"She isn't your baby."
"Excuse me."
"Clelia is her mother."
Meredith was shocked.
"How do you know about her?"
"My name isn't Victor Campbell, I'm really Matthew Carter. I'm the father of this child."
"Oh my god."
"Please I don't want to do anything to do, least of little Constance…I just…"
"You wanted to steal her."
"But she's our daughter."
"She's not. We legally adopted her."
"But it isn't right what you do!"
Constance had woken up and was crying heavily by now.
"Please let me take her", Meredith said. "I won't do anything to her", she added putting the pistol aside for him to see that she meant it. Victor or Matthew handed her the baby. Jonathan had woken up from the noise.
"What's going on here?" he demanded to know.
"Nothing dear, everything is fine. In fact I've made up some decision. I want you to call Mrs. O'Brian and tell her to come here with her daughter."
"Now?"
"Yes."
"But it's in the middle of the night."
"I know but it's important."
Jonathan did as he was told.
…
Noreen and Clelia were coming around 4 a. m both of them wondering why Meredith had summoned them up.
"Hello you two, please come in", she greeted them with a smile offering them a seat and something to drink.
"You're wondering why I called you."
Both nodded.
"Well actually I wanted to introduce to someone."
Meredith called for Matthew.
"Matthew?" Clelia couldn't believe it.
Meredith told them the whole story.
"I've decided something. Jonathan, please, don't get me wrong. But he's right", she mentioned to Matthew. "It isn't right what we're doing. It's their child. It should be with them."
"You're giving her back to me…to us?" Clelia asked.
"Yes dear, that's precisely what I'm doing. And Mrs. O'Brian please I know how you thought about this but…"
"I know too how I thought about it, but I've changed my mind. In fact Matthew…that's your name right?"
"Yes, madam."
"Call me Noreen please, as I'll be your mother-in-law soon. I think you know that it was a stupid idea what you wanted to you about the stealing the baby, but it was also loveable. I'm convinced now that you really love my daughter."
"Thank you Mrs…Noreen."
"You can't just give them our child."
"Of course I can, Jonathan. Just think about it for one minute, she'd be our baby, would you want to have her taken away from us?"
"I guess not."
"See", turning to Clelia again she said: "I'll reverse the adoption first thing in the morning."
Clelia stood up tears in her eyes and put her arms around Meredith.
"Thank you so much."
…...
Sometime later Clelia and Matthew had married in meantime with Noreen's blessing; they were all walking in around in the city, suddenly sawing Ruth and some other women. Noreen wanted to walk up to them, until she heard Ruth telling her friends something:
"Did you hear about Mrs. O'Brian's daughter?"
"No, please enlighten us", one of them answered.
"Well she's got some depression. Her mother should've sent her to the Berggasse I think."
Noreen couldn't believe what she had just heard.
"Excuse me, but it's my daughter you're talking about. Do you admit that she's crazy? Do you realize what a depression really is?" she said completely disgusted.
"I…I…I'm sorry. I didn't realize that…" Ruth stammered for words.
"No, you're not sorry. You don't care about anything or anyone but yourself…well and probably your money. That's all that matters for you. In fact I feel sorry for you, as one day you'll be alone. I for one thing never want to see you again!"
With that she took the hands of Clelia and Matthew and went away leaving Ruth standing there with her mouth open.