(A/N): Whew! Here it is, chapter 20! I almost didn't write this storyline into the story, particularly because I always thought they did Max dirty. Anyway, this is my take on that storyline and the fallout thereof. I've obviously posted this just after chapter 19 and I am continuing to work on the story and will post as and when I can. In case I don't post again beforehand, Merry Christmas/ Happy Holidays everyone. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
What the Heart Wants
Chapter 20
It had been a couple of days since Rachel had forced Fiona out, and the whole school seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief. Eddie hadn't managed to get hold of Melissa to have any kind of meaningful talk with her, as she seemed to be nothing but busy, helping Fiona go back home and preparing for that Friday. The entire of the student population had endless theories on what had happened to rid them of the woman that had unofficially been dubbed the 'witch', though no one who actually knew what had happened was letting any information slip.
It was Friday morning and Alia had ended up travelling into school over an hour early with Rachel, who was stressing over the spot inspection that was taking place that day. She'd made them all get up at half past five to run over what needed to happen and how the day would run. Jack had half-listened to her before telling her she was worrying over nothing and heading back to bed for a further few hours' sleep. Alia had had to sit there trying to reassure her until she'd finally persuaded her mum to instead just have them head out early and worry at the school instead of at home.
Rachel had roped both Eddie and Melissa in to come in early also, as well as Tom, in an effort to get the school ready for the inspector, the latter of whom had brought Chlo and Donte with him, though they'd absconded to the van parked on school grounds instantly, not wanting to be dragged into doing anything so early. Rachel had set Alia on making sure the areas such as the assembly hall and cafeteria were tidy and graffiti free, before running along art and science to check those classrooms were ready. Rachel was covering the rest of the ground floor area, including the grounds, whilst Melissa was checking all her Extended Services areas, including the creche, and Eddie and Tom had teamed up to do a run through of the first floor classrooms and staff room.
Alia had rushed through her checks, wanting nothing more than for the inspection to be over with so Rachel would stop stressing over it and they could go see Sam in the hospital after school. They'd received confirmation of his being admitted to a nearby hospital late the night before. She'd just finished and told her mother in the foyer area, to which Rachel had smiled her thanks and approached the inspector, who had actually arrived a few minutes earlier than anticipated. Alia took that as her cue to quietly back away and, when sure she wasn't in the headteacher or inspector's presence, she ran to tell Eddie and Tom that the inspector was there, finally locating first Tom and then Eddie, who quickly ushered her into his classroom for her maths lesson, where she slipped into place at the back of the class beside Katie. Katie shot her a curious look but thankfully didn't ask why she was out of breath and very nearly late when the other girl had seen her half an hour before in the canteen.
She'd barely got her things out when Rachel had appeared at the doorway with the inspector in tow, introducing the woman before shooting Eddie a tense look and backing out, leaving the inspector to move to the back of the class and perch on the edge of the table set beside hers and Katie's. She watched in mild disbelief at Earl's showing off for the inspector, knowing that the boy was why the inspector had chosen that particular class, and that Earl usually didn't either bother with showing up to lessons or bother doing work in said lessons when he was there. She shared a look with Katie before they both got back to their work, ignoring the visiting woman who, for the rest of the lesson, either wandered the class or perched on the desk beside them, though Alia noted she looked mildly impressed with Eddie's lesson. Right as the lesson was ending, she scribbled a note in the back of her book and tore it out when the inspector wasn't looking, crumpling it in her hand as the bell went and the hustle and bustle began of trying to get out of the classroom. As she passed Eddie's desk, she made eye contact with the teacher for a moment, dropping the crumpled paper beside the textbook she handed in without drawing too much attention to it, not bothering to hang around as she got to her next class of the day.
Eddie waited until the inspector had been collected by Rachel before opening the crumpled paper and smiling at the content.
Earl's a smartass today, but the inspector was impressed with your class. Tell Rachel it's going well so far. Alia x
…
A few minutes later found Janeece confiding in Chlo and Alia between lessons about what Maxine had said and how she may have pushed it a little far, with Max lumping her in with Steph in her opinion of Earl. None of the girls liked Earl, but they'd tried to put up with him and be positive for Maxine's sake. Alia had kept her mouth firmly shut whenever Rachel would mention the boy and how he seemed to be settling down a little since getting with the sixth former. She didn't want to bring up that it was more likely for him to drag her down with him that for her to pull him up. The three girls decided to try and talk to Maxine at break, using the van Donte had gotten Chlo to do her hairdressing in part time whilst she was doing her a levels, thereby staying out of the school but not freezing either. The couple were using the money they made to save up for when the baby came. Chlo and Maxine were sat in the front seats, Maxine's chair turned to face the rest of the van, which consisted of Janeece in front of the mirror with Sambuca Kelly behind her with a can of hairspray, and Alia sat further back, watching them and occasionally handing something to Sam as she did Janeece's hair.
"Max, that's the least of your worries with a baby," Chlo tried to convince her, her hand resting on her own small bump. "Think of everything that's going to change."
"I want things to change. Earl'll be a brilliant dad."
Chlo exchanged horrified looks with Janeece and Alia as Sam snorted in amusement. "I can't see that happening," the younger girl laughed.
"You don't know him like I do."
"I'm his sister." Sam pointed out, rolling her eyes.
"Exactly! Does he talk to you about his feelings and stuff?"
"He doesn't have any. Not any normal ones anyway." Sam snorted again, knowing exactly what her brother was like. He suckered people in, used them and spit them out again. She'd seen it before and would see it again.
"There you go, see. You've got no idea." Maxine defended Earl hotly, shaking her head at the year 9 girl.
"Well there's the man himself," Alia commented, nodding towards the front gate where she'd spotted Earl yelling at a girl around their age that none of the older girls knew.
"Who's that?" Maxine asked. frowning.
"She's looking a right state," Janeece added.
"Oh, that's Jade Donnaghy. She was in Earl's class at our old school," Sam told them all with a shrug, only for the conversation to descend once again and Maxine to storm away from them, Sam looking the most confused whilst Janeece, Chlo and Alia were all concerned for their friend, especially when Earl spotted her and went to follow.
Chlo had to get an assignment in before Tom's class right before lunch, but Alia decided to bunk her next class, knowing the inspector wouldn't be in it as Rachel had told her about foisting her off on Melissa and extended services after break, instead following Janeece to where Maxine was helping sort the cheerleading things out in the gym. She helped Janeece as Maxine and Earl had an argument that seemed to resolve way too quickly for their liking as they slipped out of the room, knowing that there was nothing they could do to stop her right now. Earl had her too far under his spell.
…
It was just after lunch time when Janeece and Alia found Maxine in the girls' toilets, having been looking for her since it was discovered she'd left Tom's class and hadn't been seen since, plus the rather explosive blow up between her and Earl in the middle of the school, which Chlo had text them about. They tried to convince her, but once she'd told them about the baby and Earl's plans for it, they'd agreed that she would need to make a phone call, particularly when she'd told them she couldn't have that baby on her conscience. She'd left to speak to Steph about it all but had come back to the toilets soon after, telling them that Steph had blown her off and she needed to make the phone call. Alia told her it was probably due to the inspector being in the French class as they waited for her to finish up. Together, they decided to bunk off the rest of the day, in an effort to cheer up Maxine. Janeece didn't care as her last lesson was with Budgen, and Alia had art, which she didn't necessarily want to bunk off of, especially after skiving off her third period lesson earlier in the day, but she figured after what she'd gone through that day, Maxine was more important. She'd take the yelling and grounding she'd probably get off Rachel later if it made Maxine feel better after everything with Earl.
"I've got about twelve quid," Maxine suddenly told them once they were about five minutes from the school grounds, no longer looking worriedly over their shoulders at the distant school building. "I know Steph has nothing in, but we could go to the shops, get some stuff to make her a right good tea."
"I've got a fiver." Janeece fished out the note from her bag.
"I've got a tenner," Alia added, doing the same. "If we go to that off-licence round the corner from Tesco's, we could get her a bottle of wine too." She recalled Rachel's many complaints at the beginning of working there that the staff seemed to be all alcoholics, going to the pub seemingly every night, but that Steph especially liked red wine, so that would be a good idea to help make things up to the blonde woman. It was one of the best and worst kept secrets which off-licenses would sell cigarettes and alcohol to the students. The entire student population knew of them, but they'd ensured none of the teachers or parents ever found out.
Maxine nodded, throwing them a grateful smile as they made their way to the shops, going round Tesco first as Maxine chose out specific things to put together a meal for her guardian, Janeece and Alia trailing behind offering ideas, including that they should get her some flowers, ignoring the security guard that was watching them. It happened a lot for Waterloo Road students, being followed by security for no reason. They paid for their items and journeyed round the corner, Janeece nipping in to the off-license for the bottle of wine as Max's makeup was still off from her crying, plus Alia was younger than both her and Janeece, and they didn't want to draw more attention to the underage girls buying alcohol. Everything bought, they made their way to Steph's house, about a ten minute walk from Rachel's house, Alia noted absently, and Maxine let them all in, dumping their goods in the kitchen.
"Just sling your bags by the door; Steph won't mind," Max told them, so they deposited their bags and jackets in the hallway, moving back to the kitchen before unpacking the shopping. Maxine put some music on to cook along to and they began to laugh, dancing around as Alia sliced some vegetables, Janeece set up the saucepans and Maxine found some vases for the wide arrangement of red flowers she'd bought, knowing red was Steph's favourite colour. The wine had been set to one side along with Steph's favourite wine glass. Eventually everything was simmering away nicely and Janeece laughed, calling her best friend Nigella as she tasted the sauce.
"Hey, this is the least I can do. I was so mean to Steph earlier on." Maxine was genuinely apologetic for how she'd treated her guardian, her face contorted with regret. "I need to make it up to her."
"She'll forgive you," Alia replied confidently. She'd heard from Rachel how Steph only wanted what was best for her charge, more upset that she was throwing her life away over a boy who was using her than what she'd said and done to her guardian. There was no chance of Steph not forgiving her.
"You know, hearing that you've binned him, I reckon that'll do the trick altogether mate." Janeece rolled her eyes with a smile.
"Anyone is going to seem like Prince Charming after him." Alia laughed, Janeece joining in as they flicked pieces of leftover peppers at each other childishly.
"I am done with boys," Maxine declared firmly, ignoring the snorts from her friends. "Nothing but aggro." She moved through the house to the living room, the largest vase of flowers in her hands, calling back behind her. "I'm going to become a nun."
"Yeah right!" Janeece shouted back, laughter all round.
"I'm dead serious." She put the flowers down on the living room table, hearing the two girls debating which boy she should go out with next, disregarding their more ridiculous suggestions as she heard their voices get closer. She looked up from where she was knelt arranging the flowers as Janeece and Alia backed into the room slowly, the earlier joviality completely erased. "What?" Her friendly smile dropped as Earl stepped into the room, the girls moving further back instinctively, eyes still trained on him in fear.
"Maxine. You need to listen to me."
She stood up slowly, finally seeing what had the other two so scared. Earl looked completely unhinged, a gun sticking out prominently from the waistband of his pants.
…
"She dumped you," Janeece defended. The conversation had deteriorated quickly, but she was always going to defend her friend, especially from the boy they hated. I mean, who leaves a baby to be sold so they can get another girl pregnant?
"So deal with it," Alia added fiercely, arms crossed over her chest.
"Get out," Earl told them both. Stubbornly, they didn't move, eyes focused on the gun in his waistband as he pulled it fully into view. "I said get out."
They glanced towards Maxine, who gestured for them to go with her head. She looked terrified but was looking out for them. She knew it was between her and Earl really. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to get hurt because of her. Slowly, Janeece and Alia left the room backwards, eyes never leaving Maxine until they'd reached the hallway completely before running down the hallway and onto the front path, staying away from view of the window in case Earl could see them and realise they hadn't run as far as he probably thought they should. "We need to call the police," Alia whispered, clutching Janeece's hand as tightly as the girl was clutching hers.
Janeece nodded jerkily, pulling out her phone from her hoodie pocket with her free hand as they huddled together next to the front step. "Hello, Police? I need you right now." Between them, they managed to tell the police all they knew, listening intently with the phone between their ears as they were left waiting with an operator, who had told them someone was on their way, chanting "come on" under their breaths as they watched the door, terrified for the friend they'd left in there. Why had they left her in there alone with him? They could hear arguing, rather muffled through the walls and down the hall, but they ducked instinctively as they clearly heard the scream and gunshot. Exchanging terrified glances, they hung up on the operator and made their way slowly back into the house, knowing it was a stupid idea, but they couldn't leave Max. Janeece's phone was safely back in her pocket, not wanting to alert Earl they'd called the police on him. Silently, they made their way back to the living room, hearing and seeing Maxine tearfully tell Earl she despised him before they simultaneously, without even really thinking about it, lunged out for the gun, Maxine rushing in to help them as Earl fought them wildly, the three girls trying to push the gun out from his hand and Earl just as determined not to give it up. At one point, Alia and Maxine were pushed together, down the barrel of the gun as they and Janeece at Earl's side tried to pry the gun from him, their movements getting more desperate the longer he held onto the weapon.
Bang.
All four froze for a moment as the gun went off again, red blood blooming almost instantly on the white shirt. Or rather, shirts. When Earl had accidentally pulled the trigger a second time that evening, Maxine and Alia had been stood too close together, Alia's arm in front of Maxine's as they'd fought the angry teenager for the gun. The bullet had gone through both girl's arms, Alia's right and Maxine's left, lodging low in the wall behind them.
Just after the moment everyone froze with the shot, Janeece managed to get the gun from Earl and danced back a few steps with it, keeping it as far from him as she could. Earl just looked shocked that he'd actually hurt someone with it. Clearly, for all his threats and bravado, he'd never considered what would happen should pulling the trigger actually hurt someone, or worse. Thinking quickly, Alia reached behind her and gently took the gun from Janeece's trembling fingers, her eyes never leaving Earl's as he watched Maxine with stunned shock. Maxine appeared to be more in shock than anything else, her eyes focused on the blooming red stain ever increasing on her shirt sleeve. Praying she had enough strength with her non-writing hand, Alia raised her left arm and hit Earl as hard as she could across the temple with the butt of his gun, sending him tumbling to the floor, out cold to the world. Only once Earl was unconscious did she let her arm drop, forcing herself to drag her feet over to the sofa and leaving the gun there on the cushions, so Earl couldn't immediately grab at it should he wake before the police got there. She was vaguely aware of Janeece manoeuvring her to where Max had shuffled to the wall and slid down into a seated position, leaving a bright smear of blood down the wall. Janeece pushed her to sit too, leaving a second trail of blood, both of them simultaneously leaning on the wall and each other as Janeece ran out to grab some tea towels, coming back to press them on the injured girls' arms, ignoring as they nearly screamed with what she was doing. Janeece settled for yelling their names to keep them awake and with her, remembering something about keeping awake from one of the doctor soap operas her mum watched.
None of them heard the door open fully against the wall, nor the call of Max's name when the discarded bags were noticed, or the clatter of heels running down the hallway. The first time they registered Steph's appearance was when she fell to her knees beside Janeece, taking over the tea towel pressed against Max's arm, leaving Janeece free to focus on pressing the other one to Alia's arm.
"I'm here sweetheart, I'm here," Steph practically sobbed, holding the towel as tightly as she dared.
"The police are on their way," Janeece added, tears in her eyes and voice, though she was stubbornly refusing to let them fall.
"I'm sorry," Max mumbled out, staring at Steph with wide eyes.
"Ssh, help will be here soon. Don't leave me."
Five long minutes later, the police showed up along with the initial paramedics, who the operator had dispatched after hearing the gunshot before the girls had hung up on them. Bustling into the room, the paramedics dislodged Steph and Janeece from their positions in front of the girls and set about helping them, calling for ambulances for them as soon as the tea towels were lowered enough for them to see what they were dealing with. Janeece helpfully informed the police that the unconscious boy in the middle of the room was the one who had shot her friends and that the younger injured girl had knocked him out with his own gun, as well as pointing out where the gun was now. Steph had her arms wrapped rightly round Janeece, who was hugging her back just as tightly, trying to give as much comfort as she was taking, her eyes focused on Maxine as the paramedics had ripped the sleeves off both girls' shirts and had wrapped their arms tightly, a makeshift help until they could get to hospital. Steph didn't want to think of what could've happened if the girls weren't there, if Maxine had been on her own. It would be a very different scenario, that was for sure.
The police had urgent questions, mainly about the events leading up to and during, to make sure it was an isolated incident, and the paramedics had given them a ten minute ETA on the ambulances for the girls and Earl, who would get a police escort to hospital. Janeece had joined Maxine and Alia on the floor at Alia's side, Steph on Max's free side as the police asked them to go through what had happened. All the girls were a bit sheepish at having to admit to bunking off school and buying alcohol underage, promising they hadn't touched a drop. A quick murmur between the police and paramedics ensured blood tests would be done to corroborate that. Finally, they'd finished their story and the police finished their notes.
"Okay, so we'll obviously have to take formal statements off you all, which can be done at the hospital, but we'll need trusted adults present when we interview you."
"I'll call their head," Steph offered. "I'm Maxine's guardian and I can be the other two's designated adult until their parents can be contacted. I'm a teacher at their school."
Alia let out a groan at the mention of calling the headteacher that had the paramedics panicking a little until she spoke. "My mum's going to kill me," She moaned, ignoring the concerned looks off the paramedics and the sympathetic ones from Maxine and Janeece.
"No she won't, love." Steph focused on the younger girl, finally realising that the other two were sixth formers, nearly seventeen, and she was only a year 11, fifteen, needing that little bit of extra care. "She'll be happy you're alright."
"Skipping school twice in one day? Buying alcohol? Putting myself in the way of a lunatic with a gun? She's going to murder me," Alia rebutted, rubbing her forehead with her working hand. Rachel was definitely going to murder her over the events of the day. "I promised I'd behave when I went to school."
Steph offered her a few more platitudes that it was obvious weren't believed before she let herself into the hallway to call Rachel, making sure she could still see Maxine as she let the headteacher know what had happened; that Earl was unconscious, whilst Max and Alia were injured and Janeece was unharmed. There was quite a lot of swearing down the phone, and if it had been any other situation, Steph would have laughed at the uptight Rachel Mason swearing like a sailor. Rachel promised to get there as soon as possible and hung up, letting Steph get back to the girls, this time prompting Janeece to go to her best friend as she sat next to Alia, holding the girl's left hand tightly. "Thank you."
Alia looked startled at the thanks, turning her head to look at Steph instead of staring blankly at the wall. "What for? And how mad is Miss Mason with us?"
"You and Janeece, you saved Maxine, even though you put yourselves in harm's way and got hurt. It was stupid to come back in, but I'm so grateful, Alia."
"We couldn't leave her alone with him, Miss." Alia offered her a small smile. Beside them Max and Janeece were deep in conversation, tears and smiles prominent on both sides. "We would've done whatever it took to help."
"I think, you and Janeece both, have more than earnt the right to call me Steph. Only out of school, mind you missy."
Alia nodded, her face falling again as more paramedics piled into the already crowded living room, the blue lights flashing outside the window showing that they'd shown up with the ambulances. A brief discussion had the police leaving the premises to give the paramedics room to help the students. Steph helped Alia stand upright and handed her to the two waiting paramedics before doing the same for Maxine. Two further paramedics were knelt on the floor, seeing to Earl. Janeece was going with Maxine in her ambulance apparently, for shock as well as to get her formal statement at the hospital. Steph really didn't want to leave Maxine but she knew she'd have to travel with Alia unless someone from the school showed up to travel with her. Letting out a breath around the lump in the back of her throat, Steph left the house before them, deciding to wait by the ambulances.
The girls had just gotten out of the house on the way to the ambulances, Steph waiting by the ramps, when a silver Audi TT pulled up, brakes screeching as Rachel got out of the car and practically sprinted over to them in her heels, disregarding the police tape with a "I'm their headmistress" before rushing straight past the waiting police. She approached Steph, who was quick to assure her that the girls were all alive and talking, that they were walking down the path as they spoke.
Rachel turned in time to catch sight of her daughter walking slowly between two paramedics, her right sleeve missing and blood splattered on her skin and shirt, a red tinged bandage covering her upper arm. Maxine was in a similar state, though with her left arm, but with two paramedics also, whilst Janeece looked shell shocked, bringing up the rear with only one paramedic with her. She felt a breath leave her body she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. Of course, she'd got the notification of her daughter skipping her last lesson, but had assumed that she'd gone home to Jack so they could get to the hospital for the two o'clock visiting time, so she hadn't thought much of it, deciding to cut her daughter a little slack with the stress she'd been under recently. She felt like she'd lost too many years off her life when she'd received that awful phone call from Steph, informing her in a tearful, choked voice that Alia was at her house and had been wrestling Earl Kelly for a gun and had been shot. She was still at a loss, it was Rochdale for crying out loud. Rachel had never moved so fast in her life, taking Bridget by complete surprise as she'd whizzed past her, no coat or bag, just a phone and car keys, taking the stairs three at a time and peeling out of the car park like a mad woman. She'd broken at least ten driving laws getting there in the time that she did, and she'd calmed only a little at the sight of Steph waiting patiently by the ambulances, knowing exactly what the woman was going through because she was going through the same thing.
"Alia," She breathed, feeling almost weak with the relief she felt at seeing her daughter up and walking unaided, looking fairly alert, even if she did have paramedics hovering round her.
"Poor girl," Steph commented, only then reminding Rachel she was still stood beside her. All her focus had been on her baby girl being hustled between two paramedics, looking much younger than fifteen. She looked at Steph, the question clearly written in her face as Steph clarified the statement for her. "Charged at Earl Kelly without a fear in the world but is terrified her mum's going to murder her over today. I tried to tell her otherwise, but I'm pretty sure she didn't believe me."
"You're not angry."
"At those girls? God no. I'm just so bloody relieved they're alright. For a moment, when I saw Janeece knelt over the pair of them, yelling their names, I thought…" Steph trailed off, her voice catching as tears fell down her face. For a moment, she thought Janeece was yelling at the bodies of the two teenagers. It had taken all the strength she possessed to keep herself going, moving over to Janeece's side to find them still very much alive and breathing. "I'd never been so scared in my life. I'm just relieved they're still with us." Rachel felt a few tears spill over her own cheeks as Steph put it like that. She… she could've lost her daughter today, and it was only thanks to the teamwork of the three girls that injuries to their arms were the worst of it. Steph's words made her feel relieved that she hadn't been in Steph's position, thinking her daughter had been gone, forever. She saw the moment Alia caught sight of her as the girl stiffened and nearly stumbled in her step, the paramedics reaching out to steady her as her face became carefully blank. Waiting, no doubt, for Rachel to start yelling at her. Part of Rachel did want to do just that, scream at her, ask her what the hell she'd been thinking, but the most part of her was just so relieved to see her, there, alright (relatively speaking). Plus, a tiny voice pointed out, it wasn't as though Rachel had never put herself in harm's way over other people, uncaring what happened to her. It seemed the daughter was more like the mother than either had previously known.
The paramedics stopped by the two teachers, Alia before one ambulance and the other two teenagers before the second ambulance. Rachel glanced at the third in confusion, but Steph answered for her. "That one's for Earl. Alia knocked him out with his own gun."
Rachel span round in disbelief to stare at her daughter, who was watching her sheepishly. "Surprise?" She offered weakly, clearly still afraid of what was going to happen. Which was ridiculous, considering she had just been shot and was still more worried about her mum's reaction than she had about charging at an armed teenager.
"Do you have any idea how many years it took off my life when Steph called me?" Rachel settled with, her tone harsher than intended, wincing when the fifteen year old flinched at the question before she set her jaw in an irritatingly familiar way.
"About as many as it took off mine when I got a phone call from the hospital in July, I assume." Alia set her jaw stubbornly. She didn't want Rachel mad at her, but she honestly wasn't sure what else she was meant to have done. She could take her mother being mad at her over skipping school or buying alcohol underage, but not over trying to save her friend. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Steph, Max and Janeece watching them in confusion as well as the paramedics. The two with her had taken a step back, still close enough should anything happen, but allowing the conversation between the woman and teenager.
Rachel sighed, running a hand through her hair as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "What am I going to do with you, eh?" She reached out, pulling her daughter into a gentle hug, careful not to touch her injured arm, feeling Alia's tears seep into her blouse as she hugged her back with her good arm.
"I'm sorry mum, I'm so sorry."
Rachel pulled back to cup Alia's face gently, brushing her tears away with the pads of her thumbs. "Ssh, love. There's nothing for you to be sorry for. I'm just glad you're alright."
"You're… you're not mad?" Alia checked.
"Not a bit love. Though I didn't think this was how you wanted to get to the hospital today," Rachel teased, her voice heavy with the lump still in the back of her throat from her tears. Alia offered her a tired smile at her teasing before the paramedics insisted on the girls being put in ambulances and taken up to hospital. Rachel quickly climbed into the one with Alia, Steph climbing into the one with Maxine and Janeece. It was a short ride to the hospital, and an even shorter trip through A&E as it was decided almost before they got there that both girls needed surgery on their arms to make sure nothing had been hit and to repair the damaged muscles and ligaments. Janeece was to be treated for shock, to be kept for observation for a few hours just in case, whilst Steph and Rachel signed the necessary forms for the emergency surgery for Maxine and Alia respectively.
Once the teenagers had been wheeled up to the surgical unit, the two women found themselves trailing slowly behind, being told they would only be allowed in the children's ward waiting room until the children were out of surgery and out of recovery. Steph found them seats together in the corner, facing the doorway they'd need to be watching. Rachel found a coffee machine in another corner, thankfully having change in her suit pants pocket, feeding enough coins in to get them both a cappuccino, figuring they'd need the caffeine and the warmth the drink would provide. She slumped into her seat, Steph beside her, both taking wincing sips of the awful coffee. Both ignored the blood that was present on both their shirts, Steph from where she'd been helping before the paramedics had shown up, and Rachel from where it had transferred from Alia to her with the hug she'd enveloped her daughter in. Neither thought they'd ever be able to wear the same outfits again anyway, even if the stains ever came out. No matter the cost, the shirts at least would be straight in the nearest bin once they were home. Rachel didn't fancy her chest being exposed in a hospital any further that year, even if this time not for a medical reason.
"He should never even have been at the school. Anyone else would've slung him out ages ago, but not us. We had to keep him as a little pet project, to show how progressive we were." Steph's bitter voice shook Rachel from her melancholy hospital thoughts.
"Steph."
"Is this bad enough for you?"
"Steph."
"She was at home. She should've been safe there. She should've been safe with me." She burst into tears, barely getting the words out as her body shook with sobs.
"Steph, she's still with us. She's going to be okay." Rachel had her arm around the teacher, not sure how she'd ended up comforting Steph but knowing she had to. "They'll repair her arm and then you can take her home. You've still got her Steph."
"I can't take her back there." Steph shook her head, nearly spilling her coffee. "Not where that little shit hurt her."
"Then bring her to mine," Rachel offered before even really thinking about it. It wasn't the worst idea she'd ever had. She had the room for them all, with there being three free bedrooms not hers or her daughter's. With Jack still there that left two free bedrooms. Sure, Philip sometimes used one, but he wasn't there tonight, so there were two free bedrooms, three if Alia chose to sleep up in her music room. Which wouldn't be happening that night if she had any say in it, as Rachel planned to keep her in sight at all times for the foreseeable future. "I've got the room."
"No, I couldn't, I-"
"Yes, you can. I have the room and I don't mind. Plus," Rachel sighed, knowing if the woman hadn't cottoned on yet, she would soon, especially when the police asked Alia for her full name or the doctors appeared after surgery. She'd had to put Alia's official legal name on the hospital records and that would be the one the police would want as well, not the one she used at the school. "plus, I think Max and Alia would do better not being split up after what's happened today. Janeece will depend on what her mum has to say about all this."
"What?" Steph blinked at her, feeling like there was something she was missing, something she'd been on her way to piecing together before her world had turned upside down.
"I, uh, well, there's no soft way of saying this. Alia Falan is my daughter. Only her legal name is Alia Mason. You were going to find out as soon as they let us in to see them," Rachel blurted out, removing her arm from Steph's shoulders slowly as the blonde woman looked at her in disbelief and shock.
"Alia's… your daughter… Oh god," Steph moaned, rubbing at her face with her free hand, ignoring the makeup that came off on her hand with the action. "I called you and told you your daughter was injured in a gun fight after skiving off school with two sixth formers. No wonder she thought her mum was going to kill her." Rachel managed a wry smile at that. Steph reached out to hold her hand, both drawing comfort from the touch. There was something of a common ground between them, both innately understanding what the other was going through.
"I was angry, but she reminded me I have no right to be. I'm mainly relieved she's okay. Now I know how she must've felt after the fire, waiting for me to wake up."
"I thought Melissa had…"
"No, that's what I let people believe. Melissa barely showed up before the start of term. No, Alia sat by my beside day in day out, she's my next of kin because I have no one else, except my dad, and they couldn't get hold of him. Apparently the saving people without a thought to the consequences is a truly inherited trait." Rachel tried to laugh, though it came out sounding more like a sob.
"Rachel?"
"Yes Steph?"
"Yeah, I'll take you up on your offer. I'd like it if me and Max could stay with you for a bit."
The two women fell into silence then, sipping their mediocre coffee and waiting impatiently for the doctors to appear and tell them they could see their children. Rachel sent a text to Jack, telling him what had happened, who replied that he'd gone to see Sam in the hospital and he would go get the house ready for them when they returned. She'd shook her head, wondering when she'd gained such a helpful second child, though he was probably angling to stay another week with her rather than his mum as well as being worried about Alia. Eventually, a doctor in scrubs emerged and looked at the two distraught women. "Parents of Maxine Barlow and Alia Mason?" The two women nodded, standing and discarding their coffees as the doctor led them through to the children's ward, explaining on the way that the girls had been incredibly lucky no arteries had been hit and the surgeries had been successful. They weren't allowed to move their arms and would need several check-ups in the next few days, but if their vitals were good in the next few hours, they'd be able to go home that evening.
The doctor led them to three beds set apart from the rest, with Janeece having apparently been brought up to the children's area once they'd found out she'd come in with the two shot teenagers. Janeece offered them a smile, looking calmer than she'd been at the house. Maxine and Alia were both sat up, their arms pinned to their chests by a sling, heavy bandaging around their upper arms. As they approached, they heard Maxine say to Alia, "You're so lucky. I can't believe I've still got to write and stuff." The two teachers rolled their eyes. Clearly the girls were on the way to recovery already.
"Girls." Steph drew their attention as she and Rachel stood at the bottom of Maxine's bed, who was in the middle of the trio. "The police will want official statements, but if your vitals are good in a few hours then you'll be able to go home." All three faces dropped at the news, hardly surprising under the circumstances, and Rachel remembered that she needed to call Janeece's mother. Excusing herself, she moved away and called Bridget, who thankfully was still at the school and forwarded Janeece's mother's number to her with a minimal amount of questions asked. That particular phone call made Rachel want to throw her phone at the nearest wall or throttle the woman she'd called. Janeece's mother didn't really care about what had happened, or even if Janeece was alright really, but Rachel had managed to get her to agree that she could be Janeece's trusted adult with the police and that she could stay with her friends for the next few nights. Slowly, she made her way back to the girls, where the police had also shown up, which was why she assumed the girls were placed away from everyone else on the ward.
"I'm Rachel Mason. Janeece Bryant's mother has named me her trusted adult as her headmistress," She informed the police smoothly, slipping into the headteacher voice and role as seamlessly as she could under the circumstances. "Stephanie Haydock is Maxine Barlow's guardian and I am Alia Mason's mother." She ignored the confused stares she was getting off the two sixth formers. "Shall we get this over and done with?"
The police agreed to interview them together, as hospital curtains did little to offer privacy from noise. The girls went through their story again, with Alia offering Rachel apologetic looks when it came to them skipping school, her a couple of times if third period was counted, and buying alcohol, though her mother seemed more amused than annoyed that they'd gone to the trouble of buying Steph a bottle of wine to make things up to her. Maxine had offered Steph an apologetic look when she'd had to tell the police how Earl had known where she lived. They got through the whole story, with a couple of shed tears and worried looks, and the police had thanked them for their official story with a promise to be in touch with what charges Earl would be facing just as soon as he woke up. Apparently, he was in the same hospital as them but in a completely different ward, under police guard and would be arrested as soon as he came round.
"Will, will I be charged for hitting him like I did?" Alia asked hesitantly, her eyes wide and frightened, making Rachel itch to envelope her in another hug, though she managed to hold the urge in, barely. The policeman nearest her shook his head kindly.
"No, you won't, Alia. It was clearly in self-defence, though you've got one hell of a swing on you." The police then left and Rachel knew she needed to explain things to the girls, figuring Steph had known who she'd gone off to call as the police had turned up. She glanced at Janeece, who had been moved to a chair between Max and Alia for the police statements.
"Janeece, I got in contact with your mum." She ignored Janeece's groan, instead offering her a smile. "She said you're welcome to stay with your friends for a few days, and any police business will go through me."
"Thanks miss, but I can just doss wherever."
"No you won't," Rachel told her firmly, knowing her headteacher voice had slipped out when Janeece nodded almost automatically, though Alia seemed unaffected by it. She then turned to the next sixth former. "Maxine, Steph and I have agreed that you'll both be staying with me for a few days. Janeece, I'm extending that to you too. It'll be a mad house with us all there, but I honestly think it'll be good for everyone to not be alone after today."
"I'll stay in my music room," Alia offered, obviously having done the mental calculations and realising that unless she wanted someone up there figuring out she was Lia Rose, she would be staying up there. Rachel turned her gaze to her daughter, shaking her head softly.
"No, you won't, love. We'll work it out. Push comes to shove you'll bunk with Jack for a night or two."
Alia's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you feeling alright? Only I'm sure you just said I could sleep with a boy tonight." She knew she'd fallen asleep in the same room as Jack many times, both on a sofa and on a bed, but Rachel had never ever given them blatant permission to do so, no matter the relationship between the two teenagers.
"Yes, well, with your arm and the painkillers I'm sure they'll put you on, it's not like you could do anything but sleep." Rachel shifted uncomfortably as she realised what she'd just potentially endorsed, making Alia giggle a little. Rachel immediately decided her discomfort was worth it to hear her daughter like that. She'd expected a much more closed off daughter after all that had happened that day. Part of her was surprised it was only five thirty. "But that's something we can all sort out when we're home."
"Miss, you said you were Alia's mum." Maxine piped up after a whispered exchange with Janeece.
"I did," Rachel confirmed, smiling as the sixth formers exchanged loaded glances.
"Are you?" Janeece asked, finally deciding that their headmistress wasn't going to offer up the information for them.
"I am. Alia's name is actually Alia Mason. Falan was her dad's last name. Her school records still say Falan so that's why she's called that at school." Rachel offered them a smile, sat on the side of Alia's bed facing the teenagers. She reached out to grab hold of Alia's free hand, squeezing it gently. "I promise I'm nowhere near as scary at home as I am at school."
"You're scary at school? Since when?" Alia smirked at her, knowing full well the only reason Rachel wasn't scary to her was because she was her mother and she usually knew why Rachel was behaving in a particular way. It probably was pretty scary for the other students though, the ones that had to deal with Headmistress Mason without understanding the woman behind the persona. "Oh yeah I meant to ask. How did the inspection go? Was all your worrying for nothing?"
"I can be scary," Rachel protested half-heartedly, knowing her daughter only found her anywhere near scary when she thought she was in trouble. "The inspection went well. Improvement in all areas with no immediate grounds for concern."
"That's good. I can finally get a lie in without you waking me worried about it." She rolled her eyes, though both knew that they wouldn't have it any other way.
"Bloody cheek." Rachel smiled at her teasing, glad she felt calm enough to do so. They all lapsed into a more comfortable silence as the nurses came over to do tests and checks on everyone and give Maxine and Alia their painkillers, another step on being allowed to go home rather than spend the night in the children's ward.
TBC…
