so, between returning to work (and being one of TWO employees working out in the field atm) and my grandma's unexpected passing, it's been somewhat difficult to summon the energy to write, but I finally did finish this chapter and hopefully the next one won't take a... month to update (but life happens you know!) Please enjoy - Dee
Imogen woke to the warmth of an early morning sun crawling across the bed; she still could hardly believe what had all happened in the past few weeks - most of all that she was staying in her eldest daughter's guest room, and that her daughter had willingly invited her to stay. A few days had passed since then, Alice was back home out of the hospital - having convinced her doctor friend that she'd recover better at home - and Imogen stayed on to help care for her. They were still a little wary of each other when alone, but the chasm that had been forged years ago was slowly filling in with each conversation and hour passed in each other's company.
Today was a special day, Imogen smiled, it was her granddaughter's birthday and she was looking forward to the gathering happening later as Cora and Peter were coming up from Melbourne to see the birthday girl (and introduce the newest Roger to her aunt and grandmother). The house was still quiet as she slowly got up from bed, but a peculiar noise reached her ears as she stretched; Imogen quickly and quietly followed it to Anna's room, concerned at the cries and occasional hiccup, so she knocked softly.
(It had been one of the "ground rules" Alice informed her of when Imogen first came to the house: Always knock first and wait for an answer.)
"Y-yes?" Anna called out, voice thick with tears.
"Anna, it's your nana… is everything alright?"
"No." Came the soft answer after a pregnant pause.
"Would you like me to come in and help?"
Another pause, and then.
"Okay."
Slipping into her granddaughter's room, Imogen had to smile at the lavender walls; paired with the light wood furniture and matching purple bedclothes in various shades, it suited a young growing girl. (She particularly thought the scientific wall hangings depicting different gemstones, plant anatomy, and some photographs and paintings of the sea were a nice touch as well.)
Anna sat on the edge of her bed, wiping away her tears as she clutched her beloved teddy bear to her chest; a dark spot on the flung back sheets alerted Imogen to a reason why her granddaughter was upset.
"Bad dream, pet?" She knelt in front of Anna and smoothed her hair back from her face.
"I wet the bed, Nana," Anna sniffled. "And my throat doesn't feel good."
"I'm sorry, how about we get you cleaned up? I'll take you to your parents and strip the bed linens."
"'M sorry I wet the bed."
"Think nothing of it, it happens to everyone," Imogen pressed a kiss to Anna's forehead. "Your mum is a very smart person and thought you might get bad dreams again, so put a rubber sheet on the mattress to help protect it."
"And the sheets?"
"Easily washable."
It had been a little strange at first, explaining things frankly to the girl, but Alice insisted on it. Imogen learned it was how their bond had developed after Alice had rescued Anna in an alleyway, and that bond remained strong because Alice didn't hide the truth from her daughter. Oh, there were certainly some things she didn't explain to her daughter because Anna was young, but Alice always gave an explanation as to why Anna had to wait. All in all, it fostered Anna's curious spirit, and all the adults active in the girl's life encouraged her questions (though Imogen noted that Mrs. Blake could get a little exasperated with them if she was in the middle of a task, but she still took the time to answer them.)
The more she did this, the more Imogen enjoyed it; Anna was a bright girl, reminding her so much of Alice at that same age - though her daughter had been a very quiet and reserved youngster compared to Cora and Anna.
"C'mon," she got up from the floor and held out her hand to Anna. "Let's get you into some dry clothes."
"Can they be pajamas? I don't feel good today."
"... Sure, let's find your favorite ones."
It didn't take long to clean Anna and put her into new pajamas, and after a short trip back to her room to grab Goose and the soiled sheets (which Imogen put in the hamper, making a mental note to run the wash once the house was awake), Imogen gently tapped on her daughter's bedroom door with Anna clinging to her robe - still sniffling and occasionally hiccuping and coughing.
Alice's fiance and soulmate answered the knock - blinking blearily into the rising daylight, his hair still sleep mussed as he cleared his throat. The bruising on his face was slowly healing - the edges turning more yellow by the day, and Imogen was glad to see it.
"Imogen, what do you need?"
"Anna had a bad dream," she gave him a soft smile as Anna hid her face in Imogen's robe. "Ended up wetting the bed - which I'll take care of after you've gone to work, but I thought she'd like to see you and Alice. She also said she doesn't feel good."
"Thank you," he smiled back. "Not feeling so good, Anna, sweetheart?"
"No, Daddy."
"Alright... well, come on in and snuggle with your mum. She's still sleeping, but I'm sure we can track down a thermometer."
"Do I have to go to school today?"
Matthew's eyebrows rose at the question and Imogen thought that a strange reaction. Her curiosity was answered shortly, however.
"You must not be feeling well if you're asking to stay home from school. Hop in the bed, I'll find a thermometer and then call the school; hopefully you feel better by the afternoon since today is your birthday, sweetheart."
Anna made a bit of a face (much like Alice had at mention of her own birthdays in the past), but she crawled up onto the bed next to her mum; Alice still snuffled away - subconsciously curling an arm around her daughter as she slept on.
"I'll get started on the wash," Imogen smiled as she and Matthew watched the two with fond looks.
"And I'll find that thermometer."
Alice muttered something from the bed and Anna piped up, "Mumma says it's in her work bag."
"Can you ask her if she's sure it's not the one for dead people?"
Alice had shifted on the bed and retorted even before Matthew finished his question (much to the amusement of the man in question).
"Mumma says that one is in the morgue… where's it's supposed to be." Anna added the last bit after Alice mumbled again.
Matthew ducked his head to hide a grin, and something told Imogen he knew where the thermometer was all along; she followed him out of the bedroom to start on the wash and get some tea going. She'd found out that Matthew was no stranger to manning the kitchen since she'd come to stay here, and while Alice did her part if Matthew had to work late, Matthew was the one who did most of the cooking. It had been a bit of a surprise to Imogen, after decades of working and cooking and cleaning for her husband (ex-husband, she reminded herself, or at least he would be when the divorce went through), but Imogen had gotten to know her future son-in-law quite a bit over preparations in the kitchen.
He was a quiet man, quieter than Alice at times, and could come across gruff (she'd been scared in her interview with him at the police station, but Matthew had eased up a little as her story with George started to come out), but the love he had for Alice and Anna was plain to see for anyone. He simply adored them, and Imogen was very happy for her daughter to have found such a person.
"Alice is awake," Matthew came into the kitchen dressed in most of his police uniform, sans jacket and hat, "and has banished me from the bedroom while she looks after Anna."
Imogen smiled, "I'm sure she doesn't want you potentially catching whatever Anna has, Matthew."
Matthew grumbled goodnaturedly a little more, but accepted his teacup from her nonetheless, "Thank you, for bringing Anna to us, and for taking care of the bedsheets."
"I'm happy to help and to take some strain off you and Alice. I'll try to keep them resting as long as possible, so that the birthday gathering can still happen."
He sighed, "I'm glad it's a small one, if it is something contagious that Anna's got, then we'll have less people to call. I know Alice wouldn't want Cora or Jean catching it. Right, I'm going to call the school and let them know Anna's not going in, then head to work. You'll call if anything happens?"
"Promise."
She passed him on the phone as she took in tea to her daughter and granddaughter, and it sounded like Anna would be able to stay home and recuperate from whatever ailed her. Her daughter was propped up against some pillows with Anna curled up on her lap - a thermometer sticking out of her mouth as Alice watched the clock.
"How is she doing?" Imogen asked as she set the tea down on the nightstand.
"A cough, but I think it's from a sore throat," Alice ran a hand up and down Anna's back and gently took the thermometer out of Anna's mouth. "No fever, but still slightly elevated temperature."
"What's that mean, Mumma?"
"It means we keep you cool today and you drink plenty of fluids as you rest."
"School's alright with Anna staying home, sweetheart," Matthew popped his head in. "They wished her a happy birthday too and hoped she feels better. I'm going to head into the station, unless you need anything."
For an answer, Alice just waved him in; Imogen hid a smile as Matthew leaned down to kiss her softly, and they murmured their goodbyes. He kissed the top of Anna's head - the girl now nodded back off in her mother's arms - and left Alice and Imogen for the day.
"What would you like me to do for you?" She asked her daughter as she handed over the fresh cup of tea.
"Oh, you don't have to, Mum."
"I want to," Imogen insisted. "I want to help and caring for an unwell child is stressful enough without also dealing with a broken leg, dear."
Alice deflated a little and nodded - she surprised Imogen by leaning a little into her mother as she tucked Alice's hair behind her ear.
"She'll need something for her throat when she wakes up. Something with honey."
"Ah, so a hot toddy without the toddy?"
That got Imogen a light chuckle as Alice nodded.
"I don't know if we have lemon."
"I'm sure I can still come up with something. You keep her comfortable, and let me know if you want anything, I'm going to go wash the bed linens and start on breakfast for us."
"Thank you, Mum."
Taking a chance, Imogen leaned down and kissed the top of Alice's head - warmth blooming in her chest when her daughter didn't pull away; she left Anna in Alice's capable hands and went to start on work in the house for the day.
Once Anna had woken up again (and drank most of the hot lemon and honey water), they moved out to the parlor where it was more comfortable for both of them to sit, and gave more for Alice to do if visitors came by throughout the day.
"Think you can drag the mending basket over for me, my girl?" She kissed the side of Anna's head once she reached the end of another chapter in their book. "It's getting a little full."
"Okay."
Anna sat beside her as she worked her way through the clothes needed to be mended (mostly the girl's dresses and Matthew's work shirts), sometimes asking questions about what Alice was doing.
"Can I learn how to do this?"
"Of course," Alice kissed the side of Anna's head again as her mother came in from the kitchen with more tea, "though I think we might let your Auntie Jean teach you, I'm still quite the beginner."
"Your tension is very nice, Alice," her mother remarked over her shoulder. "Did you learn this in school?"
"Thank you, Mum," she smiled. "Ah, no, I learned how to sew up bodies, not clothes. It wasn't until I met Jean that she helped explain it all a little better to apply it to clothes. Clothes sewing has much more colorful thread and designs."
The slightly shocked look on her mother's face was worth the teasing remark, and Imogen must have sensed she was mostly joking (Anna's giggles helped) because she joined in with the mirth of the room. Imogen joined them in the parlor, watching Alice mend the clothes as Anna snuggled up to her newly found grandmother in the armchair Jean usually frequented on her visits.
Clucking her tongue a bit at the sight of Matthew's pockets in his trousers, Alice started in on them. She never would have imagined herself willingly mending clothes, in fact when she was growing up she'd firmly refused to learn those stereotypical feminine tasks because people expected her to know them. Meeting one Mrs. Jean Blake, however, had changed her mind and changed how she viewed the tasks; she'd always loved learning, and it took having the right kind of teacher to help her with mending, cooking, and other tasks (though Jean never pushed her to do ones she outright wasn't comfortable with like knitting).
"Anna?"
"Yes, Mumma?"
"Tell your father not to be so hard on his clothes."
Her daughter giggled even as she nodded and went back to asking Imogen questions about Alice when she was little. She'd just clipped the last of her threads from repairing Matthew's trousers when a knock at the door came - interrupting Imogen's story about a younger Alice for Anna.
"I'll get it," her mother patted Alice's shoulder and went to the door.
"Anna," Alice called to her daughter when the girl made to follow her grandmother, "stay here, please."
"Is there another bad man?"
"No," she pulled Anna up onto her lap and kissed her forehead. "No bad man, but you're supposed to be resting today so we can have your birthday gathering this afternoon."
"Oh, okay, Mumma… you're sure there's no more bad man?"
"Quite."
With another kiss to Anna's forehead, Alice looked up with a smile to see Jean enter the parlor; she was restless with her broken leg, but Jean visiting helped put her at ease. Her friend lean over and kissed her cheek (bestowing one on Anna's forehead when the girl waved) as Alice's mother put the basket Jean brought in the kitchen.
"Snacks for later," was all she said when questioned about the basket's contents, and they set about with Alice's next sewing lesson.
At some point during it, the phone rang, and Imogen answered; it was Cora, calling to say she'd be there in the afternoon after a small delay - "a delay only children could cause" were the exact words Imogen passed on to Alice after the call was done, getting a laugh from Jean. (Alice could see why children would cause a delay, but secretly she was glad Anna wasn't too much of a hassle on any given day.)
Anna watched quietly by her mother's side as Jean walked Alice through the steps of her lesson; Alice tried to keep up with what Jean was showing her, but already she could feel her energy waning.
Jean paused, and tipped Alice's head up.
"What?" Alice asked - strangely feeling defensive under Jean's piercing gaze.
"Bed," her friend nodded.
"No, no, I'm fine, Jean."
"Uh-huh," Jean hummed disbelievingly. "No arguments, Alice, you should go sleep or I'll call Lucien over to give you a check up, and if he's with Matthew at the station you'll likely get both of them coming over."
Alice made a face at the suggestion, but knew her friend was right.
"You go rest, your mum and I can look after Anna and the house for you until your sister gets here."
"It won't be long."
"It'll still give you a few hours, my dear Alice. A broken leg is not something you bounce back quickly from, and you really should have continued to stay at the hospital for another week."
"And be poked and prodded by them at strange hours of the night while shivering in bed? No, thank you."
"Then go rest in your own bed, I'll send your mum in with some water and maybe your next dose of painkillers."
Alice sighed again and nodded, "The lighter ones please, I'd like to enjoy meeting my niece for the first time today."
"Of course."
With Jean's help, Alice pushed herself up off the couch and balanced on one leg as her friend handed over the crutches. It took longer than Alice expected to move from the parlor to the bed, but she was still learning how to walk with the blasted things, and Alice supposed Jean was right about her being more tired than she thought. As Imogen followed her into the bedroom and made sure she was actually in bed before handing over the painkillers, Alice sighed and relaxed back on her bed - hoping she'd feel awake enough when Cora got here.
The house was full of chatter when he arrived home that afternoon; Matthew smiled at the sight of Cora and Peter sitting with Alice in the parlor (with their older children playing to the side with Anna), and Jean and Imogen busy in the kitchen. As he came closer, Matthew saw the sleeping baby cradled in Alice's arms; she looked up at him at the sound of his footsteps and his heart did a little flip with the vision of her cradling a baby so comfortably.
That tiny part of his brain and heart that had wished for his own biological children clamored for attention - using this sight as fodder for the age-old dream - but Matthew squashed it down. Neither he nor Alice were physically or mentally prepared for raising a child from birth, Anna alone made them exhausted on a good day. As tempting as it had been when he was younger, Matthew had enjoyed being "Uncle" rather than "Dad" until Anna came into his life.
(That being said, he wouldn't say no to a potential foster sibling in the future if another opportunity fell into their laps)
He still enjoyed the fact that Alice - who was always so worried about how she came across to children, and had been worried about being around her nieces and nephew - was so comfortable around Baby Alice; Matthew leaned down and kissed her cheek as she smiled.
"Have a good day so far?"
Alice nodded as he kissed her cheek again. "Nice and restful until the Rogers came."
"Oh very funny, Allie," Alice's sister frowned at her teasing. "I heard the excited book reading you were doing with Anna before we walked in."
"I didn't say it was quiet, Cory, I said it was restful."
Matthew chuckled as the sisters lightly bickered - Baby Alice slumbered on in his soulmate's arms. Anna - curious as to the sudden outburst with the adults - hurried over when she saw he'd come home.
"Daddy!"
"Hey, sweetheart. I have something for you."
"For me?"
"Yeah," He nodded, "It's your birthday after all."
"What is it?"
"I have it outside, want to come and see?"
Kissing Alice's cheek as she frowned suspiciously about his birthday surprise for Anna, Matthew whispered a "Just trust me, sweetheart" before he led his daughter out into the backyard.
"What is it, Daddy?"
"Right here," he led her over to a covered wicker basket - a glance over his shoulder told him that they were followed by the Rogers children and Jean (no doubt outside on behalf of Alice). "Go ahead and open it up."
Anna pulled the cloth off the top and gasped; the slightly excited chocolate lab puppy (with a lavender ribbon around her neck) inside the basket stood up on her hind legs and ended up tumbling out onto the grass (and into Anna). His daughter giggled and tried to hold the wriggling puppy in her arms as it licked her chin.
"Happy Birthday," he leaned down and kissed the top of Anna's head.
"Is the puppy mine, Daddy?"
"Yeah, she is, so that means you have to look after her - your mum and I will help out until you get the hang of it - you have to keep an eye on her water and food, take her for walks, play with her, and make sure she stays out of trouble."
Anna was nodding along - her eyes shining bright as the puppy continued to wriggle in her arms.
"I know it sounds like a lot, but I'll help you out and I'm sure your mum will have some rules once she finds out about this surprise," he winked and Anna giggled.
"What's her name?"
"You get to name her, she's yours."
Anna looked down at the puppy for a long moment before she looked back up at him, "I like Molly."
"I do too, why don't you go show your mum? Be careful, she's holding your baby cousin still."
That got him a grin and an eager nod as she dashed back into the house.
"Mumma! Look what Daddy got me!"
Alice was waiting for him with a narrowed look once he got back inside (the kids had returned back outside to play with Molly) and Matthew could feel his cheeks turning warm as he settled on the couch next to her and scratched at the back of his neck.
"A puppy, hm?"
"We'll train her."
Alice's eyes narrowed further.
"Anna's ready to take responsibility for the puppy, sweetheart, and I'll help her a lot at first. We'll train her together while you recover."
"You'd better, I can't very well do much on crutches."
Smiling at the teasing undertone of her voice, Matthew kissed her softly - knowing that while the puppy was a surprise for her, Alice was happy with the choice in present for their daughter. Their quiet house wasn't going to be quiet for much longer with the added resident, but the joy on Anna's face had been worth it all.
"You're sure you're ready to go?"
Imogen smiled at her elder daughter's concern, and tucked a bit of Alice's hair behind her ear. "It's time for me to go, my dear Alice. My time here with you in this past week or so has been wonderful, but you need to get back to your normal, and I need to figure out what I'm going to do next… and luckily Cora and Peter have need of me too, so I'll stay with them for now."
Alice nodded, and Imogen could almost see the relief in her daughter's eyes.
"Besides," she smiled, "things are still… a little stilted between us, and I think not… being around each other might help."
"Have some distance."
"Exactly. I'd love to keep in touch with you, and maybe visit for holidays if possible, but… I think some time apart after all of this with your father is what both of us need."
Alice nodded again, and surprised Imogen by pulling her in for a brief hug.
"Let me know when you get to Melbourne, Mum."
"I will. You take care of yourself, Alice."
Imogen squeezed her daughter's shoulder and kissed her forehead as she went to go say her goodbyes to Anna and Matthew; as Matthew drove her to the train station, Imogen resisted the urge to sigh - the gap between her and Alice had started to fill back in, and it was more than she could have hoped for before coming to Ballarat.
Matthew was quiet as he helped her out of the car and carried her battered suitcase to the platform; he cleared his throat - looking down at his feet as he spoke.
"We'll, uh… we'll send you an invitation for the wedding once we settle on the date, that is."
"Thank you, Matthew."
He smiled when she patted his arm, "Both Alice and I want you there, but I think Alice is going to wait until she's off the crutches before we have the ceremony."
Knowing how much her daughter hated the crutches she currently had to use to get around, Imogen laughed.
"I await the invitation, then. Take care, Matthew, and take care of your girls."
"Absolutely," he leaned over and kissed her cheek before she had to get aboard the train - staying and waving as her train pulled away from the platform.
While she was sad to see Ballarat go, Imogen was happy that she'd been able to reconnect with her eldest daughter, and happy that she wanted Imogen to come back for a special time of her life.