Love Child ~ Part 3
"We were only with her last night…" Sally commented as Blue Watch sat around the mess table trying to take in the events of that evening. "At the quiz…"
Hyper, who had been filled in on the events of the shout, put a comforting arm on her shoulder. Adam wasn't in the mess. He hadn't said a word to anyone since the shout, and had disappeared off somewhere as soon as the drained pump ladder crew arrived back at Blackwall. Pearce had been filling the Brigade in on the details, and was up in the office discussing matters with someone over the phone.
The Watch sat in silence until Pearce joined them, a grim expression on his face.
"What's going on Geoff?" Recall asked.
"I've been told that Steve, Dave and Mike are going to make a full recovery," Pearce started. "In time…"
"What happened to the ambulance?" Sally wanted to know.
"Apparently they were dealing with a hoax call," Pearce explained. "The same one Shadbrook had been called to, before…" he trailed off. "The next nearest unit was miles away…"
George shook his head in disbelief. "Bastards," he muttered.
"Where's Adam?" Pearce asked, looking around the table.
"I'll find him," Hyper offered, getting
up as Pearce sat down.
"Adam?" Hyper had found Adam sitting alone in the dark gym.
He turned on the lights.
"It's so unfair…"
Hyper nodded in agreement. He wondered if he should tell Adam what Pearce had just told them.
"She had a daughter didn't she?" Hyper wondered.
Adam nodded. "Chloe, she's six. I promised I'd make sure she was ok."
"Where is she now?" Hyper asked.
"With a childminder," Adam explained. "I'll pick her up in the morning, she needs to know."
"But the Brigade will do that," Hyper tried to point out.
"She's six years old, Rob. She's not going to understand some uniformed officer that she's never met telling her that her mum's dead! I'll tell her, I owe it to Rachel."
"Why?" Hyper asked.
"I just do," Adam got up and headed for the door.
"Adam," Hyper called after him. "Do you want us to come with you?" he offered.
Adam turned back.
"Me and Sal," Hyper continued.
"Would you?"
"Sure, mate."
Adam nodded. "Thanks."
Hyper sighed as Adam left the gym.
He knew there was nothing he could say that would make things better.
After work, the rain clouds had cleared to show the blue sky, streaked with soft white clouds. Adam headed straight for the childminder he knew Rachel used. The childminder, Sheila, was surprised to see him, but knew who he was. Sally and Hyper were confused as they tagged along, Adam had never explained any details about his relationship with Rachel.
"Uncle Adam!" Chloe knew who he was as well.
He lifted her up and hugged her.
"Um Uncle Adam?" Sally questioned.
Adam shrugged. "She has to call me something!"
"I could think of a lot more suitable things!" she tried a light joke.
"Yeah, I bet you could!" he put the little girl down. "This is Sally, and Rob," he told her. "They're going to look after you while I go and talk to Sheila, ok?"
Chloe nodded. "Do you want to see my Fred?" she took Hyper's hand.
"Um, Fred?" Hyper looked at Sheila for an explanation.
"Fred is a girl," Sheila explained. "Her doll!"
Hyper grinned. "Oh right!" he let Chloe drag him off in the direction of the stairs. "Where's Fred then?" he asked.
Sally glanced at Adam. "Um, we'll just…" she pointed in the direction of the stairs, which Hyper and Chloe had just taken.
Adam nodded.
"What's going on?" Sheila started as Sally left them. "It was on the news, what happened Adam?"
They went into the front room, and closed the door so that Chloe wouldn't hear them talking.
"There was an accident," he started.
"Yeah, they said someone was killed…"
"It was Rachel..,"
"Oh my…." Sheila had to sit down. "Jesu… What about Chloe? I can't look after her, I mean…"
"Yeah don't worry," Adam assured her. "I'll sort that out."
"Ok, you know where I am if you need me."
Adam nodded.
"I don't believe…" Sheila trailed off. "The poor kid. Who's going to tell her?"
"I will, I guess I'm the nearest
thing she's got to family at the moment."
Chloe didn't seem to have a problem talking to strangers and started chatting non-stop to Hyper and Sally about a girl at school who kept copying her hair bobbles.
"She has the cow one now," Chloe was moaning as they headed back to the Oliver Twist. "I had that first! Mum got it from the shop. Are we going to see Mum yet?" she demanded suddenly.
"Soon," Adam promised. "She wanted me to look after you this morning, if that's cool with you?"
"Can I have a sweetie?" Chloe asked noticing Hyper had found a packet of mints in his pocket.
She then started going on about Carla Radcliffe and her hair bobbles again. Adam wondered how he would go about breaking the news.
"How am I going to tell her Rob?" he asked as they watched Sally and Chloe laughing together.
Hyper shrugged. "I dunno, mate. Tell her the truth I guess. If you don't tell her someone else will, and I've got a feeling it would be better coming from you!"
"Yeah," Adam agreed.
"What about Rachel's family?" Hyper asked. "The only next of kin the Brigade has are Chloe and…" he paused. "You."
"Me?" Adam was amazed. "What does she want to put me down for?!"
"Well, I was hoping you could clear that up!"
"Her parents live in New Zealand, I dunno where."
"What about Chloe's father?" Hyper enquired. "Unless, it's you…!"
"What? No! There was a time… I thought… maybe… But no she's not mine," Adam explained. "I'm just plain old Uncle Adam. Although I suppose I am responsible for her father going back to New Zealand."
"Why? What happened? Or don't I need to ask!"
"Once, six years ago," Adam started. "It was just bad timing. Paul caught us and well… off he went. Rachel tried to tell him about Chloe but he just didn't want to know, not that I blame him. So it's my fault Chloe doesn't have a father."
"Can't you contact him?"
"If he came back to London the first thing he would do is punch my lights out! But I suppose it's what I deserve. I expect Rachel will have his address somewhere."
Chloe ran over to them, Adam picked her up.
"We went out the other day," he told Hyper. "Sheila was ill, that's why Rachel owed me a favour…" he trailed off and looked at Chloe.
He wondered if she sensed that something was up.
"Is Mummy working late again?" Chloe wanted to know.
Adam sighed. He knew it was time.
London's Burning – Love Child © Karen Moody 05/05/2002