Disclaimer: Rookie Blue does not belong to me. I am merely borrowing the characters.
Gail and Holly arrived at the address early.
"You know that grow-op I busted with Oliver, the one where I hurt myself on drain cleaner?"
"Yeah!"
"It's a block that way."
"Well that's the suburbs for you."
"Weird!"
Holly nodded in agreement.
"Do you know who the social worker is on Ruth's case?" asked Gail.
"Yeah her name is Claire McNally..."
"Andy's mom?"
"Is she? I never made the connection. Anyway she's meeting me here."
"Yeah, Andy was raised by her dad. Her mom turned up back in her life in a case a few years ago. I think things are still a bit tense."
"Oh! Have you ever met her?"
"No I haven't. I wouldn't mention that I'm a Police Officer unless she asks though."
"OK but that might be a bit awkward. I want to be honest with Ruth."
"Yes, hadn't thought of that. Tell Ruth but don't emphasise it."
Across town two women were waking up from a night spent together.
At first Susan didn't know where she was. She was waking up in a strange bed. This had never happened before. She had sex in many strange, and some downright peculiar, beds but she'd never woken up in one before.
She looked next to her and saw Jo. She groaned. The sex had been great, especially considering it was supposed to be Jo's first time with another woman. But Susan didn't do this. She didn't wake up next to someone the morning after sex. This was new territory and it felt dangerous.
Jo stirred and Susan tensed. Jo woke looked at Susan and smiled. Susan threw a relieved smile back. The thing Susan was dreading most was that this straight girl would wake up yelling at her to get the fuck out. It had happened to Emma and to Holly but never to Susan. But Jo's smile seemed warm and genuine. Then a thought occurred to Susan: "OMG what if she's in love with me? How do I deal with that?" "Well Holly has found love so why can't I?" came the replay from somewhere else in her brain. This was strange territory for Susan, love was something she'd given up on after her high school crush had rejected her with a string of homophobic expletives.
Jo rose from the bed.
"Morning. Coffee?" she asked. She sounded cheery.
Stranger and stranger.
"Umm. Please."
"Shower's there, loo's next door. Help yourself to gel. There's a spare toothbrush if you want to use it, the pink one's mine."
"Thanks." said Susan who was by now very confused, of all the scenarios the corporate lawyer had imagined for waking up next to someone she'd had sex with, this one she'd overlooked. And the sheer ordinariness was beginning to freak her out. Nevertheless she got up and showered. COLD.
"Want to go somewhere for lunch?" asked Jo after Susan emerged from the shower and dressed.
Susan decided to go with it. "OK why not?"
"Yeah get to know each other a bit better."
"One thing I've got to know."
"Yeah. Anything."
"Are you passing through? 'Cos this is where I live."
"Ummm This is my abode."
"Not what I meant."
"OH, that. Well if last night is anything to go by I'll be staying a long time."
By now Holly was emerging from the Range Rover. The MG only had two seats and they decided to keep their options open should Ruth want to go out to the zoo or anything.
Holly walked up the path to the front door of the house and pushed the doorbell. After she did this she turned and waved at Gail, who had slid into the driver's seat in the Land Rover. Gail waved back and started the Land Rover as Claire answered the door.
While Holly had been walking down the path Gail had looked up a nearby coffee bar on her smartphone. She now dove to it.
Claire welcomed Holly and told her how Ruth was. Apparently she was excited about meeting Holly.
They arrived in the living room together.
Claire did the introductions.
"Ruth, I've got someone to meet you. This is your sister Holly."
"Hello Ruth. Nice to meet you." Holly sank at her knees to meet Ruth at eye level.
"HOLLY!" Ruth ran over and grabbed Holly round the neck.
"Apparently there are pictures of you at your parents' home." A man in the room said.
Ruth pulled back and looked at Holly. She noticed the ring.
"Are you getting married?" she asked.
"Yes."
"What will you be called afterwards?"
"Holly Peck."
"So you're marrying Mr Peck?"
"No, I am marrying Miss Peck."
Ruth looked confused.
"But mommy said that girls only marry boys."
"Well she obviously got that wrong since I'm marrying a girl."
"OK. Did she get the age of the earth wrong too? Mommy said it was 6000 years. Teacher said it was much older."
"Yeah it is much older."
"OK." Ruth was going to think about this, she had other questions too but decided not to ask them now.
"Would you like to meet the girl I'm going to marry?" Holly asked. She looked at Claire who nodded, "I could call her now and she could be here quite quickly."
"YES" was Ruth's excited response.
Gail's phone rang as she was leaving the car. She immediately got back in and drove back to the house.
"She's coming." said Holly.
After five minutes the doorbell went.
"I'll get that. You spend some more time with Ruth." said Claire.
Claire went to the door and opened it.
"Well there is only one 'Peck' I can think of who was the right age and gender. So you must be Gail." she said.
"Oh you've heard of me? Can I come in?" said Gail.
"Yes come in!"
They walked to the living room.
Gail entered, saw the foster parents and thought "Oh My God." They were the couple who had been arguing when Gail and Oliver had found the grow-op.
The man recognised her to.
"Nice to meet you again Officer. Under better circumstances this time." he said.
"You mean she was..." said his wife her hand going to her mouth.
He turned to Claire. "You remember we told you about the argument where the police were called."
"Yes, and Gail was one of the officers who responded?" she replied.
"Yes she was." said the shamefaced wife.
Holly resolved to ask Gail about this later.
Gail asked to speak with Claire privately.
"Congratulations on the wedding." Claire said.
"Yeah... Thanks... I was wandering if it would be all right if we took Ruth to the zoo today. On our own. To get to know her."
"If she's agreeable yes, I don't see why not. This is going much better than I expected." said Claire.
With that they went back into the living room.
"Ruth, would you like to go to the zoo with me and Holly?" asked Gail.
"Yes PLEASE." said Ruth.
Holly wondered whether this was going too well.
They agreed to bring Ruth back by five.
They walked out of the door and got into the Land Rover. Gail drove, Holly got in the back with Ruth.
When they arrived at the zoo Ruth enjoyed all the animals. She was particularly taken with the seals who were being fed, and with the dolphins. She asked a lot of questions which Holly did rather well at answering.
They then sat down for drinks. Holly and Gail had coffee, Ruth had orange.
"So when can I come and live with you?" asked Ruth.
"Well we've got some arrangements to make first. About how you're going to be cared for when we're both working. And we've got to get a bed for you. Things like that. But we hope to have you next weekend." said Holly.
"You live together? But you're not married yet!" said Ruth.
"Yes, lots of couples live together before they get married to get to know each other before making the life long commitment." said Gail.
"Another thing mom got wrong?" asked Ruth.
Gail's heart went out to Ruth, you should be able to rely on what your parents told you. This girl was learning at a very young age that you couldn't.
"Come here." said Gail and hugged the little girl.
After they had finished their drinks they dropped Ruth off at her foster parents.
Gail asked for a private word with Claire.
"We need to make arrangements for someone to look after Ruth while we're at work. I was wondering whether you could suggest anything." said Gail.
"Don't the Police have a crèche?" asked Claire.
"Not that I know of but I'll look into it."
"Let me know how it goes. I've got some alternative suggestions."
"Thanks Claire."
Gail went back to join Holly. The time had gone quickly. They said their goodbyes. Promised to see Ruth soon. As they left the Ruth's foster mother beckoned them to one side.
"Any time either of you want to visit her just call, here's the number. She seems to have taken to both of you well." she said.
"Thanks for everything you've done for her – you've been great. Can't have been easy." said Holly.
"Yeah thanks, and glad to meet under better circumstances!" said Gail.
With that they left to go out to dinner at a little Italian place they could walk to from home.