Thank you all for your reviews and alerts, I appreciate them all. I hope this chapter is up to scratch and you all enjoy it :)
A Big thank you to GibbsFan who has helped me with this story. I really needed it :)
Chapter 2
"I'm hungry." Mattie said. "Wanna get something to eat?"
"We can't go to the mall." Max said.
"We could go to my place..." Mattie said. Max looked unsure.
"Won't we get caught?
"Nah...I have my own place...well I share it with Jen...she works with Harm...my guardian. He lives down the hall."
"Wow.." Max said impressed. Images of the kind of life he'd live if he had his own apartment flashed through his mind. Music as loud as he wanted, no one to tell him what to do all the time...hell, he wouldn't even have to get out of bed...
Amy ended the phone call she'd been on and smiled. She'd been half listening and was impressed that they now would have a decent place to go. Food, a TV, music and a bathroom sure was better than sitting on the grass in the park all day.
"We need to wait for the others. They missed the bus...they'll be here in a little while."
"Fine." Mattie said with a grin.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Harm dialled Mattie's cellphone over and over but it went straight to her messages every time. Every time he left a message.
"Mattie call me."
"Mattie where are you?"
"Mattie are you ok?"
"Mattie you better answer this phone."
"Matilda you are in BIG trouble."
"MATILDA...there is absolutely no reason for you to have a phone if you're not going to ANSWER it!"
"PICK UP!"
Mac watched with amusement and just a tiny hint of jealousy as Harm gradually morphed into more and more of a Dad. The kind of Dad she wished she'd had...and the kind of Dad she'd like to share a child with.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
With the other kids now with them they made their way to Mattie's apartment.
"Have a seat." she said. "Bathroom's in there...make yourself at home." And they did. Amy and the other girl Issy...a tiny little thing with spiky blonde hair... helped themselves to cans of soda before they lit up cigarettes and flopped onto the couch. The other boy Buzz, with bright red hair, cranked up the music as loud as it would go and then helped himself to a drink and a bag of chips. Max and Mattie went to the kitchen to cook. After raiding the fridge and the pantry they decided on tacos.
This was more fun than Mattie could remember...even if the constant rumbling of the phone in her pocket did keep bringing on twinges of guilt. Harm was obviously onto her.
"Gonna answer that?" Max asked with a grin.
"Nope." she answered. "He's only gonna lecture me. Won't make a difference if it's later." Max got his phone out and held it up.
"Turned off for the same reason...my olds are so repetitious. They just keep saying the same old boring stuff."
"Yep. Should record it so they can play it back later and save their voices."
"You have it pretty good here though...wow...you can do what you like."
"Yeah." Mattie giggled nervously as her phone rumbled in her pocket from the umpteenth time. "Harms real easy going."
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Harm did his best to concentrate on the case but it just wasn't happening. Besides it was nothing that couldn't wait until the next day. When they'd finally done what they could for the day he did the only thing he could think of. He got Jen's keys from her and prepared himself for a sit in. She'd have to come home eventually and he'd be waiting when she did.
"What are you going to do?" Mac asked. She did really care about him and his dilemma but she couldn't help but enjoy his discomfort a little.
"She's ignoring me Mac." he admitted, even though it was an obvious point.
"Uhhuh. Seems so."
"I grounded her already..."
"How'd that work?"
"Apparently it didn't." Really? She felt like asking.
"Ok then, you might need to regroup...come up with something..."
"That'll work?" Talk about stating the obvious.
"That would be the point."
"I know what I'm gonna do." He was the adult. He could handle one young girl.
"Oh?"
"I'm gonna give her a good old fashioned spanking."
"Really?" I'd like to see that, she thought.
"I can do it." She doesn't think I'll follow through.
"Uhhuh." There's no way Harm is gonna spank the kid. She'll flutter her eye lashes or cry and he'll be marshmallow.
"I can." Mac tried really hard not to giggle but had to turn away as Harm picked up his hat and stormed out. He was a man on a mission.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Oblivious to the fate that was about to blow her way, Mattie was now organising some dessert for herself and her friends. It had been pretty hard to find bench space amongst the left over mess for Max's cooking splurge, but she squashed four bowls onto the counter and plopped scoops of ice cream into them before slicing up bananas and adding it with chocolate topping. She squirted whipped cream on the top and sprinkled them with crushed nuts.
"Cool." Amy said as she put out her cigarette in the pot plant next to her and took her bowl.
The others gobbled their ice cream with great gusto, before flopping back onto the couch to recover.
Max was sitting in the only arm chair and there were no more seats, so he moved over and made space for Mattie. She squished in beside him and he put his arm around shoulders. Both of them were exhausted and full of food and before long they had all dosed off.
JAGJAGJAGJAGJAG
Harm pulled up outside the building but no longer had to wonder where Mattie was. The blaring music could be heard from the street. Judging from the loud thump of the rock music, which was not Mattie's usual taste, she had company.
As the key turned in the lock, it wasn't a surprise that no one heard it. The music was still thumping and they were all sound asleep. The element of surprise though didn't help Harm...instead he almost had a stroke at the sight of Mattie asleep in a boy's arms. A boy that wore more make up than her but a boy never the less...
"What the hell is going on here?" he bellowed. The five teenagers shot to their feet.
"Um..." Max said...
"Ah... this is Mattie's place...we were just chillin." the smallest of the group said bravely. "Who are you?" The rest remained silent.
"I would be the guardian...the provider of Mattie's place. Which is...a home...NOT a drop in centre, which also by the way is only a few doors away from mine. This HOME... she shares with someone else...who is NOT going to clean up this mess."
"Yeah...right...ok." Max said as he headed to the kitchen. Mattie glared at Harm.
"You too." he said before pointing to the rest individually.
"I didn't... like...cook." Amy said as she snapped her gum and twirled a purple strand of hair..
"Did you eat?" The kid rolled her eyes. "Then get cleaning.." he said. "Unless you want me to like...drive you home so I can meet your folks and have them deal with you." Amy reluctantly walked into the kitchen to help. Mattie looked like she might just die of embarrassment. She sidled up to Harm.
"You're embarrassing the hell outta me." she whispered.
"Oh... this isn't embarrassing Matilda...yet...but it can be." Mattie blushed and looked quickly at her friends who were thankfully too busy to notice the exchange. "Help your friends...but when they're gone...you are in SOOO much trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"The really, really unpleasant kind."
TBC