What's Wrong

Startled awake Caroline grabbed for her phone, Laurence's ring tone, why was he calling in the middle of the night. "Laurence. What's wrong?" Glancing at the bedside clock she grasped that it was only 10:15pm. They must have only just drifted off. How could she have been sleeping so soundly?

"Mum! Mum."

Swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Laurence, why is the baby crying?" Registering how close to the phone the sound originated, "Are you holding him? Is everything alright?"

Panicked, "Mum, they are so pissed and they aren't doing anything about him. They've been drinking all evening and Judith's passed out. Dad can't even tell me what to do for him. Mum. Mum."

"OK, Laurence, stay calm, I'll be there as soon as I can. When was the last time he was fed?" Putting the phone to her chest and turning to Kate who was sitting beside her now, "I'm sorry Kate, I have to go. They're blotto and Laurence is alone with the baby."

"Dunno. I didn't notice."

"Is Judith breast feeding or is there formula in the house?"

"Mum!"

Smiling slightly in spite of the situation, "Laurence do you want my help or not?"

"Formula, I guess. I saw Dad mixing some powdered stuff earlier."

"Look in the refrigerator and see if there are any bottles made up."

"One."

"Right. Good. I'll walk you through heating it properly, then change his nappy and feed him."

All the while coaching Laurence, Caroline pantomimed her exasperation and apologies to Kate as she was pulling on the clothes she had taken off such a short time ago. "I'll be there as soon as I can, Laurence. Bye. B-Bye"

"I'm so sorry Kate, I can't just leave him there like that. Well," a new thought occurring to her, "either of them really." Raising her exasperated face to the ceiling, "Dear God, will I never be through cleaning up John's messes?"

Standing to take Caroline into her arms. "Would you like me to come with you?"

Surprised and pleased, "Would you?"

Softly, "We said wherever you go I will go didn't we?"

Giving Kate the timid smile that always turned her legs weak, "We did," she admitted. "Guess, I'm just not used to getting this kind of support."

Giving her a meaningful look with a crook of her eyebrow, "Time you started then." Turning to find some clothes, "You get Callie and put her into her car seat and I'll put together some things we might need. From what you've said there is no telling what we'll find there."

Frozen in place by Kate's generosity under these trying circumstances Caroline reached for her just as the top she was pulling on settled onto her shoulders, "I love you, you know."

Kissing the upturned lips soundly and seeing the emotion taking over the face so vulnerable without its customary make up. Just to keep the tears they didn't have time for from welling into blue eyes she said cheekily, "Yes, and well you might."

Once in the Jeep, Caroline admitted, "I've been wondering how things were going over there since they brought the baby home. I was a little surprised the authorities allowed them to keep him after Judith's middle of the night drunken fall took them to Casualties that time."

"Laurence will be fine, he is quite good with Callie, you know."

Beaming, "Yes, he is isn't he? I wasn't sure how he would really react to her."

"He makes a beeline for her every afternoon when he comes in. Picks her up and cuddles her, talks to her, he'll even change her nappy now if he thinks I don't notice."

"Really?"

"He is sweet with her. He takes care to hold her properly, supporting her head."

Hearing Kate's sniff, "Are you crying?"

"I'm just so pleased at how he has accepted her." Giving a short try at a laugh, "Sometimes I think he's still not quite sure about me but she has him wrapped round her little finger."

Taking Kate's hand and placing it on her leg, patting it twice before returning both hands to the wheel, "I thought things were fine between you. You always seem to be having fun when I come in." Looking straight ahead, "I… I've been a little jealous once or twice at how much fun the two of you were having."

Surprised. "Were you? You didn't say."

Shrugging, "Well."

Mischievously, "Which of us were you jealous of?"

Giving out that headmistress look, before the vulnerable expression reappeared, "Both." Looking out the windscreen again. "You for getting to spend time with him and him for getting to spend time with you." Considering for a moment whether to share the rest, "I could feel a little... left out... sometimes."

Stricken, "Oh Caroline!" Putting both hands on her leg now, "You didn't?"

Not looking at Kate, shrugging a little, "It was nice to come home to laughter and banter instead of… unpleasantness, but there didn't seem to be a place for me to fit in sometimes."

Squeezing her leg, "I knew you were quiet some nights at supper but I thought you were just tired. Working so much on the new school, helping me with the baby and coaching Laurence with homework in the evenings, keeping up with your Mum and Alan. Everything." Thinking back and feeling guilty in retrospect for not realizing, "Caroline, neither of us meant to make you feel that way. I am sorry."

Tilting her head as a type of shrug and giving a tight smile, "I know you didn't. I feel petty even mentioning it."

Gripping the jeans clad knee with both hands that still rested there, Kate implored earnestly, "Caroline, you do know that there is nothing so small that you can't share it with me, don't you?"

Giving her a genuine smile now and briefly raising the back of her fingers to Kate's cheek, "I do know that. I just… forget… now and again."

Another squeeze as Kate looks intently at the side of Caroline's face, "Well, please don't."

They drove on for a while in silence before Caroline asked quietly, "What are we going to do about this situation tonight? We can't just leave the baby there. We can't stay until they sober up. Even if there were a place to sit the place is a pigsty. Besides we have Callie and Laurence to consider."

Kate stating the obvious, "and if we call in the authorities, the baby will go into care. Permanently maybe."

Exchanging a long look before going back to watching the passing nightscape, both women turn the predicament over in their minds. After a while, "What're you thinking, Caroline?"

"Oh, Kate. I don't know."

"You don't want to see this baby go into the care system do you?"

"No right minded person wants to see a child go into care, do they?" she protested.

"An infant would be adopted almost immediately you know."

Putting her head into the hand with its elbow propped against the windowsill, "I know."

Watching speculatively Kate said nothing more.

Decision Time

Laurence opened the door at their first knock, a tiny bundle in the crook of his arm. Caroline choked a bit at the sight of her boy looking so manly, holding the baby so protectively. She stepped near to inspect the little property. Softly, "Laurence, he looks just like you when you were born."

"Do you think?" he asked a proudly.

Looking up she realized that his eyes were now slightly higher than hers. Putting a hand to his cheek, "You did well, he's sleeping soundly."

Kate, searching for a clear space to rest the detachable carrier portion of the car seat they'd brought in so as not to disturb Callie, turned to exchange a look of disbelief with Caroline at the disorder. Kicking aside shoes and jackets Caroline made a place for Kate to deposit the carrier.

Surveying the cluttered room they saw Judith passed out on the sofa and John raise his head from the back of his chair only long enough to see who had disturbed his stupor.

Caroline, rolling her eyes, looked from Kate to Laurence both standing by waiting for her pronouncement. "Clearly there is no point trying to talk to either of these two tonight." Taking the baby, "Laurence, find your Dad's keys and check his car for the baby's car seat, put it into my car." Cautioning him, "be sure you get it in securely."

Turning to Kate to get her reaction, Caroline found herself being regarded with arched eyebrows and a speculative look. Turning away quickly, "Right, we'll just find some of his things and pack them up to take with us."

Sighing softly to herself Kate moved through the room picking out items that belonged to the baby, even though most of them were soiled. Caroline moved to the kitchenette to find a canister of formula with barely enough in the bottom to make one more bottle and a sink full of used baby bottles. Picking up a grocery carrier from the counter she held it with the hand of the arm she used to cradle the dark haired sleeping infant and began tossing in what would be needed.

Handing this to a returning Laurence, "take the bag Kate has and put it all in the boot."

Placing the now stretching baby into Kate's arms, she watched with amusement as he immediately started rooting against her searchingly. Unable to contain her grin, Caroline met Kate's glance.

Quickly shifting the infant to her shoulder and giving Caroline a roll of the eyes, Kate went in search of blankets to protect her charge from the night air.

Her smile fading, Caroline turned to the rat's nest of a desk to find a pen and paper with which to leave a note for the parents who may or may not be concerned as to the whereabouts of their son when they came to.

Are You Cross?

Collapsing into the bed beside Kate, Caroline read 2:30 on the clock. They had stopped at an all night shop on the way back to replenish formula and nappy supplies and returned to the suite to stack the used bottles into the dishwasher, mix formula for the night and run a load of baby clothes through the washer/dryer. After feeding both infants again and bathing the neglected boy they were more than ready to catch a little sleep before the next feeding.

"Caroline…" Kate began.

"Oh Kate, I'm exhausted. Can we save this conversation until morning?"

Nodding and yawning Kate turned onto her side. Caroline wrapping around her, kissed the soft hollow between Kate's shoulder blades and murmured, "Are you cross?"

Tucking the caressing hand under her breast, "No Caroline, just tired." And they slept.