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  She slipped off her shoes and poured herself a glass of wine. The letters she had picked up at the entrance lay on her lap, mainly bills except for a handwritten envelope. Tearing open the envelope she smiled as she read the letter.

  My Dear Dr Harrison,

  I was greatly impressed with your uplifting ideas on the value of harnessing the exceptional talents of the Hybrid children and your confidence in voicing your views against such opposition. As a Lab myself, albeit single at present …

  The writer ended up by leaving his phone number and requesting a meeting with her. Amanda frowned. She did not recognise the name, Adam Palmer; but eventually she decided she would phone him.

  ‘I was delighted that you agreed to meet with me, Dr Harrison,’ Adam said as they sat down in an exclusive French restaurant later that week.

  ‘Please, call me Amanda,’ she replied. ‘After the press and internet coverage I’ve received for daring to air my views, your letter came as a welcome surprise, Adam.’

  ‘Too many people fear the unknown. They quite happily let golden opportunities pass them by, wasted.’

  ‘I agree! And I’m not going to let that happen,’ Amanda nodded. ‘Tell me, have you a personal interest in the education we are providing at the Compound?’

  Adam gave a slow smile. ‘Well, not just yet. To be honest, I have been looking for the perfect partner, mentally and physically … And what about yourself, Amanda? Have you any plans of your own?’

  ‘With my present knowledge, the only child I would be willing to bear is a Hybrid – that’s if I also meet my perfect partner, Adam,’ Amanda smiled back.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ‘Have you noticed anything … well … unusual about me? I thought you two might have realised …’ Amanda said to Beth and Ruby a short while later.

  Beth looked at her face. ‘You … you’re pregnant, aren’t you, Amanda?’ she cried.

  The older woman nodded, smiling happily. ‘Five weeks, to be precise.’

  ‘And the father, he’s a Lab, I take it?’ said Ruby.

  ‘Of course! I’m carrying a Hybrid child!’

  ‘What’s his name?’ Beth asked. ‘If he is a Lab, surely we know him?’

  ‘Adam Palmer.’

  ‘I don’t recognise the name, but Labs often choose a new name once they leave the Compound,’ Ruby said.

  ‘Congratulations to both of you!’ Beth smiled and kissed her cheek.

  ‘Yes, congratulations!’ Ruby said. ‘Will you be setting up home together now?’

  ‘Oh, we’re not planning on living together, though we will be both involved in bringing up our child. The child will live with me, of course,’ Amanda told them.

  ‘Well, I have plenty of maternity clothes I’m rapidly growing out of,’ Ruby offered.

  ‘And between us we have enough toys to open a toyshop.’ Beth added. ‘So if you want anything, just let us know.’

  ‘That’s very kind of you,’ Amanda smiled. ‘But Adam and I have made a list of acceptable educational toys we will allow our child to play with. And of course I’m following a very strict diet to ensure baby is given the best possible start in life. No chocolate like I’ve seen you nibbling on, Ruby!’

  ‘Oh, I ate like a horse during both my pregnancies.’ Beth quickly interjected. ‘And I’m planning on doing the same for any future babies, too.’

  Ruby groaned as Amanda walked away. ‘She always makes me feel so inadequate. I’ve no education worth talking about, and now we’ve got to put up with the perfect pregnancy too.’

  Beth patted her arm. ‘Don’t let her bother you, Ruby.’

  But as the days went on, Ruby felt more and more vulnerable around Amanda. ‘She seems to know the best way to do everything – even being pregnant! Abel has actually started to quote her.’ she complained.

  ‘Just be yourself, Ruby,’ Beth said. ‘Here comes Frankie. She’s right about the classes though, he’s thriving.’

  As Beth went to join Frankie and his father, Ruby sighed.

  ‘Be myself? But who am I? I’ve been Ruby for years now. What happened to Stella, the girl I used to be?’

  Early the next morning she rose and dressed. Abel stirred slightly as she kissed him and whispered, ‘I’m going out for a few hours, Abel. I’ll be back early afternoon.’

  He sleepily muttered a reply before rolling over and closing his eyes again.

  Two hours later Ruby was getting off the train in Hambleton. She strolled along the main street past the small shopping centre and stopped as she neared the supermarket. She vividly remembered standing in the same spot with Mrs Gardiner and seeing Ket, the first Lab she encountered, held by two security officers. He had been taken for one of the local street gangs and arrested on suspicion of stealing from a supermarket. She could picture the look of desolation and fear in his eyes clearly. Her own life had been at such a low point then, too – orphaned, then losing her grandmother. No one had wanted her. Impulsively, she had screamed and caused a disturbance so he could escape. That was the last full day in her life as ‘Stella’. Little did she know then what the future held in store for her and for Ket.

  She sighed and walked on towards the house she had shared with her grandmother. A young family was living there now; two little girls were playing happily in the garden while a line of bright children’s clothes fluttered in the breeze behind them. She stopped and looked at the neighbouring house and wondered if Mrs Gardiner still lived there. An old black cat appeared from the back garden and made its way towards her, purring and twining itself around her legs.

  She smiled. ‘Sooty? You still remember me?’

  ‘It was a long time before he stopped looking out for you on your way home from school, Stella.’

  The voice made her look up sharply.

  ‘I … I …’ she stuttered.

  ‘Don’t worry, love,’ the old woman smiled. ‘It’s Ruby now, isn’t it? Come inside and let’s have a cup of tea, shall we?’

  Mrs Gardiner seemed frailer than when Ruby had last seen her, but her gentle smile and kind eyes were unchanged.

  ‘Sit yourself down,’ she said, ‘You look as if you need to take the weight off your feet. Not long to go, I imagine?’

  Ruby shook her head, ‘Do many people know about me, Mrs Gardiner?’

  ‘I think it’s time you called me Eve, now you’re a grown woman yourself, Ruby,’ she said as she laid out the cups on the table. ‘Nobody, as far as I know, but I knew it was you the first time I saw you on the television with the Labs. It was such a relief to see you, and looking so happy too. Especially after all the speculation around when you went missing. I kept my ideas to myself, mind. Didn’t want them to think I was a batty old woman. And anyway, you weren’t in a hurry to say who you were. Couldn’t blame you really, love. You had a tough time of it all as a child.’

  ‘Nearly five years have gone by since I was here. I was just thinking about the last day I was Stella. The day we saw the feral boy at the supermarket,’ Ruby said. ‘Ket. He’s known as Keith these days.’

  ‘What happened to you? How did you get to meet the Labs? Me and Delia, your old school friend, we were so worried about you. Delia would often phone me to chat about you. There were three reports of a young girl spotted near here, but none of them came to anything,’ said Mrs Gardiner.

  Ruby sat back and told her old friend about her life since she ran away that night, setting up homes for the Labs that Abel and his group had helped to escape from the wards in the Centre, and the difficulties they’d had getting it closed down and finally getting the Labs recognised as a race in their own right.

  Ruby shook her head. ‘I hardly remember what it was like to be Stella. It’s as if she was somebody else. Though some days I feel nothing has changed that much …’

  Eve squeezed her hand, ‘Something bothering you, love? You always used to come around here and have a cup of tea and a slice of my cake when things got too much for you. Not that you said much. You were such a tou
gh little girl, always looking out for your gran. I used to think you spent so much time making sure she was all right you didn’t always have time to enjoy being a child.’

  ‘I let her down at school, didn’t I?’ Ruby said. ‘She had high hopes of me being a real scholar. I was useless. I’d have been completely stuck if it wasn’t for Delia back in those days.’

  ‘Don’t undervalue yourself, love. You could have done very well at school if you weren’t always busy looking after your gran. You had different priorities, that’s all,’ Eve replied firmly. She looked at the younger woman’s face. ‘And now you’re scared you’re not going to be a good mother, aren’t you? Who’s been putting ideas into your head? If you give that young one as much care and attention as you gave your gran, it’ll be the happiest child ever.’

  ‘Oh, Eve! You always knew how to cheer me up.’ Ruby smiled. She looked at her watch. ‘Is that the time? Where have the hours gone? I’d better be getting back home now!’

  ‘And keep in touch, young lady.’ the older woman hugged her close, ‘I don’t want to wait five years to see this young one of yours.’

  ‘I promise I’ll be in touch again soon, Eve. You’ll have to come and meet my new family.’ As Ruby made her way to the door she rubbed her stomach. ‘Ooh, I think I’ve eaten too much of your cake!’

  Suddenly she stopped and took a deep breath, ‘Oh, I don’t think this is your cake! I think – the baby –’

  Half an hour later two paramedics were in Eve’s front room. Ruby cried out as she doubled with pain again.

  ‘It’s no use, love. The baby isn’t going to wait to get to hospital!’ one of them said.

  ‘Abel …’ Ruby began.

  ‘On his way, love. You hold on to my hand and just concentrate on your baby!’ Eve murmured.

  The next time Ruby opened her eyes, Abel was stroking her face.

  ‘Our little one is impatient to come into the world!’

  ‘She’s beautiful. Perfect!’ Abel repeated for the umpteenth time as he showed his daughter to Celia, Beth and Frank at the Compound the next day.

  ‘After lining up Dr Jensen and a team of medical experts, you chose to have her on someone’s lounge floor.’ Celia laughed as Amanda Harrison entered.

  Amanda shook her head. ‘What were you thinking of, Ruby? Your baby’s health and safety is of paramount importance.’

  ‘Ruby was wonderful!’ Abel countered.

  ‘I hadn’t realised baby Agnes was planning on making such an early appearance,’ Ruby smiled.

  ‘Hybrids aren’t like Lab babies; they don’t indicate when they are ready for their next stage of development,’ Beth quipped. ‘You’ll find that out for yourself before too long, Amanda.’

  ‘I certainly won’t be taking any risks!’ She shook her head. ‘I shall monitor my pregnancy carefully and be fully prepared for any eventuality.’

  Grace leaned over and kissed the tiny baby’s head. ‘Hello, baby Ness.’

  ‘Let’s go and leave Ruby and our daughter to have a well-deserved rest.’ Abel said, gently laying the child in a cot by her mother’s bedside and leading the others from the room. Celia stayed behind for a few moments as the others left.

  ‘She’s beautiful, Ruby,’ she whispered. ‘Sometimes, I wish … If I could …’

  ‘I know what you’re thinking, Celia,’ Ruby said. ‘Maybe it is time to move on.’

  Celia laughed. ‘What am I thinking of? You must be exhausted. Sleep well, the pair of you.’

  Ruby watched her friend pull the door closed behind her and sighed. She leaned over the sleeping infant.

  ‘I’m going to be a really good mother to you, Agnes, my precious one. And Abel will be the best father ever. You don’t need to worry about anything!’ she whispered.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  A few months later, in a private hospital with gentle classical music playing in the background, a nurse held up the tiny squawking child, wrapped her in a blanket, and passed her to Amanda Harrison.

  ‘A fine baby girl. With a fine set of lungs, too.’

  ‘Perfect! Just as I knew you would be!’ her mother murmured. She looked up at Adam Palmer and smiled. ‘She’s going to have such a good future. Our beautiful Virginia.’

  ‘She’s wonderful!’ Adam whispered as he stroked her soft, downy head.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Celia picked up the phone for the third time and dialled the number again. She took a deep breath and gripped the handset tightly in her hand as she heard the dialling tone.

  ‘Hello?’ a young man’s voice said suddenly.

  ‘I …’ Celia cleared her throat, ‘I … would like to speak to Vanessa Drew, please.’

  ‘Sure. Who shall I say it is?’ Celia heard the sound of footsteps and a door being opened.

  ‘It’s … Celia … from the Compound … I spoke to Vince last week. I told him I’d like to speak to your mother again. And he said, maybe, well, maybe she’d be ready to talk to me … again. Are you her son? Maybe this is not such a good idea,’ Celia stumbled over her words.

  ‘Hey, slow down! You’re Celia? Yeah, I’m Tom. Look, I know the meeting between you and Mom didn’t, well, get going last time but look, time’s gone by. Maybe Vince is right; maybe she will want to talk to you. I think it might be a good idea if I speak to her first. I’m not trying to put you off, Celia, really. If you give me your number, I’ll speak to Mom first. And the others. Mom will ring you back. Or I will,’ he said.

  Celia nodded, then realized she had to speak. ‘Yes, that’s great. Thank you so much, Tom!’

  ‘I’ll call tomorrow, at about this time, OK?’ he continued. ‘And I really hope Mom and you, well, that you do get to know each other. And get to know us, too. We’re family really, aren’t we?’

  ‘Thank you so much,’ Celia whispered. ‘I really would like to get to know you all … as family.’

  Her hands trembled as she picked up the phone and dialled another number. ‘Isaac? I did it!’

  Her words tumbled over each other as she explained her phone call to Vanessa’s home.

  ‘Well done, Celia!’ Isaac’s voice was warm. ‘I’m sure Vanessa will come around. A long time has gone by since your last meeting. Phone me as soon as you’ve spoken to them tomorrow, OK?’

  They continued to talk, but Isaac was aware that Celia’s mind was already on the phone call to Florida.

  The expected call was foremost on Celia’s mind all through the next day. ‘I’m sorry, Ruby. What were you saying?’ she asked, looking up.

  ‘I said you really aren’t with us today, Celia.’ Ruby smiled. ‘You’re not going to get anything done until you’ve heard from Tom or Vanessa, are you?’

  Celia sighed and turned away from the computer. ‘You’re right, Ruby. I really can’t concentrate. What if he doesn’t call? What if Vanessa doesn’t want to speak to me? What if …’

  ‘Celia! You’ll drive yourself crazy.’ Ruby held up her hands. ‘Come on! We’re going out. I’ll ask Abel to pick up Ness from school. We’ll drive up to Peak View with a picnic. Come on!’

  For the rest of the day Celia had little time to think about the phone call. They walked for miles along the hillside paths with Ruby chatting about life on the Compound, the children, the newcomers – everything except the awaited phone call. Celia laughed as they finally arrived back at the Compound.

  ‘You’ve worn me out, Ruby! I don’t know if I can stay awake for the call.’ she joked. She hugged her to her before she turned at her own front door. ‘You’re such a good friend.’

  ‘Let me know what happens, won’t you?’ Ruby looked serious. Celia nodded and went through the doorway.

  It was nearly midnight when Ruby answered the phone. Abel appeared at her side as she heard Celia’s voice on the line.

  ‘Tom rang! And I spoke to Vanessa. It was a bit … strange. I don’t know if she only agreed to speak to me because of Tom; but, anyway, the whole family are going to come to London to meet me. Vince is c
oming, too. He phoned me just after Tom did. He’s really excited about it. He said he’d book us all in at the same hotel.’

  ‘That’s great, Celia!’ Ruby said. ‘You’re going to meet up with Vanessa and all her family. Are you going to get someone to go with you for moral support?’

  ‘Yes,’ she replied. ‘I’m going to ask Isaac. He did actually offer earlier.’

  Abel pulled Ruby to him as she switched off the phone.

  ‘I hope it works out OK this time,’ he said quietly. ‘Celia needs to move on with her life; have her own family.’ He had a distant expression on his face. Ruby wondered if, despite his earlier protests, Abel would like to know his own background too.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ‘One week to go!’ Celia spread a dress and a pair of trousers on the bed. ‘What do you think I should wear to meet her? Something not too formal, nor too casual. Definitely not the black suit. What do you think, Ruby?’

  She stood and held a pink sweater against herself. ‘I must make a good impression!’

  Ruby hugged her. ‘You’ll be fine. Even her son thinks she’s coming around to you, doesn’t he?’

  ‘But last time … last time we were hardly in the same room for two minutes before she left. She could hardly look at me!’ Celia almost whispered.

  ‘But that was years ago, Celia. People change,’ her friend replied.

  ‘I hope you’re right, Ruby.’

  Celia stood outside the hotel entrance, smoothed the pink angora sweater over her hips, and pushed her hair back out of her face. ‘I should have put on something else. She’ll think I’m frivolous; all girly.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Celia!’ Isaac pulled her arm through his. ‘You look fine. She’s not going to be thinking anything like that about your appearance.’

  ‘You’re right, Isaac. It’s about who I look like, isn’t it?’

  ‘Hey, she wants to meet you. They all do.’

  As they entered the foyer a group of people seated in a window alcove stood up. The woman looked directly at Celia as the man beside her steadied her elbow. Two teenage boys were on the other side of her.