London Harmony: Flotilla (13 page)

The hospital staff and patients were all stunned at the arrival of June and her band of merry superstars. It looked to me to be even more people than were at the Water Witch, had the word already spread? Hospital security staff was barring entrance to some paparazzi and reporters who had somehow heard as well, the sodding wankers.

Paya was in motion when Tabby pulled up behind us, and the reporters started to swarm. She held her hands wide, and I glanced at Steph. “You got the roos?”

She nodded with a smile. “Get em, go do your White Knight thing.”

I grinned and headed off with Paya. With Teri forming the back of our phalanx, we forced our way to the line of hospital security.

Tabby was grinning like a loon at them, all teeth and copper hair. She waved from the hip, and one of the men opened a way for her while a female security guard tried to hide a smile at Tabby's humor.

I said to the gruff looking man as I indicated with a hand, “The cute one with the children back there is with June Harris-West too.” Then I asked with a bit of concern as I saw the crowd was steadily growing, “Could you...?”

His brow creased into a shadow of concern as he looked around, then just nodded once. I bet the bloke had a daughter of his own, I recognized the protective look, my father used to have it once upon a time until I came out. He moved his hands to some men and then pointed above the crowd at my girl hovering on the fringes of the chaos. A male and smaller female security guard started making their way through to escort her and I sighed in relief, smiling my thanks.

The man told me, “They'll take them in through the back.”

I told him in all earnestness, “Thank you.”

He paused, again nodded once, then put on his serious face as he turned to shout commands to the others. I had to smile at the man, being all manly and such. Heaven forbid his men catch him showing compassion. I think I liked the bloke.

Tabby wiggled her eyebrows at us once we were inside, where there was much less chaos, only the normal chaos of a hospital lobby at night. She said, “That was bracing.”

Teri rolled her eyes and sighed out, “You liked it and you know it brat.”

I was scanning around, and Paya reassured me quietly, “They're fine. She'll be in in a jiff.”

I knew that logically, but I still worried. A nurse at the front desk shook her head when she saw us and Abigail Addison stepped in behind us with her guide dog and the blue haired, heavily tattooed woman she had been with at the Water Witch.

She asked loudly in a Scottish accent, “So it'll be that kind of night will it?”

She sighed and asked, “What kind of zoo shall I be expectin' now?”

Tabby scrunched her head down a bit and said in an apologetic tone to the woman, “Don't blame us, it's June who decided to have a baby tonight.”

The woman shook her head and chuckled, “And how many of you famous types will be bringin' rubberneckers into my ER?”

Teri blurted out a peal of laughter and deadpanned to the woman, “All of them?”

The lady just stood and shook her head in resignation as she said, “Shite.” Then she grinned at us. “We can't be havin' the lot of ya crowdin' my halls by my delivery rooms. Best get you situated in the conference theatre to keep you away from pryin' eyes then.”

Paya said in a playful tone, “That would make you a very wise woman.”

The lady gave her a smirk and said, “Stow it pipsqueak.” Then she gave her a little wink. I was really taking a liking to all the people around here.

Then the woman said in resignation, “Come on then, the whole sorry lot of ya.”

We followed the woman through the corridors and up to the pediatrics wing. We saw June being wheeled into a room at the end of the hall with an extremely concerned looking Vanessa in tow. They were shadowed by that Fran girl and another girl as they went in.

The nurse showed us into a large conference hall that was just two doors down from the room they brought June into. She said, “I'll have the cafeteria workers bring in some coffee for ya.” Then she said, “You may as well strap in for a long ride, you famous lasses never do things the easy way. I'll send the rest of your silly hangers on up as they arrive.”

She chuckled to herself as she headed out, Tabby waited until the door was almost closed before calling out with a chirpy voice, “Thank you.” We all grinned at the chuckle we heard fading down the hall.

I looked at the three women and asked Paya, “You got this?”

She just gave me a knowing smile and said in a soft tone, “Go get your girl.” I nodded my thanks and stepped back into the hall. I had to grin, Steph was walking beside Abigail Addison and the blue haired woman. When I say blue hair, I mean dyed shiny pastel blue hair with a pink shock down the middle. She looked to have stepped directly out of an anime show.

The roos were walking with Abigail's service dog. I noted he had a slight limp. The children were enamored with the fluffy golden retriever. Everyone who followed the music scene knew who Sir Percival was, he was almost as iconic as Abigail's ever present glasses that were as thick as any three regular pairs.

When I saw Steph's happy smile when she saw me, I melted into a puddle knowing that I had caused that smile. She had that exact same effect on me. Nat squeaked out, “Look Auntie Kanga, a doggie.”

Wil nodded and said studiously, trying hard to pronounce it, “Pewrcy.”

I smiled at them and said, “I see that. Did you know that he is a hero?” Their eyes widened in excitement as I held the door open and ushered them all in. I tried not to look at Abigail's eyes as she smiled when she moved past with the other woman.

The incident at a rave a few years back, when she had first been discovered, was all over the news. She had been attacked and robbed, her dog was hurt fighting off the attacker, and her glass eye was destroyed. I didn't want to be caught looking, curious which of her stunning eyes, which were magnified hugely by her thick glasses, was not real.

The short blue haired woman stopped in front of me and gave me a look like she was either sizing me up to determining if I would be an ally or as to how big a body bag she would need to produce to dispose of me. I swallowed and then she broke into a smile and said, “Thanks.” She ushered the little ones and their four-footed friend along.

Steph stopped beside me and kissed my cheek, asking, “Any word yet?”

I shook my head as I got distracted by the tattoo sleeves on the scary woman. They all looked cartoony; is cartoony a word? Bright colors and characters that solidified my original thought that she looked like something out of an anime movie. “Just got stuffed in this room before I went looking for you.”

She nodded and said like she was lost in a memory as she placed a single hand on her belly, “This is so exciting.”

We heard someone yelling from the room at the end of the hall, “I so don't got this shit!” We looked at each other and tried not to snort. We failed.

Paya was smirking when we turned to the group, and she said, “J-Dub doesn't do things by halves.”

Abigail surprised me, she seemed so quiet at the Water Witch, but she said with a wry smile, “No... no, she doesn't, does she?”

The big room seemed to fill up quickly, and each time the door opened we could hear June's voice through the delivery room door in snippets of, “I'm sorry baby, I love you.” Or, “Never again!” She was going through the whole gambit of cliches.

At one point Paya squinted an eye, and I asked from where I sat holding Steph's hand, “What?”

She said in a measured tone, “I'm wondering how much of that is for our benefit. I mean, I've seen that woman do some pretty unbelievable things without batting an eye.”

Huh. I pondered that a moment. Would she...

We turned when someone behind us said, “Oh you shush now you ill-behaved woman. Let her have her fun.”

It was Vanessa's sister and her girl. Paya asked with hope coloring her voice, “Any news Small Fry?”

The girl shook her head. “No, my little niece or nephew is being stubborn. The docs said that anyone who was not married to the mother to vacate the room to give his people space to work.”

We all sort of exhaled then settled in.

Then Paya asked distractedly. “Umm... has anyone thought to call her parents in the Americas to let them know?”

Fran blurted out, “Son of a...” Then she was moving to the far corner as she pulled her mobile. We all shared a chuckle. I still couldn't believe they were talking about Mandy Fay Harris and Congresswoman Anabella West when they spoke about June's parents.

Fresh pots of coffee were brought in like clockwork every few minutes and most of us imbibed. I found myself in the corner speaking with Steph. She had twined our fingers on both hands and stared into my eyes as we spoke.

I kept one eye on the roos, but they had run out of batteries long before and were curled up on a waiting couch by the side of the door, sleeping on a dozing golden retriever. I asked absently, “I wonder if the Tennison allows pets.”

She paused and tilted her head at me and just looked at me with a wistful smile.

I blushed and whispered, “What?”

She shrugged and said, “That's another reason to love you. You care more for the children than yourself. Always trying to do things for them. Most romantic prospects would run when they learn that I have children afoot, but you seem to embrace it.”

I blinked at her, my mind in a loop that had me holding my breath. Finally, I whispered a question in disbelief, “You... love me?”

She froze then started chuckling at the realization of her own words. She nodded slowly as she said, “Yes, I suppose I do. Nothing to be done for it I suppose.”

I stepped a half step closer, our bodies almost touching as I whispered, not trusting my voice not to crack, “I... love you too Steph.” Then I added, “And the roos.”

She actually cried first, and we hugged desperately as the room burst into a chorus of awws. I would have been embarrassed in front of all those famous singers if I hadn't been so deliriously happy at that moment.

I waved the room off as I prodded, “Sod off you lot.” This got a chuckle rolling through the room, and I quickly dried my eyes after I pulled back a bit to look into her eyes.

That's when a frazzled looking Vanessa stepped into the room. She stared around with an almost confused look. She asked as she looked at her sister, “Fran?” The girl stepped up to her and grabbed her hand and placed it on her shoulder and Vanessa seemed to breathe a sigh of relief then turned back to the room and said in utter excitement, “It's a girl!”

We all cheered and congratulated the happy mother. Her smile looked to be splitting her face as she announced, “Emily Anabella Mandy Harris-West. They say that you can come visit in groups. Three at a time.”

This was so exciting, and I couldn't believe just how happy I was for them at that moment. Children are our most precious gift. But my sarcastic side chuckled at the little one's name. The poor girl was going to need a whole sheaf of paper just to write her name.

Fran, her girlfriend, and Vanessa headed toward the door, pausing long enough to grab an over excited Zilrita's hand to drag her with them. The overly cute goth was barely able to kiss Jen before they were out the door.

I looked around at the misfit group around us, and they all had that familiar vibe of family about them. So this was it, what it was all about. Family. That's why J8 had withdrawn from the music scene, just like her mother before her did so many years ago. For family, the most important thing.

I grabbed Stephanie's hand again and looked into the eyes of the woman I had loved the moment I met her all those weeks ago. My family.

It felt as if my journey had just begun, and what an adventure it promised to be.

I huddled in the alley and shivered, trying to chase away the chill that was working its way into my bones. I pulled my threadbare jacket closed as I looked at the hamburger I had just purchased down the block. I had been begging on the corner for hours to get enough lolly to pay for it.

I knew it was only going to leave me even hungrier than I was now as soon as I wolfed it down. I'd try to eat it slow but it had been almost two days since I ate anything substantial. I said to myself, “Come on Lenore, just eat it.”

I took a huge bite and closed my eyes to savor the bite. But just as I thought, I couldn't get enough. I didn't have the discipline to make it last, or to save some for later. I tore into it and swallowed before I could finish chewing. I picked up a piece of the litter I was sitting next to, a newspaper dated last month.

Huh, J8 had a baby girl and announced that she was stepping down from recording. She'd still head up the London Harmony studio with her wife, but she wanted to dedicate her time to her new baby daughter, Emily.

I dropped the paper, shaking my head. Yeah, another fairy tale I'd never see. The little runt was lucky to have parents who loved her. Or she'd end up a runaway on the streets at seventeen just like me... begging for scraps of food and freezing in the winter air.

I stopped an involuntary sob. Then bit my own tongue to harden my resolve. A little voice inside me saying, this can't be all there is in life. It has to get better.

Right?

I finished the burger and just stared at the empty wrapper as my stomach gurgled again in the memory of what it was like to actually eat a full meal. But it was going to be disappointed, that's all I had for it at the moment. Maybe I'll do better tomorrow and get a bit more lolly. I just had to survive another night. I could do that, that's all I did, survive.

Maybe the shelters wouldn't be so full tomorrow, and I'd be able to get a decent meal at the soup lines.

I almost jumped out of my own skin as I yelped in surprise at the woman's voice beside me in the alley, “Right then, I could use someone to help to move a resident to her new flat. I pay in cash and pizza.”

I hopped to my feet, backpedaling until I hit a rubbish bin as I blurted, “Bloody hell!” Then I blinked at the tawny haired woman who was decked out in some pretty posh street gear. I sputtered out, “What did you say?”

She was a tallish bird with a hard look, like she had not always been in those clothes or her station.

She shrugged and crossed her arms and leaned back against the alley wall almost like she were bored, “I just thought you might be free after you consumed your hamburger.”

I scowled at her, not able to tell if she were mocking me or if this was some sort of game. There was something in her eyes that looked almost amused. But there was something else in her eyes, the pain of a kindred spirit that stopped me from scurrying off.

She just chuckled at my indecision and said, “You look to have two able hands, and I'm in need of them, so what do you say? I pay fifty quid a day plus lunch.”

I blinked at this woman, was she unhinged? My stomach gurgled at the notion of a full meal, more than the thought of what I could do with fifty quid that had my mind racing. I squinted at her again and asked the well to do looking woman, who was starting at me impassively, “Are you off your trolley lady?”

She tilted her head back and laughed out loud in genuine mirth and then looked at me with a toothy smile on her face. She looked genuinely happy at the question. She said like she was recalling some ghost of memory, “I suppose that depends on who you ask.” Then she sighed and pushed away from the wall and offered her hand to me, “Oh where are my manners? The name's Angie, Angie Wells, and you are?”

The End