Side Story - Mango 1

~Day 5 ~

I am impatiently pacing around slowly going out of my mind again in Tapestry's bed room where I have spent a lot of time since he was taken.  It helps me to feel close to him and here I can get some alone space, I seriously am not coping very well being around everyone.

I've banned everyone, even Lilly, from coming into his room.  Lilly more so because every time she comes down here she gets really upset and usually ends up switching off and going into one of her black outs, which seem to be lasting longer and longer every day.

I'm seriously struggling not having Tapestry around, everyone thinks I'm getting a break from his mischief and problems but I'm not.  I've spent his whole life worrying about him because of his disabilities, virtually ever second of his life as well as dealing with all the problems he causes, without him I feel lost and don't know what to do with myself.  Besides he's my son, my "special little soldier" and I seriously don't know how I would ever cope if he never comes home.

This shouldn't be happening!!

I am down here alone while everyone is sitting upstairs going out of their minds, this house is more like picadili station at the moment, everyone is camped out up stairs day and night, with nothing else to do but feel miserable and just sit and wait.

I've lost count of the bodies wandering about in this house all the time. My lot, Preludes lot, Mulberry's lot, Sunny's lot, Alpines lot, my parents, Lillys mother, Fern and all the added extra girlfriends and boyfriends of some of the kids ... It's insane.

I flip my phone open again, I can't stop thinking about it, or looking at it.

The picture that Lime text to me, Lilly, Sunny and Ruby, all four of us receiving the picture at exactly the same time.  Of course it sent Ruby and Lilly both into absolute hysterics, and Lilly into another one of her blackouts.  The text came from Tapestry's phone, but I think I knew before I even opened it, he would never have sent it, most of the time he can't even spell his own name, if he was calling for help it definately wouldn't be via text message.

I can't help but think that there is an underlying message in that picture, that Lime might not even know about or even realize herself.  Of course SHE is trying to scare and upset us, by making us think that she has faded our kids.  I spotted something that none of the others did, but being the only doctor among us I would notice it when they wouldn't. Tapestry and Honey are both lay in the recovery position.  Ice, who also works at the hospital, picked up on it straight away when she first saw the picture.  I know Maizie would have done this being medically trained, which makes me think they were still alive when that picture was taken while the others think she has faded them.  I am hoping they were just sedated like Prelude had been.

Maize would know that I would spot they are in the recovery position straight away, so if this is some kind of message from Maizie to me, to tell me that they are okay, why would she even help Lime take our kids in the first place?

Just knowing that Lime is free again to continue with her reign of terror and that she has two of our children has unhinged all of us ... I'm wandering when there is ever going to be an end to the destruction and heartache that that woman is going to causes us.  We thought when she was sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison that would be the end of it .... boy were we wrong!!!!

As well as snatching two of our children .. now another four people have been faded needlessly, SHE has faded two of them a police officer and a prison guard, and the other two police officers who were guarding the entrance to the cemetery were faded by her accomplice, Maizie ... and for what?!  Just so that SHE could escape prison?!   I am just grateful that she only drugged Prelude and didn't add him to her ever growing list of murders, I'm just terrified that my son and Sunny's daughter are going to be added to that list.  Maizie though, I seriously don't get it, she is capable of many things, but murder is just not one of them!!!!

Prelude is now constantly wasted again, which is making me really angry because I know it is mainly because of his feelings for that woman.  He is not getting to speak to her everyday and he's convinced he is never seeing her again, of course he is worried about Tapestry and Honey, and he's really upset that she used Storm's funeral as her escape plan, but he's getting wasted again because he loves her.  Parsley needs him right now and he is so selfish he doesn't think about his son for a second because he is just continuously wallowing in his own self pity!!  How can he still love the woman who causes so much pain and heartache on this family ... a family he is a big part of?!

Lilly spends most of her days switched off, hiding away in those blackout she has because she can't face the reality, this scares me, I can't stop her black outs and I'm scared that one of these times she is going to go into one and never come out of it. Ruby is constantly squealing and crying all the time, obviously because her daughter has been taken, but knowing that it was starting to look very much like she is pregnant and having morning sickness, really isn't helping her or any of us.  It's not only our children she might have, but our Grandchild that we might never see, and even Sunny has calmed down with that situation, he doesn't care anymore that Honey might be pregnant, just as long as he gets his daughter back safely.  Sunny is totally going off his head just like I am, while everyone else is a mess and as usual they are all looking at me to do something ... but what can I do ...  it's at times like this that I wished everyone didn't lean on me so much.

I think it's Parsley I feel sorry for the most.  He has got it coming from all roads, that boy has already had to go through so much at such a young age ... he's only recently found out the truth about his Mother, he's lost his twin brother who was murdered by their own brother, and then SHE goes and does this, what happened at the funeral traumatised him, he's really upset over Tapestry's dissappearance and now he's having to watch his Dad act like a pathetic drunk when he needs him the most ... yet again he is having to suffer for what his parents are doing, especially his Mother ... and I am the one yet again having to pick up the peices of a broken boy ...  for them ... and while I'm trying to comfort HER son I dread to think about what she might be doing to mine!

I'm constantly kicking myself for not being there to even try to stop what went on at the funeral, constantly kicking myself for not MAKING Tapestry come home with me Lilly, Cotton and Lavender.  Whatever went on at the funeral has suddenly changed Sunny's opinion of Tapestry, he now suddenly has a new found respect for him which amuses me a little after the last conversation that me and Sunny had about Tapestry and the possible pregnancy.  SHE was only taking Honey apparently, Tapestry stepped in to try and stop her, even offering himself in her place, asking HER to let Honey go and take him instead  ... Only Tapestry would be that stupid!!! ... when everyone else, including Sunny, stood back watching while she waved a gun around and took both of our children away!  I laugh to myself  ... No I would also have been that stupid to try and stop HER from taking Tapestry.

Lavender, Lilly's Mother, being the most surprising thing, she's still here, she sticking around refusing to go home until Tapestry is found and she even at times looks upset about what's going on.  She has actually been good for Mulberry, Prelude and Lilly I'm not so sure, I'm just glad Lilly can't remember how she used to be. It's almost like Lavender is trying to make amends for the past and she  is finally getting to know all of her grandchildren quite willingly.  Lavender surprisingly hasn't been or caused any trouble or arguments so I've let her stay, for me she's actually been quite a godsend along with my own Mother looking after Lilly and Cotton in particular and making sure that everyone is getting steady meals and keeping the house running while the rest of us including my Dad are falling apart.  Both of our Mother's have definitely given me a few less things to worry about and have taken some of the pressure off my shoulders.

It's been five days and there has been no sight or sound of any of them - Lime, Tapestry, Honey and Maizie just seem to have just vanished off the face of the earth.  Maizie she is the one that I really don't get ... how has she gotten mixed up in all this?!  Prelude says that after the twins were born Lime and Maizie were in constant contact and have become the best of friends, but Maizie, I just can't imagine her being THAT evil that she would join forces with Lime to do this.  I know our relationship and break up were not pretty and we parted on pretty bad terms, and if she'd done this years ago soon after we broke up then maybe I might have understood  it .... but surely after all this time, she couldn't be doing this to get at me ... she couldn't still be holding a grudge ...  could she??!!

Even though the police don't think that they would have left town with Maizie and Tapestry being mixed berries ... I am not so confident ... where the hell is there to hide in this town??  There is just total silence, we've heard nothing except for that one text that contained the picture and nothing else. There is not even a clue or a trail for the police to follow that gives us any idea of where they are or even if Tapestry and Honey are now after nearly a week still alive.

Ruby and Sunny have so far been the only ones from our gang that have been unaffected by Limes antics. While we've had Lilly and Tapestrys problems to contend with, Ice has had to look at the scars on her face in the mirror every day, Caramel and Alpine have had Alpines brain damage to deal with, Jazz and Cosmic faded by her, even Prelude and the twins have had to suffer because of Lime, Ruby and Sunny have sat back and their family has been unaffected. Okay they have always been there for all of us, and in a way have suffered with us, but now they like the rest of us, might have to suffer because of that woman.  As every day passes I get more scared that my son and their daughter and possibly our grandchild are never coming home.

Tapestry was probably the worst one she could have taken, with his problems and temperament, he needs his medication and I dread to think of the state that he is in, and the trouble he might be causing for himself and Honey, especially if that evil woman winds him up like I  imagine she would, that woman could get a saints back up.  I don't doubt without his medication that he hasn't lost it quite a few times since he's been abducted, that's if he is still ....... oh Berry I can't even think about her fading him!!!

Sunny walks into the room.

"I can't stand this!!!"  he looks awful and I can see he has been crying again  "Me, Mulberry and a few of the boys  are going out to have a look around town!!" he just stands there looking at me and I don't say anything.  I know as usually he'll go out and find nothing, get himself all worked up and come back in a state and I'll have to be the one trying to pull him together .... because this is what he's spent most of the time doing since they vanished, walk around town and so far they have found absolutely nothing, and neither have the police, but I suppose if it keeps his mind occupied I should leave him too it, I can't say a lot, I'm spending most of my time down here like a recluse, we are all dealing with it in our own different way..  "We are going to pay the Freeze's a visit, I still can't believe they don't have anything to do with this!!"

"NO SUNNY!!!  Keep away from the Freeze's ... going round there all guns blazing accusing them ... you are asking for trouble!!"  I snap at him  "Don't you think we have enough problems without you setting them off again ... they've already stabbed Storm and Mosaic's and beat Strawberry half to death!!! I won't let you!!  I shout at him because he's just standing there with that look on his face saying nothing, I know Sunny he's made his mind up he'll go and do it anyway  "I'm warning you - you are definitely not taking Mulberry or my son anywhere near the Freeze's house!! and if you had any sense you wouldn't be going anywhere near them!!"

"You are a fine one to talk, you do know Fern is upstairs with Parsley again don't you!!"  he snaps at me  "I can't believe you even let that girl into this house!!"

"You know she's different she isn't one of them, she is just like Parsley, she couldn't fight her way out of a paper bag, she might be a little wild, but that's because of her upbringing, she doesn't have a mean bone in her body."  he rolls his eyes at me "She is genuinely upset about Storm fading and Tapestry going missing ....  she doesn't care about colour mixing or Lilly and Affairs colourlessness, she looked past Tapestry's disabilities, unlike most, and that says a lot about her."  he shook his head like he couldn't believe what I'm saying  "You know Sunny you are always too quick to judge people for the wrong reasons ... maybe you should try actually sitting down and talking to her ... then you'll find she's actually a really nice girl!!"

"You are too soft that's your problem!!!  and don't think I didn't get that dig in there that was aimed at me .. so she looked past Tapestry's disabilities, but I remember you not being too happy about Tapestry and Fern being together!!"

"Yeah, I admit I reacted like everyone else did to start with because she was Limes daughter, but I had just had Freeze and two of her thug brats banging my door down and threatening me to keep them apart.  But she isn't like them Sunny and it hasn't taken long for me and everyone else to see she is exactly like Parsley, there is only you who has a problem with her and can't see it!!" 

"You need to remember what went on between her and Tapestry and how it ended, there is unfinished business there so I hear and I don't want her hanging around causing problems for Honey and Tapestry!!" he snaps at me

"Oh Please!!  Sunny after the last conversation we had over your feelings for Tapestry, I thought you wanted them split up .... now you are trying to protect their relationship ... you're a joke and I wished you'd make your damn mind up!!"

"Things change, as well you know!!"  he snaps at me  "It was looking very much like my girl is pregnant, and okay, maybe I was a little too hard on Tapestry, you was right I didn't look past his disabilities, but your son is liability enough with his problems without Fern getting in the middle of it stirring trouble and if she's anything like her damn Mother she will!!"

 "She's nothing like her Mother ... she's actually good for Parsley right now especially with Prelude being a pathetic drunk again, he's lost Storm remember, and she is his half sister after all!!"  he glares at me quite nastily  "I don't get you sometimes Sunny, you hate that girl because she's Limes daughter, do I really have to remind you that your daughter is marrying Limes son with your blessing, Fern and Parsley are no different, neither of them belong in that family, I thought you of all people would get that!!  But as usual you are the very last to realize it"  he starts huffing and puffing and I start to open laugh at him.

"What's so funny ... cause I sure as hell can't think of anything that would make me laugh right now!!"  he snaps at me quite nastily

"You Sunny, you know I love you but sometimes .... you irritate the fuck out of me!!!"  he raises his eyebrows at me it's not often anyone hears me swear.  "And I think I'm just about to give you something else to think about ... I spend more time down here alone and still I've spotted something going on upstairs that you obviously haven't!!"  I laugh at him again

"WHAT!?" he snaps impatiently

"I don't think you'll have any worry over Fern with Honey and Tap ... cause every time I've seen her over the past few days, she's had her tongue half way down the back of Carmines throat!!"

"WHAT!?  You're joking right!!"  his eyes widen, how has he seriously not noticed that his son and Fern have been permanently attacked at the lips for the past few days ... unless they have been hiding it from him and I've just put my big foot in it!

"Sorry mate ... I'm not ..."

"Carmine and Fern ....like Fudge is that happening!!!"  and off he goes again, I roll my eyes at him  "What?!  Just because your happy with who your three are dating ... doesn't mean I have to be!!"

He kills me, he's given all of his kids such a hard time over their love lives, I think it's only Cherry and Affair that he's left alone.  I wander if he forgets how he used to be when he was their age ... his kids are actually saints in comparison to how Ruby and Sunny used to be.  I suppose now if he's going to be on Carmines back from now on because of Fern, he might just leave Tapestry and Honey's alone!!

My phone starts ringing, this could be some news about our kids, so I hopefully grab for it quickly  .... I look down and am disappointed to see  "Work" is flashing up on the screen, this makes me very angry.  I'm taking time out from work and they really shouldn't be phoning me, I've left strict instructions for them NOT to disturb me while this is going on.  I answer my phone and snap quite angrily  "What?!"

"Mango?!" it is Forrest  "I'm sorry for phoning you, but I think you might want to hear this ... it's about Tapestry, and I expect the police will be with you soon."

"WHAT about Tapestry!? Forrest, Oh Berry .... is he there at the hospital?! have they found him?"  Sunny suddenly grabs me with his eyes wide open.

"No, sorry Mango they haven't found him."  I shake my head at Sunny as my heart falls to my feet again, he just throws himself on the sofa and sits there staring at me blankly. "I've been keeping an eye on Tapestry and Honey's medical records, you know just in case they turned up somewhere in this or another hospital ..."  He is dithering like he does and I snap at him to get to the point quickly because he's killing me  "Sorry!! Someone has accessed Tapestry's medical records from here at this hospital and cashed a script at the hospital pharmacy for all of his medication."

"WHAT?!  WHO?! WHEN?!"

"Yesterday, late last night, he works here, he's a pathology registrar  ... River Lane ... do you know him?"  I think for a moment and that name doesn't ring any bells with me.

"No, Forrest I've never heard of him?!"

"Yeah, I can't say I've ever seen the guy either, his name kind of rings a bell but I can't seem to put a face to it.  I've informed the police already and the strange thing, he's actually been AWOL from work for the past five days without a word, I've checked with his department and they haven't been able to get in contact with him, but this Mr Lane came into the hospital last night even though he didn't show up for work yesterday, he's logged onto the computer in YOUR office just to take the piss, accessed Tapestry's medical records, cashed a script at the pharmacy and completely vanished again."

"My office ... why my office?  How do you know he used my office?"

"IT tracked his log in down to your computer and when I went in there, he hadn't even bothered to turn it off, Taps records were still up on the screen, and I think Mr Lane was also looking for something, he's made a mess of your papers and there are books and journals all over the place ....'

"Hang on did you say LANE!?"  he muttered yeah,  "Fudge!! Lane is or was Maizie's surname!!"

"Oh Berry!! of course it was .... the notorious Nurse Lane, your demon ex-girlfriend who helped snatch Tap, how could I not have realized or remembered that!!"

The door opens after a quick knock and Mulberry brought in two police officers.  "The police are here Forrest, I have to go, Thanks mate - I seriously owe you one!!"  he said goodbye and I snapped my phone shut.

I can't help but have a little hope this is the first lead we have had to their whereabouts and its a very good sign that my boy is still alive and that someone is at least looking after him by getting the medication that he needs.

River Lane .... who is he I wander?!

and how is he connected to Maizie??


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