The Hanging Noose

Eighteen

Eight Months Later

Micheal scurries about the house. He pops his head in to the kitchen to see Ada at the stove, a wooden spoon in her hand and a large steaming pot over the job. Ada looks at him, smiling, and he nods his head before walking in to the next room, seeing Tommy and Arthur and John prepare the living room with flowers sent by the family and presents belonging to the newest member. He weaves in between the children playing as he goes in to the small front room of the house, looking for his mother.

The room is empty, it's the only one with nothing against the walls and no furniture within it. On the ceiling however it's black, painted with white and gold glittering stars. Just beneath the stars is a fluffy white rug, the only piece of fabric or furniture to fill the room.

He stands at the window, waiting for the car to pull up. Within a few minutes, it does, and he quickly disappears upon seeing the car. He claps his hands loudly.

"Dottie's back!" He yells, "quick! Places everyone!"

Everyone scatters in to the hallway with a large smile upon their faces. They stare at the door.

The door opens to reveal Dottie in a hospital gown. Her hair is greasy and plaited against her head, her eyes wear heavy bags underneath them. Her gown hangs off of her.

In her arms, is a small bundle of blankets.

Polly grins behind her, slightly pushing the girl in to the house. She stands to the side, allowing Reggie to step in to the house. Reggie has a proud smile upon his face, he's got a white shirt on, a yellowish twinge stains one part of the shirt.

Dottie looks at Micheal before looking at the family.
"This is Eliza," Dottie says quietly, "short for Elizabeth Pollyanna Gray. We decided to keep my surname."

Micheal is the first to move. He greets his older sister, eloping her in to his arms and kissing her head. He looks down at the little baby, who's looking at the ceiling peacefully.

His large hand cradles her head, stroking the dark mess of curls. The baby looks up at him, he notices the child has a slight freckle above her lip, he smiles, leaning his lips down on to the baby's head.

To most people that met little Eliza in the hospital, she was an odd baby. She had two different colour eyes, one a amber brown and the other a bright green with brown speckles. However, to Micheal, she was beautiful.

"She's beautiful, Thea," Micheal says, smiling at Dottie before he elopes her in to another cuddle, careful of the newborn baby.

The worries are pushed aside when Polly takes hold of the baby, cradling her in her arms and walking to show the family. Dottie clings to Micheal.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispers to her, kissing the shell of her ear, "after all that work, you're finally home."

Dottie was finally home, after several weeks being in hospital. There was several complications with the birth of the newest child in the Shelby and Gray clan. Baby Eliza had originally been born at home with the help of Polly, Ada and Esme, however when Dottie passed out half way during a large push, Ada called for an ambulance. Polly had held tightly on to Dottie's hand as she was rushed in to the back of an ambulance, she had then sat day and night with the sleeping girl, conscious of not waking her.

Baby Eliza was born prematurely, a month premature. She was a tiny baby, who laid in an empty hospital crib beside her mother in the hospital bed for most of the days. Polly had offered to bring Dottie and Eliza some comforts from home, or some company, but Dottie had refused. She had even refused to Micheal, only ever wanting to see her mum, and at a push Reggie.

Polly was a proud grandmother. She praised her daughter to everyone she ever met once little Eliza was born. She was ecstatic when Reggie had told Polly what his daughter would be called, and had bragged to everyone about her granddaughter.

Now, as she parades around Dottie and Reggie's home, situated on the same street that Polly lives on, she couldn't be prouder. The woman coos down at the baby.

"Oh she's beautiful," Ada exclaims, looking down at the newborn. She looks at Dottie. "Can I hold her?"

Dottie nods, walking away from the door to Ada, "she may be hot, though."

Ada nods, taking a gentle hold of the baby. She smiles down, looking at the small newborn. "She's like an angel, Dottie. Congratulations."

Reggie stands behind Dottie, his hand looming over her shoulder.

"Congratulations, Reg," Arthur grunts, nodding his head towards Reggie, "and obviously to you, Dots. We're well proud of you, aint we?"

John looks over Ada's shoulder as she coos over the child. He smiles, "you'll be having more soon. One is never enough."

"One is enough," Dottie replies, "for as long as I live, I'm never pushing another child out."

Turning his head. Reggie frowns, his grip tightens slightly. "I thought we would try again."

Dottie turns her head, her pale skin shines dimly in the sunlight exploding from the window behind her. Her eyes search Reggie's, she opens her mouth yet no words come out. It's only when Arthur's chuckle makes her look round, seeing Arthur hold baby Eliza in his arms with his flat cap against the baby's head.

"She's just like me, eh?"

"She'll look better when you take that thing of her," Ada grumbles in response, taking hold of the baby, "what's he doing to you, baby girl? Huh?" She coos, walking away from the front room.

Panic endorses it's way over to Dottie, she looks at Reggie with a stricken face.

"It's alright," he calmly says, "she won't take Eliza, it's okay," he leans his head against her temple, "go in to the sitting room and you'll find her, Thea. It's okay," he presses his lips gently against Dottie's temple.

Dottie nods, feeling the panic in her risen as she leaves her family to follow Ada. Just like Reggie had told her, Dottie finds Eliza sitting down on one of the large couches with baby Eliza in her arms.

"I was worried then," Dottie finds herself saying, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Ada looks up as Dottie walks over to the sofa. When she sits down, Ada gives her a small smile and extends her free hand to stroke Dottie's knee.

"How are you doing?" Ada asks, her eyes searching Dottie's own tired ones. "Like really. Because you look exhausted."

"I've just given birth."

"I know that... I just mean..." Ada stumbles over her words, trying to find the correct ones to use, "you've been in the hospital for weeks, none of us saw you apart from Polly. Even Reggie didn't see you."

Dottie frowns, "Reggie did. He came in."

"Not from what he told us." Ada responds back, "but, anyways, I know you're exhausted, I mean you've got a newborn baby who will keep you up until she's at least two and even then—"

"Ada."

"Sorry, I was rambling." Ada looks back down at the baby girl. "She is beautiful, Dots. You should be so happy."

Dottie pushes a fake smile up on to her lips. "Of course I am."