BETHANY

9

In Beth's Hospital Room

Angel-no, not Angel, Doctor Roe was saying that her name was Beth and Doctor Roe seemed so gentle and intelligent, she didn't look like she wanted to hurt her at all and she surely didn't look like she could be lying to her- opened her eyes wide.

"My parents?" She asked shyly, fidgeting with the covers of the bed. "Is Father coming? To take me home?

"Mr Flint?" Asked Doctor Roe, frowning a little.

She nodded. Who else?

"No Beth," she replied, smiling gently. "Your actual parents. Your Mother and your real Father. They are out there. They want to see you, you know, they missed you."

She lowered her eyes and frowned in concentration. Her actual parents? She had a Mother? They missed her? But Father had said that... No, Father hadn't said anything at all about a Mother... She didn't... She was sure she didn't have a Mother... Surely that was not possible, surely Doctor Roe was mistaking her for someone else. This Beth, he was talking about maybe... "But I don't... I don't think you are right," she whispered, unable to say anything else. "I only have Father and Mary..."

"Jerome Flint is not your Father Beth," she told her patiently, a smile always curving her lips upwards. "Your real Father is out there."

Angel's-Beth's (or was it Angel's after all?) heart was thumping painfully in her chest. Another Father. Another Father. Was this another person just like Father? Her bottom lip trembled at the terrifying thought. She pushed the covers away and threw herself to the floor; her bony knees throbbed as they banged against the cold tiles. She hugged Doctor Roe's legs and started to weep. "No," she sobbed, "no please... I want to stay here...please..."

She could feel Doctor Roe stiffen under her touch. "No Beth," she said quickly, grabbing her upper arm. "Sophie, help her up, please. No dear..."

Sophie, her newest friend, the one who- with Amelia- was taking care of her, now that Mary was not with her anymore, grabbed her under her armpits and pulled her back to the bed. She sat down next to Beth and soothed her gently with a hand on her head. Sophie always wore a pale blue uniform, just like Doctor Roe, but she had told Beth that she was still a trainee. Beth had asked what that meant and she had told her that she was still learning how to take care of people.

To Beth, both Sophie and Amelia knew perfectly well how to take care of people. She had never been happier in the care of someone before.

"No," wept Beth, hugging Sophie's waist and looking at Doctor Roe. "No...please, Miss, I want to stay here...don't send me to my Father...please... I don't eat much...I don't use much room, I'll sleep on the floor, I won't disturb you...please, Miss...don't send me away..." She closed her eyes and sobbed loudly. "I'm good, I swear, I'll do whatever you want me to do Miss... I'll undress for you Miss...I'm good..."

Sophie gasped softly as Beth hugged her forcefully.

"No dear, no," whispered Doctor Roe feebly. "You don't have to do that Beth."

Sophie took a deep breath as her hands threaded Beth's hair. "Beth, sweetie, why don't you want to see your parents?" She asked with a smile in her voice.

"Sophie, that's not the correct procedure for this kind of-"

"I don't want to go back to the brothel, please." Beth replied, raising her head.

Sophie smiled comfortingly at her. "But your Mother and Father live in a house, not in a brothel," she soothed her, "and they have a garden, you know, you keep saying that you want to see outside. I'm sure they are always walking outside and listening to the birds sing and looking at the colours of the sunset..."