Colder than ice

'Take a piece of my heart, and make it all your own.'

June 2031

'Do you want to talk about it?' Dianne asks her daughter quietly, creeping into the bedroom. The clock read 9:34AM. She had just done the school run, dropping the two younger kids off at school. Her eldest daughter feigned illness. Dianne could see right through it but didn't question it. Ruby loved school, she was outgoing and had plenty of friends. Out of all the children, she had the most friends. As they got older, Maddie would become a younger version of Ruby, but currently she was a nightmare. For Ruby, this was completely out of character.

'I don't feel well.' She tells her, rolling over to face her mum. 'I have a headache.' She moans, Dianne had become experienced at feeling her children's foreheads, when they told her they were ill. One of her children in particular had a tendency to try and get a day off school. Dianne often felt like the bad guy when Maddie wanted a day off school, Joe was able to pick up the pattern and realised it was French his daughter was trying to avoid. She was in a strop this morning because her sister was allowed the day off, and she wasn't.

'You feel a little clammy sweetpea.'

'Can I have a cuddle?' She asks her mum, moving over to the corner and offering her the duvet. She used to do this when she was little, but she hadn't done this in a couple of years. The bed is a single bed, so it's a bit of a squeeze, but Dianne didn't mind. She was growing up and she didn't spend as much time with her mum now. Soon she would be off with friends, and boyfriends would follow. She would be second best. She was aware that it is supposed to be that way, her daughter has to make a life of her own, but she still wants to savour these moments, because they won't last much longer.

Dianne obliges, scooting in next to her. She inhales the scent of her shampoo, it's strawberry flavoured. Her daughter rests her head on her shoulder. They lay in silence for a bit, neither have much to say, they just enjoy one another's company.

'How's school?' Dianne asks gently, breaking the silence 'Is there anything going on?' Subtly trying to find out what's wrong with her daughter, she had been in a mood for the last three weeks. She was worried that something was happening at school. Maybe she was being bullied, maybe she had fallen out with her friends. 'You haven't mentioned Liv recently.'

'She's okay.' She reassures her mother, nestling into her like she used to-do when she was small. 'Nothing happening at school, I promise.' Clearly her daughter can see right through her mask. 'I have a tummy ache.' Dianne nods, rubbing her daughter forehead.

'How are you feeling about still sharing a room with Maddie.' She shrugs, ideally Dianne would have split the twelve-year-old and the seven-year-old up when the former started secondary school, but when their parents suggested it they kicked off, declaring that they didn't need their own space. She supposed it was a good thing, them having such a good relationship, but she wondered was it really appropriate for them to share a room.

'Yeah I like it.' She confirms. 'Even if she is being a nightmare at the moment.' Dianne grins, as Ruby looks up at her, smiling.

'She was a nightmare this morning. Your dad said she had French.' She gets a smile out of her daughter. She can see that her daughter is getting sleepy, 'I'll leave you to get some sleep.' She climbs out of her bed, walking towards her bedroom, as her phone rings.

'Hiya Joe.' She says brightly, 'How are you?'

'I was just checking how Ruby is?' She is looking at all the pictures, all of them with the kids. Her favourite is the photo from their holiday to Spain last summer. It wasn't even a year ago and all the kids had grown up so much. 'Dot?'

'Oh yeah, she's still not feeling great.'

'Oh, poor lamb. Did she say what's wrong with her?' She's moved into the bathroom, she has the day off work and she has work around the house to finish off. The phone is balanced on her shoulder, she's being careful not to end the call.

'No.' A sigh leaves her mouth. 'How many times have I told your son to leave his pyjama's in the laundry basket, not the damp bathroom floor.' She's met with a chuckle at the end of the phone. 'I'm being serious.' Her voice trails off as something catches her eye. 'I'm going to let you go. I think I might know what is wrong with Ruby. Love you.' She stands up, going to put the washing in the machine, mentally cursing that she didn't think of this. Now she thinks about it, it seems obvious.

She goes to check on her daughter, knocking gently on the door. Her daughters awake and sitting in bed watching something on Netflix. Her daughter smiles a little, as her mother comes and sits on the edge of the bed. 'I think I know what is wrong, sweetheart.' The older woman starts, brushing the hair out of the eye of her daughter. Her daughter stares up at her, panic flashing throughout her face, Dianne can see tears beginning to form in her eyes. It's in that moment that Dianne realises how young she is, how vulnerable. 'Baby girl it's okay.' Her eyes meet the younger girls. 'It's okay my love, every woman goes through it.'

'Do you have any paracetamol.' She chokes out, as her mum nods.

'Do you have everything else you need?' She nods, her mum had given her a kit a few months back. 'I'll go and get you that.' She closes the door quietly, walking down the stairs and into the kitchen, grabbing the paracetamol and a KitKat out of the cupboard, giving it to her daughter and telling her she would be downstairs, if she needed her.

To: Joe <3: Turns out Ruby has started her period, she will be okay.

Joe <3: Is she even old enough? Dianne rolls her eyes at his response, neither had thought that she would anytime soon, maybe they were being naïve? She locks her phone, going over to the coffee maker, switching it on as she types a last message to her husband.

To: Joe <3: Course she is. Can you bring some pasta sauce back, I forgot to pick it up this morning, major kick off thanks to Maddie and I don't want to go around Sainsbury's with the pair of them.

A/N Thoughts? Sort of needed a filler chapter....