Great Expectations. - Now Complete

Chapter 16

By the time Alexander was three months old, parenthood was the main focus in the couple's life. George and Alice had a pleasant daily routine. When George wasn't working, they usually spent time together as a family, taking delight in each other's company and the rapidly growing little boy they adored. If George was working, Alice would take Alexander out in his pram and walk the quieter streets to the local park. Although the weather was cold, it was nice to be out. Alice also began to meet up with another young mum named Sophie who had a son a little older than Alexander. Making friends gave Alice something to look forward to and someone different to talk to. They would meet up a couple of times a week, have a walk then go for a cup of tea somewhere. On the days she hadn't arranged to meet her friend, Alice would often still go out with Alexander.

It was on one such walk that it happened. Being a chilly day in early January, the park was very quiet.This wasn't uncommon but the quietness was what Alice liked. No press. No fans. Just her and Alexander together. Taking her usual route and talking to a very awake Alexander as she walked, she didn't pay much attention to what was going on around her. Suddenly she stopped and  looked up. A man blocked her way.

"Excuse me." she said, trying to hide her fear.

He nodded.

Alice prepared to move, assuming he was nodding a her. She felt a sudden pain as she was grabbed from behind, a hand covering her mouth. She tried to scream but everything went black.

"How is she?" Paul whispered, coming into the hospital room, bringing George a drink.

George looked up and gratefully took the drink from him. He looked exhausted, not knowing how to feel. "She's OK. The head injury isn't as bad as they originally thought. The sedation should wear off soon."

Paul nodded. He put his hand on his friends shoulder. "Any news from the police?"

He shook his head, tears rolling down his face. "Not a word. How am I going to tell her Paul? It's going to break her. Even maybe us!"

Paul didn't now what to say. He sat with his friend to offer support as much as he could. Time passed. John and Ringo arrived. They looked at Paul, who shook his head.

The doctor appeared to check on Alice. The others discretely left then George watched as the doctor disconnected the drip that Alice had been attached to.

"Well?"

"Alice is going to be fine Mr Harrison. She needs to rest and to be kept calm and quiet.  This will allow her brain to recover from the blow she has received." he was told, "However, I know the police are keen to speak to her as soon as possible. I'm concerned about how she will react to the news though. It may mean we will have to sedate her once more."

George nodded. "So what happens now?"

"Alice should wake up within an hour or so. She may be nauseous or have a headache but other than that she should be fine. I have already notified the police of when she will be ready to talk to."

George nodded at the doctor. Soon he was alone again. He took Alice's hand and kissed it gently then held it to his cheek...and waited.

As the doctor predicted, George watched as Alice's eyes flickered opened. He smiled. "Hi baby."

She looked at him, still very drowsy. "Where am I?" she whispered, looking confused.

"You're in hospital." he told her gently, "You banged your head. Do you remember?"

She just looked at him vaguely.  She shook her head.

"You were in the park Alice."

She sat up suddenly. "There was a man. He stopped me. Alexander! George where's Alexander?"

George couldn't answer.

"My baby! George where's my baby?" She was growing increasingly hysterical.

George stood up and put his arms around her. He swallowed before speaking. "Alice love, you need to listen carefully. The people that attacked you. They took him. They took Alexander."

Alice stared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean? They've taken him?"

"We don't know where Alexander is Alice. The police are searching everywhere." George was now crying, "The police think he's been taken because of me."

Alice began to scream as the impact of George's words hit her!

Two days later.

Alice was discharged from hospital. Although physicall well, she was emotionally numb. She travelled home in a police car, George by her side. The police had deliberately set a press embargo incase the situation was, as feared, a kidnap randsom threat. There was still no news of Alexander's whereabouts. The police had taken statement after statement from Alice on the events in the park. She repeated over and over what she could remember. She was naturally distraught without her baby. She had been prescribed a mild sedative to keep her calmer but she refused to use them.

Finally, having had no randson demand, the police decided that there needed to be a TV appeal in the hope that someone had seen him or the events in the park. The following afternoon the couple found themselves at Scotland  Yard, facing TV and press cameras. The story was explained by the officer in charge of the investigation. He talked about the events in the park that day. Pictures of the park were shown where Alexander had been taken from. Then more of Alexander on his own and then with his parents as well as pictures of his pram. Alice sat numb, fighting back the ever present tears as her fears for her baby grew by the minute. Then it was their turn.

Alice looked into the camera, her eyes red from earlier crying. "I ask directly to who ever has taken my baby to return him safely. Alexander is just three months old and desperately needs me, his mum. I'm still breast feeding so without me he's not going to thrive in the way he should. The longer he is away, the harder re-establishing that is going to be." Her eyes filled with tears. "Please don't hurt him! He's only a baby! He hasn't done anything to anyone!" She began to sob uncontrollably. "Please bring my baby back!"

Wrapping his arms around the sobbing woman, George pleaded into the camera. "Somebody must have seen something. Anything! We ask that if you can remember anything from that day, no matter how small and incidental it may seem, that you get in touch with the police. Ensuring the safety of a young baby is the prime concern. There will be no comment or investigation into what you were doing when you saw Alice and Alexander together that day. We are offering a reward for information regarding Alexander's whereabouts. Please."

George found tears rolling down his face, unable to go on. The police detective took over the conference once more. He answered several questions from the press then reiterated several details before wrapping everything up.

"What happens now?" asked George, once they were away from the cameras.

"We wait Mr Harrison, " said the officer in charge, "All we can do is wait."