Baby May

Unexpected

August 2012

Hearing the post come through the letterbox, Alyssia puts Ivy in her bouncy chair and runs to get it before Meddow tries to attack it, "No, no, no," She warns the cat gathering it up and tapping Meddows nose with one of the letters, "What have letters ever done to you, huh?"

Entering the living room where Ivy is she chuckles, "Comfy?" Freddie has climbed onto the bouncy chair and curled up underneath the now six-month-old dozing infant's feet.

Alyssia can't believe Ivy is six months old already, Toby went back to work at the beginning of April. While Alyssia was filming her last scenes for series 3, Ivy stayed with Brian and Anita. It was only for ten days while Alyssia was in Yorkshire, but she hated being away from her daughter, it made her certain about her decision to leave the series.

Sitting on the sofa, she flicks through the mail most of it junk, one for Toby then one for Alyssia. The one for her she didn't think anything of until she turned it over to check the return address and it from London Women's Prison, it has her heart pounding.

There is only one person she knows in prison, Tina.

She stirs at it afraid to open it, but curiosity gets the better of her and she opens it. Right off the bat, she can see it's a letter from Tina.

Hi Erin, or should I say Alyssia,

It's been a long time and you've grown since the last time I saw you, I've seen you in newspapers and on TV a couple of times. Well done with the Olympic medals what an achievement, I love your character in Downton Abbey too.

The reason I'm contacting you is to congratulate you on your marriage and the birth of your daughter, Ivy Anita May. I'm told she looks a lot like you, I bet she's inherited those beautiful curls.

But I'm also sending this to ask if you'd be willing to come and see me? I'd love to hear all about Ivy, I always wanted a grandchild and I guess since you're technically my daughter that kind of makes her my granddaughter.

I hope to hear from you soon,

Tina x

Alyssia stares at the letter, how after all this time could this woman still believe that Alyssia is her daughter? But the idea that she wants Ivy to be her granddaughter makes her blood boil. She never wants that woman anywhere near her daughter.

It's only mid-morning so Toby will not be home till early evening, but she needs to talk to someone about this, an idea pops into her head, "Do you want to go and see Grandpa?"

She asks her baby daughter, Ivy is playing with Freddie's tail but the mention of Brian gets her attention. Despite her very young age, she knows who Grandma and Grandpa are, especially Brian, she's a Grandpa's girl.

Smiling, Alyssia repeats the question, "Hmm... Shall we go see Grandpa?" Ivy grins, babbling and cooing with excitement reaching grab hands out to her mum.

One thing Alyssia learnt in the first month of Ivy's life is that she loves a car journey, watching the unexplored world pass by the window. Cooing, babbling and sometimes squealing along with bits on the radio.

Using her key to enter her parent's house with Ivy on her hip, Alyssia covers her tiny ears calling out, "Mum, Dad? Are you home?"

"Lissy?" Brian smiles coming down the stairs, "What are you doing here?"

"Hey dad," Alyssia returns the smile, "Someone wanted to come and see Grandpa."

"Oh, well then," He takes Ivy from her, settling her against his chest, "Let's go see if we can find you some formula, it's lunchtime."