Chapter Text
There was a torrential downpour, and Tabitha found herself soaked through as she ran across the green, trying to find a cover to warm herself.
She looked both ways standing under a canopy of the cafe shop that was now closed. It was getting late. There weren’t many businesses left open at this hour. Tabitha took a moment to catch her breath, and then she zipped her puffer coat up higher before darting across the street, beginning to make her trek again. Tabitha walked for a while, looking for somewhere to go for the night–ducking into alleyways or standing under more shop canopies if she could, rubbing her hands together to warm them up. She really should have grabbed her mittens.
Tabitha stood under the awning of a jewelry shop when she spotted a large, white house on the other side of the road. It was lit up brightly on the inside, appearing warm and inviting. Whoever lived there clearly had money. Surely, they would offer her some food.
Taking a deep breath, Tabitha jogged across the street and stopped outside the black gates in front of the house. She looked up as she stood there, taking it all in.
Pembroke House
The sign posted on the right side of the house read. After a moment, Tabitha pulled her shoulders back and walked up the checkered walkway, taking the four steps to the front door.
Tabitha raised a hand and rang the doorbell, and stood back, making sure her coat was zipped all the way.
She waited for a moment, staring at the wavy grooves in the windows. Soon she was able to make out a dark figure coming to the door, and then it opened and she was met by a mustachioed man.
She recognized him as Ted Lasso, head coach of the AFC Richmond Greyhounds.
“Uh, wow,” Tabitha said, a bit in shock. “I didn’t know you lived here.”
Ted blinked. “I don’t. This uh, this is…”
“Ted, who is it?”
A feminine voice filtered from a back room and then Tabitha heard the padding of bare feet on the floor. Her eyes went wide when she took in the woman who came up beside Coach Lasso.
She was tall and blonde, wearing a tight green dress that hugged the curves on her body. She looked intimidating standing there staring at her and Tabitha swallowed hard.
“Who are you?” the woman asked.
Shaking herself into action, Tabitha said, “Holy shit! You’re Rebecca Welton.”
Rebecca exchanged a look with Ted and then looked back at her. “Yes, I am. Is there something we can do for you?”
“Uh…” Tabitha looked at them both.
Coach Lasso had a grin on his face, but Rebecca–Ms. Welton, she corrected herself–looked harsh, like she was irritated they had been interrupted.
“You know on second thought, no there isn't.” Tabitha turned away and started to head back down the stairs.
“Wait!” Ted’s voice stopped her.
She slowly turned back around. Tabitha watched as he whispered something to Rebecca and they exchanged a few words under their breaths before Rebecca forced a smile on her face and said, “Come in.”
Ted opened the door wider and Rebecca stepped back, reluctantly letting the girl into her home.
“Here, lemme take your coat,” Ted said, moving behind her to take it from her. “What’s your name?”
“Tabitha,” she answered as she unzipped her coat, not giving her last name as she knew they would likely use it to look her up.
“Ooh, like the daughter from Bewitched?”
“Yeah,” she said.
Tabitha removed her coat, making note of Ted taking it from her and hanging it on the coat rack. Her jeans were drenched, her shirt only slightly wet, and her beanie was soaked too. There was hardly an inch of her that was dry.
Rebecca gasped.
Ted came to stand by her and blanched. “Oh.”
“Yep, there it is. You’ve seen it now,” Tabitha said with a sigh as she saw the adults take in her small belly. She was four months along and it was just starting to show. “Yeah, my…well, the person who was my boyfriend knocked me up and…then I caught him cheating on me.” Her eyes welled up. “It turns out, he had been for some time. I was just oblivious. So any thought I had about us being a family…gone.” She roughly wiped away a tear and added, “Fucking pillock.”
Ted’s eyes went wide. “But if you have a boyfriend, where is he and what are you doin’ here?”
“After I found out he was cheating on me, I broke up with him. But…” Tabitha looked down at her shoes, not wanting to admit this next part. “I don’t have anywhere to go. When my parents found out I was pregnant, they kicked me out of the house. I’ve been living with him ever since. Until now.” A few more tears fell down her cheeks and she wiped them away quickly.
“Do your parents know where you are?” Ted continued to ask the questions as Rebecca stood by looking perturbed. Clearly she was not happy about letting a stranger into her house.
“No, not that they would care anyway. My mother said I wasn’t allowed back into her house unless I did something about…this,” Tabitha trailed off with a sniff, gesturing at her belly.
“I see,” Rebecca finally spoke. “And is there anyone who you can call to come pick you up?”
“No. I meant what I said. I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
“‘Scuse us for a second,” Ted interrupted, pulling Rebecca off to another room.
Tabitha looked around the foyer as she heard their muffled voices in the background. There were two double doors to either side of her, a large mirror to her right that took up nearly the entire wall, and a staircase just a few feet away. She imagined it would be fun to slide down the banisters.
“No, Ted.” Tabitha could hear Rebecca’s voice now.
“We have to help her, Becca.”
“We don’t even know her. This could be a way for her to get money out of us.”
“You saw her, Rebecca. This is clearly not a scam. She needs help.”
“And what do you propose we do?”
“Well, get her some dry clothes for one…”
“Where the hell are we going to get clothes from?”
“You don’t have any sweatpants or oversized t-shirts?” Rebecca must have given him a look because then Tabitha heard Ted say, “Right, okay. I’ll run to my apartment and grab some things.”
“You can’t leave me alone with her.”
“She’s not gonna murder you, Rebecca.”
“She might,” Rebecca replied and Tabitha had to laugh. “You don’t know what she’s capable of.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“So…”
“You watch too many True Crime documentaries.”
Tabitha snorted and then distracted herself as she heard them coming back into the entryway, Ted walking in first with Rebecca following behind him.
“So, Tabs…is it okay if I call ya Tabs?” She nodded and he went on. “When’s the last time you ate somethin’?”
“Um, I haven’t eaten anything today.”
Ted’s (and Rebecca’s) eyes widened.
“You–you’re pregnant and you haven’t eaten?” Rebecca asked, looking surprised.
Tabitha shook her head.
Ted stepped forward. “Well, come on. We’re gonna take you to get somethin’ to eat and then we’re gonna get you a change of clothes.”
xxx
After ordering three plates of fish and chips at The Crown and Anchor, Ted ran to his apartment to grab some clothes while Rebecca and Tabitha waited for their food.
The two sat in silence, Tabitha drinking her water and Rebecca nursing a gin and tonic. She couldn’t believe Ted had gotten her into this mess.
This young girl, who couldn’t have been more than eighteen, had shown up on her doorstep and Ted had immediately welcomed her into her home.
She looked scared and guarded, Rebecca had to admit that. But she felt like there had to be more to the story. Something didn’t feel right. And as Rebecca watched the girl, with her red hair finally starting to dry, she intended to find out what her true intentions were.
It wasn’t long before Ted returned much to Rebecca’s great relief. He carried a duffle bag with him and as he approached their table, he handed it to Tabitha.
“Here ya go. They’ll be a bit big on ya, but I figured it’s better than sittin’ in wet clothes.”
The girl took the bag from him. “Thank you.” She slid out of the booth and stood. “I’m just gonna…” Tabitha’s voice trailed off as she pointed her thumb toward the bathroom behind her.
Ted nodded. “We’ll be waitin’ for ya. Maybe the food will arrive while you’re gone.”
Tabitha smiled at him and glanced toward Rebecca before she took off to the bathroom.
“We’ve got to find out more about her, Ted. See if we can reach her parents. They must be worried,” Rebecca said, taking another sip of her drink.
“Rebecca, they kicked her out. I don’t think they’re too concerned about where she is right now.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know. Maybe they regret what they did and are trying to find her.”
“And you don’t know that they are, darlin’.” Ted took her left hand and squeezed it. “I’m sorry, but some people shouldn’t have kids.” He let go of her hand and reached for his beer, taking a drink. “I’ll never understand someone who treats their kid like that.”
“She’s young,” Rebecca said with a shrug.
“All the more reason not to throw her out.”
“We don’t know their reasoning for it.”
“She’s their daughter, Rebecca. I would never do anythin’ like that. No matter the reason.” Ted faced forward then. Tabitha was coming back to the table as Mae dropped off their food.
“Better?” he asked as the girl sat down.
Tabitha nodded. “Yeah, thanks again. I appreciate it.”
“‘S no problem.” Ted took a bite of a fry after dipping it into some ketchup. “So, ya from around here?”
“No,” Tabitha answered after taking a bite of her fish.
Rebecca began eating as well, letting Ted continue to question the girl once more.
“I don’t even really know how far from home I am.”
Ted nodded slowly in understanding. “Where’s home?”
“Sunbury.”
“You came nearly thirty miles from your home?” Rebecca butt in with an arch of her eyebrow.
“It wasn’t exactly by choice. My boy—my ex-boyfriend lives near Twickenham. We were out driving when he admitted to cheating. We went about five more miles before I asked him to let me out of the car.”
“Are you sayin’ he just left ya here?”
Tabitha nodded. “I told him to. Said I knew some people here.” She shrugged. “He doesn’t know that’s not true.”
“How do you know who we are then?” Rebecca asked next.
“Well, both he and my dad are fans of the Greyhounds…”
“Ya don’t say?” Ted cut her off and Rebecca glared at him. “Sorry.”
Tabitha continued. “They used to watch games together and sometimes I’d watch with them. So I recognized you,” she said, indicating towards Ted.
“Yeah, I’m still not used to folks recognizin’ me from the tv.”
“Haven’t you lived here three years now?”
“Uh, ye–yeah. You know, you’re right. I have.”
Tabitha laughed a little and continued, “And I’ve always admired you, Ms. Welton. I saw you on the cover of ‘Football Financial Quarterly.’ You’re the reason I’m going into finance.”
Ted leaned over, bumping her shoulder. “See, I told ya little girls would read it.”
“Um, I’m seventeen.”
“Whoops, sorry about that.”
Rebecca rolled her eyes and then asked, “So what? You looked up my address and decided to find me because you know I have money? You’re after money, aren’t you?”
“What?” Tabitha scoffed. “No, that’s not it at all. I didn’t even realize where I was until he opened the door, I swear. And then I saw you.” Tabitha wiped her mouth after taking another bite. “I was just looking for somewhere to dry off.”
Rebecca narrowed her eyes but remained quiet.
“I believe her, Becca.”
She glanced at her boyfriend beside her and he smiled that stupid grin of his. She would never admit how much she loved it.
“Okay,” Rebecca breathed out finally. If Ted believed this young girl was being honest, then she could too. She could trust his judgment more than anyone.
Rebecca continued to eat quietly while Ted and Tabitha talked. They learned that she was months away from taking her GCSEs and that she had plans to go to Uni.
Her mother was a devout Catholic, and getting pregnant out of wedlock had gone against everything her parents had taught her. The woman had wanted her to get an abortion despite it being a sin in the eyes of God, but Tabitha had refused, saying she wanted to have her baby and that her boyfriend had promised to support her. Obviously that hadn’t turned out to be true, Rebecca thought to herself.
The more they talked, the more they learned, especially about her parents finding out she was pregnant. Tabitha’s mother sounded horrible, and as she listened to her, Rebecca knew she would never have done something like that if her daughter had come to her pregnant and scared at the age of seventeen. Sure, it wasn’t ideal for a teenage girl about to head off to University and start her career, but Rebecca told herself that she would have done whatever she could to support and protect her daughter…if she had one.
As she listened to the girl, Rebecca found herself starting to feel sorry for her. Tabitha was intelligent and articulate well beyond her years. She had never intended on having a boyfriend before going to Uni, she’d told them, and she certainly hadn’t intended on getting pregnant either. But she felt she had been dealt this hand to learn a lesson. She told them she planned to keep the baby and still go to school. She wasn’t going to let being a young mother keep her from reaching her dreams.
Tabitha was ambitious and Rebecca liked that about her. She knew what she wanted and she wasn’t afraid to go after it, no matter what she had to do. She reminded Rebecca of herself.
By the time they had all finished eating, Rebecca had softened towards Tabitha considerably, and as they hailed a cab to take back to her house, she offered for the girl to stay the night.
It took a bit of coaxing, moreso from Ted, but Tabitha had agreed to spend one night at Rebecca’s and then she promised she would be gone in the morning before they even noticed.
xxx
Rebecca folded the sheets down on the bed in one of her guest bedrooms, waiting for Tabitha to come out of the bathroom. Ted had left a half hour ago, going back to his apartment for the night in the hopes of not making Tabitha uncomfortable.
Both Rebecca and Tabitha had protested, but he was adamant, claiming he had trick plays to go over with Beard and Roy and that he’d left his stuff at the apartment anyway.
Rebecca knew it was his way of trying to get her to bond with the teenager. But she would have to reprimand him in the morning when he brought her her biscuits.
A moment later, Tabitha exited the bathroom, turning out the light and crossed the room to the bed. She climbed in and laid down, and Rebecca pulled the covers up to her chin, tucking them into her sides.
“It’s been a long time since someone tucked me in,” Tabitha said, folding her hands on her belly as Rebecca finished and took a step back.
“Oh,” she said a bit in surprise. “I used to do this for Nora.”
“Nora?”
“My goddaughter.”
“How old is she?”
“She’s nearly fourteen now…but I used to do it all the time when I’d babysit her when she was little.” Without realizing, Rebecca had sat on the edge of the bed near Tabitha’s hip. “We’d watch Frozen together and then I’d piggyback her up to her room. I’d read her a book, and tuck her in, and kiss her on the head, making sure she closed her eyes before I left,” Rebecca concluded wistfully.
She hadn’t meant to reveal that much information to this girl who was still relatively a stranger. But she had gotten lost in the memory. She missed Nora.
“It sounds like you two had a lot of fun together,” Tabitha said, pulling her back to the present.
“We did,” Rebecca said with a small smile blossoming on her face.
“Do you still see her?”
She shook her head. “No, unfortunately I’ve been too busy for a visit.”
“Well, hopefully you can visit her soon.”
Rebecca nodded. She observed the girl and saw a flash of Nora’s face fill her mind. If Nora had come to her in the same situation, Rebecca knew she would do whatever she could to help her goddaughter. It was then she told herself she would do the same for Tabitha.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Rebecca began and she saw the girl nod. “How far along are you? I mean, obviously you’re far along enough to be showing…”
Tabitha nodded again. “I’m about sixteen weeks.”
“And,” Rebecca gulped, trying to find the courage to ask this next question. “…and do you know what you’re having?” She looked down, picking at one of her fingernails. She wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know the answer, but it was too late. She’d already asked.
“I was going to find out tomorrow because my boyfriend wanted to know if it’s a boy, but…”
Rebecca looked up. “You have an appointment tomorrow?”
Tabitha shook her head. “I canceled it.”
“Why?”
“Because that was the only reason I was going and now…” she shrugged. “I don’t really care to know.”
“I see.”
“I’ll be happy either way,” Tabitha said and Rebecca nodded. That was very grown up of her. She supposed most young girls her age would want to know.
“Well, if it’s not too much…” Rebecca took a breath. She was fearful to get in too deep, but as she looked at this girl and saw Nora flash through her mind a second time, she knew it was something she needed to do. “I can make you an appointment with my doctor and have her check you out. Just to make sure everything is okay. Would that be alright?”
“You don’t have to do that,” Tabitha answered, shaking her head.
Rebecca placed a hand over the girl’s hands. “I want to. And I want to apologize for how harsh I was earlier. I’m normally not that…cold.”
“It’s okay. I understand. You had a random teenager show up on your doorstep looking like a drowned rat.” Rebecca laughed. “And then you found out she’s pregnant.” Tabitha’s eyes were wide, pretending to be shocked. “I would be cautious too.”
“Even still,” Rebecca said, looking directly into her eyes. “I’m sorry. You were looking for help and I was rude.”
“It’s okay, Ms. Welton.”
“Please, call me Rebecca.”
“Rebecca…” Tabitha whispered followed by a yawn. “I promise it’s okay.”
Rebecca stood from the bed, reaching to turn out the lamp. “Get some sleep.”
Tabitha rolled over, facing away from her.
Rebecca stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her. This poor, young girl that had been thrown out by her parents when they discovered she was pregnant. They had left her to fend for herself, and Rebecca felt anger bubbling up within her. She needed to speak to Ted.