A/N: I have no idea why I decided to write this but the idea popped into my head, so here you go. It's not the best thing in the world but what can you do. Also, Merry Christmas everyone, and if you don't celebrate that, then hope you have a good winter break !
"Evie…Evie, look, I know today is going to be hard but you've just got to brave the storm." Fletch had been on the phone to his oldest daughter for several minutes, trying to reassure her that she was going to be fine, despite the difficult day ahead. "Sweetheart, I've got to go but I promise we will do something later tonight, okay?" He was sat at one of the chairs at the nurses' station and as soon as he finished speaking to his eldest, Jac walked up to him.
"What's wrong with her now? Can she not find the paint to allow Ella to paint you a masterpiece using his fingers?" She remarked.
After rolling his eyes, Fletch responded, "She wanted to know when I would be home to make sure we can do something to remember her mother's death. It's been three years since her passing."
Jac's face suddenly dropped "Fletch, I am so sorry. I forgot that it was that time of year."
"It's okay. I'm fine, it's the kids that I am worrying about."
"So, go home to them. They need you more than this hospital does right now."
"I just don't think I can face them yet. I left so early this morning because I didn't want to see the look of sadness spread across their face." Fletch wasn't sure if telling Jac all this information was useful, but it sure did help. "I had to call the nanny in early just to avoid them. I know it sounds terrible but it's barely been three months since Raf passed away and they are still grieving for him. Today is just the icing on the cake."
"Kids are resilient, Fletch. But, I do think you should talk to them about Natalie. You can't ignore her all year round and only focus on this one day. They need to remember her and the only way to do that is by talking about her." Jac spoke softly as she picked up a patient's file and headed towards her office, leaving Fletch to think about her words.
He knew she was right. The whole reason why Jac broke down those months ago was because she refused to talk about Jasmine; she had refused to accept that she had died. No one could get her to talk about her sisters passing, not himself, Morven or even her closest friend Sacha. Fletch knew he couldn't go through that with Evie or Mikey; that would be too painful for him to see. He also thought about his youngest, Theo, did he even know who his mother was? He was so young when Natalie passed that his memories of her probably didn't stay with him. Maybe talking about her would do more use than harm for all five of them.
A while later Fletch was walking past Jac's office and he her a familiar voice speaking to her. He looked through the office door to see Evie and Jac talking to each other on the black leather sofa. He hid behind the door so that neither of the females could see him. "I'm losing her. I'm losing the moments that we shared with one another. It's like she is disappearing and I don't know how to get her back." Those were the words that he heard Evie speak to the red-headed consultant. "I am forgetting the way she used to smile, her laugh, her voice, the words she spoke to us as we fell asleep. I can barely even remember her eye colour some days. I know we have pictures but they aren't the same." Evie continued.
"I understand." Jac added.
"I love my dad, I really do. But, I need my mum. I need to remember who she was because all my memories feel like they aren't real. I sometimes feel as though I am dreaming of who this woman was." Jac could see the tears in Evie's eyes that she was trying to hold back. Fletch couldn't believe what he was hearing either. He knew all the kids missed their mother but he didn't realise how badly they did. "Is it possible to dream up a person, even if you knew them for eleven years?" Evie questioned Jac.
Jac simply nodded, knowing that was what she did when her mother abandoned her at the age of twelve. Her younger self tried to image a woman that was loosely based off her own mother as she grew up in care; never in a million years did she think her mother would turn into the woman that she saw die in front of her four years ago. "Have you spoken to your dad about this?" Jac spoke up.
"No. After Uncle Raf died, he's been very quiet with us. I don't even know if he remembers mum." Jac looked up from Evie to find Fletch standing in the doorway listening in on their private conversation. She nodded to him, signalling to come inside to sit with his daughter.
"I do remember. I remember her fondly. I remember the first time she held you; her world became complete. She was truly happy in that moment." Fletch began talking to Evie as he walked into the office. He took her hand in his as he waited for Jac to move off the sofa for him to sit down in front of Evie. "Your mum would be so proud of you right now." Jac decided to leave the office to give the father and daughter time alone. As she turned around, she gazed into Fletch's eyes and he mouthed 'thank you' to her. Jac responded with a simple nod of the head.
Fletch made a mental note to thank Jac properly for helping him out with Evie; if it wasn't for her then he would've never have known about Evie's true feelings about her mother's passing. He was still trying to figure Jac out; one moment she would be ice cold but other times she would have a heart of gold. Maybe one day he would get her to reveal her story to him, it would just take more time. For now, it was about allowing his children to grief for their mother as well as their Uncle Raf.