A/N: Hi! Was three years too long of a wait? I know, it was. But you should go reread the rest of the story, because I rewrote the entire thing. Does that make up for it? I hope so!
Summary: Robbie muses about recovering and the new chapter he's been given in life. Grace and Cecilia catch their breath after a long week. Leon's life gets vastly more complicated.
Friday, June 7th, 1940
Recovery was hard work.
Everyday there was something new to learn again. Supporting his own weight while sitting up, eating, and relieving himself all took significant amounts of energy that Robbie scarcely felt he had in him. The simple act of drinking a bowl of broth one afternoon had cost him Cecilia's visit that evening – he couldn't stay awake while she sat by his side. This was unfortunate, because soon she would be revoked her special privileges to stay with him in the evening. Now that Robbie was up and on the road to recovery, there was less need of an extra set of eyes to watch him should his condition worsen.
On the contrary, Robbie felt (and his doctors agreed) that the worst was behind him. His wound was healing but as the doctors warned, the worst of his injuries had been internal. It might be a long time before the infection in his blood truly died out. Mentally, however, Robbie knew that a chapter had just closed in his life. The worst five years of his life were behind him, and war be damned, nothing but good things could come in the time ahead. He had been in the hospital just one week now.
His mother dozed at his side, her own nerves and worries overtaxed for that week. He had never felt so grateful to wake up and see her next to him, her eyes bloodshot and swollen but her face relieved. He had dodged metaphoric and literal bullets to make it back to England, and both mother and son were a little stunned to be together again.
There were other reunions that week that were not as peaceful and pleasant as Grace's return to his life. Leon and Jack Tallis had appeared at his bedside Wednesday afternoon. His mother had taken refuge in the chapel, unable to face the men that had done nothing to defend him when he needed them most.
Leon had been bashful and sincere in his apologies, his eyes flickering back and forth as he spoke and never quite catching Robbie's gaze. It was guilt preventing Leon from feeling worthy enough to look him in the eyes, and a selfish part of Robbie enjoyed the terrible feeling he knew churned in the pit of Leon's stomach.
"I don't expect you to forgive me," Leon said softly. His voice was thick with emotion and Robbie understood that if he raised it he would crack and cry before him. "But please understand that Father and I are working to clear your name. A solicitor friend of mine is petitioning the courts for a date as we speak, and hopefully we can submit the new evidence as early as Friday."
Robbie nodded slowly, his heart fluttering in excitement at these new developments. He clasped Leon's hand in his own and shook it. Leon gingerly returned the shake, careful not to disturb the saline drip sewn into Robbie's arm.
Jack's response had been something entirely altogether unexpected.
"My boy…" The older man's voice shook as he spoke, and he and Leon both stared on in wonder as Jack's shoulders slump and shook as he cried at Robbie's bedside. This went on for some time, until Jack straightened up and addressed him again. "We were wrong. We were so very wrong."
He took Robbie's hand and kissed it. "God bless you, my son." He then turned and left the ward, leaving a speechless Leon and an emotionally drained Robbie.
Finally Leon spoke up. "Will Cee be by tonight?"
"I imagine so."
"Please give her this," he said, placing a thick envelope on the nightstand next to Robbie's bed. "It's Briony's testimony from yesterday, typed out. I thought it would be best if she kept a copy. Feel free to read it, if you'd like."
"Thank you," Robbie said. He certainly would not like to read that traitorous child's statement, but it was good to know she had made good on her promise to recant.
"And continue to get better," Leon said with a smile, leaning over the squeeze Robbie's shoulder. "I'm afraid we've tired you out this afternoon, and my sister will have my head if she hears of it. I'll be in touch, Robbie."
That was two days ago. That afternoon he knew they were in court on his behalf, introducing new evidence to his case. Robbie had had five years to become unaccustomed to people caring about him, save for two women. What to do with such an outpouring of emotion from two men he had completely written off? It made him tired.
"You should sleep, son," his mother's voice soothed. "Cee will be here soon."
So he slept.
His body was not the only part of him in recovery.
Cecilia arrived home after her shift on Friday afternoon and looked around her flat in with a sort of bewilderment.
Grace shuffled out from the bedroom, carrying her Book of Common Prayer and a small copy of the New Testament, which Cecilia knew had been lent to her by the kindly vicar who lived in the village where Grace had lived the past four years. Cecilia and Robbie had discussed his mother's conversion via letters and she wondered at his opinion on her reliance on her newfound faith. Robbie was a vowed atheist, even moreso after his incarceration. Cecilia had simply given up on God but she liked the idea of somewhere quiet she could go each week to collect her thoughts and consider her actions.
Between her and Grace, however, a lovely friendship and understanding had blossomed. Cecilia's awakening had been aided by the steady vision and support of Grace, who had as good as raised the Tallis children after Briony was born. Grace was the maternal, caring soul that Cecilia had sought, and Cecilia provided Grace the enthusiasm and optimism about Robbie's eventual release. They were there for each other when the rest of the world had given up, united by their love of Robbie.
"You're home early," Cecilia commented, hanging her coat on its peg and turning to the table, which was overflowing with small gifts and letters.
"They were doing rounds and closed visiting hours early," Grace explained. "Plus this lot was starting to add up, and I thought I'd arrange it for you."
"Has all this been here all week?" she asked, picking up a bottle of stout that bore a small note of encouragement from her friend Melinda. "I don't recall seeing these yesterday."
"You've been too tired to notice," Grace laughed. "Last night you forgot to take off your shoes before you collapsed into bed."
"And a sorry mistake that was. My poor heels were blistered halfway during my shift today."
"Poor dear. Shall I draw you a bath?"
"I should go to Morden. Suppose they've lifted the visiting ban for the day?"
"Head Sister shared that it would be better if you stayed home this evening," Grace shared. "They were going to do some heavy cleaning tonight, too. Don't worry, love. He looked very good today – even ate some toast!"
"That's good," Cecilia murmured, sinking into a kitchen chair, going through some more of the trinkets dropped off by her friends. "I don't believe it – Helen's gone and given us a full pound of sugar!"
"A pound? Bless her – that's two rations worth!"
"We ought to make Robbie a cake," Cecilia mused. "I think I could ask Vera down the street for a few eggs."
"She stopped by this afternoon to check in on you and offered as much. 'Just say the word!' Lovely woman."
"I seem to be blessed with friends, at any rate."
Grace let the words hang in the air before she pressed on. "Any news from your brother?"
Cecilia tried to look disinterested as her fingers danced over a wedge of cheese left by another friend. "He was going to telegram the results of the hearing today, and I'm to meet him at his house tomorrow for tea. You're invited, if you'd like."
"I'll pass."
"His wife's expecting another baby soon, did you hear that?"
"I hadn't. Look at you, a regular old auntie."
Cecilia smiled. "That's some good in this mess, I suppose."
Grace stared out the window, her face steely as she spoke. "I don't suppose your father has any more to say about what's going on?"
"Leon says Jack's the one who found a judge willing to hear an old case on Friday afternoon, which may be the first time he's ever mixed work and family matters."
"Pity it took him this long," Grace spat.
"Did he really cry the other day?"
"Sobbed like a little boy. What an excuse of a man. Your poor brother – it was if he knew he'd never see his own father be that upset over him."
"And what did Robbie say?"
"Nothing. He accepted their apologies, but he didn't forgive either of them, at least not using those words."
"He shouldn't have to."
"I agree," Grace affirmed. "Now miss, neither of us are doing any good waiting here for that telegram to arrive. Let me run that bath some with epsom salts. They'll do you good, and I'll make a supper out of this feast your friends have brought."
Briony had insisted on being present for the initial hearing. At first Leon was convinced it was shirk more duties at St. Thomas's, but her badgering turned out to be a good instinct.
"Miss Tallis, do you attest that you have made this amendment to your original statement in good faith and in full liberty? That is, you were not coerced to do so?"
"That is correct. And may I state for the record that my absence at the original trial likely caused this falsehood to be carried on for so long? I doubt I would have been able to continue on the lie in the presence of the full court, especially at age thirteen."
"You may."
"Statement has been noted, your honor."
"And do you understand that, in light of this and other evidence the court has been made aware of, the assailant of your cousin, Lola Quincey, remains at large should Mr. Turner be found innocent?"
"I do."
"So be it. This case is hereby reopened. We will send notice to the defendants and reconvene in two weeks' time."
Briony noticed Leon blanche as the judge spoke. "What's wrong? What does that mean?"
Leon's friend Bruce turned to Briony with his answer. "Your cousin Lola will have to testify again."
Briony's blank stare cause Leon to grimace. "If Lola knows it's Marshall – and I'm sure she does – she doesn't have to say a word against him. A wife doesn't have to testify against her husband."
Briony's heart sunk as she processed what it meant. "Oh no."
Saturday, June 8th, 1940
Cecilia rang the doorbell at Leon's house in Regents Park, shifting uncomfortably. Her shoes were old and worn but it had rained earlier that day, and she didn't dare wear her new pumps in the sludge that accumulated on London's streets. She was painfully aware of how dull she looked compared to even the outside of her brother's posh townhouse.
Leon answered the door with a grin and her nervousness was forgotten as he crushed her into a hug. "Thank you for coming, darling. May I take your coat? You didn't get wet on your way here, did you?"
She followed him into the neat and tastefully decorated sitting room where a delicate woman sat with her legs elevated, her peaked face serene but tired. Cecilia knew she looked drab in comparison to even this very pregnant woman, but she could feel that Mary would not judge her for her lack of fashionable attire.
"Dearest, I'm so pleased for you to meet my sister, Cecilia," Leon beamed. Mary shifted to get up, but Cecilia stopped her.
"Oh, please don't, you poor thing! It's so lovely to meet you, Mary."
"Likewise," replied her sister-in-law. They kissed and Cecilia sat across from her, chatting about her pregnancy and their little girl, Evelyn, who had been whisked off to Glasgow a month previous.
"It's hard without her around, but it's a relief to know she's in good hands with my parents."
"The maternity ward I work at is talking of relocating. They're trying to find a place big enough for all our patients and us to be within walking distance."
"Must you go?" Mary inquired.
"If I want to work," Cecilia replied. "I've only recently passed my qualifying exams. It would be good to gain some credibility before I establish myself elsewhere. Although I must say the war will probably keep my employment prospects high for the time being."
"How exciting! It must feel so useful to know how much good you can do."
Leon could hardly stop beaming at how famously his wife and sister were getting along, that he nearly skipped to answer the telephone when it rang.
"Tallises."
"Leon, darling. It's me."
Leon's heart froze when he heard the voice on the other line. "Mother. What a surprise. Well, I'll share what you're bound to be calling about. The baby's not come yet and Mary's been feeling just fine. The doctor's not worried."
"Good, good." Leon could hear the familiar crunch of bedclothes and knew his mother was reclining in her bed, warding off a migraine headache. "Darling, I'm actually calling about another matter. My brother telephoned me just a few minutes ago, and had some shocking news from Hermione."
"Is that so." Leon feigned surprise and winced, knowing what was coming.
"He heard that Lola's court case against that Turner scoundrel is opened again, and that Briony's recanted her testimony."
He took a big breath and decided to face this head-on. "Yes, it's true. Briony spoke to a solicitor and stood before a judge yesterday. I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to telling you. It's been a very long week."
There was a silence over the line. "Am I to believe you were encouraging her to do so?"
"I found a solicitor and Jack arranged for the judge."
"Leon, how could you? Your own cousin, right before her wedding day!"
"Actually, Mother, I was thinking more about your daughters than I was your niece."
"Don't talk to me about Cecilia. Cecilia's made her choice in life. Briony, on the other hand, already has had to deal with these great things far above her understanding…"
"The issue with Briony's original statement," Leon said icily. "Is that she understood she was lying from the start. The real question is why you let her."
Emily was silent again before answering. "A mother must protect her family. I saw a threat and I made sure it was vanquished. Surely you understand that now, being a parent yourself."
"I understand that I would never pit any of my two children against each other," he answered. "And I hope to teach my children there's honor in doing the right thing."
"Leon, I need to get off the line. I'm getting a terrible headache about this. Please promise me that you'll think of your poor sister before you make any more rash decisions."
He knew she meant Briony, but he couldn't help but think of Cecilia. "I have her best interests at heart. You can trust me about that."
"That's my good boy," Emily simpered. "Give my love to Mary."
"Yes, Mother."
The line went dead on the end and Leon stood at the receiver for a moment, trying to calm himself down before facing the two women in the sitting room. On top of appeasing Cecilia, soothing Briony, holding Jack accountable, asking pardon from Robbie until his voice grew hoarse, and taking care of his growing family, it now appeared he would have to shield Robbie from his mother's long-held hatred and somehow think of a way to keep Emily at bay.
"Leon?" Cecilia's voice rang out in the hallway. "Where are you?"
"Right here, sis," he called out. He noted the worried tone to her voice. "What's up?"
"Mary's water just broke - call her doctor! The baby's on its way."
