SEVEN.

Where there's a will there's away

"Is everything ok?" Elisabeth asked Tanja as she sat to her desk in the study, "Yes, still in Paris," She spoke from the other end of the line. "I haven't been able to reach either Rebecca or Marlene, I won't be back until Friday evening," Elisabeth smiled widely, "Emma must have found her peace," There was a small moment of silence between them, "Yes, our little girl is growing up," Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I well get in touch with Rebecca, share the news," She voiced happily. "I will call the office in the morning and leave instructions for both Emily and Laura," She told her and then hung up. Tanja returned to the table, "I took the liberty of ordering," Sebastian remarked, as Tanja sat back to the table, "Is everything alright at home?" He asked grasping the fluted glass that held the champagne he was celebrating with. "Fine," She lowered her head and began to pick at the salad on her plate. "Now, now, Emma's growing up Tanja, you knew one day our little girl would want to make her own way," He clutched her hand softly. "I know," She peered at him, "It's just the hardest thing I've ever had to do," She wept. "Let's enjoy Paris the next few days," He commented, "It's not that far, you can come and visit whenever you want," His comfort aided her.

Carla flipped through the first ledger Martin left for her to review she raised her brow setting it aside and moving to the next one. Ansgar made his way down the hall knocking on the half opened door of her office, "Ansgar," She answered, "Please come in," He entered closing the door behind him, "We haven't had much of a chance to visit," He poured a cup of coffee and sat down, "No we haven't," She answered closing the ledger and placing it on top the others. "I came by to see if you would like to join me for lunch, Henri's is still serving street side," Carla closed her eyes for a brief moment, "How I remember that place, certainly," She replied. "How are you really?" He asked plainly, "I'm living day to day, it's been turbulent but I've mended," She stood up and slipped on her jacket. They walked down the block and secured a table along the street, "It's a nice day out," She opened her menu, Ansgar took in a deep breath, "Too nice for working," He laughed, "I've something to ask you," He continued, Carla became intrigued. "What might that be?" She simply questioned, "Would you have interest in running Königsbrunn and the family holdings?" Carla was somewhat shocked at his comment and demeanor, "Why do you ask?" She became more mystified, "Elisabeth wants to settle, travel and enjoy daily life without its hitches," He remarked, "Hagen will return soon and between him, Tristan and Sebastian," He stopped talking, "You mean you have no interest?" She quizzed in surprise.

Ansgar pushed his graying hair away from his face, "No, I don't, I'm lucky, lucky in the sense that I've met a beautiful woman who fills my days and nights, I want to do things I never had time for in the past," He answered firmly and without conviction. "Hmmm, seems your smitten with your new bride," She teased they ordered lunch. "Things were bad," He started to talk, "I thought we would lose the castle, everything," Carla stared strangely, "Elisabeth moved in and took over, I've never cared for my family, I made fun of them, I hated Tristan, Sebastian, we argued constantly," He became agitated, "You've never had a filter," Carla interjected he grinned impishly, "But I've changed, I've made my fortune and I'm happy for once in my life, a wonderful woman haunts me," He added in a laugh. "Sounds like you've made some life changing decisions," She remarked, their lunch was served. "So back to my question," He finished the last of his lunch, "I'm not sure Ansgar, working, other then the banking business isn't really in my realm, hell I gave up working to live simply with Stella," She explained. "Think about it, you could run the family and do a good job," He tipped his drink towards her, "I'll see, right now I just want to settle myself," She eyed him seriously. Ansgar laid his napkin on the table, "Check," He flagged the waiter, "Think about it," He was adamant standing up he bent over and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you this evening," He left her sitting there contemplating their conversation.

"Your home early," Emily told Tristan as he slipped into the bedroom, "I have a board meeting this evening downtown," He quickly kissed her, "How are you feeling?" He asked noticing she wasn't working late, "Tired, I'm through with the swimwear line, so I left early," She smiled laying back against the pillows, Tristan loosened his necktie. "Zoey?" He looked around. "At Rebecca's, Wolfgang," She mentioned yawning and laying back, "Did you contact the doctor?" He questioned laying out a pressed white shirt, "Next Thursday is the earliest I could get an appointment," She uttered hearing him turn on the shower. "Thursday?" He threw his hands up in the air, "We will know soon enough, not to worry," She scolded him watching him undress. "Since we're alone," He teased with a wriggle of his index finger, "I'm tired," She complained continuing, "Besides Ruth might bring Zoey back at any moment, its getting late you know," She refused to move. Tristan lifted her into his arms, "I love you," He whispered his lips close to hers as he stared into her eyes. They kissed with passion he began to undress her she followed him to the shower and an afternoon tryst.

Rebecca opened the front door tired from her long day at LCL, "Mommy," Wolfgang bolted from the den when he heard the front door closing, "Little man," She lifted him up grunting from tiredness, "Aunt Rebecca," Zoey voiced loudly, "Mommy read us a story, please," He put his hands together gazing up at her. "Ruth didn't read to you?" She picked, "Mommy please read us the story about the princess in the castle," He begged again. Rebecca followed them back into the den and sat to the sofa one child on each side of her, Marlene quietly entered chuckling as she listened to Rebecca weave her tale, "Hey," Rebecca looked up, "Long day?" She further questioned getting up to greet Marlene, "A good day actually," Rebecca followed her into the kitchen, "Miriam took the assistant's job," She finally released her breath, "That's great news, I'm surprised though," Rebecca mentioned, "Yes she dedicated to the classroom but I get a sense that she knew we could run a fantastic department together," Marlene added. "The boys aren't home yet?" She looked to her watch Ruth met them in the kitchen, "School phoned the bus was running a little late today," She pulled dinner from the oven, "I'll be leaving early afternoon," She reminded them, Marlene thought briefly, "Ollie and Jorge will be by around six, I should be home in time for them to pick the boys up," She told Ruth and Rebecca.

"Quiet evening for dinner tonight," Carla voiced finishing the section of the newspaper she didn't get to read earlier. "Ansgar and Monique decided on dinner out and Sebastian and Tanja won't be back from Paris until late tomorrow," Elisabeth answered. "Nothing wrong with quietness," She grinned, "How was your first day," Elisabeth seemed curious, "Wonderful, I had lunch with Ansgar today, we talked about the family," She told her, "More hot tea Countess?" Justus looked to both of them, they both nodded their heads, "I'm surprised at the change in Ansgar, its almost like he's youthful again," She snickered. "He's straightened his life out, hasn't gambled in years and isn't as argumentative as he used to be," Elisabeth sounded. "He told me of the rough times Königsbrunn and the business went through he felt he was to blame for a lot of what went on," She repeated what was said at lunch. Helena entered the dining room, "Good evening," She looked at both of them and took a seat next to Carla. "Helena," Carla grasped her hand, "We were just talking about the family," She smiled, "I've been gone for so long, Cambodia, Laos, Egypt and Italy, I wasn't here after the incident with the auction house," She unfolded her napkin, Justus prepared her plate, Elisabeth side deeply. "I don't understand," Carla stated becoming perplexed.

"Thank god Tristan has gotten his life together," She groaned mildly cutting an eye towards Carla. "Oh, did something happen?" She further delved. Elisabeth set her tea cup back down, "Tristan was engaged to Marlene, they were to be married and she left him at the alter he lost control of his senses and ruined a priceless painting that was about to be auctioned to help pay the debts owed by the family," Helena interjected, "Needless to say it caused scandal and I had to resign my position and leave Germany for the betterment of the family," She lowered her head still feeling some shame. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know but isn't Marlene married to Rebecca," Helena smiled, "Yes," She finished her dinner, "Care for a walk in the garden?" Carla agreed they excused themselves. "It's a beautiful evening," They walked as Helena spoke, "Rebecca was very much in love with Marlene, there was complete turmoil, Marlene felt the same but couldn't get past the fact she wasn't gay, Rebecca wouldn't give up and once Tristan discovered they slept together he made Rebecca's life miserable," She relayed they continued to stroll. "So Tristan lost it, had a bad lapse of judgment," Carla surmised. "Tristan was cruel, he punished Marlene also," Helena answered shrugging her shoulders.

"I tried to make him see and reason but he just wouldn't, I never thought those two would survive his wrath but they did and they had their own set of problems, Rebecca," She hesitated for a moment, "Wasn't always honest with Marlene, they broke up but found their way back to each other and have been married since," Carla listened keenly to her long story. "Marlene is a lovely woman," She noted, "Rebecca is lucky to have her, Marlene sacrificed everything for her, her career but Rebecca was totally out of sorts with the goings on at LCL, I guess you could say," Carla shook her head, "Obviously they've made it work, four boys," She murmured, they had a laugh, "Marlene works doesn't she?" Helena answered her, "Yes the university she's accepted the department head's job and will start it in the fall she's been teaching graphic design for years, Rebecca had no choice but to accept the fact that Marlene was finally going to have a career," Helena frowned, "Really its all she ever wanted for Marlene was to be happy, do the things she wanted to," Carla cleared her throat, "I'm looking forward to riding this summer, I have missed it so much, Stella and I use to take long rides in the English country side, so beautiful, when she fell ill all I could do was care for her," She began to reflect.

"It must have been terribly difficult, the person you've loved taken away," Helena responded bowing her head. "We had our ups and downs and I was angry for a long time, angry because Stella knew something was wrong but she swept it under the rug, there wasn't much of a chance after her diagnosis, we tried, numerous doctors but the sad fact was it had spread and rapidly she was so sick Helena, sick of therapy and radiation she couldn't survive any surgery," Her voice began to tremble and crack, Helena knew she needed to vent, let it all out. "She was a brave soul," Helena finally spoke, "Yes brave, a woman so full of life and eager to give, she loved the outdoors, horses," She chuckled remembering her. "Enough about me, what about you?" She quickly changed the subject, Helena breathed in deeply, "I think I'll always be single, after I left the auction house I accepted a job in Cambodia, then Egypt," She stared briefly away from her, "I did meet a man who I thought was right, I brought him here, I would say the family didn't like him he was coarse and rude, a man's man," She remarked and then continued thinking about him, "We were on and off again for several years, I left Egypt and returned to the human side of archeology landing a job in Laos for several years and then on to Italy, I'm home now and haven't decided what steps I'll take next," They strolled back into the castle, "Enjoy the summer, take time to rest, nothing is like home," Carla grinned kindly warning her.

Marlene sat at the vanity brushing her hair out, "Are the boys tucked in?" She quizzed Rebecca as she reentered the bedroom, "Yes, Nicholas was pulling Brandon's hair over a toy," She rolled her eyes, "I hate scolding them but sometimes they're wild and if we don't keep a firm watch of them," She stopped talking slipping into her nightgown. "Boys will be boys," Marlene offered getting up and moving to her side of the bed, Rebecca lie next to her, "Emily told me something today," Rebecca began, Marlene rolled over to face her, "What? She's somehow messed up the swimwear line?" Marlene was being playfully sarcastic. "No, she's pregnant or at least the test she took says she's pregnant, they're keeping it quiet for now or until they find out for sure," Rebecca voiced calmly, "I'm surprised, given the difficulties she had delivering Zoey" Marlene added, Rebecca shrugged her shoulders, "They obviously want more children or else she wouldn't have gotten pregnant," She surmised moving her lips towards Marlene's they kissed, "I love you," She whispered touching her lips again with hers.

"Do you hear that?" Marlene moved closer to Rebecca, "What?" She whispered teasing her, "There's silence and tomorrow evening we will have the house all to ourselves," She giggled, "Does this mean you'll take advantage of me?" Rebecca groaned and smiled. "It does, I was thinking a romantic, candle lit dinner, soft music," She traced Rebecca's lips with her index finger as she spoke. "Hmmm, I wonder if I'll be in the mood," She rolled away from her, Marlene pulled her back towards her, "And wear that sexy black lacy night gown, you know the satin one," She mildly ordered. "I don't know it's a little too sexy," She snickered, Marlene began to tickle her, "Seriously, alone for the weekend, its not often we get this time," She became adamant in speaking. Rebecca sighed, "That's what makes the sneaking around so much fun, intense," She told her. "Kiss me goodnight, I need some sleep," Rebecca sweetly implored, they kissed goodnight.

Rebecca sat at the desk in her office toying with a drawing Laura sent home with her the day before. "Ma'am, Tristan is here to see you," She looked up to Ruth, "Yes send him in," Tristan entered, "I'll bring coffee," She left him to speak with Rebecca. "Good morning," He smiled widely, "Your awfully chipper this morning," She spoke hastily setting the drawing to the side, Ruth brought them coffee, "Thank you," He took the cup and saucer from her, "Will there be anything else ma'am?" She went to the door, "No, no thank you Ruth," She looked back to Tristan, "So what brings you by this morning?" He pulled a ledger from his briefcase, "The last line you produced and revamped, whirlwind, now I know that line's moved to New York but the books have been completed, Martin and Carla have spent the week studying it and we can now successfully close it," He handed it to her, "My copy?" She pointed to herself in a proud grin. "How's Emily?" She changed the subject, "I assume she told you?" He asked, "She did and ask me to keep it quiet, pregnant, are you sure that's a good idea?" She wondered in question, Tristan leaned forward and set the cup and saucer down on her desk. "I hope so, I only want her and the baby to be safe," He had a worried look.