Alright, so I have been debating this chapter a lot since it is something that I planned for since the start - however, Idk if I like where it puts the characters and such. BUT I do have some readers and I am putting it up to you guys. Please read this and see if it is a reasonable or good chapter in their stories - if not, I will delete it! Cheers friends.
As Anne stepped out of the car, she felt the vibration of her phone and stepped away from the group. Pulling the device out, she smiled at the sight of the name popping up on the screen.
"Hi Lottie, how's everything going?"
"Good. How's Lyme?"
"It's nice. I love the sea."
"Speaking of people that love the sea…"
Anne looked up the clear blue sky and sighed. After so many careful years of hiding herself and her secrets away, a strange feeling crept over her that said – all must out!
"Oh?"
"Hattie misses you, Anne. Can't you swing by for a day?"
"She isn't having fun with Dani?"
"She is, she is. But she misses her mom. This is the longest you've been away from her since – well, since you miscarried."
"Yeah," Anne sighed into the phone. "I didn't drive my car here, we all carpooled. Or else I would just come up."
"Would it really be so bad if I drove her up for a few hours? Your dad and sister aren't there, so that secret is safe from them."
"You forget I am with my other sister. One very short phone call away and I can't imagine what horrible things they will manage to say."
"Ugh. Right. I'm sorry. I wouldn't have called if she wasn't really insistent. She's too smart for her own good."
"That she is," Anne let the smile ease onto her lips. "Why don't you drive down later today? Everyone is going out for dinner at a friends of Frederick's, so I can sneak away and we can go to the beach."
"Oh that sou- wiat. Frederick? Like that Frederick? As in…" the voice went into a whisper on the other side of the phone. "Hattie's dad?"
"Hm. This visit has turned into a small nightmare."
"Does he know? About everything?"
"Apparently there was a rumor when I first left that I had a child, but I left it as miscarriage. No one needs to know."
A snort from Lottie made Anne smile. Best friends through school, the women who called the 112 number to rush her to the hospital when it was clear something was very wrong.
"So you lied?"
"No, I did have a miscarriage. I lost one baby and another survived. It's not my fault I was too young to understand that I was so far pregnant when it happened, you know I had no idea when the doctors told me. The whole drama of it all is exactly why I need to hide it all from these people. Hattie has been able to grow up with no emotional scaring from my family."
"Yeah, and she is a wonderful little girl Anne. But a kid needs a dad. Look at me, when Harry died, I thought-
"You guys were married, Lottie. You were also like, high school sweethearts with a baby and a loving family by the time you turned 18. I was two years younger than you and lucky to have you guys feeding me when I thought I would starve."
"Fine. But I'll tell her we are taking a road drip. My nurse can drive us up. Ok?"
"Don't do anything too risky, ok?"
"I'm fine! You are such a mom."
"Bye Lottie."
"Bye!"
Anne stared at the phone for a few moments before slipping it back into her pocket. As she approached the crowd of people by the cars, she felt their eyes on her.
"Everything ok Anne?" Charles asked, stepping aside.
"Oh yeah. Just a friend called to see how I was handling the vacation." She replied with a small smile. He knew, of course, and was the only person she truly trusted to keep the secret. Plus, he had stumbled into the whole thing by accident – and then begged to let him help her when he could. "She's driving down, so I won't be able to come to dinner."
"She would be more than welcome," said a man, otherwise known as Captain Harville. "My wife and I love entertaining."
Anne shook her head. "I won't impose, -
"The more the merrier." Louisa beamed. "Anyone you know would be welcome anywhere."
"I thank you very much for the offer," Anne spoke gently, but sternly. "I-."
"Of course you can," Mary cut her off, in a manner that said – no arguing, it's happening. The Elliot way. "Any sister of mine is welcome. After all, our father is a Lord, why shouldn't you attend these gatherings."
Anne groaned, wincing. "Oh Mary."
"Well, any friends of Frederick's are welcome in our house. I hope you do come, we will set an extra place or two at the table."
"Four." Anne conceded, holding up her hands. "Lottie- Charlotte – has to have her nurse with her, and she's bringing two children with her."
"Four places then," Harville beamed. "Come then, we can walk to our house from here."
Anne nodded numbly, as people started to set off, instinctually taking Frederick by the arm and pulling him back. He eyed her quizzically, though he stayed.
"Walk with me? There is…something you should know."
He raised an eyebrow and agreed, telling Harville he'd catch up later.
"What is it that is so important?" he asked as they walked along the beach.
"Everything," she sighed. "I hope that you understand why I haven't said anything, especially here – with Mary around."
"Is it that bad?" he asked, looking concerned.
"Not bad, exactly," she mused, stopping to face him. He looked concerned, a flashback to his old self. A younger, happier time as well – for them both. "When I left the city, it's true, I was pregnant – but I didn't know it. I did miscarry, but,"
"There is a but in that sentence?" he interrupted, narrowing his eyes.
She sighed again, wrapping her arms around her self. "It was….not an easy time. I know this is knew for you, but you have no idea how hard it was. I had no one when I was rushed to hospital, I didn't understand that I would be pregnant – let alone with twins."
"Twins?" he uttered softly, taking a step back. "Holy-"
"I lost one baby, I was lucky I didn't lose both." Anne said quickly, just trying to get the words out as her voice broke. "She was placed in an incubator for the longest time. And I, had to come to understand that I had lost as much as I had gained."
She watched as the emotions rippled across his face. She understood, she'd felt the same things ages ago. She'd been bedridden for a while, crying over the lost child that she didn't know she had. Trying to understand how she was to take care of a child, pay for the medical bills – feed herself, let alone a baby. The long nights, studying, coming to the hospital late to just watch the baby breath in the incubator.
She'd fought for everything she now had.
She wasn't going to lose it now.
"Anyway, she hasn't been away from me for very long, and she Lottie is driving her down. I have no idea if you want to be a part of her life, but you will get to meet her. This isn't how I want to do this, but since everyone wants so badly to have dinner together – it was now or never."
He didn't say anything, and she had to look away. Whatever he thought of her, she had a responsibility to that little girl to keep her safe. To make sure she was loved.
She didn't own anything to anyone, except to that little girl.
"Are you going to take her overseas with you when you go?" he asked, his voice quiet.
"I haven't gotten that far," she replied. "I still have to uproot her, wherever I go."
There was a long silence, and she shut her eyes. There was nothing she could do now, whatever his reaction, the truth was out there for those who needed to know.
"Where you ever going to tell me?"
Opening her eyes, she locked gaze with him. "I tried to. I called you, many times, but your number was disconnected. All these years later, I doubt someone calling to say they had your child was going to get far in the mass of messages you get everyday. I never thought we would ever meet again, so I had given up pretending that you cared."
He nodded slowly, putting his hands in his pockets before removing them and stepping towards her, wrapping her in a hug. It surprised her more than she could say, but she hugged him back as fiercely as she was capable of.
"I'm sorry you went through all that alone," he whispered, shutting his eyes. "I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what that must have been like."
"I'm sorry you had to learn this way," she whispered back. "I'm sorry for everything."
He nodded, resting his head against hers. "What was the other baby's name?"
"Alistair."
They stood there for so long, she forgot the world outside was out there. They both pulled away at the same time, wiping tears from their eyes. She smiled gently, as she pulled out her vibrating phone.
"Hi Duck, you on the road with Aunt L?" she locked eyes with Frederick one more time, still somewhat shocked he had responded with such warmth. "Mhm, I am very excited to have ice cream with you. And there is someone I want you to meet. Mhm, love you too duck."
Hanging up, she offered a slight smile. "They'll be here in an hour."
