It was Matthew's idea to write Cora a letter.
"This way you can lay out everything, sweetheart," he'd kissed her palm as they lay in bed. "If she doesn't want to see you, then at least you can tell her all that happened and she can judge for herself."
After a day at the museum once she'd finished the letter, Alice and Matthew agreed that if Cora didn't want to see her, they'd go home. It was time to get back to their lives and time for Alice to focus on her house.
"Go on, sweetheart, we'll wait here," Matthew kissed her cheek as they entered the hospital the next morning - Anna squeezed her hand, and Alice kissed her daughter's forehead.
Walking up to the desk, Alice smiled at the nurse, "Alice Harvey to see Cora Rogers… that is if she wants to see me."
"I can ask, Miss Harvey," the nurse smiled - evidently new, most everyone here knew she was a doctor like Mac.
"Thank you."
It didn't take long for the nurse to return, but this time she had someone in tow.
"Hi, I'm Cora's husband, Peter," the man reached out to shake her hand, "I understand you're her sister?"
"Alice Harvey," she shook his hand. "I take it that Cora doesn't want to see me?"
Her brother-in-law smiled and shook his head, "She's, uh… she's quite angry with you."
"I understand… and I don't fault her for her anger. Could… could you give her this?" She held out the letter, "It's… it explains everything I was hoping to tell her and provides a way to contact me if she decides to let me come back. If she refuses, I'll understand completely and won't bother the two of you again."
"I'll try… it's such a shock after all. I'll hopefully get her to at least read the letter, Miss Harvey, but Cora can be stubborn."
"Runs in the family," Alice smiled. "Thank you for your time."
"Of course, thank you for visiting."
With another smile and nod, Alice turned away from her brother-in-law and joined Matthew and Anna by the door; lacing her fingers with Matthew's, Alice giggled when he lifted their joined hands to kiss the back of hers.
"Let's go home," she told him softly. "We've a house to paint and finish getting ready."
"Mumma, I've decided my room color!"
"You have!" Alice beamed as her daughter skipped beside them while they all walked out of the hospital to their waiting car. "What color?"
"Purple! But not bright purple, like a pale purple."
"Lavender?"
"Yes!" Anna nodded as Alice opened the back door for her. "Can I have a lavender room, Mumma?"
"Of course, so long as you help me paint it."
"Paint day!" Anna cheered in the backseat as her parents chuckled. "Daddy, will you help too?"
"When work allows, I will, I promise," Matthew smiled as he pulled away from the curb and drove through the city. "Are you excited to go back to school in a couple of days, Anna?"
"Yeah! I can't wait to tell Gideon all about the beach and show him the shells. When can I take the pictures in?"
"We'll have to get them developed first, sweetheart. I'm not sure how long that takes."
"I'll ask Rose," Alice squeezed his thigh, "I know a little about developing film for work, but maybe she can help speed up the process."
"And maybe she'll know someone who can do the portraits for your lockets."
"Good idea, dear," she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I'll see about asking her if she's over tonight for dinner or not."
Anna settled down a little more into their drive home - Alice caught her humming occasionally and smiled at how happy her daughter was today; it still stung that Cora didn't want to see her, but Alice knew that sometimes too much time had passed between people to ever bridge the gap - Lucien and his father came to mind. Maybe her sister would read her letter, maybe she wouldn't, but Alice was still content with her own life that she could carry on - knowing that she had tried to reignite the bond between her sister. She knew where she was now, knew her sister's new name, so the biggest mystery of her life was solved, and Alice could continue on.
Soon enough, Matthew pulled into the drive of 7 Mycroft Avenue, and Alice sighed in relief; they were home.
"C'mon, sweetheart, let's get all of this put away and I'll fix us a cuppa," Matthew kissed her temple once they were out of the car.
"I loved our vacation, Matthew," she tilted her chin up to kiss him properly, "thank you so much for planning it."
"Of course," he smiled and kissed her again, "just say the word and I'll start planning the honeymoon."
With a laugh, she shook her head, "Let me get used to being engaged first, please. I'm not even sure what goes into planning a wedding."
"I'd marry you any day of the week, in fact we could go right now and still shock the hell out of the Blakes and Hobart."
Swatting at his shoulder, Alice laughed when he kissed her cheek, "You silly man, don't tempt me. No, I want this to be… proper, I guess. I want to enjoy it and plan a small ceremony to celebrate with our friends. We deserve that."
"Yes, we do," he kissed her softly as Anna tugged on her hand. "Alright, alright, Anna, we're coming!"
Pulling Anna back to have her take her suitcase, Alice followed her daughter into the house - already smelling fresh baked shortbread the second they crossed the threshold.
"Welcome back!" Jean smiled as she popped her head out of the kitchen. "Enjoy your trip?"
"We did," Alice smiled as Jean kissed her cheek, "Matthew should be in shortly. How's Lucien?"
"Still grumbling about being stuck at home, but he's coping."
"Ah, I see."
"I'll go help Matthew with the rest of the luggage, why don't you go put your things away and come into the kitchen for tea?"
"Thank you, Jean!" Alice called as she dropped off her suitcase in her and Matthew's room before doubling back to help Anna up the stairs with hers. It was a bit of a whirlwind, getting all of their things back inside the Blake house, but soon all of them were sitting around the kitchen table - Lucien putting his book aside in the parlor to join them (a hand still resting on his healing stab wound occasionally).
"How was the beach?" He asked Anna.
"Amazing!" The girl gushed, "I learned to swim, and Mumma and I explored the tidal pools, and Daddy helped me build so many sandcastles!"
Lucien and Jean exchanged raised eyebrows and Alice saw Matthew's ears start to turn pink as he sipped at his tea, but thankfully the Blakes didn't comment on his new title. Lucien continued to ask Anna questions about their trip until she started to tire and Alice suggested a nap.
"Not tired," her daughter pouted.
"Oh? You're not?"
"No, Mumma!" She protested, her protest undermined by the yawn that escaped her a second later.
Alice hummed a laugh, "I can see that. Come on, my darling girl, you can talk to Uncle Lucien more at dinner."
"But I'm not tired."
"Anna Marie," Alice gave her daughter a look and the five year old wisely saw she was trying her mother's patience. Her daughter slumped down off her chair and went around the table to hug everyone.
"Be good, sweetheart," Matthew whispered as he kissed her forehead before Anna came to Alice's side.
Alice lifted Anna up, knowing her daughter would ask to be carried, "You're getting cranky, Miss Anna."
Anna giggled, "You're silly, Mumma."
"Maybe being around you all week has made me sillier," she kissed the side of her daughter's head as she slowly walked upstairs to Anna's room. "Did you have a good time at the beach?"
"Yes, Mumma, can we do it again?"
"Maybe in the future, if you're good and keep up with school, and if work allows us all to go again. Maybe we can try a different beach."
"Really?"
"Mm-hm, there are lots to choose from."
"Can we go to them all?" Anna asked as she pulled off her shoes and socks.
"Maybe, why don't we look up all the different ones we can go to after your nap and make a list? That way we'll know which ones we've gone to, and we can mark our favorites."
"Can Lorne be a favorite?"
"Of course, my silly girl," Alice kissed her forehead and tucked her in. "Now sleep, I'll wake you for dinner if you're not already up yet."
"Okay, Mumma. Love you."
"I love you too."
With one last kiss, Alice got up and tiptoed from her daughter's room back down to the kitchen, where Matthew and Jean sat talking quietly.
"No Lucien?"
"Oh, he thought your idea of a nap to be a good one, so I sent him back into the studio," Jean smiled as she refilled Alice's cup.
"It is a good idea, I might partake in one myself," Matthew sighed.
"We have had a whirlwind of the last few days," Alice smiled and squeezed his hand.
"Want to join me?"
"In a bit," her smile widened as Matthew kissed her forehead when he got up from the table, "I want to catch up with Jean first."
"Alright," he kissed her forehead again and limped out of the kitchen. Alice turned back to her friend and it was then she noticed the paleness to Jean's skin and the darker circles underneath her eyes.
"May I, Jean?" Alice gestured with her hand to Jean's forehead.
"Hm? Oh, sure," Jean nodded absentmindedly as she sipped idly at her tea.
Her friend was slightly hot to the touch - her skin a little clammy - and Alice frowned.
"Have you been feeling well lately?"
"Honestly, no," Jean sighed. "I think I might be coming down with something, or maybe I'm just exhausted from looking after Lucien."
"Should we have postponed our trip? I hate to think you had extra stress because of it."
"Don't be ridiculous, Alice, it's probably just a little cold. All three of you had been looking forward to the beach trip, don't put that stress on your shoulders."
"If you're sure."
"I am, now, is this what you wanted to talk to me about?" Jean smiled as she picked up Alice's hand - the new ring sparkling in the sunlight. Alice blushed and nodded. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you."
"How'd he ask?"
"Actually, I asked him," Alice grinned at Jean's wide eyed look before her friend burst into delighted giggles. "Anna had been asking questions, and gave Matthew a new title as you witnessed, and I realized it just… made sense. I mean, all that will really change between us is a piece of paper, some rings, and the whispers will stop."
Jean smiled and pulled Alice in for a hug, "I'm so very happy for you, Alice. I know Lucien will be too once he finds out. Any help you want for planning, I'll give."
"Please do because I will need help on everything."
Jean's laughter was bright and warming as she hugged Alice one more time; they caught up a bit more over the last of the tea - Jean telling Alice all that had happened in Ballarat while they were gone, and Alice telling Jean about her sister popping up - before Alice suggested they both join their respective loved ones in a nap.
"Please, Jean, you look so worn out, it would make me feel better."
"Oh… oh alright," her friend nodded, "I suppose we could always go out and get fish and chips for dinner… I am tired, I'll admit."
"I'll clean up this tea, and if we're not immediately called back in for work tomorrow, I'll get Matthew and Anna to help out around the house; give you a little bit of a break."
"You are such a wonderful friend, Alice," Jean kissed her forehead. "Enjoy your nap with Matthew."
"You get some rest," she squeezed her friend's hand as Jean left the kitchen; cleaning up after all of them, Alice dried her hands on a towel and slowly made her way to Matthew's room.
He was still up - lounging on his bed with a book in hand.
"I thought you were going to nap, dearest."
"Just waiting for you, sweetheart," he smiled and got up from the bed as she closed the door behind her; wrapping his arms around her from behind, he snuck a kiss to her neck as she sighed and relaxed back against him. "Good to be home, hm?"
"Yes," she smiled and turned slowly in his arms.
Matthew leaned down and kissed her softly - resting his forehead against hers as she relaxed further, "Your talk with Jean go well?"
"Yeah," she kissed him briefly, "she's happy for us and says she'll help me figure everything out for the wedding."
"Good," he tilted her chin up for another kiss, "that's good, sweetheart. Now, how about that nap? Or…?"
"Or what?"
"Or maybe something else… if you'd like," he smiled against her lips as he trailed a finger down the line of her throat to the top button of her blouse and slowly started to undo her blouse.
"Are you never satisfied?" she teased.
"Never when I have you."
"My insatiable superintendent," Alice kissed him as Matthew pulled her blouse from her skirt and pushed it from her shoulders.
"So? Nap… or…?"
Wrapping her arms around his neck as he deftly unzipped her skirt and let it pool on the floor, Alice lazily kissed him - grinning at his groan when she nipped his bottom lip, "Take me to bed, Superintendent."