Disclaimer: I don't own Scorpion or it's characters.
Author's Note: Thank you everyone for being patient in waiting for this long over due chapter. We are one step closer to finding out what is in Paige's letter.
Happy stares at the letter in her hand for a few seconds before opening it. There are several pages inside, more than it looks like Toby received. She can even see the edge of a paper clip towards the back. Her curiosity is peaked.
She takes a quick glance around to make sure everyone, including Toby is occupied with their own letters before beginning hers.
"Happy,
First off, thank you for not setting this letter on fire. I appreciate it.
I never thought we would find ourselves in this position. No longer a family and working for rival companies.
You are my oldest friend and probably the person who knows and understands me best, which is why I think seeing you walk out that night hurt almost as much as watching Paige do so.
Out of everyone, I think you were the one I never really expected to leave. I watched Sylvester grow these past few years and his work as an Alderman made me question how long he would stay. Before you and your husband got together, I would often question when I would be too late to save him from one bad gambling night but you… You saw me at some of my worst times and helped me turn Scorpion into what it could be."
Happy pauses momentarily as the pain of that night and Walter's words hit her. She abandoned him and out of everyone she knows exactly how that feels.
Before she can continue she feels Toby's gaze on her. She gives out a mental huff. The man just can't help himself from analyzing everyone around him. She gives him a look from the side of her eyes and is about to punch him the arm when she sees that he has quickly gone back to his own letter. She gives a little internal smirk making sure not to do so on the outside before setting her attention on her own letter.
"I'm sorry for my words that night. I shouldn't have directed my anger at you. I guess part of me still doesn't understand what I did wrong but the other part of me realizes that I should have listened at least to you regarding handling the situation. You've given me sound advice in the past.
And look what a minefield it turned out to be, just like you said it would.
Between Paige trying to teach me to lie and me listening to your husband, I just didn't know the right way to step until it was too late.
I sometimes miss my old self, of not having feelings, the world was easier to navigate when I didn't care. Now everything is complicated.
How have you managed it Happy? You seem to be doing very well and I'm proud of everything you've accomplished but how do you manage it?
While I may not be the most cognizant of friends, I only ever wanted good things for you all. It's why I created Scorpion, I wanted a place for people like us to fit in and belong. I guess I never realized that I was the one that was holding everyone back. That I was the one that didn't fit into the equation."
Happy pauses, she knows Walter struggles the most out of everyone when it comes to situations regarding feelings. Paige was wrong to teach Walter to lie, it's an illogical set of actions that just further complicates situations. She can't understand why Paige would even want Walter to lie. She is starting to realize why Walter was so confused but what was Toby telling Walter?
She knows he told Walter that to telling Paige at the lecture would hurt Paige but not telling her would hurt him and knowing Walter, he would immediately choose any option that would mean not hurting Paige. But she tried beating it into his thick skull numerous times to tell Paige the truth and still he hesitated and never exposed the full truth to her.
"I guess you were right about more than just how Paige would react. I'm sorry I'm the reason our family broke apart. It was never my intention for that to happen.
I spent years avoiding getting into a relationship with Paige for this very reason. The 'theory of repetitive outcomes' as you once called it, prevails again. When you and your husband started your relationship I was so worried that it would break apart the team, but I also knew immediately what side I would choose.
You have done so much for me Happy, first as friend, taking care of me when I would go down the rabbit hole with Collins to marrying me just so I wouldn't be deported. I never thanked you enough for your help or for your friendship through the years. I'm glad for your sake that you rest of the family is together.
If you all take up my offer, you'll be able to add Cabe back into it. Please take care of him. I know you both care for each other and I know he missed you."
Happy takes a quick glance at Cabe but he is looking at Sylvester who is holding out the letter from Walter as though it's one of those red letters from that Harry magic kid movie. She watches their interaction for a moment until Cabe sternly tells Sly to read his letter and she decides to follow suit. She's still not sure what to say to Cabe.
"I know you all probably thought I was crazy when I wanted us to all work through the holidays and spent so much time and energy on the Gettleman pitch, but I had a reason for it. I needed the money for a surprise, but I guess it has all become a moot point.
I was looking to buy a house for me, Paige and Ralph. It's funny now that I think about it. I spent all this time away from them working late hours trying to finalize pitches and pulls in my jobs so I could afford the house only for me to lose out on time with them that I wish I hadn't wasted.
In those early weeks after you all left, and I thought there might be a chance that Paige and I could reconcile, I went ahead and bought the house. It's not large by any means, nothing fancy but it's a nice house for a family. Something that I no longer have, so I was hoping to give it to you, for your family as it grows, for the children you adopt.
If you are wondering how I know, I received a call from Vista Del Mar asking about you and your husband and your time as employees for Scorpion. While I'm not the most socially savvy person in the world, I like to think I gave you both glowing reviews. However, if they ask, you didn't quit Scorpion but were let go due to Scorpion going out of business.
You'll find the paperwork to back this up in the packet of legal work for Sly to go through. It looks better that you have a severance package rather than to have just quit a job.
You are going to be a wonderful mother and who better to understand that then me, who you've helped raise in more ways than you realize."
Happy could feel her head spinning. Walter is giving us a house? He knows we are trying to adopt? Happy's control on her emotions was starting to slip but she was almost done with the letter.
"I've given the others mementos, which yes, I know I said were a sign of weakness, however the memento I had kept of you has already been used. Though it was lost for a good cause, I kind of wish I had it with me now.
In lieu of that tie clip, I figured I could try for something that you might appreciate a little more.
I know that you know I've spent years keeping a look out for others for us to add to Scorpion but I'm not sure if you know just how far that search has gone.
I've spent the last ten years working with various organizations looking for not only for genius adults but since meeting Ralph, looking for kids who display genius attributes. It's how I knew about the school that Paige and Drew had considered sending Ralph to.
Anyways, sometime after that case with the alligators, I received a call from the Canoga Park Home for Children. I know, small world right?"
Canoga Park… that was the same home Happy grew up in, waiting for her father to come back or looking to find her forever home. Why would they call Walter? Was the room beginning to spin?
"The director there said they were having a hard time placing a young boy, about five years old. They wanted to know if I could help evaluate him to determine if he was a genius."
Happy's eyes began to devour the letter at a much faster pace now. She had to know more.
"Despite telling them that I'm not a person to be able to give an official diagnosis, they still asked me to come and see the boy, I finally relented and I met him about a month ago.
The kid is smart but I'm not sure if he is genius level but it's still hard to determine at such a young age. I got to observe him with the other kids, and he is so quiet, you can see him trying to make himself as physically small as possible to not draw attention from the others and stays in the corner keeping to himself.
I think we could all relate to him as children couldn't we. Before I left, I got a chance to speak with him. I asked him what he wanted. He never answered me but instead he just went over to a bookshelf, reached up, stretched up on to his toes, to grab a book above his head. He brought the book back to me and then pulled himself up on the couch beside me. I asked him if he wanted me to read to him and he just nodded his head and so I did. Before even finishing the first chapter, he had laid his head against my arm and fallen asleep.
The boy's name is Arjun. He has been at the home for a little over a year now. His mother died in a car accident and his father relinquished all rights before Arjun was born, and no one has been able to track him down since the accident. The mother had no other family, so he was sent to the home.
I let the home know that I may know of a couple interested in adopting a child but that they were still being processed through Vista Del Mar. If you and your husband decide you are interested then just contact the home and between them and Vista Del Mar, I'm sure something could be arranged. Again, I'm not sure if Arjun will be a genius but at the very least he is very bright.
Take care of yourself Happy. I hope you end up with the family that you've deserved for so long.
Sincerely,
Walter O'Brien"
Happy turned to the last two pages, the ones paper-clipped together. There on the first page was information on the adoption process from Canoga Park Home for Children and their upcoming days to visit but what drew Happy's attention was to the photograph at the top, held to the papers with the paperclip.
Happy pulled the photographer closer. It was a picture was a small dark-haired boy, asleep leaning against Walter. Walter looked tired, so defeated in the photo but there was a half-smile on this face as he looked down at the boy.
Happy figured one of the staff must have snapped the photo and then given it to Walter. Flipping to the next page was a deed to a house and a blue post-it note stuck to it saying to talk to his lawyer for more information and the rest of the paperwork for the house.
Happy's eyes flew back to the photograph. This little boy could end up being her son. Her and Toby could finally be a family that they've dreamed of being and it was all thanks to…. It was all thanks to Walter.
Happy drops the letter and jumps up from the couch. She starts running, she can't handle the emotions building up inside of her, she must get out of here. She can hear Toby calling for her and his footsteps behind her, but she can't stop now. She needs fresh air, she needs to process, she can't talk at least not right now.
The doorbells chime behind her as sprints out the door and down the sidewalk.
