"Mama, look! I made you a paper plane!"
Alexander Crawley jogs up to his mother after the town hall meeting. Before that, he bid goodbye to his new friends as well, whom he promised to play with again soon
"Thank you, Alex. That is very sweet of you" Cora smiles, look at the paper plane. It had various children's drawing of rainbows and flowers as its design as well
"They insisted on designing it" Alex said "They want to say thank you to you for helping the hospital"
"Oh, how sweet of them as well! I'll be sure to put this by the dressing table later" Cora then held the paper plane as they head out of the hospital
"Do you want to get some ice cream before we head home, Mama?" Alex asked her "It's my treat"
Cora chuckles softly "Let me guess, you got your 5 pounds now from Mary, didn't you?"
Alex chuckles along, and nods in agreement
"Don't tell your Papa about this" his mother chuckles softly "He'll be very jealous"
He then saw an ice cream cart from across the street, and went to buy some chocolate ice cream before heading back inside the car with his mother
"I never had ice cream in a long while" Cora said as their car take them back home
"Really? Papa never brought you ice cream?" Alex asked, clearly surprised at his mother's revelation
"Not really. He never took me out on a stroll around the village"
"After all these years?! He never even took on a simple date around the village?!"
"No, not yet" Cora chuckles softly as she takes a handkerchief and wipes her lips "Maybe one day, but we'll never know"
"Oh my goodness..." was all the Alex can say as he tries to process everything that they just talked about
As they arrived home, they heard giggles coming from the library. As they both neared the room, they saw Robert, running around with all of their grandchildren and trying to catch them
Alex heard his mother chuckle softly as they watch them all play. He then looks at her and smiles, seeing her eyes twinkle with happiness and her smile has reached both of her ears, clearly falling in love with her husband all over again.
He had always admired his parents' relationship, on how they defied everything right from the very start. Sure, his Papa married his Mama for money, but then again...he was only human, eventually admitting his love to her a year after their marriage. He and his sisters had witnessed many moments where their parents' show their love for one another, and they consider themselves very lucky to have such loving parents...which makes moments like these all the more sweet and lovely
"Granny! Uncle Alex!"
Alex then snaps back to reality when heard his name, and saw the kids running towards them. He then kneels down and open his arms to them, giving them one big hug
"Ah, you're here!" Robert quickly fixes himself before going to them "I'm so sorry I didn't notice you two immediately"
"Oh don't worry, Darling. We do love watching you run around with the kids" Cora chuckles before giving her husband a kiss
Robert chuckles along "It was a great exercise, anyway" he said as he pulls away and gently planted a kiss on her forehead
The kids then gave their Granny a hug, Alex gave his Papa a kiss on his cheek
"How was the hospital today?" Robert then asked
"It was fine, really" Alex smiles "The town hall meeting went smoothly...and there were lots of people"
"Of course there lots of people. The entire village is there" Robert chuckles as they head inside the library and sat down on the settees
"But...you know–"
"Yes, I know. Don't worry" Robert smiles at his son "I'm just happy that you joined your Mama"
"Yes. I should join her again next time" Alex smiles as he sets up the checkers board for him and George "Not in the town hall meetings, of course"
"We'll see about that" Cora chuckles before turning to her husband, who just finished setting up the snakes and ladders game for her, Sybbie and Marigold
"Is it almost tea time?"
"In just a few minutes" Robert replied as he lifts up Caroline and sits her on his lap "The others will be arriving any minute now as well"
And just as he said that they heard Mary, Tom, Edith, and Bertie arriving just in time, as Barrow and Albert brings in the tea. The kids then went to hug their parents, making all of them smile
"How was your journey across the county?" Cora asks as her daughters kissed her on the cheek
"It was all the usual" Mary said "And we headed to the business shop as well"
"It was our first time in the shop as well" Edith added
"How's the business going, Tom?" Robert asked
"Pretty good as always" Tom replied "And with Bertie's help, we might sell more cars soon enough"
"I do hope so, as the car business is quite booming in this time around" Bertie smiles
"Are you interested in cars, Alex?" Tom then asked his brother-in-law
"Does flying cars count?" Alex joked, making all of them laugh softly
As nighttime came around, all of them have retired early upstairs after dinner...all except Alex, that is
Now wearing his sleeping robe and with a lamp in hand, he quietly went downstairs to the library to have a quiet read on a book about the house's history. He never really got to read it again after hosting the house tour just around two years ago
He carefully picks a book, and was about to sit down on his father's writing desk, when the framed photos around the small desk then caught his eye
The first one he saw a photo of him and his sisters a weeks after he was born; with the description reading: 'The Crawley Children. New Year, 1915'
The second one was a wedding photo of his parents that he never knew about until now. Both of them were smiling happily at the photo, which made him smile as well
The third and last photo was of his mother, in which her beautiful face and smile was captured. It seems it was his father's favorite photo as well, as it was the largest and is displayed on the top part of the desk
Alex smiles, not knowing his father was quite sentimental. He doesn't even look like that type of man from his own point of view. To him, he's a powerful man, a great man even. But when it comes to his family, he is always loving...and sometimes funny
His thoughts were then interrupted when he heard the library door opened. He then quickly grabs the paper knife and his lamp, facing the door's direction
"Wh-Who's there?" he asked, clearly scared at what's behind the door
"Alexander?"
Robert then said, and was surprised at him as he saw his son holding his own lamp and pointing the paper knife at him
"P-Papa!" Alex quickly sets the knife and lamp down as he realizes who it was
"Why are you still awake?"
"I-I...was looking for a book just now" Alex replied, and clears his throat
"I see..." Robert said "I am actually looking for a book as well"
Alex then went to him by the library shelves "What kind of book?"
"A book of poems, really. I almost forgot that I promised your mother to read to her tonight"
"I didn't know you read to Mama" Alex smiles "That's quite sweet"
"I suppose so, yes" Robert smiles as well "I started reading to her when she was pregnant with Mary"
"And you still do it to her?"
"Whenever she requests it. It also makes us sleep better at night"
They both chuckle softly and smile at one another before continuing to look for the book
"Ah, is it this one?" Alex then handed him a small, red, hardbound book from the middle of the shelf
"Yes...yes this is it" Robert replied as he his son gave the book to him "Thank you"
Alex smiles back, and went to get his book from the desk
"Were you looking for a book as well?" Robert then asked
"I just did earlier" Alex replied "It is one of the many books about the history of Downton"
"You're rereading them?"
"More of like, reading them seriously" he chuckles softly "I only read it because of the house tour years ago"
Robert chuckles along softly, and smiles at his son. He never really knew about the history of the house, that is, until he heard his own son having quite a knowledge of house more than all of them combined. He looks up to him more, and wishing he had spent his youth just like he did
"Before we both head up, I just want to talk to you about something" he then said, making Alex look up at him again "About your decision to go to Harrow"
"What about my decision?" Alex asked
"I...I think you're right. You should go to Harrow and not Eton" Robert said "Harrow is much more suitable for you, and I can see you'll have a bright future ahead in that institution"
"So...you're not disappointed in me?"
"No, of course not. In fact, I am very proud. I do apologize for saying that I'm disappointed, I was just quite surprised in your decision at first, that's all But believe me, I am very, very proud of you"
"I...I don't know what to say," Alex was surprised, clearly not expecting his father's decision at all "Thank you so much. Really...it means a lot"
"I know, because that's what your mother said," Robert smiles "She knows my approval means a lot to you...and clearly I have proven it now"
"It really does, yes" he then gives his father a big hug, to which Robert returned the favor "I love you, Papa"
"I love you too, my darling boy" Robert smiles proudly at him "I may not say it much, but I do love you too"
They then head back upstairs to their rooms, where Alex bids goodnight father
"By the way, Papa" he then said just before he opens his bedroom door "Is it true you never took Mama on ice cream date before?"
"No...why?" Robert replied, a bit confused
"Nothing, really. Is just that Mama told me that when we saw an ice cream cart earlier by the hospital. She does wish you would take her out on a simple date like that someday"
"Did she really say that?"
Alex chuckles "Yes, she did"
Robert then chuckles as well "Well then, remind me of that when our anniversary comes around again"
"I will, don't worry"
"Good night, Alexander"
"Good night, Papa"
The two men then both entered their rooms with a smile on their faces as they both retire for the night