8th June 1904
Christian could barely contain his surprise as he opened the door.
"Mother."
Josephine swept past him into the apartment and wrinkled her nose at the surroundings before walking into one of the rooms and taking a seat.
Christian followed and stood in the doorway, frowning with puzzlement in the following silence.
"Was there something you wanted?" he asked suspiciously.
Josephine sniffed and looked up, as if noticing him for the first time,
"Where is Marie?"
Christian frowned,
"In her room."
Josephine nodded and turned to look straight a head, a silence falling between them once more. Christian stepped further into the room intrigued,
"Your father and I are worried," she blurted out suddenly. Christian perched slowly on the arms of one of the chairs.
"About what?"
Josephine paused, as if not sure how to say the next sentence,
"Unmarried single parents, especially men from good families can attract a lot of unwanted gossip..."
Christian groaned, and gave a laugh of disbelief as Josephine carried on unperturbed,
"...We, your father and myself feel that you, unaccustomed to such behavior, and, still evidently pining for the loss of...the child's mother," she practically forced the last words out, "Would cope badly..."
"Mother," Christian interrupted, "What did you come here to tell me,"
Josephine squirmed ever so slightly under his gaze,
"Under the circumstances we feel that..." she paused again, "...there are many married, well to do couples, in our aqaintence who have not been blessed with children, and I'm sure that, if asked to keep a degree of secrecy..."
Christian looked across the room at his mother in outrage,
"Are you trying to suggest I give Marie to someone else?"
Josephine sighed,
"Just give it some thought..."
Christian exploded crossly,
"No! Marie is my daughter! She's part of me! I have taken care of her for four years, since she was a tiny baby! She's the one reminder of her mother that I have, and for you to even suggest this..."
"Christian," Josephine's tone was that of a mother telling a child to stop misbehaving, "We...I just want you to be happy."
Christian shook his head,
"I am happy. Marie makes me happy, watching her grow up into a beautiful little person makes me happy!"
Josephine sighed as if Christian was not listening to her.
"But, you're not the fathering sort of boy,"
Christian stood up,
"How do you know? You've spent no more than five minutes in our company!"
He stalked out into the hallway, and she followed in a hurried manner, sighing dejectedly as he swung open the front door,
"Christian please! You're my son! I say these things because I know! I know you."
Before swinging shut the door, Christian shook his head,
"No. Things have changed. You used to know me."
Christian could barely contain his surprise as he opened the door.
"Mother."
Josephine swept past him into the apartment and wrinkled her nose at the surroundings before walking into one of the rooms and taking a seat.
Christian followed and stood in the doorway, frowning with puzzlement in the following silence.
"Was there something you wanted?" he asked suspiciously.
Josephine sniffed and looked up, as if noticing him for the first time,
"Where is Marie?"
Christian frowned,
"In her room."
Josephine nodded and turned to look straight a head, a silence falling between them once more. Christian stepped further into the room intrigued,
"Your father and I are worried," she blurted out suddenly. Christian perched slowly on the arms of one of the chairs.
"About what?"
Josephine paused, as if not sure how to say the next sentence,
"Unmarried single parents, especially men from good families can attract a lot of unwanted gossip..."
Christian groaned, and gave a laugh of disbelief as Josephine carried on unperturbed,
"...We, your father and myself feel that you, unaccustomed to such behavior, and, still evidently pining for the loss of...the child's mother," she practically forced the last words out, "Would cope badly..."
"Mother," Christian interrupted, "What did you come here to tell me,"
Josephine squirmed ever so slightly under his gaze,
"Under the circumstances we feel that..." she paused again, "...there are many married, well to do couples, in our aqaintence who have not been blessed with children, and I'm sure that, if asked to keep a degree of secrecy..."
Christian looked across the room at his mother in outrage,
"Are you trying to suggest I give Marie to someone else?"
Josephine sighed,
"Just give it some thought..."
Christian exploded crossly,
"No! Marie is my daughter! She's part of me! I have taken care of her for four years, since she was a tiny baby! She's the one reminder of her mother that I have, and for you to even suggest this..."
"Christian," Josephine's tone was that of a mother telling a child to stop misbehaving, "We...I just want you to be happy."
Christian shook his head,
"I am happy. Marie makes me happy, watching her grow up into a beautiful little person makes me happy!"
Josephine sighed as if Christian was not listening to her.
"But, you're not the fathering sort of boy,"
Christian stood up,
"How do you know? You've spent no more than five minutes in our company!"
He stalked out into the hallway, and she followed in a hurried manner, sighing dejectedly as he swung open the front door,
"Christian please! You're my son! I say these things because I know! I know you."
Before swinging shut the door, Christian shook his head,
"No. Things have changed. You used to know me."
