13th June 1904
This time when Mrs. Beckett opened the front door of the Molland's house, she was a little better prepared.
Christian nodded,
"Good morning Mrs. Beckett,"
The housekeeper bobbed,
"Sir."
She stepped aside and Christian lead Marie through into the drawing room once more, sitting her in the same seat she had sat in before.
She fidgeted apprehensively, aware of being in the room where her father had been so angry last time.
Christian sighed as he waited for his parents to appear and shot a small reassuring smile at his daughter,
The door opened slowly and soundlessly on the carpet and Christian looked up into the less than enthusiastic face of his father.
"Father."
Theodore simply ignored him, taking his spot by the window, and standing with his back to his son.
Josephine, following behind sat herself down on one of the sofas, smiling at Christian, grateful to him for showing up.
She grinned at Marie who gave a shy wave back.
Christian turned to look at his father, and sighed at the way the meeting was already going.
"Theodore," Josephine began softly from the couch.
Theodore stiffened but ignored her, not even gracing them with a reply.
Christian groaned crossly,
"I'm sorry mother," he spread his hands apologetically, "I've tried, I've come here to make amends, but it's not going to make any good..."
Josephine sighed in acknowledgement,
"...He can't do this, not even for you. I've disappointed him and from his point of view nothing can make up for what I've done,"
As he spoke, Marie shuffled off the each of the chair and sidled slowly up to Theodore at the windowsill.
Josephine looked up intrigued, and Christian watched her warily,
"Marie..."
Ignoring her father, Marie tugged gently at the bottom of Theodore's jacket.
Slowly, Theodore peered down, his face remaining stony and emotionless.
The atmosphere in the room tensed as Christian and Josephine watched cautiously, trying to gage Theodore's reaction.
As Theodore turned, Marie's face grew serious, and she stuck out a hand,
"How do you do?"
Despite himself, Christian burst out laughing, whilst Josephine smiled over fondly.
Theodore frowned in surprise and slowly extended his own hand, which Marie grasped and gave a firm shake,
Theodore coughed in bemusement, as he answered, somewhat gruffly, and haltingly,
"Err...fine...thank you...oh, and...erm...yourself,"
Marie smiled, pleased with the response,
"I'm very well."
Christian leaned over and pulled her back towards him, shaking his head in amusement,
"Sorry, she's usually to shy to speak. I don't know what's gotten into her." Her mother, he thought with a small smile.
Theodore cleared his throat,
"No. Not at all, don't be sorry. Spirited little lady isn't she?" he commented grudgingly, never taking his eyes off Marie.
Christian took a chance,
"She gets that from her mother."
Theodore stared transfixed at his granddaughter in the silence that followed, before turning and sitting down on one of the couches with a sigh of exertion.
As everyone remained quiet, he tapped his knee,
"Come here then missy, and you'd better tell me something about yourself I suppose."
As Marie was lifted onto Theodore's knee Christian felt a wave of relief wash over him, and Josephine stood to give him a rare hug.
Finally, on some level at least, his parents, and in particular his father, had accepted who he was, and where he was going as a person.
He smiled at Marie, who was behaving perfectly for her grandfather.
The long road back was now behind him.
He was home.
END.
This time when Mrs. Beckett opened the front door of the Molland's house, she was a little better prepared.
Christian nodded,
"Good morning Mrs. Beckett,"
The housekeeper bobbed,
"Sir."
She stepped aside and Christian lead Marie through into the drawing room once more, sitting her in the same seat she had sat in before.
She fidgeted apprehensively, aware of being in the room where her father had been so angry last time.
Christian sighed as he waited for his parents to appear and shot a small reassuring smile at his daughter,
The door opened slowly and soundlessly on the carpet and Christian looked up into the less than enthusiastic face of his father.
"Father."
Theodore simply ignored him, taking his spot by the window, and standing with his back to his son.
Josephine, following behind sat herself down on one of the sofas, smiling at Christian, grateful to him for showing up.
She grinned at Marie who gave a shy wave back.
Christian turned to look at his father, and sighed at the way the meeting was already going.
"Theodore," Josephine began softly from the couch.
Theodore stiffened but ignored her, not even gracing them with a reply.
Christian groaned crossly,
"I'm sorry mother," he spread his hands apologetically, "I've tried, I've come here to make amends, but it's not going to make any good..."
Josephine sighed in acknowledgement,
"...He can't do this, not even for you. I've disappointed him and from his point of view nothing can make up for what I've done,"
As he spoke, Marie shuffled off the each of the chair and sidled slowly up to Theodore at the windowsill.
Josephine looked up intrigued, and Christian watched her warily,
"Marie..."
Ignoring her father, Marie tugged gently at the bottom of Theodore's jacket.
Slowly, Theodore peered down, his face remaining stony and emotionless.
The atmosphere in the room tensed as Christian and Josephine watched cautiously, trying to gage Theodore's reaction.
As Theodore turned, Marie's face grew serious, and she stuck out a hand,
"How do you do?"
Despite himself, Christian burst out laughing, whilst Josephine smiled over fondly.
Theodore frowned in surprise and slowly extended his own hand, which Marie grasped and gave a firm shake,
Theodore coughed in bemusement, as he answered, somewhat gruffly, and haltingly,
"Err...fine...thank you...oh, and...erm...yourself,"
Marie smiled, pleased with the response,
"I'm very well."
Christian leaned over and pulled her back towards him, shaking his head in amusement,
"Sorry, she's usually to shy to speak. I don't know what's gotten into her." Her mother, he thought with a small smile.
Theodore cleared his throat,
"No. Not at all, don't be sorry. Spirited little lady isn't she?" he commented grudgingly, never taking his eyes off Marie.
Christian took a chance,
"She gets that from her mother."
Theodore stared transfixed at his granddaughter in the silence that followed, before turning and sitting down on one of the couches with a sigh of exertion.
As everyone remained quiet, he tapped his knee,
"Come here then missy, and you'd better tell me something about yourself I suppose."
As Marie was lifted onto Theodore's knee Christian felt a wave of relief wash over him, and Josephine stood to give him a rare hug.
Finally, on some level at least, his parents, and in particular his father, had accepted who he was, and where he was going as a person.
He smiled at Marie, who was behaving perfectly for her grandfather.
The long road back was now behind him.
He was home.
END.
