AN: - Thank you so much for your reviews! I can promise you all that there is no time jump, (other than like the odd couple of weeks/month to get the story moving) but they will not be reuniting in something like 10 years time. :).
Here is another update for you all! I am back to work tomorrow but I will try to keep up with the daily updates for you all! Feel free to pester me for updates if I happen to become too slow!
I said before that things take a turn around Chapter 66, but I meant 67!! Sorry! I forgot I split this update into two!
Enjoy...
Chapter Sixty Five - A Private Perch
Have you ever had an unusual day? The type of day where you can't really explain anything, except that things have been difficult recently but today, for some reason today feels different, it feels like a good day almost, except you're just waiting, waiting for something to go wrong because it doesn't seem real that you can be ok? So you find yourself second guessing things, walking on eggshells and wondering If every time someone comes to speak to you they're going to be the bearer of some bad news? The kind of news that you know will knock you off your perch, at least the private one you keep so close to your own-self and confirm your own intrusive thoughts, that this little snippet of happiness really is too good to be true. Because, surely you can't be feeling 'ok' given the chaos at your feet?
Henry inhaled deeply as he began to clear up the teaching books on his desk. Yet another working day drawing to an end. He gently pulled the zip to a close on the laptop bag and placed the strap over his shoulder, grabbing his coat and walking out of the class room and towards his car ready to head home and transition from Professor McCord to Dad.
Once in his car and on route to the farm house Henry finally felt his shoulders drop, the stress and anticipation that something was going to go wrong today finally escaping him, after all he had got through the worst of the day. Henry drove in silence, letting his mind wander to wherever it decided too. In recent times his thoughts would always drift back to Elizabeth, focusing mainly on the intimate moment they shared in the motorcade almost two weeks ago. A rare moment of nothing but honest communication between them, the pain of her words and confessions still holding onto him with everything they have, yet somehow, he felt calm within their storm. Almost like he had found his closure that night, perhaps that is why he is starting to feel more settled within himself he resided.
As he pulled up at the house he let out a short sharp puff of air. A different form of chaos was about to engulf him; the kids. He knew from the moment he pushed that old farmhouse door open both the kids would be calling for him, desperately throwing one hundred questions his way. Henry chuckled at the image of them, his heart smiling at their new profound lifestyle, sure it wasn't their old life, but it was still theirs.
'Hey Dad' Alison chirped, her beaming smile thrown his way instantly as he walked into the house.
'Dad I am starving! What's for dinner?' Jason came running down the stairs, the requests already starting before Henry had a chance to even remove his coat and bags.
'Hi Dad, how was your dad, good thanks Jase, how was yours?' Henry replied sarcastically as he removed his outerwear and followed them into the kitchen. Jason rolled his eyes at his dad's response and began to rummage through the fridge.
'Get out of there, I'll sort something now' Henry chuckled, playfully grabbing one of the envelopes on the side and swatting Jason across the back of the head with it.
'Dad!' He moaned and Alison giggled at them both.
'Can we just order take out? Oh look, there is a new pizza place in town' Jason grabbed a leaflet from the letters and held it up to show everyone.
'Yeah sure why not, Noodle you fancy Pizza?' Henry asked
'Yep sounds good. Oh dad, Stevie said to make sure you open your mail today and not in one hundred days time like you normally do because there is something in there from her to do with the wedding' Alison teased as she pointed to sed letters.
'Oh so that's why someone brought the post into the kitchen' he teased and gathered the letters in his hand. 'I'll look in a bit'
'Hmm sure, I'll remind you' She teased
'Guys, Pizza please! I am starving." Jason thrust the menu between them both, demanding they make a decision so that an order can be placed.
Henry stood back and smiled to himself at the scene before him, it was only a simple scene, his kids bickering over pizza toppings, but it was their scene. He gripped at the letters in his hand as he thought about Stevie, the only sibling missing from this moment. He leant over and picked his food before heading to his home office and following his daughters request to open his mail.
'Good Afternoon Madam Secretary, here is a fresh coffee, and I took the liberty of grabbing you some dinner whilst I was out,'' Blake smiled as he walked into Elizabeth's office. He placed her coffee, food and her mail down on her desk in front of her. Elizabeth happily accepted the coffee and glanced up at him.
'My mail?' She quizzed.
'Yes Ma'am, a gift from your daughter, Stevie, she dropped it off on her way to work and gave clear instructions that you were supposed to open her letter this morning. I think when she saw you came to work without it she took matters into her own hands' He teased and Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
'I don't understand what is so important that it has to be read urgently but she cannot tell me, it has to be in a letter?' Elizabeth furrowed her brow, that unsettling feeling sinking in, her anxiety peaking as she felt like some bad news was destined to reach her today, as if her working day wasn't bad enough she thought.
'An invite perhaps?' He winked at her and the penny finally dropped for Elizabeth.
'Ah, ok. Thanks Blake' She giggled, her nerves settling.
'No problem Ma'am. Oh before I forget you have to be back in the situation room in an hour' He smiled
'Thanks, I am sure I can be a few minutes late, after all it's looking like I am going to be spending all night there' she sighed inwardly to herself, shaking her head at the thought of it. Elizabeth watched as Blake smiled firmly before exiting her office.
Intrigued by her mail she grabbed the envelope on top, ripping it open, her excitement pitting in her throat as a beautiful wedding invitation revealed itself to her. She let out an emotional sigh and placed her hand on her chest as her eyes began to water. She scanned the hand made card and read all the intimate details of Stevie and Jareth's Wedding Day. Elizabeth could peel her eyes away from the card, the hues of white, creams and gold catching her glistening eyes.
She proudly stood the invite up on her desk, smiling to herself happily as she imagined what that day would look like, how would Stevie look in her dress, and Jason in a tuxedo, Alison as a bridesmaid. Her thoughts walking back to her own wedding day, how beautiful and loved she felt, how handsome Henry looked and how, despite everything that was now, that moment back then, it was theirs.
Elizabeth continued to open her other letter Blake had dropped off, she turned it over to reveal the seal at the back and noted the return address stamped in the corner, her heart sinking, the lump of excitement in her throat evaporating as she squeezed her eyes closed tightly…
Henry looked on proudly at the Wedding invitation displayed on his desk next to a photo of the kids when they were young. He couldn't believe how grown up they all were now, how Stevie was getting married, and how it had been so long since his own. Henry wiped a stray tear from his eye and teared his eyes from the invite, focusing on the rest of his post.
He grabbed an envelope and began to tear the seal open, his brow furrowed at the weight of the document, his interest piqued as he pulled the contents out, turning It over to read them. And there it was, his mouth ran dry and the moment he had been waiting for all day had finally hit him. The kind of moment where you're fooled into thinking things are ok, and then all of a sudden, whilst in a private moment you're knocked off your perch…