She could have kicked herself when she found out about her granddaughter. She'd been so busy treating her son like a partner in crime that she'd never thought that his heart could get broken, that he felt unable to cry to his mother about it. In a way, she'd never let him and the thought of all of that wasted time upset her more than she showed. He knew what her outward bluster really meant, like no one else did.
She'd brought a present for Penny. She was only promised a glimpse of her, Emerson warned but for now, that was enough. She clutched the little blue and purple wrapped offering nervously and gave it over when instructed. They waited expectedly, knowing that their presents would be picked up just for a glimpse of the girl. There would be no school events to attend, no anecdotes to be told or cosy hot chocolates to be had. They hoped that there would be time for some interaction at some point but for now, Lila Robinson was taking no chances. As long as she was on the run or until Penny was of age, they were to be denied the chance of really getting to know Penny.
Calista had raged, paced, thrown a teapot across the room in frustration but Emerson just waited it out in resignation. He knew Lila better than she did. Callista held a grudging respect for this trickster who had captured her son's heart but could not forgive her for withholding the daughter.
She still had braces, they noted with interest as the car drove past them, a little slower than the first time, the girl waving with joy, presents securely in the car. Emerson and Callista had left individual letters bound up in a parcel, hoping that she'd cherish their words until the day came when they would meet again.
They weren't prepared for the package that fell out of the car as sped into the horizon. Emerson lumbered over to pick it up and examined it with curiosity. Eyes shining, they opened it in his office in the company of a carton of beef buns from the Chinese restaurant downstairs. They each had a letter. Mother and son rejoiced over the cursive scrawl, her words childlike and sincere while on the desk stood the tangible thought that started it all, the pouring of Emerson's longing into a source of distraction, Lil' Gumshoe.