What's in a Name?

by BarJL1991

Charlie intends to keep his promise to Jean and not tell his mother of the visit until his feelings have settled and allow his mother to enjoy the peace of her life for a while. What Jean doesn't know is that Charlie had other business to tend to that was the primary motive for returning is a surprise for Dr. Jean Markham.

***I own nothing*** ***All characters and backstory belong to Fiona Shaw***

Charlie wasn't entirely sure why he had felt obligated to inform his father of any decisions he made, all he knew was he thought it was the right thing to do. His trip back to Scotland as a fully grown adult had been partly motivated by his desire to see his father and confront Robert Weekes as the man he was now, not the boy who had left some 20 years earlier. However, if truth be told, the main reason was for Charlie to attend to a few issues that he had come to see as very important in recent years. Now, standing on the front step of his father's home and staring for a few moments at the closed door Charlie realized that the visit just validated his choice, even if it did little else.

In the time since his leaving his mother, Lydia, and Jean had remained together as a couple and faced their trials and tribulations together. They worked, played, and raised Charlie as a team and protected him from the world's cruelties as a united front, never wavering in their support of Charlie or their deep love for one another so much so that Charlie couldn't remember a moment during the last 20 years where he didn't view Jean as his parent and he certainly knew he loved Jean just as much as he did his mother. They were so proud when he finished university and Jean looked fit to burst the day he graduated from medical school. Both women were elated when he starting dating a pretty young nurse named Elizabeth while he was training on the wards and overjoyed when they got engaged. It was his engagement that had stirred up an old desire he'd had since he was a boy-to show Jean he saw and loved her as a parent, he just wasn't sure what he should do. He had spoken with Elizabeth about this a few times and she was supportive and even encouraged him to seek out advice from a family friend, solicitor, Jim Marston. The suggestion was made to include Jean's surname in some way and Charlie decided to think it over.

After talking with Jim, Charlie came home and was thinking deeply about the advice he had been given and felt conflicted. As he began pacing the house he started to notice the various photos and other items in his home that catalogued his family's life over the years, trips to the seaside, school events, tending to the bees etc. Charlie phoned Jim in the morning-decision made. Once he left his father's house Charlie set off for a visit with Jim and stayed for the night. The next morning he would go before a judge in the local court to have his name changed.

Court order and new birth certificate in hand Charlie returned to Italy just in time for Jean's birthday, hopefully she liked his gift. After all her other gifts had been opened, the food eaten, and guests went home Charlie gave Jean his gift. Sitting at the kitchen table, Jean unwrapped it carefully and was puzzled by the fact Charlie had wrapped an envelope in wrapping paper. Her brow furrowed Jean began to read what the envelope contained, covered her mouth with her hand, and suddenly burst into happy tears.

Alarmed, Lydia asked what was wrong and all Jean did was hand her the envelope. As Jean hugged Charlie and sobbed Lydia began to read what was in her hands and gasped at the amended version of her son's birth certificate that now read:

Charles Weekes-Markham

***End***