The Crown

Reunited

Victoria knocked on the door.

"Molly? Aren't you hungry?"

No response was given, no door was unlocked. The blonde woman rubbed her temples. A desperate little noise tore past her lips. But Victoria knew she would ask again, eventually. She couldn't lose another child.

Antonia watched her lover from the shadows, renewed guilt screaming in her chest. The dark haired woman desperately wanted to let it out into the world, if only to place the pressure on someone else's shoulders. But she knew she wouldn't. It was too late now.

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Victoria blankly looked outside into the dark sky, moonlight shining on drying tears. She gripped the glass in her hand tighter.

Another warm hand took her free one in its own. Victoria smiled, waiting for Antonia's warm tone to fill her ears, to embrace her body like a warm blanket. Instead, another, deeper voice spoke:

"Hello."

"Ben. You're home." The woman said emotionlessly, still staring out the window.

"Yes. I... couldn't stay away tonight." His tone was not as emotionless as he would've liked.

"Hm. That's nice."

Victoria took another sip.

"Molly isn't coming out of her room." The blonde said suddenly.

"Would you?"

The image of Erin in her lonely grave popped into her mind.

"No. I guess not."

Ben squeezed her hand. She didn't let go.

"Do you think about her?"

"Of course."

Victoria only nodded.

"Do you ever regret coming here, Victoria?"

The blonde sighed deeply.

"I regret the... circumstances. But taking care of the children? No. When they were small, they looked at me with pure, honest love. It broke my heart."

It was Ben's turn to nod.

"Do you regret anything?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

The spouses fell silent, for no more words were needed. They were united once again by a string of tragedies.

Antonia was blending with the shadows of the bedroom. As husband and wife spoke quietly, a strange, ugly feeling bloomed inside her. With each word, the intensity grew. It mixed in with the guilt already living in her chest, leaving a confused mass inside her body, overtaking everything else. She frowned. Maybe it was time to take a step forward.