Anna || HS

Anna 2- Epilogue Florence

*** All of the epilogues for the children are written from Anna's perspective looking back. The children are now adults and she is remembering how each weathered the loss of their father and grew into adulthood.

~Florence Elinor Styles~

Birthday: 6/9/19 (Age at Harry's death: 4 years old)

Florence's name means blossoming or flourishing. Harry fell in love with it the first time he heard it used as a name. We were sitting in an ice cream shop in a small town outside of Paris and a little girl with a head full of curls ran around our table. Her mother called after her and his eyes immediately shot to mine. "Do you like the name Florence?" he asked and I told him I loved it, because I'd just had the same thought as him. Once I knew what it meant, I loved it even more, and once I met our Florence, I knew she'd live up to it.

She was the constant sunshine in the storm that was losing Harry. It was impossible to be sad in her presence. She kept blossoming. Our family kept blossoming in the quake of our loss because this tiny force of nature refused to let her light go out. Over the years I'd learned that it was nearly impossible for her to do so. She was determined like no other human being I'd ever met. She got her perfectionism, punctuality and need for organization from her father, but her best trait that she got from him was her kind heart- that was ALL Harry.

I was surprised when her theater teacher pulled me aside to share an audition opportunity for her when she was twelve. All of our children could sing, obviously, but apparently Flo's quiet demeanor shined when she was performing. She wasn't loud, but she was magnetic; you couldn't avoid noticing her enter the room. After she landed a decent roll in her first musical, it was unavoidable to notice how that magnetism had translated to the stage. It was naturally derived, similar to how Harry's presence had always been.

She transferred, the next year, to the same arts high school that Robin had and focused on singing and acting. She landed major roles at school, and outside of school. By the time she graduated high school, Jeff had found her a manager and even though she started at NYU, she only lasted a semester because that winter she landed a film role that changed her trajectory.

She had lived in Los Angeles, like we all had, for years. So, she knew the film industry from all sides. We had friends that worked in the industry that also knew Florence, and they told her to move elsewhere to preserve as much of herself as possible. She was sick of being constantly accused of nepotism. I can't deny that her last name might have gotten her in the door. Unfortunately, she soon found that casting directors were harder on anyone that had a name linked with Hollywood, so being Florence Styles had more downfalls than all the perks people thought it did.

After landing, and acting the shit out of her first major role in 'Little Women,' she made a name for herself in Hollywood on her own two feet and not her dad's name. Being nominated for lots of awards, even the Oscar for best supporting actress, made people finally take a good honest look at her and they couldn't deny her talent. Though Hollywood loved her, she took our friends advice, and left Los Angeles about the same time I did. Ultimately settling in Vancouver, where a lot of her friends lived. One friend, in particular, drew her there more strongly than any other, though. A Canadian film director, named Thomas, who she became engaged to after just months together, but didn't marry until years later.

This turn spiked a new confidence in my sweet Flo and I loved watching it emerge. It was borderline fiesty, but always kind. That didn't mean that she didn't respectfully speak out or turn down roles that went against her core values, which she had the luxury to do because she didn't need the money. I think that's what made her choices in roles and her performances even more impressive- she didn't have to work, but she loved her job, so she did.

Florence is good about taking time to see each of her siblings every year, but she ends up in Los Angeles the most for work, so she and Milo have become close over the year, especially after his struggles. When he could shut out everyone else in the family, he was unable to shut out the sunshine that is Florence. Though she visits everyone, August gets more time than anyone else.

Her close relationship with August never ceased. They were cut from the same fabric so early on, and they have continued to bond over that, even from opposite sides of the world. Florence travels often to London to visit August and his family with her own family in tow. She and Thomas have three boys. Edward, Louis (after her favorite uncle) and Arthur that keep them very busy.

She enlisted her brother, over her own mother to design their house in Vancouver, but that didn't surprise me. I did get brought in with the interior, as the exterior and the actual structure is more August's thing and the interior is usually his wife, but she was busy running their company back home. Florence knew exactly what she wanted and the house turned out beautifully, and getting that time with both of them working on the project is something I will always cherish.

Florence, over the years, won FOUR Oscar's for best actress, or best supporting actress, before shifting gears to join Thomas behind the camera to direct a few years after the birth of her third son. She has been nominated for best director twice, but never won, and she's just fine with that. Her sun is still shining, like always.

Florence was the easiest child to raise. Yes, even easier than August was and I can say that because even her siblings would tell you that. She continues to be a joy to parent, even as we both age well into adulthood. Her sun shines every time she walks through my front door and I am a better person because if it- because of her.