Generations: The Long Game

The Wait is Almost Over

The Wait

She sat at her desk in her study fidgeting with the rings on her left hand as she listened to the message again. Trying to discern any minor fluctuations in the woman's voice. Any sign that hope was dashed. Any sign that hope still lived.

Mrs. Fortune Knight I was hoping I would catch you at home, but it seems I've missed you. If you get this after five today, please call me on Monday. I'm sure I will speak to you soon.

The woman's tone was flat. There was no signs. No signals. Absolutely no fluctuations, but she knew that. She had listened at least thirty times in the last few days. Their weekend had not been as calming as she had hoped. It was as if the dark cloud formerly placed there by her father had settled over her head once again. She had lost her patience more times than she would like to admit. Winter, Reece, Marjorie and even poor Genevieve had been on the receiving end of her moods.

She rubbed at the center of her chest trying to work loose the guilt and anxiety as she waited for nine o'clock. Her attention shifted when she heard the soft knock on the door. He cautiously opened the door sending a new wave of guilt to her chest causing her to flush. "Wint?" He stepped just inside. "I was just going to take Lili into nursery. I've brought you ... well I thought you might like some coffee."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you my sweet." He shuffled his feet unsure of himself. "My love it will be ..." Her eyes snapped to his. "Okay? Is that what you were going to say? It isn't though Winter. It isn't going to be okay for Charlie. It isn't going to be okay for Genevieve. It isn't going to be okay for ..." She trailed off staring blankly at the phone unable to focus her eyes. He took her hand from across the desk and gave it a gentle squeeze attempting to reassure her. "It won't be okay for me or any of us if I've messed this up Winter."

"Autumn..." She cut him off with a wave of her hand. "My sweet you better get Lili to nursery so you can get back before nine. I am calling them on the dot. I can't..." He looked at her knowingly. "I'll be back soon." As he closed the door behind him, she looked down at the monitor on her desk and watched their son sleep as she played the message once more.

The Call

Her hand shook as she dialed the number. She didn't really know why Winter still wasn't back, but she couldn't wait. She had to know. As the phone rang, she fidgeted with the edge of her planner nearly tearing the corner off several pages before shoving it away.

When she heard the familiar voice her chest tightened, but before the woman even finished her greeting, the brunette began to speak. "Listen before we go any further, I want to say something. I know I made myself look cold and heartless, but I do love my family. I love my husband. We love our children, and we love Charlie and Genevieve. We are already their family and they are already ours. If you keep us apart, it would be the greatest injustice of your career. We ... we already love them. We already love him."

"Mrs Fortune-Knight we are glad to hear you so impassioned, but ..."

"No, no 'but'. Listen to me you cannot do this. You cannot separate us from them. From him. I know how I must have made it sound. I do. I know, but ..."

Winter walked into the study and watched as she became more panicked. She continued speaking as if filling the space with words was her only lifeline. He looked at the phone on the desk as the other woman tried to interject. "Mrs. Fortune-Knight." He looked to Autumn who hadn't stopped talking. "Mrs. Fortune-Knight." He touched her hand trying to calm her and bring her back from the frenzy she had worked herself into. The woman's voice came through again. "Autumn!!!"

She squeezed his hand tightly and closed her eyes as her own voice trailed off. "Mrs. Fortune-Knight as I was saying. We are glad to see you are impassioned, but our decision has already been made."

The Decision

"We are taxed with taking all the information and making the best decision possible for all parties, but we must focus on safeguarding the minor and providing the best outcome for them. In my career I have seen very few unrelated potential families as closely bonded as your family has become with not only Charles, but also his grandmother. Your financials are all in order and your home is more than sufficient."

He could see his wife's jaw clenching as she tried to still herself for what he knew she thought was the inevitable outcome. She still held his hand tightly preventing him from trying to move around either side of the desk. He tried to smooth his furrowed brow not wanting her to see his optimism crack. He flashed her a smile and squeezed her hand. He could see the tears welling in her eyes as they listened to their fate ... Charlie's fate be laid out in front of them.

"We were concerned that your focus on your son the day of our visit would detract from the attention you would be able to give to such a young child as Charles. We took into consideration that your daughter was also well taken care of and the staff at her nursery had nothing but good things to say about both you and Mr. Fortune-Knight. We are however aware that they are in your employ, so special attention was taken to assure that coercion had not occurred. We are now confident there was none."

Her own words swirled in her mind as she tried to focus on the woman's voice. Her mind trying to formulate a plan to mitigate the damage to Charlie. To Genevieve. She could support them. Her mind just couldn't focus on how just yet, but if being raised by Roger had taught her anything, it was that money can carve out a path that was previously closed off. She didn't see a way yet, but she would fix this.

"Mrs. Fortune-Knight are you still there?" Winter shook at the hand he was holding. "My love?" She blinked moving her focus to him and then back to the phone. "Yes. Yes I am still here." The woman cleared her throat and continued. "Our interviews were conducted with both the two of you and Mr. Knight's family. We understand from Mrs. Knight that you spend a portion of your day there caring for and bonding with not only Charles but also his grandmother. She offered anecdotes about your time spent with all three children that we found very helpful in our decision making process."

Her mind shot to her bat in the boot of her car. If Marjorie has said anything to hurt their case, the Peugeot Reece just bought her was going to be scrap. The look on her face made Winter wonder if he could run faster then her or dial the phone fast enough for Reece to stop her. He knew she wouldn't hit Marjorie, but her new Peugeot was just too pretty for scrap. He shook his head at her trying to warn her off the thoughts he knew were in her head.

"So all that being said, I will fax all this information to your solicitor as soon as we hang up. You have been approved. Your appointment for family court is the fourth of April."

"Say that again." The tears streaming down her face in hot trails were already landing in a puddle on her blouse.

"You have been approved. Congratulations to you and your family."