Departure Lounge (Completed)

Moving On

**Unedited**

It had been two weeks since I sat at the café and Ben told me he was going to sign over his rights as father therefore allowing me to legally adopt the girls with no problems. It was perfect I had everything ready; I had no problem using my father uses connections to get the process to move along and with Mrs Smith's help the papers were already signed and the girls were going to be picked-up tomorrow. I had so much planned for us, with only a few days till Christmas, there was so much things I wanted to do with them, ice skating, take them to see Santa-so much to do and so little time.

Over the time Ben and I have met two times outside of the lawyers. We had managed to develop a sort of relationship-it wouldn't be horrible to say that we had become friends but in any case it was working. We both thought it was important to develop a good standing with each other if this share custody was going to work. It wasn't the traditional agreement but Ben was happy with the terms- now it was just to make sure that the girls see us getting along.

Everyone, meaning my family and the staff of the manor, was over the moon about the news and decided that in order to mark the special occasion we would have a small party but thankfully I convinced them that it would be too much with Christmas just around the corner. There was just too much going on and after so long without the girls I preferred to have quiet time at home enjoying our first Christmas together as a family.

Nate was also very happy with the news, at least that's what his email said. I didn't have the courage to even talk to him over the phone much less to see him face-to-face. Cowardly I know but I wasn't ready to face him-maybe one day we could go back to the way things were before we all this mess-well at least I could hope.

"Excuse Miss Claire, would you mind holding that door for me." One of maids asked

"Yes of course Jesse." I opened the door and watched her manoeuvre  her way into the kitchen carrying boxes, which from the writing on the box, was heavy with our silverware. "You should have one of the men carry those."

"Oh it's fine-besides they are too busy carrying the heavier stuff." She pointed across the foyer and I could see them moving the furniture around.

"Any idea just how much persons my mother invited to this year's Christmas Eve party?"

"Well you didn't hear it from me but I heard that your mother is still planning a welcome home party for your girls." She smiled as she began t unpack the box to begin the washing and then polishing of the cutlery.

"Why am I not surprised," I moved to help her, "My mother always gets her way."

"You don't need to do that, please Ms Claire."

"Oh please let me, I need to keep busy-with the girls home tomorrow I am edge." She nodded her head once and continued separating the cutlery according to type.

I was staying at the manor the last week, my mother insisting that as it was Christmas I should be with family and that it would be good or Amy and Emily to have a traditional Romanos Christmas. And naturally, mother always got her way. I was just about to start with cleaning the dessert forks when the doorbell rang, knowing that the staff was too busy running around trying to keep up with my mother's grandiose plans for the party, I decided to answer the door.

"You stay, I will get it." I had assumed it was some type of delivery but instead it was Marc standing on my parents front steps; I wish I could say that I was surprised to see him but to be honest after all the calls over the past week and my avoidance of all of them it was only a matter of time before he shut up my front door. I am actually surprised he hadn't sooner.