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celia fitz glanced at the small clock placed above the mantle and frowned. "percy! you need to get going — it's already ten to nine!" her soft yet commanding voice bounded off the walls of their small home.
"right, right, i'm about to head out stop your yapping would you?" percy fitz replied to his older sister who just shook her head at him.
following him to the front door, celia wanted to make sure he had all of his things before heading out for work. percy was one of the most forgetful people she had ever met, a trait he inherited from his father no doubt.
the young man gave his sister a quick hug before yanking open the front door, only to be met by a finely dressed woman standing there with her fist raised and ready to knock. her eyes widened as she stared at the man in front of her. "percy lewis fitz - i cant believe it. you look just like your father, god rest his soul."
the woman's familiar eyes traveled before resting on celia. "celia jane. dear lord, you haven't changed a bit."
celia fitz rushed forward and wrapped her arms around the woman tightly, receiving the same back. "polly," celia whispered into the neck of the woman.
the two women hugged for a moment before separating. "percy, i assume you were headed to work. go on ahead, i have business to discuss with your sister," polly spoke before giving the tall man a hug. percy glanced at his sister once more before stepping out of the door.
"i can take your coat and hat if you'd like," celia offered as polly shrugged out of her dark blue pinstripe coat and black floppy hat. the girl hung it up on the coat rack before guiding polly into the sitting room. "would you like something to drink? tea? whiskey?" the slightly nervous girl suggested.
"i'll take a whiskey, thanks." polly said as she took a seat. celia glided over to the small cart off to the side and made the older woman up a drink. once she handed it over, celia sat down besides her and folded her hands in her lap.
polly shifted and stared at the girl at her side. a small silver cross necklace caught the older woman's eye and her hand reached up, grabbing it softly and turning it around. a small j was etched onto the flat back. "you still wear it?" the woman asked with a raised brow as she let it drop back against celia's chest.
the girl instinctively reached up and wrapped her slender fingers around the cross, caressing it gently. "of course. it has much more meaning than you think, pol."
polly hummed in response. that reaction was something celia was used to. that was the only noise polly would make when teenage john shelby first started bringing the fitz girl around the shelby home. the last time she heard that hum was almost six years ago.
"i've come her to ask you something. i want you to watch over and help take care of johns kin." polly said bluntly. celia's eyes almost bulged out of her head.
"i'm sorry - you want me to take care of john shelby's motherless children?"
"precisely," polly stated. "i'm sure you know that after the war he met martha. she died a few years ago during the birth of their youngest. you know how john reacts to things and he hasn't been well. those children are running circles around him."
celia frowned and stared down at her hands. "does he know you're here?" she asked.
"i could ask the same of you, but of course not. but i know you. you are a natural caretaker, have been ever since you were a child. those children could really use someone like you to help put some order back in their life. if you won't do it for john do it for the sake of the children." polly stared into celia's eyes, watching for her reaction.
"i- i suppose i could do it. for the children's sake of course," celia said with a small smile.
