Between first meet up and dinner

Folk börjar röra sig ut från biblioteket för att göra sig iordning för middagen. Samtalet med Cora tynger henne fortfarande, det gjorde så ont att se hennes syster så liten och osäker. Hon behöver berätta för någon, hon tittar mellan sina föräldrar alla tre. Vem skulle klara det just nu? De verkar så sköra, det är så konstigt att se. De är ju de vuxna. Det är de som vet vad som skall göras. Connie's blick landar på Francis, han har alltid varit hennes klippa, den som håller huvudet kallt när resten är dramatiska. Hon sträcker ut en hand mot honom.
"Francis a word please?"

"Of course, dear girl, what's the matter?" Han följer med henne åt sidan bort till ett av de stora fönstren så att de kan tala ostört. "I hope there's nothing the matter with you and Athine?"

"Oh no not at all we are very happy together. It's Cora" Connie ser sig om för att försäkra sig att de är ensamma.
"She figured it out. You, dad and mum. Like no more than an hour ago. I talked to her but..." Connie blir tyst lite osäker på hur hon skall säga det

Francis stelnar till lite och drar sedan fingrarna genom håret med en suck. "...but she didn't take it terribly well?" Han ler lite i en blandning av sorgset och nervöst. "I had planned to speak to her about it now whilst we're all home but she's such a clever girl so I should have known it was only a matter of time until she worked it out on her own." Han tittar ut genom fönstret en stund, vet inte riktigt hur han ska hantera det om ytterligare ett av barnen är lika argt och sårat som Mikey. "We've never wanted to hurt any of you, you know... we're just flawed in our own ways." Han kikar mot Connie igen "I'll need to talk with her. Was she very hurt? Or angry?"

"I think she took it as well as possible. She's happy for you, doesn't care that you are three." Connie tar ett djupt andetag
"But also very hurt. Questioning her parentage and how/if she belongs. Apparently Micky showed up at school during his hysterical fit babbling about her having your eyes. I think he scared her a bit."

Francis nickar tyst medan hon talar. "You're a good girl for talking it through with her, Connnie... but yes, I really do need to talk to her and soon. Poor darling Cora, of course she belongs. I hate to think that she thinks anything else."

"Tomorrow, we agreed she would talk to you all tomorrow." Connie drar efter andan, samlar sig och säger bestämt.
"You need to tell Will too. I... I can't take having to calm down another sibling over this. It breaks my heart and and and I never got this upset over this so it makes it so much harder"

"Thank you. This should never have landed on your shoulders, my girl, but thank you." Francis klappar Connie på axeln. "We'll talk to her tomorrow, and we'll make sure to tell Will as well." Han ler lite mot henne. "No, you took it all remarkably well, didn't you? Perhaps we got spoiled by how well you took it all."

Connie ger Francis en kram och kurar ihop sig mot honom som när hon var liten.
"Please don't tell mum and dad tonight, I want this dinner to be happy."

"I won't. We'll talk about it tomorrow instead." Lovar Francis och kramar henne tillbaka. "Don't you worry, just enjoy the evening and your father being back home."

"Thank you," Connie drar sig tillbaka.
"I guess I should go clean up and change for dinner. And smoosh my fiancé" Hon ler lite snett

Det får Francis att skratta. "Yes, that last part is probably the most important, so you'd better not forget to do so."