Post by Liessel on Mar 28, 2024 11:30:03 GMT -5
“Cora, please! You cannot keep doing this to yourself!”
Winston’s voice echoed to her through the grand foyer of their stately home in London. She was dressed to go out, black still from head to toe. She had worn the color every day since the loss of her grandaughter. She was not alone in ther mourning. Winston still wore his black armband, as well.
“She is out there, Winston!” Cora snapped, turning to face her husband as he stood less than ten feet away from her. He had been following her through the spacious rooms, meaning to catch her up by the arm once he got close enough. She had beat him to it, stopping on her own and twisting around as she threw a hand out toward her side, out toward the large and wide windows that looked out over the avenue, “She is out there, stuck in that place, and she needs our help! I cannot just leave her there!”
Winston came forward, his arms opening to embrace his wife as her voice began to tremble. “I know,” He told her as he got closer, “But you cannot help her by running yourself ragged! You will not help her by running yourself in circles either. I know who you were going out there in the hopes of finding. But, Cora, London is a big city. It’s doubtful that we’ll see that card reader again.”
“But we have to do something, Winston!” His arms closed around her and Cora did not brace herself against it. She melted into the hug and found her own arms being drawn up in answer, wrapping around the warmth of the man she loved, “The solicitor has had no news. There’s been nothing new! I cannot just sit by and wait like this!”
“I know,” He told her gently, his hug a firm one, “But you are not young anymore, my dear. Neither am I. Neither of us can go running after the wind and expect to keep our feet beneath us. Besides, my dearest, it has not yet been two days. Give the young man the time that he needs to get in contact with his people.”
The old woman released herself from the hug, drawing her arms back swiftly and stepping away from Winston Hodgkins with a quick turn, “How can you ask me to be patient?! Winston,” She made a quick turn back his way, “You know very well what will happen to her! We could lose her! We have lost her! If we wait much longer --”
“But its only another day,” He was trying to keep himself calm, but he was feeling the pressure of this, too. Mary had been a blessing to all of their lives. She had been so tiny when she was born that he had feared holding her, she looked so fragile. But as she grew, and he came to see her smiles and hear her laughs, Winston had had no choice but to fall in love with the child. She’d won his heart the moment she had looked up at him and smiled his way for the first time, “We can give the young man that much.”
Cora’s frown was deep, and it came with a shaking of her head and a dismissive wave. A small “Pah.” came from her lips but she hadn’t started for the door again.
“Just a little bit longer, Cora,” Winston said again, “If we don’t hear from him within the next few days, we’ll go out searching again. How does that sound?”
“Miserable, wretched --” She sighed heavily and let her shoulders drop before moving back in toward Winston for another hug, “And like an utter waste of precious time. But I will do as you ask, husband. I just pray that we are not wasting time for nothing.”
Winston’s voice echoed to her through the grand foyer of their stately home in London. She was dressed to go out, black still from head to toe. She had worn the color every day since the loss of her grandaughter. She was not alone in ther mourning. Winston still wore his black armband, as well.
“She is out there, Winston!” Cora snapped, turning to face her husband as he stood less than ten feet away from her. He had been following her through the spacious rooms, meaning to catch her up by the arm once he got close enough. She had beat him to it, stopping on her own and twisting around as she threw a hand out toward her side, out toward the large and wide windows that looked out over the avenue, “She is out there, stuck in that place, and she needs our help! I cannot just leave her there!”
Winston came forward, his arms opening to embrace his wife as her voice began to tremble. “I know,” He told her as he got closer, “But you cannot help her by running yourself ragged! You will not help her by running yourself in circles either. I know who you were going out there in the hopes of finding. But, Cora, London is a big city. It’s doubtful that we’ll see that card reader again.”
“But we have to do something, Winston!” His arms closed around her and Cora did not brace herself against it. She melted into the hug and found her own arms being drawn up in answer, wrapping around the warmth of the man she loved, “The solicitor has had no news. There’s been nothing new! I cannot just sit by and wait like this!”
“I know,” He told her gently, his hug a firm one, “But you are not young anymore, my dear. Neither am I. Neither of us can go running after the wind and expect to keep our feet beneath us. Besides, my dearest, it has not yet been two days. Give the young man the time that he needs to get in contact with his people.”
The old woman released herself from the hug, drawing her arms back swiftly and stepping away from Winston Hodgkins with a quick turn, “How can you ask me to be patient?! Winston,” She made a quick turn back his way, “You know very well what will happen to her! We could lose her! We have lost her! If we wait much longer --”
“But its only another day,” He was trying to keep himself calm, but he was feeling the pressure of this, too. Mary had been a blessing to all of their lives. She had been so tiny when she was born that he had feared holding her, she looked so fragile. But as she grew, and he came to see her smiles and hear her laughs, Winston had had no choice but to fall in love with the child. She’d won his heart the moment she had looked up at him and smiled his way for the first time, “We can give the young man that much.”
Cora’s frown was deep, and it came with a shaking of her head and a dismissive wave. A small “Pah.” came from her lips but she hadn’t started for the door again.
“Just a little bit longer, Cora,” Winston said again, “If we don’t hear from him within the next few days, we’ll go out searching again. How does that sound?”
“Miserable, wretched --” She sighed heavily and let her shoulders drop before moving back in toward Winston for another hug, “And like an utter waste of precious time. But I will do as you ask, husband. I just pray that we are not wasting time for nothing.”