Chapter Seven - Veronaville
Content warning: This story contains mature themes and is not be suitable for minors. For this chapter, swearing and adult references.
2/7 Chorus Court, East Veronaville
The last two months had been an entirely new experience for Kaylynn. Since their first dinner, Consort had courted her in a manner she had thought only existed in romance novels. The bouquets of flowers and candlelit dinners were a far cry from the blatant sexual advances of Don or Daniel. That being said, she couldn’t help but feel the familiar thrill that came from the possibility of being caught in the rare moments Consort would uncharacteristically whisk her away from her cleaning duties.
Despite the fact they were in a relationship, his granddaughter Hermia had been, in Consort’s words, “in a perpetually foul mood,” and they had not yet made it known to his family. Hence Kaylynn’s surprise when he told her she should visit at the weekend and be properly introduced as his girlfriend.
“I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t sure Kaylynn,” he reminded her sternly, “If you think it’s too soon though, I understand.”
“No, it’s not that, at all,” she said hurriedly. “I just, well, I’ve never been introduced to someone’s family before,” she finished sheepishly.
Her smile widen of its own accord as he pulled her a little closer to his side and he let out a chuckle.
At first Kaylynn had been troubled by Consort’s rapid shifts in mood. But she had quickly realised that the parts of him that were curt with wait staff and made irritable by indecision, were the same characteristics that made him appear in control and made her feel that she was, for the first time, being taken care of. He also knew her desire for a family, and confessed that after the loss of so much of his own, the idea of having a child appealed to him greatly. Yet while in so many ways he could offer her what she longed for, she knew their time together would be limited.
Consort had told her she needed to carefully consider whether or not she would regret a decision to have a baby knowing she would be left, after his death, to care for it alone. She had told him she could never regret a decision to have a child. His satisfied smile and invitation for the weekend assured her that her response was the one he had hoped for.
Capp Manor, East Veronaville
Hermia had escaped from the insanity downstairs by saying she had homework she had to do. She thought the whole thing was ridiculous, if her grandfather wanted to diddle the maid, she didn’t see why he had to make such a production about it. She rolled her eyes remembering his words, “I care for Kaylynn very deeply and expect that she will be received in this household in a manner appropriate to that.”
Yeah, there was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, Hermia thought to herself. But then again she had to admit that her response, asking if that applied when she was cleaning their toilets, had been pretty disgraceful. She was pretty sure she had seen a vein in Consort’s forehead actually pulse he’d been so furious. Before he could speak, she’d quickly apologised, blamed PMS and excused herself.
“I wish,” she muttered. She looked down and tentatively lay a hand on her stomach, “this family is the fucking Old and the Beautiful. I’m sorry that all your sane family is dead,” she said quietly.
The knock at the door gave her such a surprise she literally jumped out of her chair, after catching her breath she shakily called out “yeah, come in.”
She was surprised when her grandfather’s girlfriend came in and gently closed the door behind her. After her performance downstairs she was expecting it to be Consort coming to read her the riot act. At the rate she was going, she was going to be kicked out even before she told him she was knocked up.
Kaylynn wasn’t sure how to approach the teenager. The young girl Consort had become guardian too, Bottom, was very friendly but Hermia had been unreceptive, to put it mildly. Consort had been eerily silent before declaring he would be back shortly with his granddaughter to apologise properly. Kaylynn, suspecting that she probably appeared as a Dina-Caliente-style-gold-digger to the teenager, had asked to talk to her instead, to which Consort had reluctantly agreed.
Hermia placed her hands on her hips to prevent herself from placing a hand on her stomach for comfort. She’d caught herself doing it unconsciously few times over the last month and decided such a telling gesture was the last thing she needed to do now.
Kaylynn couldn’t help notice the offensive posture Hermia had taken but could only feel sorry for the young woman in front of her. From what Consort had told her she had already experienced tremendous loss even before recent events. “I wanted to talk to you, personally, about your grandfather and I. I know it might seem strange, but we really do care for each other,” she said gently.
Hermia look at Kaylynn disbelievingly, she’d been utterly rude to the woman and yet she was here trying to what, console her, about dating her grandfather? It didn’t make any sense to Hermia and was giving her a headache. “Look, that’s great, but it’s really none of my business,” she said abruptly. “I really have to get this homework done,” she finished turning back towards her computer.
Kaylynn sighed and turned towards the door, but not before softly telling Hermia that if she changed her mind, she would still really like the chance to talk with her.
Hermia felt a stab of guilt realising she had been completely obnoxious yet again. She had nothing against Kaylynn, in fact she seemed perfectly nice, rather insipid really. Unfortunately she had just fallen into the firing line of Hermia’s grief and hormones.
She muttered a curse under her breath before asking Kaylynn to wait. “I’m sorry. I’ve been completely unfair, and incredibly rude, and I really am sorry.”
The two women turned back to face each other and Hermia continued, “things have just been really hard and I’ve been taking it out on everyone, but that’s no excuse. If it makes you happy being with gramps, that’s great,” her voice wavered a little, “I mean, why would I want to stand in the way of that? So again I’m really sorry and I’ll try to redirect my shitty attitude elsewhere.”
Kaylynn was perplexed by the unexpected emotion in Hermia’s apology but found herself fighting the maternal urge to take the girl into her arms and comfort her. Instead she settled on thanking her for her apology and asking if she was okay.
“Yeah, sorry, that’s the end of my rant,” Hermia weakly attempted to assure her.
“Hermia, I would never try and force my way into your life, but if I can help in anyway, please at least consider asking,” she said, although suspected that Hermia wasn’t the type who liked to ask for help. “I know I’ll never replace your mother in your life, but I-” Kaylynn paused as Hermia turned pale. It didn’t take her long to guess why the word ‘mother’ would cause the teenager to stress. “Are you pregnant?”
Hermia’s eyes widen momentarily at Kaylynn’s frighteningly astute observation, “What gave it away?” she asked tensely.
“The way your face blanched when I said the word ‘mother’. Also that you’ve gone from wearing corsets and the like to loose tops and jackets,” she replied.
She was more perceptive than Hermia had given her credit for, “fair enough.”
“I’m hoping I can also put you being such a bitch downstairs down to mood swings,” Kaylynn added with raised eyebrows.
Hermia actually let out a bark of laughter in amusement, she certainly had to give the woman credit for calling her out on her behaviour. “Also fair,” she acknowledged.
Kaylynn wasn’t sure what Hermia found amusing but was too concerned to focus on it, “What are you going to do?” she asked worriedly.
“I’m about three months along, not that there was ever another option,” Hermia replied plainly.
“I meant in terms of school, and raising the baby,” she clarified. “Is the father, um, involved,” he asked as delicately as possible.
Her heart physically hurt as she thought of Puck, “He’s dead,” she said bluntly.
Kaylynn’s heart broke for the girl before her, and wondered if it’d been in the same fire as her family. Consort hadn’t mentioned anything about a boyfriend. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered sincerely.
She was so sick of hearing people telling her how sorry they were. “Why, it wasn’t your fault,” she muttered.
“When are you going to tell your grandfather?” Kaylynn asked after a moment.
“You’re fucking full of questions aren’t you?” Hermia snapped.
Kaylynn listened to her outburst patiently which only made Hermia feel worse, “sorry. I just, don’t know okay? I’m not exactly looking forward to that conversation. I don’t know if you’ve seen his temper but it ain’t pretty.”
While she didn’t want to think there was such an ugly side to Consort, she could see his granddaughter was certainly daunted by the prospect of delivering her news. “What if I was there?” she asked. “We can tell him together, or I can tell him, but I think you need to be there.”
“You’d do that?” Hermia questioned.
“I might not be able to be your mother, but I can be your friend,” Kaylynn told her.
Hermia paused, “You can start as friend of a friend, and I’ll see how it goes from there,” she said dryly.
Kaylynn smiled and gently placing an arm around the girl’s shoulders, lead her downstairs.
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Kaylynn couldn’t help but be concerned by his seeming lack of emotion. While she certainly hadn’t been expecting him to be exuberant about his teenage granddaughter’s pregnancy, he hadn’t appeared to seem disappointed, or even angry as Hermia had so feared. He’d responded by chastising her for being bloody careless before tersely telling her he expected her to continue her studies and that once it was born, she would be expected to take full responsibility for the child’s needs. Hermia had accepted his declaration without a moment’s hesitation, mouthed thankyou in Kaylynn’s direction before escaping once more to her room.
“Are you okay? You haven’t said anything,” she asked gently.
Consort sighed and looked up at Kaylynn, “I feel I’ve failed her, she felt she couldn’t tell me. I’m not sure what she would have done if you’d not been there for her.”
“You haven’t failed her, I’m sure she was just intimidated,” she didn’t want to admit that it had been mostly by him, “by the uncertainty of it all.”
“All the same, thank you for being there for her.”
“I’m here for you too,” she assured him, “and I’m not going anywhere.”
“Then perhaps this can be done today,” he muttered, before shifting from the couch and lowering himself on to one knee. “I’d been considering asking you today already,” he told her honestly as he reached into his pocket. He let out a short laugh, “and it does seem to be the day for big announcements.”
Kaylynn watched as he knelt in front of her, suddenly more aware of her heart as it fluttered wildly.
“I know we’ve only known each other for a short period, but sadly time is a luxury I can ill afford. You’ve seen myself, and this family, for what it is, and yet still pledge to stay. While I’m not sure it’s an honour I deserve, will you consent to being my wife.”
Kaylynn let out a cry of delight, “Of course I do. Now get off the floor you silly man.”
He chuckled but indeed raised himself up and wordlessly slipped the ring on her finger. She smiled wildly and after taking a moment to admire it, threw her arms around Consort’s neck. After holding him tightly for a moment she slowly released him never taking her eyes off him. “I’m not sure you can possibly know how happy I am right now,” she told him breathlessly. She was getting everything she had ever wanted. She was going to be a wife, and hopefully even a mother, and she was going to have a family.
Consort looked into his fiancés eyes and was surprised by what he saw reflected there. It wasn’t the aging relic with a heavy conscious that he saw when he looked in the mirror, but a man filled with hope. The Capp family would rise again.