Faith 's Journey Home Chapter 6
AO3
Her parents look at each other. Claire starts, “Bree, she is a miracle restored. Recall I told you about our first child, Faith?” Bree, not taken her eyes off the stranger with her face, nods. “Well, she is her. This is Faith.”
“Faith died. Was buried in Paris.” Said through numb lips. For even as her rational mind denies it, her heart sees her sister in the lady asleep by the strange man.
“So, we thought.” Her da says. “But, we were wrong. See, the lad, he brought her back to us.”
“He was known to us in Paris, a friend. He was their in la hospital de Anges. Was there when she was delivered. He saw she wouldn’t , couldn’t live in that time, so he took her to a time where she could. A time of artificial wombs.”
“A time more amazing then your own, Brianna. You should hear her describe the amazing things that kept her alive.”
“Truly extraordinary. Now, he has returned her. He is dying,” her Mama’s voice turns sad, “cancer. He brought her back to us. A miracle.”
Bree shakes her head. “He kept her all that time and brought her back now, now that he won’t be around anymore?”
“Just so. I reacted badly to the news. Almost hit her aiming for him. But once he explained..”
“How did explain? How could he justify keeping her for himself?” Jamie sees his temper raising in her. He wraps his arms about her.
“Recall what we told you about the time after she came. The war, Culloden, I returning your mama and you to her time, hiding in caves, given myself up, prison, all that.”
She relaxes some at his logical words.
“It is what kept me from returning. Faith, he raised her well and she has training in medicine that I don’t know . She became a nurse, working with babies like she was. He brought her home after she would be safe and have training that will help here.”
She relaxes farther. “Alright, I accept that.” Jamie let’s her go and she walks over to Faith. Her hand reaches down to touch her hair. It wakes her.
Faith opens her eyes to see a lass that could almost be her identical twin staring down at her. “Brianna?”
Bree’s face splits into a smile. “Faith?” She kneels down by her and the sister are in each other’s arms, hugging tightly.
Their parents watch, wiping tears off their faces. “I always wanted a sister.” Faith confesses against her sister ‘s neck.
“Me too but mama and daddy never, oh you probably don’t know about the time I spent with my other father?”
“I do.” They are both sitting on her bed, holding hands. “Papa and mama told me.”
“You call him papa?”
“Ouí, I was raised in Paris.”
Bree smiles broader. “Fergus will adore you.”
“Our brother. Oh Bree, a family. I love my Uncle Ray,” her eyes turn to the man, still sleeping, on the other bed, “but I really wanted family.”
“Ray?” she turns to her mama, “Is that the Master Raymond you told me about?”
“It is,” her voice cracks., “he saved me and your sister. Now he is dying.”
Bree frowns. “You can’t save him mama?”
A smile through her tears. “No. I love your faith in me but, he has stage four cancer.”
“Uncle Ray has days. He used the last of his strength to get me here.” Bree puts her arms around her. The other lass rests against her. “I am glad to be here, learning about my family, meeting them. But he, he was the only family I knew.”
“I understand. Truly I do. I was happy to meet da, to get to know and love him. But, I still miss daddy. He was the one who taught me to ride a bike, to drive, he was the one I took my first broken heart to. There is something special about a girl and her daddy. He is your father and mother. Has been. It will be quite hard. But we will be here. You won’t be alone. “
Jamie turns away and walks out the door. Claire follows. He is right outside the door, leaning against the wall. She lays her hand on his shoulder. “I know she loves me. That Faith will. It is just..”
“I know. It isn’t fair that you didn’t get to raise your daughters.”
“Aye,” he sighs with a shudder, “I am thankful that they both had men that were fathers to them. Beyond thankful that they are here. That I get to see them have children,” he pauses, “if Faith will. Get to see them as women. Most days it is enough.” He rests his head on the wall. “ I know why Bree is telling her about Frank. It is good. I am glad.”
“It is just hard to hear.”
“Aye.” He turns to her, with a watery smile.
“Mama!” Faith is standing at the door, her face bone white, “Uncle Ray, he is..” Claire doesn’t wait for the rest. She hurries in. Faith stands there for a minute, staring mutely into space. Jamie comes over to her. He holds her against him. She grips onto his shirt.
“Do you wish to go back in?” She nods against him. He leads her in, keeping ahold of her.
Claire stands over her patient. Bree stands off to the side. Raymond is still breathing. Jamie can her it over the silence. Labored but there. “Faith, if there is anything you need to say.” Claire says.
Jamie leads her over to him. He starts to leave her but, she clings to him so he stays. “Uncle Ray, thank you, thank you for sacrificing your life for mine. Thank you for the acceptance. For bringing me home.”
“Faith, seeing to you,” a pulled in breath, “was the best thing I did.”
“I love you Uncle Ray!” She holds on to his cold hand with one hand, her papa’s with the other.
“I love you Faith. I always will.” He finds a bit more strength, “Lord Fraser, your daughter, see to her.”
“I will. I swear it.”
“Madonna, I will look in on you.”
She kneels on his other side. A smile as her tears fall. She lifts the hand she holds and kisses it. “I know.”
“It is time.” He closes his eyes and takes a breath that he doesn’t let out.
“Uncle Ray!” Oh god.” She weeps against his body. Jamie holds her back. Bree, crying freely joins her mama, also weeping. Raymond is grieved by the people who loved him most and their daughter/ sister and papa.
“Did he have any religious beliefs, any specific instructions on his burial?” Jamie asks. A few hours after his passing and she is ready to plan it.
“He believed in God. Said that the wonder of the world, the miracle of me, that there had to be a bigger force then us to… God was real to him. But, we never really attended any specific church.”
“You weren’t baptized!” Jamie is alarmed. He is thinking of a way to get that done, when she answers.
“I was. By the hospital Chaplin, as soon as I was strong enough.”
“Thank God.”
Claire pats her husband’s hand. “Brianna’s husband is a minister. He can preform the service, if that is alright?”
“Yes that’s, he just wanted to be where I could visit him.” Her voice has the dazed tone of her shock.
“He shall be.” Claire assures her.
After he had died, Faith sat by his side for a hour, weeping over him. Her sister sat beside her, not speaking, just being there. Claire waits, her own eyes red with grief, to see to him. When she is ready, Bree takes her out and sits by her as their mama, prepares his body for burial. His eyes are shut, his body washed and dressed, his arms crossed. He is then wrapped up. Jamie left to build a coffin.
“Shall I go fetch Roger?” Her mama nods.
“I knew, there is a comfort in that. It wasn’t sudden and unexpected. We had time to prepare, to say goodbye. I am thankful but..”
Bree enters the cabin. Her son run up to meet her. “Mama!” She lifts him up and holds him close. Alive and so warm. Roger stands with a frown. His wife looks pale and wan.
“Didn’t your mama react excited to our news?”
Right. That was the reason she was visiting to tell her and da about the new baby. “I didn’t get a chance to tell them. “
“What’s wrong?”
“The most incredible thing. Faith is here!”
“Who?”
“Faith, recall the baby mama had in Paris?”
Roger frowns farther as she sits Jemmy down and he runs off to play. “Aye, she died, right?”
“We all assumed so but no. She didn’t.” She explains about Master Raymond and he taken her to a future of amazing things, like artificial wombs. About their return, his cancer and death. “So, they need you to preform the service.”
He sits, wide eyed and mouth open. “It is a lot. Of course, I will. It is just, your sister, assumed dead, is at your parents house grieving the man who raised her?”
Bree nods. “I know. It is a lot. Come, she needs us and I want to introduce Jem.”
“Aye this will be interesting. Come Jeremiah, we are going to the big house.”
“See Granny and grampa?”
“Aye, and a surprise.” He takes his hand and his wife’s. They head out and walk towards the house.
Claire greets them. “How is she?” Bree asks as Jemmy yells out, “Granny!”
She lifts him up before answering. “Still in a bit of shock. I have given her some chamomile tea. Something stronger may be needed to help her sleep.” She turns towards Roger. “Thank you Roger. I assume Bree has told you?”
“Aye, quite an interesting series of events. Where is she?”
“This way.” She carries her grandson. His parents follow. Roger stops dead at the sight of the lass. There is a few differences between his wife and her but they are subtle. From his granny’s arms, Jemmy stares at the stranger and then back to his mama. Back and forth, his head turns.
“Granny, why is there two Mama’s?” Claire has to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“Jeremiah, this is your Aunt Faith, your Mama’s sister.” Faith stands and gives the little boy watery smile.
“Hi Jeremiah.”
“Hello.” He says before burying his face in his granny’s chest.
“Faith, meet my husband, Roger Mackenzie. Roger, my sister Faith.”
“It is nice to meet you Faith. I am sorry for your lose.”
“Thank you. He was an incredible man.”
“I will see him laid to rest with dignity.”
She nods, the ever-present tears falling again. He squeezes her shoulder and goes to find Jamie to see about the grave. Jemmy squirms and Claire sits him down. He cautiously walks up to his new aunt. “Why sad?”
She looks at him and sees traces of herself. How extraordinary. “My uncle just went to heaven. I miss him.” Bree and Claire watch this exchange, both ready to help if it is needed.
“Oh. I’m sorry.” He wraps his arms about her legs and hugs them. “Hug help?” Her tears are falling for a different reason now.
“A whole lot.” She picks him up and he holds her. She holds on just as tightly. “A whole whole lot.”
“It can just be us.” Claire is saying. They sit around the parlor as they wait for the men who are digging the grave. The discussion is about those she wants at his funeral service.
“I think that would be good. I want to meet the rest of my family. Just them being there for a service for a man they don’t know, it seems..”
Bree takes her hand. “This is for you, my sister. What do you need? When daddy died, his friends from Harvard were there, those he worked with. But what got me through was the presence of mama. Family. If family is what you need, you and mama, then family is what you shall have.”
Faith let out a breath that leads to a sob. She leans against her sister and nods her head.
“I shall fetch the others then?” Another nod towards her mama. Claire stands and walks out. She sends a young farm hand to round up Fergus and Marsali and their children, Murtagh, and Ian. She then comes back in. “A funeral and then a dinner to help you get to know them and they you. Alright?”
“Perfect.”
They hear them before they see them. Fergus and Marsali ‘s bairns. “Grandnere!” Germaine calls out. The lad stops dead at the sight of Faith. He frowns. “Auntie Bree, non.”
“Non, Germaine this is your Auntie Faith.” Fergus arrives just then. Hearing Claire, he stops dead, his hand holding Joanie’s relaxing.
“Impossible, c’est impossible. Elle mourut. À Paris.”
“That is what we thought. It is a bit of a story.” Claire answers.
Marsali, holding Herni-Christian with Feleciti by her, clinging to her skirt, stops beside him. “Christ Alive. She is almost the split of Brianna.”
“Ouí.” Her husband is still in shock.
“Murtagh and Ian are on the way. Can you await the story until they arrive?”
“If we must.” Fergus replies. He blinks and shakes his head. “I am Fergus, my wife Marsali, our children, Germaine, Joanie, Feleciti and, Henry-Christian.” Marsali smiles and bows as well as she can.
“Faith Claire Beauchamp, or Fraser, I guess. It is so nice to meet you. More family.”
“Why, you have been crying lass.” Marsali notices her eyes.
“Part of the story.”
“Auntie Claire, what is..?” Ian also stops dead. He frankly stares at the new lass. “Not Bree but a Fraser, for sure.”
“Ian Murray meet your cousin, Faith.”
“Faith? But she was..”
“The rumors of my demise were a bit premature.” She replies to the young man with the Scottish accent and the look of a native. “Hello Ian. It looks like you’ve a story also.”
Ian grins. “Aye. Well Faith, it is nice to meet you.”
“What is this about?” Murtagh arrives with Jamie and Roger following. Bree and Jemmy are right behind.
“We are all here. Now we can say.” Claire states as Murtagh gets a look at Faith. He looks from her to Bree and back again. “What the devil!”
“Murtagh, meet our daughter Faith.” Jamie is grinning.
The older man gets a bit pale. Claire sees and leads him to a chair. All the lasses and children find seats while the lads lean against the walls.
“She arrived with a man from my past..” Claire starts out. “So she wants you all here for support and so you can all get to know each other.” She finishes fifteen minutes later.
“Amazing!” Fergus softly says. “I grieved you so. Thought it was my fault that milady lost you. To see you here, alive and well, to have seen all you have and to know all you do.. it is marvelous.”
“I agree with Fergus. We will be with you, mo ghrá.” Marsali adds. She stands and walks up to her. She sits back beside her and takes her hand with the hand not holding Henry-Christian.
“My cousin! Welcome to the family.” Ian calls out.
It is Murtagh ‘s reaction that has her tearing up. He stands, walks up to her and kneels. “My darling Faith. I was there when your mama told your papa you were coming. I was there to tell him that you were gone. Now, God has allowed me to see your return. I know you grief the lose of Master Raymond. We will be there for you. This I swear. In time, if you were allow it, I will be your Godfather, as I am for your papa. When he was a bairn, a day old in your granny’s arms, I swore to see to him, to be by his side until he was a man grown. I have kept that promise and more. I swear the same to you, as I did to your nieces and nephews. You will have me by my side as long as I draw breath.”
She hugs him to herself, her tears dropping on his head. “Yes please Godfather.” All are crying and they still have a funeral to get through.
They stand around her, solemn and still. The children were left in the care of Mrs. Bug. Her parents are on either side, Bree hugs her mama. Roger stands on the other side his head lowered in silent prayer. In the grave before him, Master Raymond lays. He looks up and the service begins.
“We gather here to lay to rest a father and mother, uncle and good mate. Raymond was a special man, brave and true. He saved the lives of two people gathered here and, God alone knows, how many in the future. Courageous enough to risk a Highlanders wrath, he took my sister -in-law to a time that saved her and then brought her back to her parents. That took a level of courageous devotion seldom seen. He brought Faith up to be a strong, loving and, courageous lass herself. His love for and devotion to her and her mama we celebrate here. A good man we are laying to rest today, thankful for all he did and that his suffering is at an end, but nevertheless grieving his loss to us. “
Faith then sings a song unknown to most of her family. In a strong alto, she lifts up, Amazing Grace. Any eye that was dry wasn’t when the last notes ring out. She shovels a spat of dirt over his coffin. Claire follows. The women are then excused while the man finish filling up the grave.
“That was quite lovely.” Marsali comments as they sit in the parlor, “that hymn.” Faith is holding Herni-Christian with Joanie beside her. She smiles down at the baby, a reminder that life goes on.
“Thank you. I thought it appropriate.”
“Aye quite.” Bree, watching Jemmy play vrmms with Germaine and Feliciti, nods.
“It was quite a popular song to be sung at funerals. Roger himself could have before..”
Faith looks up from playing with her youngest nephew. “Before?”
It is her mama that answers. “He was accidentally hung.”
“How in the world can someone be accidentally hung?”
“I will tell you the whole story later sister.” She motions to the children.
“Right.” She returns her attention to Henry-Christian , “You are a healthy and happy little man, aren’t you?”
“He hardly ever cries.” His sister tells her.
“A grand thing. Did you, in your time, have a cure for what ails him?”
“His dwarfism?” she asks Marsali, “no. It is in his genes, like the color of his hair and eyes. It isn’t something that needs a cure, like cancer or sugar sickness. It is just who God made him. No curse.”
“We love him, make no mistake. We just wish his life could be easier.”
His aunt lifts him up and he squeals. “His life will e surrounded by love. When I came out of the hospital, I was four months old but the size of a newborn. I couldn’t do anything the other four month old babies could. But, with Uncle Ray’s love, I caught up. It took awhile. I didn’t walk until I was two, but I did. We are all born with challenges. His is just more obvious. He has us. Marsali, he will do just fine.”
She smiles. “Thank you Faith. I am so happy you are here.”
She smiles too but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She is happy for all her found family but, the death of her uncle still is like a mountain on her heart.
The dining room table is huge. A grand thing as the full Fraser family fills it. Jamie sits at the head with Claire to his right and Faith, the guest of honor, at his left. She wears black of mourning. Her sister and brother, their families, her cousin and Godfather, fill up the other seats. The table is covered with their best china and tons of food. They all sit and Jamie stands. He smiles down at his wife and family.
“To have both my daughters here, my son and heart daughter, the son of my house, my dear nephew, my Godfather and the bairns, it is an incredible privilege. An honor I couldn’t dream of. Faith wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the unselfishness of Raymond. We honor him also. He will forever be a presence at our table. “ He lifts his glass and they all follow suit “Salude!” He is toasted. “I know you grief, mo mighean. We will be here to hold you, listen to you, weep with you.” Claire nods, her own heart heavy at the loss of her mate, “It is a strange mixture of grief and joy, someone lost and another found. We grief his loss while rejoicing at your return to us. Forgive us Faith if you find us to happy, for the sight of you brings it out.”
“Papa, I understand. His death is a weight on my heart but, seeing you, all of you, my family, it brings a lightness to the burden. A light in the darkness of the pain.”
“Aye. We shall bless this food and eat before it gets cold, eh?”
“Aye, Uncle Jamie.” Ian is always hungry.
“Dear Father, Thank ye, we praise ye for the return of our lost Faith. What an amazing gift! Even so, we grief the loss of the lad who raised her. I ask that Raymond be welcomed into Your Kingdom, that he find peace there. He will live forever in the sight of the wonderful lass he raised. Bring comfort, our Lord, to those mourning. Bring strength and unity to our family. Thank you for the gift of the bounty that lays before us. Amen.”
“Amen.” Echoes around the table.
Her plate is filled by her papa. The conversation around her consist of talk of crops, stills and, babies.
“Aye, she is expecting again and with her youngest but six months old.”
“It is running fine, Milord. We should have the first batch in a week.”
“The corn needs planted next.”
She nibbles at her food and just listens. The sounds are that of family.
“I will need to take her aside and talk to her about how to prevent that.”
“That is fine. We will have some to trade when the Indians come round again.”
“He is right da. This is the time it is planted.”
As the plates are cleaned, Bree and Roger share a look. “Ah, if we can have your attention please.” Roger stands and all eyes turn to him. “Bree and I have an announcement.” She stands and joins him. “We are having another baby.”
Claire stands and hurries over to hug her daughter. Then Roger. Jamie stands and cries out, “Congratulations!”
“Blessings cousin.”
“Grand news.”
“Ouí but you have a ways to go before catching up with Marsali and I.”
“Bree, how extraordinary.” Murtagh says.
Faith stands up, walks over to the couple. “I am happy for you both.” She hugs her sister before turning to her papa. “May I be excused?”
“Aye lass.” She gives the group a sad smile before leaving.
6 notes
·
View notes
será que ETHAN HAWTHORNE veio para a nossa oktoberfest? ele aparenta ter VINTE E DOIS anos e soube que atualmente é ESTUDANTE DE DIREITO. admito que existe uma semelhança estranha com JACOB ELORDI . mas sabe, quando conversamos, ETHAN foi muito FOCADO, porém pareceu um pouco EGOCÊNTRICO também. espero que ele aproveite nossa cidade morando no bairro AURORA PALMS.
nome: ethan hawthorne
apelidos: não possui
local de nascimento: hansworth, wa
data de nascimento: 12 de agosto de 1999
idade: 22 anos
signo: leão
gênero: homem cis
orientação sexual: heterossexual
ocupação: estudante de direito na hansworth university
qualidades: sincero, destemido, persuasivo, determinado, confiante
defeitos: fechado, desapegado, rancoroso, orgulhoso, temperamental
the family ,
peter hawthorne (pai, 56); margaret hawthorne (mãe, 50), eleanor hawthorne (irmã gêmea, 22); scott hawthorne (irmão mais novo, 18-20).
a família hawthorne é bastante antiga na cidade, tendo se instalado em hansworth a cinco gerações atrás. mais antigo que sua fortuna, talvez apenas seu envolvimento com a política, que parece ser tradição hereditária entre os descendentes da família. peter hawthorne, atual patriarca da família, é ninguém menos que o governador de washington. quanto à estrutura familiar dos hawthorne, essa se resume a peter, sua esposa margaret, e os três filhos: os gêmeos ethan e eleanor, e o caçula scott.
com o dinheiro nunca tendo sido um problema, pode-se dizer que os hawthorne tem uma boa condição financeira, assim como prezam pela reputação impecável de família perfeita que têm. (tw: cancer) entretanto, como infelizmente o dinheiro não é capaz de comprar tudo, o que faltou para margaret foi saúde, ao que há cerca de cinco anos ela descobriu ter câncer de mama. apesar de ter se curado há três anos, recentemente descobriu que a doença está de volta, dessa vez, de maneira inoperável em seu cérebro.
about him ,
ethan pode ser dito como o costumeiro clichê protagonista de filmes adolescentes: filho mais velho de uma família abastada e influente, que teve uma criação de qualidade, com a família unida, e que foi destaque na escola por seu desempenho nos esportes, mais especificamente como quarterback e capitão do time de futebol americano. foi justamente seu talento para esportes que o garantiu uma vaga na faculdade de direito da UCLA, para onde ethan foi após concluir o ensino médio. recentemente, entretanto, a volta da doença da mãe o fez abrir mão da vida universitária que sempre sonhou em ter, para que pedisse transferência e voltasse para a cidade natal, assim podendo aproveitar os últimos momentos ao lado da mãe.
wanted connections ,
* conexões riscadas já se encontram preenchidas
【 melhor amigo da vida 】 basicamente teriam se conhecido ainda pequenos, e foi química de primeira, nunca mais desgrudaram! apesar das diferenças, sempre se conciliaram muito bem, e não perderam contato nem quando ethan foi pra UCLA. é alguém pra quem ethan contaria absolutamente tudo, e seria recíproco. augustus
【 amiga conselheira 】 basicamente o ethan é péssimo com sentimentos e quanto a se abrir, então ela seria alguém a quem ele recorre quando precisa fazer um brainstorming dos sentimentos, ou quando quer agradar alguma garota, etc. adaline
【 amigos de infância 】 como o ethan cresceu em hansworth, queria algumas pessoas pra serem amigos desde que aprenderam a falar, ou talvez do tempo de escola e tal.
【 party buddies 】 o ethan sozinho é meio fechadão, então queria uma amizade bem louca pra aflorar o lado mais festeiro e inconsequente dele.
【 colegas de faculdade 】 não precisa necessariamente serem alunos de direito, mas também que sejam da universidade da cidade
【 ex-namorada da época do ensino médio 】 eram bem o clichê de 'it couple', ele sendo o capitão do time de futebol e ela líder de torcida, e o namoro pode ter terminado por conta do ethan ter se mudado para fazer faculdade em los angeles ou por outro motivo! (obrigatoriamente deve ter 21/22 anos).
【 friends with benefits 】 são tão amigos que topam suprir as carências e desejos um do outro sem a complicação de envolverem sentimentos (ou, pelo menos, por parte de um deles). lindsey;
【 chefe 】 algum char que trabalhe como advogado e tenha aceitado ter o ethan como seu estagiário.
【 inimizade 】 por algum motivo a combinar, ethan e muse se desgostam completamente e não perdem uma oportunidade de se alfinetarem.
4 notes
·
View notes