Authors Note: Thank you to everyone left comments or sent me feedback about previous chapters of this story. Thank you again to Margaret who continues to proofread for me. She's a lovely friend to have. ~ellie
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It had not taken long to settle the children in from their big day out and all of them, even the older ones, had fallen asleep relatively quickly. Adding a loose skirt to the lingerie she had bought made it seem more appropriate for public viewing, and she had swooned appropriately as her heroes and the rest of the family had walked through the door.
It had been difficult to face Bridgette, who was unrepentant, declaring that she was the only one in this household who truly cared about Peri. She thought of her as a daughter and had been treated as a mother figure. She had the right to run this household as she saw fit, she had declared belligerently.
"Please stop," Peri had said distressed by the scene and the things Bridgette was saying to Antonia. "When you came to us I'd been through a great deal of trauma and was facing quite a few life changing experiences. I needed you to help me," Peri explained. "I probably let you do too much, because just like my mother, you made me feel useless and I felt bad that I couldn't look after my house or family to the same standard. The point is, I should have been stronger and not let you take over my home, as if I was incompetent, instead of helping me to do it myself. I should have asked you to help me, and show me what to do, but I didn't and now it seems it's too late for me even to try to do that with you. I need to start looking after my family my way, not your way or Antonia's way, my way. I can't do that with things the way they are now. I'm sorry Bridgette, I agree with Antonia. You need to return to the farm. You were only ever on loan to us, until we got settled into our lives. It was her that you signed your contract with, not myself or Josh."
Bridgette gaped at her as if stunned by a physical slap. The reality that Peri wasn't going to intervene on her behalf, knocking all of the argument out of her, as she seemed unable to believe that the woman she thought of like a daughter would treat her this way. She had collapsed on the floor then and wept, begging Peri to change her mind but it was all too late. Joseph and Antonia decided to return home immediately following dinner and had ordered Bridgette confined to her room once more until their departure.
The dinner was wonderful, and Zara showed why the exacting Lio had hired her as a cook. Peri ate little of it, though, her stomach turning over at the devastating affect her words had had on Bridgette. She felt guilt at how she had allowed her to take over and now that she was ready to take control herself, had to send the woman, who had done so much for her away. Maybe in time she would come back, and they could make peace again.
She'd spent a long time down in the nursery with the babies after dinner and talking with Heather about her plans for the children, if Ben agreed and the work on listing school requirements for each one that she had asked Bridgette to make and had not received. Heather accepted the responsibility given to her seriously and said she would have what Peri needed by lunch time tomorrow.
By the time Peri returned to the upper apartment, Antonia and Joseph had left, Ben had gone to the hospital to see Emily and Josh and Dante were firmly ensconced in the office. They were discussing details of the changes in the household staff and Josh's request that she hire a PA before she went back to work, as well as their schedules for the week ahead. She had kissed them both and picked up her journal before leaving them to talk freely. She would have plenty of time to argue about returning to work and the restrictions they would place on her.
After grudgingly giving in to Josh's stance on hiring a PA, she'd told them both what she wanted to do about work, the staff and the children and left them to discuss it along with their plans for the following weeks. They had to make a decision about where they would live as a permanent home base. It made sense particularly now with the extra family staying with them indefinitely to be in the semi-rural location of the house and keep the apartment here for when they had to be in town for business or family events.
Peri sat in the living room writing in her journal. She realised as she journaled that returning to work was not going to be as easy as she had hoped and once again having a purpose built library and office on the land surrounding her home was going to be the best idea. She could add on a cottage or townhouse as they had in the Battaglia village in case family representatives wanted to stay. She could design it from the floor up and make it exactly what she needed. Not just for the next few years but into the future.
She was musing over where it could be situated and wondered how serious Josh had been about acquiring the land surrounding their house, when Ben came back from the hospital looking serious and drawn.
"Can I get you a drink?" Peri said getting up from her position on the couch.
"You know what I'd love?" Ben gave a half smile. "Someone to make me hot chocolate and put five little marshmallows into it."
"I think I can manage that do you want to come and help me count the marshmallows, so you know you got the right amount?" She said like she would to one of the children. "I'd hate for you to think I would give Josh and Dante more than you."
"Angie told me five was the perfect number, so it didn't get too sweet and didn't leave it bland," Ben smiled but once again it didn't reach his eyes. "I better supervise, it's too important to leave to chance." He walked with her to the kitchen and saw how at ease she was there. "Do you cook much?" Ben asked.
"I used to; I love to cook for the people I love. Life has been a bit crazy though over the last year so I haven't had as much chance to cook. I am planning to remedy that though once we are properly settled and in a routine again after the holidays." She spoke lightly as she gathered everything she needed. "Ben I know you are probably exhausted and don't want to think about anything else but could I talk to you about a few things?" Peri asked tentatively.
"If you can find me some cookies to go with my hot chocolate I will be all ears for as long as you want," he looked around hoping for a cookie jar of some description.
"It just so happens that Zara made some for the children tonight that haven't made their way downstairs, I'm sure they won't miss a few," Peri laughed and took a container from under the bench and opened it for him to see.
"Excellent," he picked one up and bit into it. "What would you like to talk about?" He asked.
"I was thinking that when Emily got better and came home, she may still need some help managing the day to day things and like to stay with us for a while. We have plenty of room for you and the children, and I think they like having Josh and Dante around to play with," Peri laughed fussing with the warming milk as she spoke, so she didn't have to face him directly. "It's just that school goes back soon, and it's a lot for you to manage alone and there is the sweetest little school out near our house that the children could go to rather than having to commute into the city. It's just something for you to think about," she said lamely feeling like she was intruding on his life. "Angie's orientation for Fairmont is this week, though, and we can't put that off, it wouldn't be fair to her. She's been so excited about it."
"Em always sent me reminders that we needed to do the school stuff," Ben said as if unsure about how to process what she had said.
"I can help," Peri suggested gently again. "Everyone needs some help sometimes. I know you are used to looking after everyone else, but you have to let us look after you sometimes. I can go with you to Fairmont or take her myself. Maybe Arianna would like to show her around. I expect she's been there for a year or two already."
