Emma Frost is tired of trying to be good (ice_queen) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-04-25 23:06:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | !complete, emma frost (white queen), winston frost |
Who: Emma Summers and NPC Winston Frost
What: semi-bonding
When: 4/25
Where: Frost Enterprises
Rating: PG for mention of previous depression
Status: complete
Winston was working on some paperwork when he got the message his daughter was headed to see him. “Ah. Tell her to come right in when she arrives.”
“Yes, sir.”
He smiled, finished his paper and turned to the video phone. “I have to go, dear. Emma is headed in and it’s business.”
“Tell her I’m proud of her.”
“I will. I love you.”
“I love you too.” He smiled fondly at his wife and clicked it off, and it sank into the side desk and the top shut. He had seen the value of those things, even when many others had not until webcams took their spot. But he still liked phone calls and such.
He waited, then, for his daughter, a slight smile on his face, and tapped the button to open the door just slightly.
Emma strode into the room like she had been sent to the principal’s office for misbehaving. She didn’t wait to be told to take her seat. She was nervous, but she couldn’t put her finger on why, exactly.
The door closed behind her, and Winston smiled at her. “Your mother says to tell you hello. I was just talking to her a little while ago.”
He’d get to the rest later.
“Oh, well hello back.” Emma said, smiling tightly for a moment. “I need to ask you for something.”
Winston leaned forward, and nodded. “What is it?” He was curious what would drive his headstrong daughter to ask him for something. That happened rarely.
“I need some time off. Now and in December.” She rested her hand on her belly, which was still perfectly flat. “Scott and I are expecting a baby.”
Winston’s eyes widened. “Congratulations! About damn time.” He smirked and moved around the table to hug her bodily.
Emma blinked and hugged him back. “Thank you. I’m not sure what you mean by about time, though. I haven’t known Scott for very long.”
Winston chuckled. “Don’t be so literal. It’s a saying.” He settled back to his seat. “When do you want to start your leave?”
“Is now an option?” Emma asked, not entirely unserious. “We’ve had some issues recently, and I don’t think avoiding talking to him is going to help any, even if that was my first instinct.”
Winston blinked, then shook his head. “Of course it is. We can have the paperwork drawn and you out of here in under an hour.”
He paused. “Now seems like a time to ask a question. Do you know if Nate is interested in business?”
“He’s interested in everything.” Emma said with a sigh. “But he’s pursuing a degree in art and music at the moment. He would probably be interested in learning about the business, if you want to corrupt him. Aren’t there always two, a master and an apprentice?” She smiled softly. “I’ll come back on a part time basis after school is out until December some time.”
Winston laughed, then tapped a button and the imperial march sounded for a moment. “Excellent! Soon, he will know the power of the Dark Side. By which I mean, good.”
He chuckled. “Take your time. Better to come back when you are ready and not early because you feel you need to.”
“I don’t want to give the impression I don’t care about the company. Beside, I’d rather spend my time here when there’s no baby to care for than when I have an infant that demands and deserves my undivided attention. You’ll just have to wait a few years to die.” She smiled softly. She was joking with her father, and he was joking back. What the hell had happened to them?
Winston nodded, and smiled a little. “I suppose I can move things back like that. Such a bother, these plans.” He smirked at her. “I’ll have your office retrofitted while you’re out, and a daycare wing finally put in. We’ve needed it for awhile.”
“If you could put in a bassinet disguised as a file cabinet that would quite helpful.” Emma said with a chuckle. “I imagine the baby will spend as much time here as its father allows.” She smiled softly.
Winston laughed. “I could do that. And I know a nanny to help you out who also is really good at screening calls.” He grinned at her. “She worked with your mom as a younger woman, some years ago.”
“I’m sure Scott won’t mind taking the baby when I can’t. I’ll hire someone to raise all our other children.” She chuckled a little.
“Okay. Whatever works best for you.” Winston shrugged. Then he smiled, eyes filled with a curious gleam. “And how are things between you, with this new stress?”
Emma pressed her lips together while she thought, which was probably enough of an answer on its own. “Well.”
Winston arched an eyebrow slowly, glanced aside at the place where the video phone had been, and sighed. “Did I ever tell you that there was a time when your mother and I almost divorced. When I almost committed suicide?”
“I knew you were having issues with mom after-” She paused. Even now they were all haunted by Christian. “But I assumed she’d be more expensive to get rid of than keep.”
Winston chuckled. “Perhaps, but I feared... I had my own issues, then. But your mother was rather... I have never known love such as hers. And I have never known passion such as hers. She made our lives incredible again, she made me fall in love with her again, as if from the beginning.”
Emma tilted her head, watching Winston curiously. “We all had problems then. You weren’t the only one thinking of ending it all.” Her voice was soft. “I’m not sure Scott and I have that anymore. He- it’s so complicated. I can’t really be mad at him, he was tricked into doing something that hurt me, and I know he wouldn’t do it on purpose.” Except now she didn’t really know that for certain, and it was eating away at her. “I don’t think he would, anyway. I was so certain I’d done the right thing, even if it was impulsive. Then this happened and all I know is that the person who tricked them needs a kick in the teeth.”
Winston caught her move, her words, and listened, then he nodded. “Did you talk to him about it? Did you ask him about the action?” He nodded at her last words. “Do you love him?”
“He told me about it right before we finally left for our honeymoon.” Emma sighed. “I haven’t talked to him about it since then. I do love him, if he’s still the man I thought I knew.”
Winston winced. “Wow.” He nodded, and glanced at her. “Then it seems you need to find that out. You can’t let this sit, Emma. With a baby approaching, stress is only going to get worse. If you let this stay there like an elephant, it will only get really bad, really fast.”
“I know.” She sounded just a little petulant. “But it really isn’t his fault. I keep hoping that eventually that will sink in and I’ll stop worrying.”
Winston sighed. “Yes, but until all of you agrees, you need to have that talk anyway. It will eat at you, Emma, I know.” His voice was gentle but stern. “Don’t let this get worse.”
“What if there’s no way to fix it?” Emma’s voice was soft. “What if it never goes away, no matter how much we talk or love each other?”
Winston smiled softly. “Emma, that won’t happen. If you love each other, truly, then you will find a way to get past it. You will find a way to get over it and deal with it.” He shook his head. “Love can do amazing things.”
Emma sighed. “I should finish up the assignments you gave me before I go home. Thank you for being understanding.” She stood up again, straightening her suit. She wasn’t feeling very confident at the moment.
Winston nodded, then smiled softly. Right. "Okay. Let me know if you need anything, please."
And in the meantime, it was time for that golf game.