The Age of The Masrui

"What did you decide on?" He asked, leaning over to glance over her shoulder.

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"Whatever you say," He hummed, sipping at his drink. "Don't come moaning when your heart decides to fall for someone again, it isn't something you get to control."

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"I meant during the birth, not after." Marlowe whispered. "I'm not concerned with after, after is easy in comparison."

“Oh... you’ll manage. Same as you managed with Sienna.”

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“It won’t happen Reid, no need to worry.”

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“Neutral colours, didn’t want it to look too gaudy.”

"Sienna was one baby," Marlowe whispered, adding quietly, "I'm scared."

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"Are there any made up colours within those neutral ones?" Louis teased gently.

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"Mm, I have doubts." He chuckled. "So, I'll believe it when I see it."

“Women have been having multiples for centuries. We have the best doctors and you won’t be alone.”

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“None that are made up to me, not my fault your eyes can’t see them.” Karsi teased.

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“Next topic, no more talking about my heart.” Astrid waved it away, downing her drink.

"You don't want to talk about anything,"

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"Mm," Marlowe hummed quietly in response.

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Louis laughed quietly.

“Nothing I want to talk about is conversation worthy nor appropriate for the setting. Nor anything to waste your time with.”

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“I’m hoping by the time the baby gets here everyone’s moved out. I don’t want to be crowded.”

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“You’ll be fine Marley. Nothing bad will happen to you... but if you’re this worried about giving birth we can have a look into an elective c section?”

"Everyone being here is only temporary, as soon as your parents find somewhere else to stay then I am sure they'll be gone. They want their own space too, I imagine."

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"You're just making me even more curious by saying all of that. There is never an appropriate setting for anything, what do you want to talk about?"

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"I'll think about it..."

“Rowan knew about my mother and I never got to ask him how he knew.” Astrid shrugged, trying to seek unbothered. “When we were tortured, and the physical beatings weren’t working, they started on the head games. Eventually told me my birth mom didn’t give me up for money like I’d always believed. She was forced to - and then she killed herself a few years later.” She downed the rest of her drink, pouring another. “I gathered everyone in my family knew about it, nobody was shocked when I brought it up... but nobody will admit to telling your brother... so either someone’s lying, it was discussed that casually that nobody needed to tell your brother because it was just one of those things... or maybe he met her, knew her. The way those kidnappers talked about it, it was like they had more information than you'd just be able to get off a police report or whatever. Like they were there first hand for her suffering before she ended it... or maybe I’m just reaching because if he had met her he’d have been someone who would’ve known her... and maybe he could’ve told me more about her because my dad doesn’t remember a thing...”

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“You know what my mothers like, forever fussing. Dad wants out though, he doesn’t like how modern the place is.” Karsi snorted. “He’s almost offended we don’t have a full on library.”

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“Recovery will be tougher and we will need an extra pair of hands but it means you won’t have to push.”

"Mm," Marlowe hummed, brushing her thumb over his knuckles as she repeated quietly. "I'll think about it."

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"There isn't any need for a library when we have the internet." Louis chuckled. "His quirks will never fail to entertain me."

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"Oh.. you never mentioned anything like that before." Reid frowned, sitting himself up a little bit so he could pour himself another drink. "Do you know what her name was? I can rifle through old papers, see if I can find anything remotely similar."

“Maria Hastings... her name got scrubbed from everything including my birth certificate. Caliban tried to help me find stuff but... nothing. Just seems like she was a nobody… never mentioned it because I wanted to pretend it wasn’t real. You and Dorian were getting the shit kicked out of you and I was being mentally tormented with mommy issues. You two had it worse.”

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“He’s too old school. No doubt the new place he picks will have all the antiquities he loves.”

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Maddox nodded at that.

"Hastings..." Reid hummed thoughtfully, tapping his finger against the glass. "I think I spotted that name on a piece of paper somewhere once, tomorrow we'll go to the main house. You can have a look through all the papers, it could be nothing... could be something."

(( Have you got any plan or are you winging it? ))

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"He's funny."

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"Are you okay?"

"Hastings..." Reid hummed thoughtfully, tapping his finger against the glass. "I think I spotted that name on a piece of paper somewhere once, tomorrow we'll go to the main house. You can have a look through all the papers, it could be nothing... could be something."

(( Have you got any plan or are you winging it? ))

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"He's funny."

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"Are you okay?"

((Winging a topic of conversation lmao))

“Yeah, I’m sure it’s nothing.” Astrid hummed, not wanting to give too much thought or get her hopes up.

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“He’s funny but ive not seen the man laugh in years, explains the lack of wrinkles.”

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“I’m fine, are you?”

"I don't know how common it is though. Have you ever met a Hastings before? I - Maybe Rowan mentioned one once when talking to dad but it didn't seem like anything significant." Reid frowned.

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"I think we laugh the most out of everyone."

“I’ve never made note of it but it was never anything for me to make a note of at that point... could’ve heard it a hundred times. A thousand....”

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“That’s because I’m hilarious. It’s well known the last born is the funniest.”

"You certainly make me laugh," He chuckled, leaning over to kiss her after a few more moments. "That is a holiday for next year all booked."

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"Yeah..." Reid grimaced. "You must of been pissed at your family for a while, after finding out about all of that."

“Not spoke to my dad properly in a while... or any of them. I do my job and follow orders but they can fuck themselves otherwise.”

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“Perfect, I’m sure we’ll need it by then. A late honeymoon.”

"A very late honeymoon."

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"Mm, and what happened the other week... that hasn't changed your feelings on all of that? Is it really worth holding a grudge?"

“I grew up my whole life feeling less than...” Astrid swallowed thickly. “I was never like the others. And I always felt like that’s why I was given away, because maybe she had some sixth sense that her daughter was gonna end up the way she did so she jumped ship early. I was so angry at her for leaving me behind, for selling me, for not looking back... and none of it was true.”

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“Better late than never I suppose.”

"I get that, it makes complete sense but what if your father drops dead tomorrow, hm? Anything can happen, they past few weeks have been a drastic reminder of that. We all grew too complacent, too confident. Started to take people for granted. If he dies, you'd hate yourself for not being on good terms with him. If you die, imagine how much it would haunt him."

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Louis nodded.

(( Night night ))

“I... I can’t just make the hurt disappear like that.”

"You can work through it though, doesn't sound like you are even trying at the minute."

“I have a therapist Reid I’m fine.”

"You have your father, your lucky." Reid answered with a shrug. "Holding a grudge isn't going to do anything other than make you bitter."

“I can’t wait to turn into a lemon.” Astrid shrugged, downing her drink and going to grab another.

((Sorry I’ve not been the best with replies, I’ve not been well. Not covid but yeah ))