Restoration in the River

Carry That Weight

She looked at him, "yes but you had nearly fifty-two years with dear Cynthia! I never even got to meet my Mum! We both at least got some years with one parent and hardly if any the other!"

"Shall I read this note to you, Pet?" He asked.

She nodded.

He cleared his throat and began in a clear, strong voice. "To my darling Emmaline, what I have to tell you, what I have done, will come at the greatest of shocks and perhaps shake your faith and trust in the people you are closest to, including me. Many years ago, I came into possession of a set of ancient Egyptian Canopic jars belonging to Pharaoh Nebdjefare, he was from the Fourteenth Dynasty reigning from 1694 BC to1693 BC. Zosar's father, a good friend of mine was a descendant of Nebdjefare. However, I was not a good friend to him, daughter. I have kept a deep, dark secret for so many years it still haunts me. Greed overcame me Emmaline, when I was offered these priceless jars, I knew the right thing to do was give them to Zosar's father, whom they rightfully belonged to, but I kept them daughter, and in doing so kept it from him I had them in my possession when he was told by me that they had been broken. I lied to him, something I instilled in you never to do. Tilly goes by the name of Lady Taweret and Zosar goes by the name of Kamuzu. They are two of the most powerful people in all of Egypt, I hope you can forgive me for whatever they put you through! When Zosar found out I had kept these jars from his father, he swore he wouldn't rest until he saw me and my family suffer, in every way possible."

He stopped and looked at her.

"You're not gonna like this next bit Sweetness" he warned.

"Don't keep it from me, Julian!" 

He nodded and looked back down at the note. "I never told you this, but dearest Tilly was not born a Roberts. She was born a Carter to Amelia's parents. I helped her foster parents foster her. But as the years went by, I could see she was always jealous of you and I was a coward for not doing anything about it, It was always the fact that you were born into a very wealthy family. I just pray you'll forgive me for what I have done in the past and I hope you meet the man that will sweep you off your feet and treat you like a Queen! I raised you as if you were better than everyone else because I lost the true meaning of life, I believed the entire world owed me for taking my Elizabeth away from me and just left me with you instead, but.... my brother-in-law Harvey always seemed to keep you grounded, and I will always be thankful to him for that!  You lived with him and Holly for the first six months of your life, looking back, I realised I should have let you stay with them after your mother died, to be honest with you, I never wanted to keep you. It was after your birth, I came into possession of the Canopic jars, I suppose being devastated by your mother's passing I threw caution to the wind and behaved like a reckless moron! If you have more sense in your head than I, you will do the right thing and give the jars back to Zosar where they rightfully belong! I'm sorry I was never really a good father. You should have been raised by Harvey and Holly!"

Emmaline was at the ensuite door quicker than Julian could comprehend, but he was right behind her. 

She rushed straight to Harvey and hugged her uncle so tight he nearly turned blue.

"Kitten!" He breathed. "I'm sorry!" 

"I wish you and Aunt Holly had raised me instead!" She sobbed "you know I never told Dad this, but I always considered you more of a Father than he ever was!"   

Julian stood in the doorway to the ensuite and made eye contact with the detective as he was hugging his niece.

The two men didn't need words to know what each other was thinking. 

Their main concern was Emmaline since her world had been turned upside down, they both knew she would need them. 

 "Dad kept those Canopic jars from Zosar's father, Uncle Harvey. Do you think I should return them to him? Instead of handing them over to the Brisbane Museum?" She said as she pulled away, but was still within arm's length.

"It might help Kitten." He said, hesitant to say yes or no.  

"I'm worried the damage is already done though Harvey. From the tone of Dad's note, it seems Zosar is out to destroy me..." She stopped mid-sentence as she realised, and she found herself rubbing her scar. "She wasn't in on my attack over at Lennon's was she?"  

"There's quite a possibility Kitten," Harvey said, "I don't know for sure though." 

"Then what do you know Detective??" She snapped.

"What I have said from the start, Wolf and I will get to the bottom of this Emmaline!" He said loud and clear, yet his voice was laced with a fatherly tone. "Now, I know you feel trapped and you are frightened! Leave those jars with Wolf and I and take off with young Julian here, I hear Lake Como is a lovely place, one to settle down in and one day perhaps, have a family together!" 

She looked at him, wide-eyed. 

"You got yourself a true gentleman there Kitten, hold onto him as tight as you can!" He said.

"Could you live over in Lake Como with me, Emmaline?" Julian asked. "I know this home has been in your family for one hundred and thirty years."

"it is just a roof over our heads, Julian, I can take the memories with me, I can pack up my most precious things and belongings and I can take my money pit with me, or I can pump a lot of it into foundations and charities that need it, like giving The White Feather Foundation a helping hand!" She told him. "Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps I have felt stuck in this big old place? Loyal to my father's side of the family, the Hatchford's when I find out after fifty years that the man I looked up to, the one parent who raised me, stole something of such great importance to a good friend of his and in turn has caused suffering unto me! My own best friend, who has chosen to be loyal to her husband, and remain strong by his side! Something I have yet to have, but I feel a strong possibility of it with you Julian."

He smiled "but not rushing into it Sweetness, I will propose when I am good and ready, I have a feeling you will adore my home over in Italy!"