It was time for Astrid to leave for the jury. Hopefully for the last time. This was the day that the decision was going to be final.
"I just hope this goes by quickly."
"We all do."
"You know this is going to be better than before."
"How so?"
"Well, first of all I will be in full company. Well except for Hiccup who had to work."
"Yes but we are all right here giving you our support."
"Yeah. The only problem to all of this is how early we had to wake up and in order to wake the girls..."
"Right but they can continue to sleep in the car." Iduna and Astrid met with everyone else downstairs who were ready to go to the capital, hopefully for the last time.
Astrid
The ride was not extremely quiet but quiet enough to let the girls sleep. Iduna left the business with the twins and Eret. She says they are responsible enough but I am still personally glad that she left Eret in charge of managing it while she is gone for the day. It was still dark, but the street lights made it entertaining.
"Mmhmm, mom."
"Malarie? Hey baby."
"Are we there yet?"
"No, I'll wake you until we do. Okay."
"Okay."
"She tends to wake easily."
"Aww. So does she have trouble sleeping?"
"Not as much as before. What about Zephyr?"
"Oh she is the opposite, she is a heavy sleeper." We arrived at the hotel and we got installed. Zephyr woke up and I told her that she has to stay with Iduna while I go the attorney's office to get ready.
***
Astrid arrived at her attorney's office and she was well received as usual.
"Well, this is where we see what ends up happening."
"Yes, but the results of the social worker did it all. She gave out good results and hopefully the system has common sense into what is the right thing to do."
"That is what worries me the most." Both women go to the courtroom along with everyone in the family who sat in the audience.
"All rise."
"Okay let's begin. Miss Hofferson you have met the social worker and her report seemed positive. I have made my decision to NOT follow the will of the deceased. There will be no foster parenting transmits necessary. You miss Hofferson, have all the power to decide where all that money goes to."
"If I may your honor. I would like to state my wishes for all of that," Astrid said suddenly as she stood up from her seat. The judge nodded in approval for her to continue.
"The will has stated that some of that was to go to his partner. I give my full permission to let her have that money, and the same thing goes for his mother. However, that money that was to go to my child and to the foster parents, none of that will be received from me or her. I want that to go somewhere else because we...she doesn't need it. No disrespect to the deceased, but my daughter doesn't need anything from a man who was no father to her and unfortunately to me, became a stranger. We already have what that money could give us materially but, we have more than what that money could never get us. No money could've given us what we have now."
"Alright. We will begin the process of having the money go to where it needs to go. In conclusion Ms. Hofferson, you have all the custody for your daughter and the will is behind you. Case dismissed, attorney Calhoun I leave you full control of the wishes of your client and the process of the money being given out the way we just discussed."
"Yes, your honor."
After everything was over Astrid got up and looked back at her family and smiled. Little Zephyr then ran to her mom and hugged her. Astrid held her baby not willing to let her go. A little later, the attorney took care of everything. All of that money went to where the will ordered it to be given to. As for Astrid, as she stated in court, none of the money that was going to be given to Zephyr was given to her.
"I don't think I can thank you enough for everything."
"With you being happy and moving on with your daughter is enough for me." Astrid said her final goodbyes to her attorney and she left her office with a big smile of relief.
***
The family was ready to go home in relief but Astrid wanted to make another stop before she left. She took a taxi to get to Ingrid's house but as she got there, she found a scene she was not expecting to see.
"Wait! Wait! What is this?''
''The lady has been sick. She passed away an hour ago. Are you Astrid Hofferson?"
"Yes."
"She asked for this to be given to you." He gave her an envelope while Astrid was in shock because she could not believe what she was hearing. They were on the phone right before the trial and were planning on talking afterward. She even wanted to invite her over to her place, with Iduna's permission of course.
"No no no that's not true," she begins to cry a little, "w-where is she?"
"In the ambulance." She slowly enters the ambulance and slowly sees Ingrid and she was peaceful and just had the look almost like saying, 'everything is going to be alright.' After a while, Astrid got off the ambulance saying goodbye to Ingrid forever going back to the hotel.
"Astrid we were just finished packing up. We plan to leave after breakfast to be more comfortable and... Astrid? Darling are you alright?"
"Iduna. She-she is dead. She is gone and I couldn't do anything. I was..."
"No no don't blame yourself, nothing could've been done about it."
"This nightmare is finally over but now, just when we were on good terms and things were getting better, it turns out she has been sick this whole time."
"She came back to reality before her time. The inner goodness she had finally came out but unfortunately, there was not much time left for her." She was hugging Astrid as she was sobbing. Everything happened so suddenly but as Iduna said, there was nothing to be done.
***
Going home was bittersweet for Astrid but when they arrived, they arrived bringing good news. The situation with the will and court hearings was finally over.
"I'm tired."
"I know baby so go upstairs and get ready for bed."
"Yes, momma." Astrid then sat on the stairs of the porch just watching the sunset until she saw a car coming.
"Hiccup?" As soon as he got out of his car she ran towards him.
"Guess what?"
"What?"
"It's over."
"Great."
"But... Ingrid passed away. She is gone."
"Oh Astrid," he hugged her tightly as he noticed her eyes beginning to crystallize, "you wanna go for a walk?"
"Yeah." They left hand-in-hand in the woods while there were two little girls watching from their bedroom window.
"What if they get married?"
"If they do, I want to be the flower girl."
"Me too. I saw in movies where there can be many flower girls."
"Yeah, that day will be so beautiful as the movies have it."
"Yeah."
***
"It all happened so suddenly."
"I-I can't believe she's gone. I mean after everything she's done to me and Zephyr, she still had a heart."
"I think she appreciated the fact that her son chose you because you forgave her and you gave her a second chance."
"I guess. She gave me this." Astrid opened it and read what it said, "Wow, that was touching."
"Yeah. So what now?"
"Continue to live as she said. In my case, take care of Zephyr and make sure she is safe and happy."
"You are already doing that." She smiled at him as she laid on his shoulder to admire the sky of her home-sweet-home.