3rd of June 2021 - FitzClarence Manor
Taking a deep breath as the car came to a stop, Anne tried to hide the nerves that she felt as she stared up at the place that had been her family home for years.
This was the place that she had raised her children, that she had been nothing more than Edward's wife and had seen the wedding of two of her children.
FitzClarence Manor would always be close to her heart, she had so many memories that she adored of the place and Anne doubted that she would ever think of anywhere else as her home like she had done with the manor.
Climbing from the car, Anne was so happy to see all her children in one place again; the family gathering in the gardens for lunch for the first time in over two years.
"Are you sure that it's okay that we are here?" Edmund asked approaching Anne, he looked around nervously as if expecting someone to tell him to get out.
He didn't even know if she had told her children that he had been invited to join them during this family gathering since this was the first time he would be meeting her family.
They had been courting for three years now, neither of them in any sort of rush and it was just what they had both needed especially considering the opposition of their relationship.
Susan wasn't the only one not taking the news that Anne and Edmund were seeing each other well, his ex-wife had thrown quite a fit when she had heard that he had moved on from their relationship.
"Of course. You and Violet are my guests," Anne assured him with a smile, she wanted her children to meet the man that made him happy and she was sure that they would be welcoming.
There was no chance of any drama since Susan had made it more than clear that she wasn't interested in spending time with her family especially with her interested currently focused on her new boyfriend.
Prince Joseph Wenzel of Liechtenstein, Count of Rietberg was the poor soul that Susan had apparently sank her claws into with the help of her aunt who was happy to act as chaperon on their dates.
It was hard and Anne knew that there was little that she could do about the situation, she refused to sacrifice her happiness for her daughter's demands.
Edmund nodded his head, a nervous smile on his face before Anne lead him and Violet into the manor; the sound of her grandchildren playing making her feel even more at ease knowing that this was now a place of happiness.
"Nana," Daphne called racing towards her grandmother when she spotted her, a smile upon her face as she darted ahead of her brother, the twins and her cousin who all turned to look at Anne as she appeared.
Sebastian was a quick second followed by Jia, Albert and Helena as they raced to meet their grandmother and her guests.
"Did you bring us anything?" Daphne asked knowing that her grandmother often had treats hidden away in her bag for them, she peered up eagerly as her mind raced with the treats that could be hidden in the bag.
Anne laughed and nodded her head, it was a wonderful feeling to be greeted by her five grandchildren and she was so happy that she was involved as much as she was in their lives.
"I might have," Anne replied, she glanced towards Edmund as she straightened and she was sure that it was a little strange for him to be here like this especially given the fact he had no grandchildren of his own yet.
Violet was thirteen years old, a lot younger than Anne's children who were all in their twenties and thirties now; it was unlikely that she'd have children of her own anytime soon.
"I see you brought a guest," Adeline noted appearing from the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about, she saw how awkward he looked standing back as Anne greeted the children.
It had only been a matter of time before Anne was ready to introduce Edmund to the family, she had put it off long enough because of the drama with Susan but it was clear that she wasn't going to be around for a while.
"You must be Edmund, we've all been dying to meet you," Adeline said stepping towards Edmund to greet him, they had feared that Susan's actions had put Anne off ever introducing the man in her life to the family.
They all agreed that she deserve to be happy, that she should be able to move on with her life.
***
"I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much," Simon teased sitting beside his mother in the garden as they watched the children play in the garden with Violet happily joining in the summer fun with the younger children.
The weather was on their side and Edmund was happily chatting away with Rupert and Ellie across the garden; he looked a lot more relaxed than he had done when they had first arrived.
"Is that a problem?" Anne asked turning to look at her eldest son, her tone teasing as she smiled at him knowing that out of all her children it was Simon that understood how bad her marriage to their father had been.
It was her time to be happy, Edmund made her so and she refused to live her life for others now that she had claimed her life back as her own; she had done her duty and now she got her happiness.
"Not at all. I am glad Edmund makes you so happy," Simon said looking at the man that had come into his mother's life, he seemed like a decent enough fellow and Simon was sure that he would be more open going forward.
It was never easy meeting the family of your partner for the first time, especially knowing how Susan had reacted when she had learnt that Anne was courting again.
"I only wish that we could have done this sooner," Simon admitted knowing that the last few years had been difficult, he doubted anyone would be forgetting 2020 anytime soon.
Things were only just starting to go back to normal, with people determined to get back to normal after everything that had happened.
Anne nodded her head, she had put this off for long enough and she wished there had been another way but the last thing she had ever wanted was for her kids to end up involved in her dispute with Susan.
A part of her had hoped her younger daughter would come to her senses and realise that everyone deserved happiness; that her life didn't end when Edward had died.
In fact if she as being honest, that was the moment that her life had truly begun that she could start living for herself.
"He makes you happy and that's all that matters to me," Simon said, he wanted nothing more than for his mother to find her own happiness after she had supported him in finding his own.
He knew that it hadn't been easy especially after their relationship had been outed like it had, the family suddenly thrown under the spotlight before they were ready to be.
"Thank you," Anne murmured softly, it had been a long road to get to this point and she knew that her decision to move on with her life after Edward had been far from welcomed by all her children.
It had been ten years this year since Edward had passed away, his death having come as a shock even if all the signs had been there that he wasn't a well man.
It had been ten years this year since Edward had passed away, his death having come as a shock even if all the signs had been there that he wasn't a well man.
Edward had been in denial about his poor health and had refused to listen to anyone when they told him that he needed to see a doctor before he had died in the south of France.
"I'm sorry that Susan wasn't as welcoming to the news. I'd say she'll come around but she's a fool for not realising your happiness matters," Simon said wishing he knew how to make things right for his mother, he knew that it hurt her that Susan was absent now.
The estrangement between her younger daughter had been hard enough but watching the fight spread from there to between all her children had been hard to watch.
Simon, Lucy and Rupert had insisted on backing her in this unable to believe that Susan thought that their mother should remain single for the rest of her life.
"That isn't your fault. You are not responsible for everything that your siblings do. You have your own children to worry about now," Anne noted looking to her grandchildren, it warmed her heart to see them happy and free in a way that her own children had not been.
Edward had run a strict household, there had been no fun nor childish laughter when their children had grown up; everything had a time and place, children should be seen but not heard when he was around.
In Anne's opinion, it was a sad childhood and she wished that she could have stood her ground on a few things in the past especially when Edward started to force Simon down certain paths.
Her late husband had put a lot of his expectations of Simon, he had enlisted him in schools that would boaster him for a future that Simon had never wanted.
Anne could never see why Edward did not realise that his eldest son was his own person rather than an extension of himself for Edward to force his own desires and dreams onto when it came to shaping their family legacy.