The Monroe Legacy - G,2. Chapter Twenty-Four - Let It Be

Days sped by and became weeks, weeks became months and months years. Hallie watched as her children grew-up, often remarking to Cai that this precious time seemed to go past twice as quickly as the long months of potty training and night feeds!

 Cai could only agree, he could see it not only in his family but in himself, his joints were that bit stiffer and his hair a little greyer. The grey hairs were partly Violet's fault! The source of her mysterious texts had finally been discovered one evening when Hallie and Cai had returned from a gallery opening to discover their eldest daughter making out with the babysitter. Gray was at a cooking camp and Violet herself "had plans" and had recommended an acquaintance as a sitter.

Chadd was a college student who had come in to give a careers talk and been disarmed by Violet's big-eyed charm. Poor Chadd had no idea that Violet's parents didn't know about him OR their secret babysitting date. Cai let the terrified young man go home after some not very subtle threats as to what might become him if he behaved inappropriately or hurt Violet.

Violet did not get off so easily, she was smart enough that the extra project they assigned was not an issue but she did not like the two month grounding that accompanied it. Her blog posts that month were angry and infrequent, she was only allowed her phone to take to school and back.

While Violet was staging the teen drama to end all dramas, Gray was planning for his future. He was in and out of the bookstore looking for recipes, whipping up delicious meals in his free time. Hallie soon gave up on cooking meals altogether and retreated to her work bench, leaving her talented son to do as he wished.

As pleased as his parents were that he had found his calling they still worried that Gray didn't have much of a social life. He hung out with his siblings and occasionally did a group study at school but never seemed to have a good friend let alone a girlfriend. Hallie even spoke to Violet about Gray, Violet assured her mom that her brother was popular enough in school but never seemed interested in pursuing any relationships, preferring his own company.

Jet was another who preferred to be alone though he claimed that Rocky was always with him. Hallie and Cai had learned to tune the Rocky chat out, confronting Jet only seemed to make him angry as he tried to explain that only he could see Rocky. They didn't mind him having an imaginary friend as long as it wasn't his only friend, Jet had made friends with a little girl called Raylee at Scouts and the two often had play dates together.

Sienna was still the perfect child. She would always do her homework without being asked, she had no desire to stay up late and she mostly too, care of herself. She was a sweet, easy-going child, much to Hallie's relief, she had her hands full with the other four.

Sienna's only real vice was her inability to ignore her provocative little sister.

Saffron loved to ruffle Sienna's feathers, hiding her ballet kit, putting fake spiders in her bed, anything to break through the calm exterior. The two competed at everything, video games, playground games and especially ballet. Whenever a recital cam round the two sisters would battle for the lead role, the teacher switching between the two of them as they were so evenly matched.

Hallie wondered if Saffron was a little jealous of her sister, Sienna seemed to glide through life while Saffron was always tripping herself up. She was so hot-headed that it took a brave soul to be her best friend, she could be relied upon to drop whatever she was asked to carry, to somehow break any machine and to sulk when it all went wrong.

When it went right Saffron was a marvel. She was genuinely gifted in drama, she could put a smile on the most miserable parent's face in the school play and she was fiercely loyal to those she loved. When she caught a group of boys teasing Sienna about her short hair at recess she locked them in the girl's bathroom where they weren't found until lunch!

By the time the triplets had finished with elementary school Hallie knew she needed to start thinking more seriously about choosing an heir, she was beginning to slow down, to want to spend her evenings reminiscing with Cai rather than chasing Saffron round the garden or bribing Jet to do his homework.

She hoped that now they were becoming teenagers they'd all begin to find their ways, decide what they wanted to be so that she could make her impossible choice.

Jet was a good-looking young man but he was so absent-minded, making random plans and never seeing them through. His latest idea was to start a horse livery and become an equestrian. Hallie wondered if it would last and whether her mother's legacy would be secure with him at the helm.

Sienna was a calm and collected teen, positive about everything she could make the best of any season or situation. Hallie knew that Sienna would succeed in life regardless of her choice, she would be a great heiress, a responsible choice but did she really need the opportunity as much as the others?

Saffron was as wild as she was beautiful, she was passionate in her love and hate of things, determined to become an actress and a complete loose cannon. Hallie hoped that she would burn bright and achieve her dream but she knew the path of an actress could as easily make her wilful daughter burn out.

Perhaps Violet, flirtatious, frivolous Violet who hid her big heart under a big show of not caring.

Or maybe hardworking Gray, would he even want the responsibility or would his single-minded focus not allow him to make the family his first priority.

As the last cake plate was cleared and the family began to make it's way up to bed, Hallie sighed.

However would she choose?

-------------------------------------------

Read the next chapter of Hallie's story now - Ch 25 - A Change of Scenery

Or if your decision is made....

Help Hallie decide by voting in the Generation 3 heir vote - now live!

The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 20 - A Burden Shared

The next morning was a quiet one. The children seemed to sense a new and fragile peace in their parents and were surprisingly well behaved. Once Hallie had given the triplets and Gray breakfast and Cai had helped Violet get her science project started, they retreated to the studio where Cai settled in the armchair watching Hallie as she paced with a scruffy notebook clutched to her chest.

Every few passes she stopped, looked at it and looked like she was about to speak before losing her nerve. After a few minutes of this impasse Cai lost patience.

'Hallie what can't you tell me! Just say it already before we both die of old age!'

Hallie gave him a tense smile before answering,

'I think the easiest thing is for you to read it yourself,' she extended the book, holding on a little to tightly as he took it. 'This is the legacy journal my mother gave me when I turned 21. It's ... Well it's everything you need to know except what I'll explain afterwards.' 

He nodded.

As Cai read Hallie tried to occupy herself, she mixed up some paint, picked up her chisel, wandered about looking for laundry, anything to distract herself from what Cai was discovering. When the doorbell rang announcing Lola's arrival Hallie was glad to see her. She would help to explain to Cai and she could tell them both about the blackmail at once. 

As she hugged her sister hello, Cai appeared from the studio.

'What the hell Hallie?!' He exclaimed, barely acknowledging Lola's presence, 'all these months of you shutting me out are because your mum may or may not have been related to a Hollywood actress and you didn't want to tell me?'

Confusion flitted across Lola's face, 'there no maybe about it-' she began but Hallie cut her off.

'Those pages are missing,' she explained before turning to Cai and indicating the lounge area, 'please sit down and I'll tell you both everything.'

She began by outlining the missing pages, Lola chipping in every now and then to elaborate or correct the story. Cai's face was unreadable.

When Hallie was done he sighed, 'But I still don't understand why you didn't tell me and then got so weird about me not knowing. It makes no sense!'

Lola shrugged in agreement, 'Jeff doesn't know but it's never been an issue. It's all in the past right?'

Hallie shook her head. 'Somebody knows'.

'When we were first together it all happened so quickly Cai. One day we're friends and the next we were having a baby. There wasn't the right moment and as time passed I realised that you not knowing didn't change anything between us. There was also the benefit that if anyone caught wind of a connection you would honestly be able to say you had no idea and dismiss the suspicion. I saw, along with Lola and Belle, what happened when people found out the truth last time and I didn't want that for us.'

Lola shuddered.

'Once we became public figures maintaining the secret  became even more important, people are watching more closely and it had been so long that not telling seemed to have been the right thing to do. You had enough to worry about.'

Cai shrugged, 'Then what changed?'

Hallie took a deep breath. 

'The diary was stolen. That night when someone came into the house they found it. It was like they knew it existed and once they had it they gave me an ultimatum. Either I pay them or they'd release the truth to the press. That book had everything, every dirty little secret, every intimate dream of Mom's life and ours Cai, scans of the babies, letters we wrote while you were in New York, I couldn't bear to see them sold for everyone to talk about.

That was just before we found out about the triplets. I decided to wait and see what whoever had the book wanted, you were stressed, I thought you might be upset that you hadn't known all along and I just wanted it to go away.

When the call came I payed the money, that's what I was doing the night I went into labour. It seems so stupid now, putting myself at risk but I was so sure I was protecting you all just like Mom would have done.'

Sensing Hallie's struggle Lola moved closer and took her sister's hand.

'The journal was returned a few months ago but missing the crucial pages. I was so relieved to have the personal bits back and so exhausted from the children that I convinced myself it would be okay. That they only wanted what I'd given and a souvenir.

Bu they'll be back. They want more and I didn't know how to tell you Cai. Between being so busy and the stress of triplets and the books and travel I just didn't want to be another burden. I wanted to make the home side work so you'd want to be here with us, so we could be like we've always been. But I can't do it on my own any more.'

By this point Hallie was on the floor, tears trickling down her cheeks as she implored Cai with her eyes to believe that she meant no harm.

Cai was still shocked, angry at the secrecy but angrier at whoever had dared to threaten his family. Tossing the book on the coffee table he crossed and scooped Hallie up.

'You're an idiot sometimes' he said, and she nodded blearily, 'but I love you anyway. You have to trust me if this is going to keep working though. I'd rather come home to a chaotic house where I know what all the messes are than to a pretend perfect family which hides all the ugly bits.'

He smoothed his thumb across his wife's cheek, drying the last of her tears and kissed her forehead.

As Hallie felt the weight of her worry begin to lift she remembered Lola was still there. She looked for her and saw her clutching the handwritten note that had been in the journal, her face white

'Lola what's wrong' Hallie demanded, breaking away from Cai and heading to her sister's side.  'Are you okay'.

Lola looked up, her eyes wide and horrified

'I'm fine' she said, 'but I know this handwriting. He wrote to me every week for years.

This note is from Carson.'

------------------------------

Read on in Chapter Twenty-One - Ugly Love

The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 13 - Moments of Perfection

Hallie stared at the pregnancy test for a good five minutes before she could move. Then she gently caressed her flat stomach; it was almost impossible to believe that there was a tiny person already growing in there.


Hallie wandered around the house in a daze,she'd barely got used to having Cai there and now, in less that 8 months, there would be a baby too. Despite the suddenness of her pregnancy, Hallie could imagine baby stuff around the place with surprising ease and she was cautiously excited to finally begin her much longed for family.

She wondered how Cai would react, Hallie was sure he wouldn't abandon her but it would definitely be a shock. For a horrible moment she wondered if he would want her to get rid of it, she clutched her stomach protectively, before scolding herself for being so melodramatic.

This would take them both time to process but Hallie felt in her heart that this baby would be as loved and wanted by both its' parents as any child could deserve.

That night when Cai rang Hallie wanted so much to share her news, just to be reassured that she wasn't alone in it but she knew that there are some things which are best shared in person.

Not wanting anyone else to know before Cai did, Hallie kept to herself a lot and began wearing baggy clothes as her belly started to round. She loved to stand sideways to the mirror each night and look for changes, wishing only that the daddy could share these only moments. She snuck Georgia's pregnancy books and read them for hours on the sunny balcony, cooing over the cute pictures and shuddering at the messy bits.

As Cai's return approached, Hallie began to plan a nursery and practice what she would say. The night he was due Hallie's phone rang and she picked it up feeling her heart race - he had landed!

But it was Georgia, panting that the baby was coming and Humberto wasn't picking up his phone. Leaving a scribbled note Hallie rushed out and got Georgia to the hospital just in time. Less than six hours later after Humberto had finally arrived, Chester Pinkerton entered the world.

Hallie held him close and closed her eyes imagining a day, not too far off when she wold hold her own baby. Suddenly she just wanted to be home with Cai and with a last kiss of the newborn and hug of the parents, Hallie rushed home.

As she opened the door Hallie could hear the shower running so she rushed to the bathroom to say hello. Barely visible in the steam Cai tried to drag an ecstatic Hallie in to the shower with him, a temptation she would gladly have succumbed to had it not been for her noticeably swollen belly which would need explaining.

Hallie waited on the sofa for Cai to towel off,  running through her planned speech in her head. But all the pretty sentences were wiped from her mind as she felt warm arms around her, a slightly battered box was offered over her shoulder and the voice she loved above all other whispered,

'I don't ever want to leave you again Hal. Marry me?'

Tears sprang to Hallie's eyes and a thousand yeses to her lips but she knew that she couldn't answer until she had told him about the baby. Not wanting to drag his agony out she quickly rounded the sofa and took his hand.

'I want to marry you Cai, I've never wanted anything more but you need to know something first.' she started.

'I don't care about the past Hallie, there is nothing that could change the way I feel about you!' Cai countered.

Hallie smiled and said simply, 'It's not about the past, this is about the future. Our future.' And she took his hands and pressed them to her little bump.

Cai processed, shock, happiness, fear and amazement rushed across his face in a flash. 'We're having a baby?' he managed.

'That first night I'd been ill, my pill failed, I'm nearly four months along. What do you think - I know it's soon but-'  with a huge smile Cai pulled her close and kissed her hard, a kiss that reassured every doubt Hallie had entertained and replaced them with joy at the family they were beginning.

Cai stopped only to slip the vintage engagement ring on Hallie's finger before pressing his ear to her stomach and chatting away to his baby.

Over the next few weeks they had a lot of announcements to make. First they told their families about the engagement and the baby, Georgia gave Cai the "hurt my sister and I hurt you" speech while Lola told Hallie all sorts of baby stories that made her wonder if they were making a huge mistake!

Cai's book hit the NYT bestseller list and Hallie quit her job after a final assignment - her own nursery! The night she finished it and tucked the plush blankets into the little crib she had a very strange dream, her parents were walking around the nursery and guarding it. When Hallie went to touch them they were no more than air but they whispered words of love and encouragement to her before she awoke.

The months progressed and Hallie got bigger and bigger! If the doctor hadn't assured her there was only one baby she'd have been convinced she was carrying a whole football team! The baby certainly kicked like one!

Cai waited on her hand and foot which was annoying at first but soon became welcome as she approached critical mass. Hallie barely made it to the sofa each morning and as her eighth month wore on she would moan to anyone who would listen that she just wanted the baby out and off her bladder!

Her due date came and went and they were all booked in for an induced labour when Hallie's water broke. The contractions came thick and fast and she was almost cross -eyed with pain. Cai did his panic routine before calming down enough to call the midwife Lola had recommended for the home birth they had planned.

The labour was long but uncomplicated and worth each of its 26 hours when Violet Annabelle Monroe lay in her mother's arms for the first time. Cai cried the tears that Hallie was too exhausted to produce as he wrapped his little family in his arms for the first time.

Violet was perfect, she didn't have much hair of any colour and her eyes were a murky blue green but Cai swore she looked just like her mother.

She was very grumpy when they tried to put her down in her crib for the first time, screaming and screaming until Hallie wound up her old music box. Violet calmed as soon as she heard the music and Hallie knew Belle would be ecstatic to have another virtuoso in the family.

Hallie fell asleep that night smiling, everything had fallen into place.

--------------------------

Hallie and Cai finally set a date in Chapter 14 - Fireside Fairytale

The Monroe Legacy - G.2. Chapter 12 - I'd Do Anything

The next few weeks were perfect. Movie montage with a Hall and Oates soundtrack perfect. 

As both Hallie and Cai worked from home they spent their days in and out of bed, completely shut off from the world. Hallie only left to go with her family to meet little Christopher, Oscar and Marisol's new baby boy.

Hallie felt like a completely different person the moment she let Cai in. There was a side to her, a wild, artistic energy that she'd harnessed as a teen to create her street art and crushed into a corner to please Brian. Cai revelled in it. 

Hallie painted him, sculpted him, painted on him and talked for hours with him about whatever popped into her mind.

But all honeymoon periods come to an end and as the next payment on the house remodel came in Hallie knew she needed to get back to work. Cai's novel was almost due and so, with a heavy heart, he packed up to return to New York to finish the book and fulfil his commitments.

Before he left, he and Hallie sat down and had their first serious talk about their relationship. Since the fire it had been all heat and happiness but they had never really discussed how they were going to make it work. 

Hallie was a little worried, Cai knew everything about her situation with the legacy but she somehow had never asked where he stood on marriage and kids and all those important things. 

In their years if friendship she'd deliberately avoided such subjects in case it had blurred the wobbly line they'd been walking between friendship and more. Now Hallie wished she knew.

As she sat across the table from Cai she felt sick. Hallie knew he loved her, but she didn't know whether he wanted the same things from that love as she did. Her stomach churned as he began speaking.

'Whilst I'm in the city I thought I would pack up all my stuff and sub-let my place. I'll get all my things shipped down to arrive and unpack when I'm back, I figured they could just wait in the study.'

Hallie was overcome with relief and strangely emotional, she felt tears in her eyes and blinked hard to clear them.

'Hallie what's wrong,' Cai worried, moving round the table towards her. 'Don't you want me to move in? I can rent someplace in town if you like, I just figured-'

'No I want you here!' Hallie interrupted. 'I was just scared you were going to go back to New York for good and it wouldn't work out or that we'd have to go long distance and I need you with me. I love you and I want you to stay.'

She cuddled tightly under his chin and could feel him smiling into her hair.

'Hal, you really are an idiot sometimes, you know me, you know that I know that your life is here and I'd never ask you to change to be with me. All I want is you, always, and I'd move to Antarctica or Iraq if that's where you were. I love you more than any city or thing.

Hallie just gave him a goofy grin as the butterflies in her stomach changed from nausea to desire.  That night their lovemaking was tender and reassuring. Their words and actions promised that they would forever belong only to one another.

Hallie lay sleeplessly in Cai's arms all night, anticipating the pain that the morning's separation would bring. As dawn broke the nerves increased until finally the ache in her stomach turned to a rolling sickness. 

Untangling herself from Cai's possessive arms Hallie ran for the bathroom and threw up the remains of last night's dinner.

She felt much better afterwards and after a quick shower she went downstairs to make Cai his favourite breakfast. By the time he came down to eat she'd forgotten the vomiting episode and they made the most of their last hours together, lying on the sofa and talking.

When the moment to say goodbye came, Hallie clung on until the cab driver was pounding the door and shouting that they'd miss the flight. She was dreading the weeks alone in the big empty house. 

Cai had made it a home.

Promising to return the second he was able Cai drive off leaving Hallie listless in the house. 

She was moping in her studio looking at her sketches of Cai when Luna arrived. Barging straight into the room by the side door she stopped short when she saw the rather naked picture that Hallie had been admiring.

'Oh thank GOODNESS' Luna sighed dramatically! 'Tell me you two finally admitted you're meant to be together? I was beginning to think you'd both die miserable and alone!'

Hallie blushed and gave a short version of the story knowing she'd have to go over the gory details later anyway.

Luna seemed content to give her a pass for now, though a glint in her eye assured Hallie that she'd have to spill eventually, and flopped on the sofa declaring,

'If I'd known it would take a fire to bring you together I'd have torched the dorm three years ago and saved us all the drama!' 

The girls spent a pleasant evening watching movies and stuffing popcorn and until she left, Hallie almost forgot to miss Cai. 

When bedtime arrived his absence was keenly felt and Hallie was staring at his empty pillow when her phone rang.

'Hey Hal,' came Cai's rumbling voice down the phone, 'You in bed?'

'Mmhmm, I miss you, come back?' She whined.

Cai chuckled, 'I wish I could baby, but as soon as I can I'll be back where I belong. Now go to sleep, just don't forget to dream of me'. 

Cai whispered to her until she fell asleep and as she drifted off, Hallie could almost feel his warmth by her side and imagine him home.

Determined to get on with life and help time rush by, Hallie spent the next day lining up jobs and catching up with her family. 

Belle was singing with a band in Sweden, Georgia was enormously pregnant, Oscar was busy absorbing his baby son before heading out for a tour in the Middle East and Lola was back at work having just been promoted to Resident and juggling the hours with her fast growing brood!

Hallie couldn't believe how much Zander looked like his grandma Marlie!

Whilst hanging out with Georgia, Hallie suddenly felt the bile rising in her throat again. Rushing for the bathroom she vomited and emerged a short while later to a concerned sister.

'Are you okay Hallie, there's that nasty virus going around still?' Georgia asked.

'I'm fine, I just ate something funny,' Hallie guessed, though now she thought about it, two days in a row was concerning.

Georgia seemed reassured laughing, 'Ah well just wait until you're pregnant. My first trimester was worse than eating a dodgy shellfish buffet on a ship in stormy sea. I have never been so sick!'

Even as Hallie laughed she inwardly panicked. She couldn't be. They'd been so careful and she was meticulous with her birth control pill. Nonetheless when she dropped Georgia home Hallie stopped at the chemist and bought a pregnancy test, just take ease her mind.

To her complete mortification the pharmacist, who had known her since she as a baby, winked and said,

'About time Miss Hallie!'.

She got home and followed the instructions, pacing the room until the three minutes had passed.

She peeked.

And checked again.

Impossible.

The two lines said pregnant and the time estimate said 6-8 weeks. That would mean she'd gotten pregnant the first couple of days that Cai and she had been physical. She had been extra careful those first few days with her pill.

And then she remembered the day of the fire.

The stomach virus would have stopped it from working properly.

Hallie felt the blood drain from her face.

-----------------------------------------

Find out how Cai takes the news in The Monroe Legacy - Gen. 2 Chapter 13 - Moments of Perfection.