Your Choice (Book Three)

Sunday Lunch

Emmeline skips down the stairs with the happy memories of last night filling her head, it was just perfect. She decided to have a lie in realising that this is her last weekend of freedom before solid rehearsals begin for the play but now she has had to awaken because her mother will be here soon for Sunday lunch. The smell of the roast meat draws her closer and closer to the kitchen but she pauses when she hears raised voices. "Come on Tom it is an amazing opportunity!" Benedict exclaims before adding, "For both of us!" Emmy scuttles closer to the door and peers between the crack and notices that this isn't a discussion but an argument. Ben is almost red in the face and Tom looks miffed to say the least.

"What about for Emmy? Our  daughter." Tom presses for further information as he continues to cut the carrots.

"She's not..." Ben trails and grits his teeth as Emmy gasps silently. She knew what he was going to say but she tells herself that it is just because he is angry. "It would be good for her too."

"Ben...we are not going to talk about this now." The floorboard creeks so Emmy confidently enters to cover up her eavesdropping. "Hey Emmy darling! How was last night?" Tom asks as Benedict storms off while fuming.

"It was great!" She announces a bit too quickly, "I mean...it was good I guess. The movie was great." He looks at her knowingly so she decides to change the subject. "When is mum getting here?"

"Your mother and Harry will be here in about half an hour so please lay the table." He instructs while tossing the carrots in a pan.

"Harry is coming?" Emmy sighs, "I wanted to talk to mum about something." She mumbles then starts to dish out the cutlery onto the table.

"Don't worry Hun, I will distract your brother with my Xbox skills." Emmeline laughs at this thinking her father joking but when she sees the expression Tom is pulling (bafflement is the best way to put it) she awkwardly stops.

"Yeah that would be good." She states just as Ben reappears but this time wearing his coat and carrying his car keys. "Erm dad?" Tom turns to see his husband about to disappear out of the front door.

"Where do you think you're going?" His voice is stern and slightly angry. "They will be here soon."

"I've got a meeting." He lies.

"Since when?" He cocks his brow.

"Since about five minutes ago when you started talking about Vanessa and Harry... you guys could be the perfect family." He hisses, "See you." The door slams shuts and Emmeline can already feel her lungs decreasing in size and her air ways constricting but then she remembers last night and Max and the way he kissed her. She immediately relaxes.

"What's wrong with dad?" She bravely questions making Tom sigh while he stirs the gravy in the pan.

"He is just very stressed about work that's all." Tom briefly explains, "Can you imagine how in demand he is? Everyone wants a piece of him and he gets upset when he can't make everyone happy. It is a weakness of his." He tests the gravy and grimaces slightly at the taste so pours some Port into the pan then continues to stir. "Like do you remember when he did Hamlet? You probably don't, you were only small... he wasn't going to do the stage door at all but then he did on the first night so he felt obliged to every night." He tastes the mix again and smiles. "I don't know how he did it. Performing such a demanding play and then visiting the stage door afterwards to sign programs and to take photographs. It was nuts. And then there was the fact that he was looking after you as well." He turns away from the stove to look Emmy in the eyes, "He was so tired but he kept going until the end. I look up to him because of that." His eyes wander then he turns back to the bubbling pan, "So I am sorry if he is a bit grouchy at the moment. He is just working quite hard."

Emmeline nods although she cannot grasp the fact that he is this grouchy. He has had a lot more work on in the past and still been in a civilised mood but now he has an average amount of work on and is shouting at Tom. They never argue.

The knock on the door makes both Tom and Emmeline lift up their heads while mumbling something along of the lines of 'they're early' but silently Tom strolls over to the door at yanks it open revealing a smiley Vanessa and a smiley Harry. "Sorry we are a bit early, this one was very eager to see his sister."

Tom chuckles, "No worries, come on in." They both enter and immediately embrace the teenage girl while the actor shuts the door behind them.

"No Benedict?" Vanessa questions with a raised eyebrow.

"No he..." Tom trails, "He had some work that needed to be attended to. He sends his apologies." Emmeline has to stop herself from gaping when she realises how easily her father lies. It makes her briefly wonder how often her dad has lied to her in the past but decides to shrug it off and enjoy the company.

"So how was your date then?" Harry eagerly asks as he lightly punches her on the forearm.

"Date?!" Vanessa exclaims, "What date?"

"With Max." Harry drags out his name in a taunting manner.

"What? Elli's son?" Emmy shyly nods, "Tell me all!" Vanessa laughs and drags her children into the living room to sit on the comfy sofas. Harry has to stop himself from laughing out loud at his sister's awkward expression. "What did you do?"

"We went to the cinema...he paid."

"You got yourself a keeper!" Vanessa giggles to herself.

"Shut up mum!" Harry groans.

"Stop it you." She playfully slaps the back of his head, "Anyway, did you kiss?" Emmeline's English rose like complexion turns horrifically red in embarrassment telling her mother the answer to her question without even speaking. "What do you think about this Tom?!" She calls into the next room when Tom wanders out while holding a spoon.

"I think it is great. The kid is a nice lad, I have known him ever since he was born so I trust him. And I trust her." He reels off his answer like he has been thinking about it a lot. "Plus it is better than the last boy she brought home."

"Who?" Emmy, Vanessa and Harry simultaneously ask.

"That kid you brought back last year...Alex or something." He ponders thoughtfully.

"Who Alfie?" Tom nods, "We were doing a geography project together and I hate the guy."

"That was it!" Tom exclaims, "He was as thick as a plank."

\~.~.~.~.~/

Benedict sits in his car, alone, looking over a river. It is peaceful and immediately makes him feel calmer yet there is a thought niggling at the back of his mind: Will he be able to persuade Tom to change his mind? It would be a brilliant opportunity for them both, they could star in another blockbuster film together and fly through the award season. Why doesn't he want that? He understands that it is a bit complicated with Emmeline and now that she has settled where she is with her mum and her brother and her new boyfriend but surely this is better for her in the long run.

He pulls out his phone and composes a new message:

Tom is not warming to the idea currently. Maybe together we can find some way of persuading him? I really want this – Benedict

A/n hey there guys! I am so so so sorry for the long wait! I have been finding it difficult to motivate myself to write but I am back now! I will update 'Sherlock's daughter' and 'The Three Js ~ My Schizophrenic Boyfriend' tomorrow hopefully. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And do you have any idea what Benedict is up to? Hmmm... *thoughtful face* I wonder. And on an additional note, what I wrote about Hamlet is kind of true. Benedict is finding it very hard doing the stage door every night and he is becoming very tired which is understandable. The play plus having little Christopher is bound to make him tired so maybe if you are lucky enough to be seeing Hamlet at the Barbican then please give him a break. He has said himself that he doesn't know how long he can go on like this for. Anyway, thank you so much for reading! ~ Mae