#henry fletcher

[theinternetarchive]

from the 'twelve months of flowers' series: 'july,' engraving, hand colored; henry fletcher, british, 1730.

[lionofchaeronea]

Twelve Months of Flowers: September (hand-colored engraving), Henry Fletcher, 1730

[obigem]

After the call ended, Rowan didn't take very kindly to the idea of Henry having Harvestfest with them.

"Old man, is it really polite to just invite yourself to our Harvestfest?" Rowan inquired.

"Henry is a family friend," Altus reminded him, "which means he's *always* welcome."

"Yeah, but Dad," Rowan said under his breath, "If Grandpa Henry comes over for Harvestfest that means we'll have to make everything the 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘦 way."

"And what's wrong with that? You could use a bit of restraint." Altus reminded him.

"Mom!" Rowan protested.

"You know I enjoy your special gifts, Row, but your father is right. A little restraint won't hurt, and Henry is always welcome at our table. But I'm certain he won't be there." Ani eyed him.

"Don't look at me like that. Henford is beautiful this time of year, why not stay?"

"Because you love your family and you want to see them?" Ani reminded him.

"Of course I love them. Cameron is just pushing so hard about moving in with him. I understand his position, I really do. I just wish he'd understand mine."

"He does, Henry. But think about it from his perspective."

"From what you've told me, you missed a lot of years with him. In that time his mother was no longer, and you were lost to him. Have you considered that maybe he wants to reclaim some of that time with you while he has it?"

Henry sighed. "I wasn't the best father, was I?"

"After Delia died, I should've been there for him. I know that. But I just..." He could feel the emotion creeping up. "Somehow, I'd feel guiltier if I left her here in Henford alone. I can never make up for the husband I was, so I'm trying to do that for her now."

"Since I've been back in Cam's life, I've been able to show him how much I love him and all my grandbabies. Every event, holiday, I'm there, always. But I never got to do that for Delia. This is my way of doing that."

"Well, maybe when you see him at Harvestfest, start with telling him that? Even though you've made the effort to be there for him now, it seems he still harbors a lot of hurt from when you weren't there. Help him understand."

"I suppose I owe him that." Henry relented.

"But if I go, you have to promise you'll take care of yourself."

"Of course!"

"I mean it, Antoinette. Your little one is counting on you." Henry eyed her swollen belly.

"This little one still has a few more months, we'll be just fine." Ani smiled as she rubbed her womb.

Ani pulled Henry into a hug. "Send my love to Cameron, Andrea, and all of your beautiful grandchildren for me." Ani said as she gave him a squeeze.

"Of course! You, Altus and your little rascal have a very happy Harvestfest. Don't you worry about me, I know my way to the train."

[appalachianapologies]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Mac and Jack Investigations Part Four

Case File: HF For @impossiblepluto

In the last fic, Jack followed Mac to Mission City to get more information about James MacGyver, but the two of them ended up getting themselves roped into a case. They were able to solve the case and get everyone back home safely, but Mac left without attempting to get any more information on his father.

This time, there’s a new client and a new case to come with it. However, there's something about the client that just doesn't sit right with Jack, and he's not afraid to say it.

[heaveninawildflower]

Twelve Months of Flowers. Hand-coloured engraving.

‘July’ (1730) by Henry Fletcher (British, active 1715-38).  

http://clevelandart.org/art/1942.252

archive.org 

[obigem]

"What I'm trying to say, Henry, is last night when you went to sleep—"

"I never woke up, did I?"

"No. When did you know?"

"I think it was probably from the very beginning. You've never been this tangible before. But I wanted to believe maybe I had a bit more time."

"Are you upset at me for not saying anything sooner?"

"No. I'm more mad at myself that I never made it to Cam in time. I'm always letting that boy down. How will I ever make up for this?"

"No one gets to choose when they go, Huck. He may hurt for a while."

"He'll be upset with you. He'll miss you. But in the end, he'll know that you loved him. We both did."

"He's my little boy. I wanted to make it to him. And my grandchildren too. I love them all so much."

"They know, Huck. They know."

"I hope so. Because otherwise there'd be nothing to keep me from feeling guilty right now."

"Guilty?"

"For being happy that I'm able to be with you again. Since you left, I've thought of you every single day, Delia. And now I'll never have to be away from you ever again."

"Are you ready, for our new forever?" Cordelia held him close.

"I'd go anywhere with you, darling." Henry smiled back.

So while Cordelia held out her hand to him, Ani, Altus, and Rowan arrived at the cottage in search of Henry.

Once inside, they split up, going from room to room in search of him.

Altus checked the first floor to no avail.

Rowan the room for the grandkids. No sign.

Ani checked the bathroom without any luck.

There was one last room to clear to find an answer.

When she approached the bedroom door, Ani was hopeful she'd find Henry in there resting.

But when she entered, she was sorry she did.

"Are you afraid?" Delia looked up at her husband as he squeezed her hand.

"No. I think I might be a little excited. Is that strange?"

"Mmm mmm, I think I'm a little excited too." Delia smiled, as she prompted them both forward.

They walked hand in hand to the edge of the cliff where they could see all of Henford together. It really was beautiful.

"If you want to," Cordelia turned to Henry, "We can stay a bit longer. We can try to see Cameron and the rest of the family. We might not be able to travel that far but—"

"No. I think that might just make things harder. For us and for them. We'll see them again one day."

"I'm ready to go now, my love. My life." Henry cupped Delia's cheek in his drawing her into a kiss.

Because at the end of it all, he wished to leave this world in the arms of the woman he loved. Surrounded by her warmth, her touch, her smell. There was no better way to go.

And so the two of them left the world that day, in a blaze of love, longing, and the sweet memories they'll never forget.

Goodnight, Huck.

[obigem]

"Delia.....why?" Henry was at a loss for words. "Had I known, there's nothing in the world that would've stopped me from taking you to Henford. I would've spent every moment you had left with you. I loved you so much. Why didn't you let me do that for you?"

"Because it would've broken my heart to have you and Cameron give up everything to watch me wither away. I didn't want you to see me as an invalid. You can call it selfish, but I wanted you to always see me as that girl you met at 20 years old so full of life and love for you."

"Huck, there's so much in my life I never got to have control over. I never got a handle on my health or what my body could do. I couldn't control how long I got to be with you and Cameron. So I at least wanted to control how I left this world. Without anyone anticipating it."

"I'm sorry, I never told you, and you spent so long blaming yourself—"

"I do still blame myself for not listening to your desires the way you needed me to. I have so many regrets about it."

"Don't, Huck. In a way, I'm glad it took till death to get here."

"In life, my body would've been too weak to experience any of the things we did together today. And that would've just made me sadder. This way I can see it all and do it all with you, like I always wanted and dreamed about. I'm glad you finally got me here, Huck."

"Delia, I love you. It was the least I could do to finally come and settle here with you. It's what you deserved."

And just like that, unexpectedly, Cordelia placed a hand to Henry's cheek, pulled him toward her, and kissed him. The warmth of which unlike he'd ever felt before.

After their last stop, they made it back up the hill to the cottage.

This return felt heavy in many ways, as Henry knew this was the moment when he'd have to say goodbye to Cordelia and prepare for his pilgrimmage to Oasis Springs where he'd be staying with Cameron.

The two of them stopped at Delia's final resting place, just looking on at it in silence.

"I have to go, Delia. I don't want to, but I have to do it, so I can be there for Cameron and the grandbabies."

He gripped her hand so tightly like he didn't want to let go. He didn't.

"Thank you, love. For everything today. I don't think I knew I needed all of that. Every minute of it. But now that I've had it, I feel like a different man."

"Are you able to let go now, Huck? Of everything?"

"I thought I was. For many years. But I was kidding myself."

"I hated myself so much for what I did to you and Cameron. I was about to repeat the same mistake and rob him of more time. But I won't do that. He needs me. And he's still here. So I'll be there for him like he deserves."

"I'm glad, Henry, that you finally found peace."

"That was the whole point of this, making sure you found your peace. Before the end of it all. And I can feel the difference now. You're ready."

"Ready?"

"I'm sure you felt it, Huck. That today was very different than all the others where we've talked."

"It's because I'm being sentimental. The consequence of knowing this is the end of an era."

"No, it's more than that, Huck." Cordelia turned toward him, placing a hand on his chest. "Last night you went to sleep a man conflicted and so hard on yourself, yet resolute."

"You're a good man, Henry Fletcher. It's the goodness in you that brought you back to Cam when he needed you the most. Having you with him these past 15 years, he loved every minute of it. You know that, right?"

"What are you trying to say, Delia?"

[obigem]

After their dance, Henry and Cordelia started on their long walk home.

Delia was feeling a little chilly, so Henry draped a fur coat over her shoulders, and from there the two slowly strolled through the forest, arm in arm, up toward the cottage together.

"This is nice." Cordelia said softly. "I wish things could just stay like this."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Henry said, knowing that they couldn't.

This last bout with Delia was his goodbye to his life in Henford. Because when he left for Harvestfest, he'd be staying with Cameron.

"I know we're running out of time, but can we make just one more stop before we return to the cottage?"

"Delia—" Henry started.

"Please? I promise it won't be long."

"OK." Henry relented. "You know I'd do anything for you."

They'd made it about halfway up the hill to the cottage before Delia stopped to pet a small bunny. She was such a lover of nature, and Henry loved to see it, but he also knew this couldn't be the stop she was talking about.

"So, where to, Delia?"

"Don't you recognize it, Huck?" Cordelia stood to take his hand. "We're already here." She turned them both toward a lone picnic bench.

"Ah, I see." Henry got solemn. "It's a bit cruel to try and get me to remember this moment, Delia."

"It was a sweet moment."

"Recounting the story of how I killed you is hardly very sweet." Henry's voice dropped to a hush.

It was this very spot that he had brought Andrea to in order to tell that story. A shameful story that he just hasn't been able to forgive himself for.

"It's funny, you told her that story to help her forgive herself for some of her own wrongs, but you still refuse to forgive yourself." Cordelia turned to him.

"How can I possibly forgive myself for cutting your life short?"

"Henry, you didn't kill me."

"That fight we had, if I hadn't pushed you so hard, your heart wouldn't have—"

"No, it still would have. By that point I was living on borrowed time. It wasn't a matter of if, but when."

"But if I were gentler—"

"Huck, no. There's something I never told you."

"I hid it from you because I didn't want you or Cam to treat me differently, hold yourselves back for my sake."

"Delia, what are you talking about?"

"Those doctor appointments I went to, the ones where I kept telling you my condition was stabilizing. I...I lied."