Southern Revelations
Cordelia has had enough. Despite Jay's concerns, she just has to tell Hank Voight. Hank might not need or want to know, but Cordelia needs to tell. Luckily the truth proves to bring comfort.
Warnings: Parental rejection, Death and loss of a child and parent, Mentions of Cancer treatment.
The District had never felt so intimidating. Even in the beauty of a snow frosted Chicago winter, Cordelia’s heart was filled with anxiety and a little fear. A fear of rejection that she had never thought was possible. However bubbling underneath was an unnatural anger, anger towards the person that had ripped her away from her birth parents. In the three weeks since her ‘mothers’ letter had arrived, Cordelia hadn’t returned to Lemon Drops.
Her mind was to busy trying desperately to piece together her sense of identity beyond that of her cafe or marriage. However, This lead her down - in jay’s opinion - a dangerous internet search rabbit hole. Somewhere along the line she’d decided, Hank needed to know. Jay had told her of Justin’s death and how it had shaken Hank, he warned her she might not like what might happen afterwards. But his stubborn wife had made up her mind, Hank needed to know. Sucking in a breath and attempting to steal her nerves she adjusted her bag and tugged her - well Jay’s - jacket tighter around her shoulders.
Trudy was stood at her usual place behind the desk ordering patrol officers around when Cordelia finally made it trough the doors thanks to the help of a outgoing officer. When the older women noticed the nervous Cordelia standing awkwardly in the foyer. A smile - reserved for a select few - stretched across her face as gestured for Cordelia to approach.
“I hope I’m not intruding at a bad time”
“Of course not, it’s been a slow day for that lot. Here to see Chuckles I presume?” Cordelia stiffened, of course Trudy would assume she was here to see her husband. Was she hoping the older women had somehow gained the ability to read her mind in her wisdom? In reality no one, not even Trudy, would expect Cordelia to be visiting anyone else.
“Ah…No, Hank actually” Despite the look of shock that flashed across Trudy’s features, she nodded and began to lead Cordelia up to the Intelligence unit.
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The heads of Chicago’s finest detectives turn in curiosity as the beep of the gate and footsteps echo through the space. No one is all that surprised when they see that Trudy is escorting someone up the stairs, but Jay is a little startled to see his nervous wife following her. Though a smug smile replaces his shock when he notices his wife’s choice of attire.
The cold whether meant that the sundresses that Jay loved on her so much had been packed away for the winter. Jeans and stolen sweaters had quickly filled the space in their shared wardrobe. Jay let out a chuckle when he realized that Cordelia was wearing his missing black bomber jacket zipped up halfway, revealing the burnt orange of her favorite sweater form collage. The young women didn’t stop to greet any of her husbands colleagues, instead she softly thanked Trudy and walked straight up to her intended target. Hanks name was etched into the frosted glass and before her nerves could pull the plug on her plans, Cordelia let her knuckles rap on the glass.
Jay could spot her nervous habits a mile off. He knew that she needed him without her even looking at him. When his boss opened the door to greet the young women he moved silently and expertly to
Hank’s office was neat. The blinds were drawn and Hank was sat in his chair as the couple entered.
“How can I help you today Mrs. Halstead?” Cordelia was slightly comforted by the use of her new surname. A feeling of safety washed over her as Jay’s hand on her thigh squeezed slightly in response. While Jay couldn’t quite tell why his wife was here sitting his boss’s office, he had an idea and knew that whatever she was planning she’d want both his support and comfort.
“um…a couple weeks ago my mothers estate attorney sent me a letter that my mother had written,” She finally spoke as she fished out the letter from her bag and handed over to Hank, “I…um…I didn’t know if I should even bring this up, but I couldn’t live with this anymore”
The room was still as Hank read the letter and looked over the birth certificate, his eyes scanned for imperfections, any indication that it was a fraud. But soon the facts settled and Hank’s eyes slowly drifted up towards the young women that he could tell was barely hanging on to herself. However with Jay’s comforting grip on her thigh, Cordelia continued to talk.
“I didn’t believe it at first. The delirious ramblings of a dying women. But my aunt told me that she’d written this before the chemo started” Cordelia’s voice began to wobble slightly as she got closer to revealing the horrible truth, “I found my adoption records the other day and followed the trail…I found this at the end”
Her hand was jittery as she handed over the file of newspaper articles and stories that told the a twisted story of misfiled records and potentially missing children. A heavily silence filled the small room and she felt as if the walls might begin to crumble around her. Hank Voight face was blank as he soaked in the presented information. His mind was filling with both the dots before him, but also the painful memory of the nurse walking into the room after his twins birth with only one blue blanket wrapped baby. He could remember clear as day, looking down at what he thought was his perfect little girl. Her stillness was unsettling and yet somehow she seemed so full of a life that would never be lived.
“I’m more than happy to do any test you want, i just needed you to know” came the soft shaking voice of a distraught Cordelia. Hank shook his head. He didn’t need a test result to prove what he could see was plain as day, Cordelia was his daughter and they were both victims of a greedy women’s actions.
“No need, I trust you’ve already had the certificate verified. I’m glad you’ve told me Cordelia, and if you’ll allow. I want to get to know you better” Cordelia smiled, her fears had been squashed but her husband’s had not.
“I don’t think anyone outside of us three should know”
“I agree with Jay, I have many enemies and now that you are apart of the family, I don’t want them to come after you”
Cordelia didn’t need anyone else to know. As long as Hank knew and hadn’t rejected her was enough. She felt calmer, whole. After the revelations of her mothers letter, she’d felt so distant from the family she’d known her whole life. Now it felt like she had a family again. That’s all she wanted.
