Misty Gray
Pessimisty
The Walker Residence
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -
Caroline Walker
- Edgbaston, Birmingham, England -
Caroline Walker
Caroline retrieved the phonebook for Richard before the man rushed around and out to his car. Whilst on her own, she took a moment to allow her tears to fall from her eyes, holding her hand to her chest as she tried to get her emotions under control. Upon hearing her brother-in-law re-enter the house, she quickly dried her tears before joining him in the dining room. Placing the phonebook on the corner of the table, she watched as he opened out the map on the surface. She was about to make a comment about this not being some war strategy. Instead, other words came out. "Wales?!" she repeated upon being told where her husband was. "I've never even heard of a place called Chepstow," she scoffed. She supposed it made a little sense, given Elwyn Jones had been Welsh. "What's so special about Chepstow?" she wondered aloud as she followed his finger to the location on the map.
"Do you need new glasses?" she sarcastically asked when Richard asked for the phonebook that was next to him. Despite the emotions of the morning, her trademark bluntness remained. When Richard explained about Robert being injured, the worry once again set in. She knew how her husband downplayed his own health issues, which made her wonder just had ill the man really was if he couldn't hide it from the phone call alone. It was likely Rory was hurt too, which only added to the worry. As Richard spoke about finding a nearby hospital, Caroline couldn't help but think of the Fletchers. "We'll have to let Dorothy know," she suggested. Even if the bitterness between them remained, she knew how the other woman was feeling at this time, with both having had a missing daughter caught up in this mess.
Caroline naturally smiled at Richard's enthusiasm about finding the hospital on the map. She nodded in agreement about Dean being trusted. "Of course. Felicity and Thomas will be safe here," she agreed. "Perhaps Dean could contact the Fletchers and gives them a heads up too," she suggested. It wasn't so much that she was avoiding speaking with Dorothy, but she was keen to get to Robert and she was sure the phone call would be a lot smoother if made by someone more... neutral.
Caroline retrieved her handbag, quickly rifling through it to make sure she had everything she needed. "Okay, let's..." She fell silent upon noticing Richard had turned serious again. She hooked the bag handle over her forearm as he started by apparently giving her a warning about Robert. "Richard. I've been married to him for decades..." she scoffed. But he seemed deadly serious as he said Robert wouldn't be the same. When he elaborated by telling her not to ask questions, but to instead let her husband speak on her own terms, she realised he was alluding to Casablanca and the fallout from that. She hadn't learned the truth about Robert's abduction and prolonged torture until a few years later, when Robert returned home from the war and finally told her about his ordeal. Softening, she nodded in understanding. "I get it. I'll always be there for him, and of course I can be strong. I'll make sure he gets what he needs and when he needs it," she reassured Richard.
Once they were on the road, with Richard driving, Caroline sat back in the passenger seat. Other than offer help navigating, she felt useless for the time-being. After a time, she gave in to the anxiety the stress of the day had brought on. Placing her handbag on her lap, she opened it up to retrieve a box of cigarettes and a lighter. It was rare she smoked and was dead against anyone doing it in her home. In fact, it wasn't something her family knew for her to do. Granted, she was sure Robert knew even if he didn't dare bring it up. Considering his many secrets of the past and the fact it was usually stress caused by him that led her to smoke, she figured he knew better than to judge her for it. "Do you want one?" she offered Richard. Whether he still smoked or not, she figured today would be a warranted time to have one now. Caroline wound down her window before taking a long drag of the cigarette and blowing the smoke out towards the outside air.
"I only smoke when shit has really his the fan. Funnily enough, it's usually Robert's doing," she sarcastically remarked. Granted, this time she wasn't angry with him, rather stressed by the emotional whirlwind he'd sent her way this time. "Did he ever tell you about the first time he proposed to me?" she asked. Other than saying she hadn't been ready, Robert hadn't gone into much detail, more inclined to tell the story of the second and successful attempt. "It was a beautiful and romantic gesture, all very well planned." She took another drag of the cigarette and flicked the ash out of the window. "He'd asked my father's permission, bought the most fabulous ring, and took me to London - where we first met - and to the most beautiful restaurant. My favourite, in fact." She smiled, remembering how perfect it all was, in theory. "I wanted to say yes, but I was very much rebellious when I was younger. Even as a child I didn't believe in the whole idea that it was my place to simply marry, have kids and be a housewife. So when he planned it all and sought my family's permission I was having none of it. The fact there were people in that restaurant watching the proposal didn't make me cave in either." Caroline lightly laughed. "You'd have thought he'd have escaped whilst he could. But he clearly didn't want a woman who would step into line. And soon enough he figured things out and tried again when the proposal was about only the two of us."

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