Keona's POV
John took his leave after I give him my advice. He looks hardworking and honest, impressing me much as to my shock, my husband Henri enters my office with an older looking, prim maiden.
"Mon bien-aimé (My beloved)"
He opened his arms with that greeting always and I immediately hug him back in return. "Mon Henri~ (My Henri~)" I smiled hugging him back.
"I'm so happy that you've been promoted." He congratulate me with a smile. "Thank you" I giggle a little thanking him. "Anything for you my love~" He hugs me smiling back.
We pulled out of the hug after a while. "Hope you aren't given hell when I'm not around." He bops my nose smiling as always. "Marie and Victoria are just being the usual mini-devils." I said.
"Haha! My two little princesses are just like me I supposed." Henri laughs a little and I can't help softly giggling along. "Pierre's just being a goofball as always isn't he?" He soon asks about our son Pierre.
"He IS one." I said with much emphasis on the IS. "Good, it shows all is well." Henri smiles before calling the maiden from the door over. "I have asked the Chief and he is absolutely agreeing on you having a personal assistant like he does." He explains to me happily.
"Meet Odette Lupin, she's my mother's relative from the southeast of France, 35km south of Lyon." He soon introduces the maiden to me who bows politely to me. "Nice to meet you, Madame. My name is Odette Lupin." She introduces herself in English much to my shock, despite of her thick accent, she does speak quite fluently.
"Nice to meet you, Madame Lupin." I greeted her back politely. "Odette, I believe you have now met my lovely femme (wife) Keona, who is the FBI Deputy Chief, I believe I can leave you two to get along while I can check the children." Henri tells her with much posse.
We both nodded as Henri leaves the room to check on the children. It was a little awkward, she's my mother-in-law's relative and it seems that we will need some time to even get along.
"Is there anything you want my help with Madame?" Odette spoke up asking me timidly. "I won't bite you" I reassured her. "Just go get the papers organized on my rack into neat stacks." I said before showing her how to organize the stuff on my rack.
Much to my relief, Odette is a fast learner and eagers to learn more. To be much more of a nice employer, I also took some courage speaking up and asking her to talk more about herself.
"You know I'm from France." She starts. "I come from one of the southern communes in France." Odette tells me. "Interesting" I said amazed.
"Its like civil townships here." She explains to me willingly. "The thing is from where I'm from, everybody knows everybody." She says and I'm impressed that her English vocabulary doesn't sound like she come from a commune.
"Interesting." I said interested to hear more. "How old are you then?" I asked her. "I'm only 3 years older than Henri though we are born on the same month." She says.
"So 9 years older than me?! You look very young though actually!"
I looked at Odette gasping in much shock when I mentally counted and realized her age. "You look very young for your age too as well, I almost thought Henri was lying when I saw you." She says the same.
"Henri can be quite a pranker some days." I said which got her chuckling. "Henri is quite the pranker, he is like his father to some degree." Odette chuckles agreeing with me as she arranges the third batch of old paperwork.
"But you and Henri have quite the love story to envy" She then says. "You're married?" I asked her. "Yes but my husband has unfortunately passed away last month of throat cancer." She sighs. "It maybe a rough 29 years married but its still quite sad to see him go." She adds on.
"I'm so sorry to hear about what happened." I said feeling very sympathetic towards her to the point I can remember how it was for me when my first husband Luke died. It was every wife's worst nightmare.
~FLASHBACK~
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! WWWHHHYYYYYYYYYY?!?!"
~•••~
For the 2 years before Henri is even in the picture, I was so drowned in my loss and becoming a widow. Everything is just a misery.
"You're strong Madame Lupin" I said to her with much sincerity which got her looking at me in shock.
"I'm serious, you're the strongest woman I've ever encountered in my life"
Letizia's POV
John came back from his training shortly after my other son Robert is heading for med school.
"How's everything going?"
I asked him. "All good, I be working with the Deputy Chief when next week starts." He tells me with a smile. "Deputy Chief?" I looked at him scratching my head.
'Please don't tell me he's been put to work with the racist Henry Tudor'
The thought came into my mind as I've seen how many Puerto Rican rookies have fled under Rodrigo's charge. I don't want my son to go through some special treatment also, all because he's my son.
"Deputy Chief Keona Shyden." He then explains. "Oh! Didn't know she's promoted?" I was surprised instead of being relief. I've heard about her being one of Chief's favorites but her promotion is quite a surprise despite her 15 years with the FBI.
"You've been on leave for too long Mama"
My son chuckles teasingly at me. "You can't blame me when your Papa is at the state he is!" I chuckle back defending myself before chasing him to go and get changed.
I then looked at the phone in the living room with worry. My husband of 22 years has been in the sanctuary for the past 2 years thanks to his golden habit with the tobacco.
'Dear...All I ask is for you to be alive and kicking when the kids and I see you...that's all'
I looked at the phone sighing and trying not to cry when memories of that dreadful day came into my mind when he's diagnosed with lung cancer.
~FLASHBACK~
"I'm sorry Mam, Sir McForbes has smoked himself with the cancer that it be a miracle if he can live through even 5 years"
~•••~
Please be alive Danny...