Earlier today, L got an envelope addressed to him at the yard. It was a note from his father, along with some money. He asked me to post a picture of it. I don't think any of us really know how to feel about it.
Translation:
To Gregory,
I heard you were getting married. And that you have two boys/children now. I hope you're happy and that you and he have a good life together.
The money is to be split/shared between you and Nichola to spend on your families.
Your Father,
Francesco Lestrade
So, that's…nice, I suppose? I don't know. I mean, it could certainly be worse.
43 comments:
I think my problem is that I don't get a choice. I didn't want this, I didn't have any choice in knowing anything about it before I'd read the note. I don't get the chance to send it back, or follow it up. Just like always, he does what he wants, and no one else gets any say.
Yeah. And it's impossible to know what his intentions were.
Yeah. It is. Still...he wrote 'he'. He knows I'm marrying a man. And...well, not that it matters. But you know, he still wrote that.
Yeah. I was thinking about that, among other things, when I said it could be worse. Not that it absolves him of anything.
Did Nicky say anything apart from not wanting the money?
Not really. A lot of questions I didn't have answers to. A lot of silences. She said she'd think about it all and call me back.
Understandable.
Yeah. I just...I really don't know. I'm veering wildly between being angry and just...numb, probably. I mean, it doesn't change anything. Except he's alive. And apparently got money.
I can imagine. Sort of. It's...a strange situation.
Certainly is. And I've no idea if we should tell Mum or not.
Yeah, that's...a hard decision to say the least.
Kind of...think not. Given that's all the contact there was. Will be, probably.
Might give her the money though. I don't know, I'll talk to Nicky about it.
Might feel slightly better if I knew where it came from, even. Or...anything about him. Might not though.
No way to know. Which is part of the problem. I wonder if he gave any thought at all to how disruptive this would be.
Probably not.
Can you ask Murray if he's free tomorrow night? Might be the only time I can fit him in, so to speak.
Heh. Yeah, I'll ask.
You can wax lyrical about my good points, too, so if I'm just some morose arsehole who doesn't listen to him tomorrow night he knows it's not my permanent state.
(I think it shows the sort of day I've had when I just smiled and chalked up a new 'high point' at spelling permanent right first go.)
I do that already. Do you want some tea?
Yarg. That is....complicated. I'd feel complicated if my dad did such a thing.
You do have a choice, though. You don't have to keep the money. You can leave it in the park, or give it to a homeless guy, or walk into a restaurant and tell the manager that you want to pay the tabs of everyone there, or donate it to a charity, or give it to Sherlock to put towards his Mad Scientist Laboratory. Or you and John and Nicky can have an extremely nice dinner.
Maybe he wants to wish you well, but thinks it's too late to salvage a relationship with you, so he reaches out this way, in a way that insulates him from any blowback? If he wanted to be an ass, he wouldn't have sent you money, he'd have just not got in touch. Maybe he's going through his own process of regret. But yeah. No way to know really. And that makes it weird to deal with.
Ella
Ella - I'd give it to charity. But I might give it to Mum. Or spend it on her, rather than give it to her. Maybe that makes me as bad as him, though, thinking money will make up for anything he put her through. I don't know.
Reading that back it doesn't even make sense to me.
I hope he does regret it. for the right reasons. But without...meeting him, I won't really believe that.
Oh, L. That just sounds dreadfully complicated, whether he means well or... not.
You are a good son to your mum, no matter what you decide to do with the money. I hope that it's possible to put all of your dad's antics to one side for the wedding.
Sherlock doesn't understand why I wouldn't just take the money.
Sorry, Sherlock, I didn't mean to get cross with you this morning.
I think the thought processes involved here are beyond those that children can understand even children as clever as Sherlock which makes things difficult because there just is no explaining it.
Good luck with work Greg, hopefully it'll move more quickly and be less interesting than yesterday :-)
Yeah. Plus he has a very simple way of approaching such things. Which is fine, and might never change, but is different to mine.
Work is...slightly more interesting. So will hopefully go faster.
We're packing you a bag but you shouldn't go. John said you wouldn't want spider. You shouldn't go.
It's not for long, Kiddo. I'll be back before you know it.
I'm not sure I can fit Spider in? I want to take my guitar, a pair of jeans a suit, a few shirts and the essentials.
Can I take biscuits too?
It's hard seeing someone you love upset, isn't it Sherlock? You've gotten very good at finding ways to show that you care.
Wish I could stay home, Sherlock. But I'll be back before you know it. Then off work.
I'm hesitant to say anything but I guess it's ok since you posted it? But I think that note sounds like someone trying not to give offense more than someone looking for a clean conscience. I mean he makes it clear that he knows you are marrying another man (maybe someone who knows him saw you all while you were in Italy) and that he's happy for you. And if he could have been afraid that if he gave an address it would look like he was asking for an invitation and he could have been afraid that if he offered an apology, or sent the money for yourselves it might look like he was trying to buy you off in a way but making it for your families, that puts it in a more acceptable light. So by doing it this way he might be thinking it puts no obligation on you but is a way of maybe standing up for you two however belatedly. I think it wouldn't be saying you forgive him or anything like that to take the money and use it for your families like he said, but it would leave a door open for the future.
--Someone whose afraid they're speaking out of turn
You off tonight, Lestrade, or in the morning?
Tonight. Have to be there early tomorrow
Ah, hence the boys packing you a bag. I hope you have a safe journey, and I hope there's biscuits in your bag :-)
Travel safe, L. I hope your migraine is fully gone.
It has, thanks RR.
Nameless - yeah. Although they've got me a bit longer. My train's been cancelled.
Anon - you're definitely not speaking out of turn. It's good to have other people's perspective on it. And you certainly make a lot of sense.
There are definitely biscuits.
There are. And a sandwich. And nuts. I will survive the journey!
Right. Off to get a train to sunny Doncaster. (Final destination: Sheffield.)
I have a guitar but not spider.
If I get the carriage to myself I'm playing guitar.
I can't see a train to Doncaster being all that busy on a Sunday night so hopefully you'll get the chance to play :-)
safe trip.
Good luck with the boys on your own for a few days John.
And hey, if the passengers in the next car like it, maybe they'll drop a few pounds in your guitar case! :)
AnonyBob - probably full of coppers going to the conf!
RR - fairly sure they'd throw me off the train, or call the BTP or something for begging.
There's a few people about. And I really should be working anyway. And eating my dinner. Might even get myself a beer.
:(
Enjoy your biscuits (and other things)!
Are you still working on your stuff for the conference Greg or do you have other stuff to do this week as well as that?
enjoy your dinner and the treats that have been packed for you, a beer sounds like a lovely idea, I could really fancy one right now :-)
Conference, mainly.
Most of work first...then beer ;)
I'm sure that's the wrong way around but you know best ;-)
What Anon wrote about your dad's letter says (better) what I was thinking... In general when I don't have much info about someone, I do tend to give the benefit of the doubt, though, and to assume that, like most of us, they're just doing the best they can with what they have, little as it may be. You know him better of course.
I do know how hard is is to think about resuming a friendship with someone after many years, when there was a bit of a dubious parting, never mind the kind of fraught relationship that is father/son. Where do you begin? what can you say? will they want to hear it? It can be hard enough to communicate with someone you see a lot of and know well... here there's a gulf of not only years, but stages of life.
And money so often is called upon to stand in for emotional connection, not that it can, really... but it is sometimes what people resort to, when the emotional connection is missing.
Anyway, it's good that you two guys have each other, I know you'll sort it out.
S
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