Chapter Text
Out of the many responsibilities he had, Anthony Bridgerton was never one to back out on any of them. The thirty-one year old was always dependable, a trait his siblings never seemed to shoulder the burden on. After all, he was the eldest of the Bridgertons, and as the eldest he was the one everyone was to go to when one was in trouble. So, taking in his three younger siblings after his mother’s car accident two years ago was the natural choice. Daphne and in all of her good graces offered to take them in but for Anthony that was out of the question. His younger sister had just gotten married a year and a half before and already had a child of her own. Anthony would be damned if he let his sister shoulder the responsibility of three children with a newborn to take care of. So when it came time to choose who was going with whom, Anthony immediately stepped up to task, forgoing his bachelor’s life to be the Bridgerton family man he was destined to be.
Waking up at five in the morning however, was an adjustment he never seemed to get used to. Six thirty was better, sometimes seven, oh how he missed those days. He’d wake up next to some model, two-bit actress, or an amateur singer, shower, give his assistant his breakfast order, and head to work. Now his days were spent driving his siblings to their many extracurricular activities, sorting through Hyacinth’s mountains of macaroni art, and making sure all of the kids were fed and bathed with homework done before starting the cycle all over again. Parenting was exhausting, and he didn’t know how his mother did it with eight children. He supposed she was always suited for motherhood, his father too, God bless him. Anthony knew he’d be a family man some day, just like his parents. He didn’t expect it to be so soon, especially without someone by his side.
It was an innocent conversation with his youngest sister that had him pondering the very thing he tried not to even think about: marriage. The nine year old had finished getting ready for bed, and Anthony was ready to put the day behind them when she asked for a story of all things.
“Please Anthony! I’ll go to sleep right after, I promise!”
Anthony pretended to be in deep thought before turning to her. “Brushed your teeth?”
“Of course!”
“Washed your face?”
“Absolutely!”
Anthony gave her a playful look, folding his arms. “Washed behind your ears?”
“Anthony!” Hyacinth mirrored him, her arms folding and her lips coming into a perfect pout which made Anthony laugh out loud.
“Alright, alright.” He got up and began looking at her bookshelf. “Any requests before we spend all night trying to find a book you want to read?”
“Hm.” Hyacinth tapped her chin, as if she was really thinking about her prospects. Anthony had to applaud her devotion to the whole act. At times, the nine year old could be extremely dramatic. “The big book with all the fairy tales!” She finally exclaimed. “And do the voices!”
Anthony shook his head with a small smile, grabbing the well worn book from the end of the shelf. “Do the voices, you say.” Hyacinth scooted to the other end of the bed so Anthony could semi-comfortably fit in next to her. Anthony cleared his throat and pitched his voice two tones higher. “Like this?”
Hyacinth giggled. “Exactly like that!”
After making sure she was comfortable and tucked in, Anthony began regaling Hyacinth of a tale of a witch who cast a spell, the princess who simply couldn’t fall in love, and the prince who saved her. When her eyes were closed and a sleepy smile was spread across her face, Anthony smoothed her hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. He put the book away and turned off her light, making sure the nightlight stayed on in case she had a nightmare. Anthony was moments away from walking out the door when he heard her small voice.
“Anthony?”
Quickly, he turned around and the divot between his brows grew deeper. Was she scared? Was she upset? He’d fix it in a heartbeat, he always did.
“Yes, Hyacinth?” Anthony was by her side in a second, searching her eyes for any discomfort. “Are you alright?” He bent down, trying to search for any sadness there.
Hyacinth slowly nodded. “I am, I just have a question.”
Anthony’s face softened and he tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “What is it, love?”
“Did a mean witch cause the car accident?”
Anthony’s heart broke as he saw her lower lip quiver, and he was lost for words for a moment.
“Because mummy’s gone now, and even though it's been a long time, you’ve been really sad.”
Anthony opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. “Hyacinth…there is no such thing as witches.”
Hyacinth’s lips pursed, as if thinking for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak again. “But it's like-” She sat up. “-It’s like you have been under a spell. You’re not happy. You’re never happy.”
You’re never happy.
The revelation stung. Was he happy? Surely he let out a laugh or a smile once. His siblings were his everything, he had to have been happy around them at least? For a moment, he let himself actually ponder on the statement. No, he wasn’t truly happy. Taking in his siblings, running the family company as CEO, and dealing with the many responsibilities he had to face made him feel like the world was on his shoulders. He was Anthony Bridgerton, he was the eldest of the Bridgerton clan, if there was anyone to shoulder the burden it was him. Anthony wanted his family to be happy, and if that meant making sacrifices for their happiness then so be it.
“Mummy’s accident made me very unhappy, yes.” Anthony figured the truth was the correct way to go about things. “But keeping you and Gregory and Francesca in my life has made me happy and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
Hyacinth smiled and nodded, seeming happy with his answer. “I think you need to find a princess like in the books. The prince and princess are always happy after they meet and get married.”
“Oh yeah?” Anthony asked as he tucked Hyacinth in again. “I think you should go to bed.”
Hyacinth made a face and then settled into bed. “Well, find a princess soon please. I don’t want my braids to be lopsided anymore.”
Anthony couldn’t help but laugh. He had been doing his sister’s hair since the three of them came to live with them, and he still hadn’t gotten used to it. “Goodnight, Hyacinth.”
Hyacinth yawned. “Goodnight, Anthony.”
As silly as it was, Anthony found himself actually ruminating on his sister’s words. Find a princess soon please. I don’t want my braids to be lopsided anymore. Not only were his skills in hairstyling absolutely terrible (Hyacinth only had three go-to styles he could actually deliver on: brushed, brushed with a headband , and a ponytail), but he figured his siblings needed a mother figure. Francesca would probably be the one to fight him on the whole girlfriend thing as she could hardly stand Siena when they were a thing (what were they exactly he wasn’t sure). Gregory and Hyacinth would be more easy to please, welcoming the change with somewhat open arms. No one could replace their mum of course but Anthony was smart enough to know that they at least needed someone other than their siblings to fill in a parental role in their lives.
After watching the clock’s minutes steadily go up, Anthony finally willed himself out of bed. With reluctant urgency, he began ridding himself of his pajamas and replaced them with some athletic wear. Quickly, he brushed his teeth, did his business, and washed up before checking on his siblings. Quietly, he put on his sneakers and put his phone and keys in his fanny pack before sneaking out of their huge penthouse flat. His early morning runs were his outlet that he could not be without. He figured it was a little time for him. Hardly anyone was out at five in the morning in London, and sometimes he just needed the space for a little quiet. Running was meditative for him. The steady sound of his feet pounding the pavement, the trees and houses passing by, and the fresh air on his face brought him some semblance of peace to his chaotic days.
Anthony had slowed his pace to a light jog when someone whizzed past him. All he could see was dark hair and long lean bronzed legs taking off before him. Curiously, he increased his speed to catch up. Anthony could hardly see the figure next to him, but he caught a flash of bright teeth and a smirk. He smirked back.
“Last one up the hill owes the other coffee?” Anthony panted out and the woman beside him nodded.
Game on.
The two broke out in a full out sprint. Both of their long lean legs competing with each other as they put their all into the race. The scent of lillies passed by his nostrils and he could not get enough. They were side by side as they traveled up the hill, but a lack of a warmup caused Anthony to slightly slow his pace and the woman sprinted right to victory.
Placing their hands on their heads, the two gasped as they looked at each other while they recovered from their race. Now that he could finally see her, she was breathtaking. High cheekbones, brown skin, and the most beautiful brown eyes he could get lost in. If it wasn’t for the race, he would have thought he was breathless from staring at the woman before him. There was no denying that she was gorgeous.
“I guess…I owe you…that coffee…” Anthony said between breaths and the woman smiled brightly.
“I guess…you do.” She breathed. “I can never…turn down…a free coffee!”
Anthony let out a breathless laugh, before reaching in his fanny pack for his phone. After unlocking it, he passed it to her. “Here, put in your number. I can have my assistant text you with the details if I’m too busy.”
As she typed in her contact information, she looked impressed. “An assistant. Can’t make time to text me?”
Anthony shrugged. “I’m a busy man.”
“Well, I don’t give out my numbers to busy men.” The woman handed him back his phone. He let out a laugh when he saw she saved her information as ‘ The girl who beat your arse in a race’ . “There's my email. Feel free to email me when you’re not busy .”
Anthony laughed. “Will do.” He pocketed his phone. “I didn’t seem to catch your name.”
The woman shrugged. “Guess you’ll have to find out when you email me. Can’t wait for my free coffee.” And with that, the woman was off.
Anthony shook his head in disbelief. This woman was something else. With a sigh, he turned back and started running back toward the house.
…
Anthony made it back in time to take a long shower and actually take his time getting ready for once. He went about his daily routine of moisturizing and putting on his favorite cologne before changing into his button up and dress pants. He figured there was time to put on his suit jacket and tie later and made his way to the kitchen, picking up any stray clothes or toys in their penthouse. With an annoyed sigh, he dropped the items into one of their junk baskets before moving on to the kitchen. Today was an important day: the first day of school, and he wanted to make sure his siblings were ready to face the day.
Sighing, he got out the eggs, bacon, and bread. He figured eggs and bacon with toast would suffice. He had already packed their lunches the night before. Anthony figured out early that the trick was to do things ahead of time for everything to be able to run smoothly. Mornings weren’t exactly the easiest for the Bridgerton siblings, himself included. So, of course the ever so diligent Anthony had a schedule to keep things in tip top shape. He checked his watch: 6:30, showtime.
“Alright, Bridgertons!” Anthony called out with a small smile playing on his lips. “The time is now six-thirty! You should be up and out of bed!”
Anthony strolled down the hallway, stopping first at Gregory’s room. “You better be decent!” He called out as he opened the door, hearing his alarm go off. “It's the first day of school buddy. Come on, let's go.” He said a bit more quietly this time as he walked in, ignoring Gregory’s groans in protest. “Your uniform is out and ironed, I hope?” Anthony gently shook him and Gregory groaned, pawing him away.
“Just five more minutes.”
Anthony smiled softly. “Not with you. Come on, be an example for Hyacinth and get up. I’ll be here in five minutes and if you’re not up I’m gonna make sure you’re up.”
With that, Anthony moved onto Francesca’s room, the second hardest to wake. Francesca was a bit more responsible than Gregory at the very least, and Anthony was happy to at least have that. She was the one who didn’t want to be bothered, but Anthony knew he had to bug her to get on with the day just like the rest of them.
“Francesca?” Anthony knocked on her door. “Are you up?”
“Yes!” Francesca’s muffled voice came from the other door.
That was all he needed to hear as he took a breath before going to Hyacinth’s room. This girl was a whole different story. With a sigh, he knocked on the door and then opened it. “Alright Hyacinth.” He said gently as he made his way in. “It's time to get up now. It’s the first day of school and I know you’re excited to meet your new teacher.” Anthony bent down and rubbed her back. “Come on now, let's get up.”
Hyacinth made a noise of protest and pretended to cry. Anthony sighed and gently lifted her to sit up and the nine year old began to whine and rub her eyes. It was always like this in the mornings. No matter what they had to do, Hyacinth had to put up a fight.
“Hyacinth.” Anthony warned. “You are far too old for this. I have to make breakfast. This is ridiculous, you love school.”
“No I dooooooooon’t.” Hyacinth whined. Her morning breath hit his face and he had to take a step back.
Anthony’s jaw clenched. “Hyacinth, I’m serious. It’s time to get up. We can’t be late.”
Hyacinth whined again and lifted her hands up as if she was a two year old who wanted to be carried. Seeing how he could never say no (and Hyacinth being a total and complete brat), Anthony picked her up and headed to the bathroom.
“Yeah, you’re definitely too old to be doing this.” He grumbled as he made his way to her adjoining bathroom. Sighing, he set her down on her feet and Anthony got out a washcloth. This was how his father patiently got him to wake up in the morning and now it was Hyacinth’s turn. He’d been doing this since she was very young, so Hyacinth already knew the drill. Anthony warmed the washcloth under warm water, wrung it out, and then gently began to wipe at her face. “Oh how nice and warm.” Anthony commented, wiping the dried drool and the sleep from her eyes. He then moved to her ears and made faces in the mirror that made her smile.
“Alright.” Anthony placed the damp cloth on the towel rack and got out her toothbrush and toothpaste. “Think you can handle it from here until it's time to do your hair?” Hyacinth nodded and Anthony kissed the top of her head. “Good girl, then. I need to go make breakfast.”
Anthony rushed to the kitchen, not without checking on Gregory of course who was locked away in his bathroom. Sighing, he got out two pans and turned the gas on. Anthony cracked eggs one by one into one pan and then put four pieces of toast in the toaster. He slapped a few pieces of bacon on the other pan and drearily watched on as everything cooked. Francesca was the first one to come into the kitchen, hair straightened and clothes on ready to go to school.
“Morning.” She yawned as she rooted through the fridge, before picking out her lunchbox to put in her backpack.
“Morning. Good job.” He read somewhere that it was good to give kids positive feedback. No matter the age or circumstance. Anthony grabbed the pill case from the drawer and handed it to her. “Don’t forget to take your supplements-”
“I know .” Francesca said, pouring herself a glass of orange juice. “That's why I have the juice out.”
“Fine, good thinking ahead.” Anthony gave her a look. “And Francesca, actually eat your breakfast today.”
Francesca whined. “They already feed me at school in the mornings.”
“Then have some milk at school. It’ll keep your bones strong.” Anthony turned the stove off and put the food on two serving plates and then put them in the middle of the table. “Here, serve yourself and I mean it Francesca. Eat.”
Francesca rolled her eyes and Anthony ruffled her hair before making way to Gregory’s room again. Much to his surprise, Gregory was completely ready. Tired, but ready.
“Gregory, my boy! Good job! Go eat with your sister.” Anthony ruffled his hair before making his way to Hyacinth’s room. Thankfully, the nine year old was already dressed in her pinafore, blouse and socks. Anthony gave her a smile and picked out two white scrunchies and secured them on his wrist. “Two ponytails today?”
Hyacinth’s eyes brightened. “With braids?!”
Anthony shook his head, gliding through her hair with a comb and then a brush. “I think we only have time for ponytails. Maybe Francesca can braid them in the car?”
Hyacinth pouted. “Francesca’s mean.” The admission made Anthony laugh and he gently sprayed the top of her head with a spray bottle and then made a perfect part - a trick he learned from Daphne.
“Now, she’s not that bad.” Anthony chuckled, knowing exactly what Hyacinth was talking about. Francesca hadn’t taken to moving in with Anthony well, and on top of her hormones and teenagedom, she was just a lot. Anthony didn’t blame her, as she went through and still goes through a lot since the accident. Anthony made the arrangements to put her in therapy, they all went really. Well, of course Anthony didn’t, but Hyacinth, Gregory, and the last time he heard Eloise and Daphne all attended therapy. “Alright I think we’re done. Go get your breakfast before it's cold, we have-” Anthony looked at his watch. “-fifteen minutes.”
Anthony followed Hyacinth out the door and headed back into the kitchen. He made sure the lunches were fully packed and ready before putting Gregory and Hyacinth’s lunchboxes in their backpacks. “Alright, do we have everything? Papers, pencils, books?” A chorus of yesses came from around the table and Anthony nodded. “Good, good.”
One thing that served Anthony was his eye for detail. He went over the kids’ backpacks and scanned over their neatly lined shoes and jackets. The night before he had made sure they placed them right next to their school bags in an effort for an easier morning and if all went well after breakfast they’d be right off to school.
“Francesca, did you take your supplements and your medicine?”
Francesca slammed her hands on the table. “Yes! God!”
“Hey.” Anthony warned, giving her a look. “I merely asked a question. Don’t start, and watch your tone.”
Francesca grumbled a ‘sorry’ and Hyacinth gave Anthony a look as if to say ‘See? She’s mean!’. Anthony figured out that he did need to talk to Francesca about the way she’d been acting lately, as now it was really affecting everyone in the household.
“Gregory and Hyacinth, make sure you take your vitamins. I got you chewables for a reason.”
The whole table groaned and Anthony smirked as he put on his suit jacket and tie. After a while, plates were cleared (Francesca didn’t eat much as always which made Anthony sigh) and the foursome were practically running out the door. At the very last second, Anthony remembered the most important thing.
“Wait!” He told his siblings before they stopped in their tracks and turned around. “We need to take a picture.”
“UGH! ” All three of the youngest Bridgertons said in unison before gathering at Anthony’s car to take an unenthusiastic first day of school photo.
“Smile, Francesca.” Anthony scolded before taking a few more pictures. Once he was happy with the photos he took, he sent them off to their family group chat. “Alright let's get in the car.”
Anthony made sure everyone was settled and belts were buckled before carefully pulling out of the car park and taking them off to school. Daphne called on the way to wish her siblings a great first day and Anthony promised he’d call her back when he went to work and then hung up the phone. Nothing but the traffic and weather station and Hyacinth’s nervous tapping went on as they drove.
First up was Francesca, and although Anthony got out to help her, she ignored any and all help from him insisting that she could do everything herself. Before he could even give her a hug or an embarrassing kiss on the cheek, she rolled right along with her friend into the building.
“Uh, bye?” Anthony called out, and he swore he could feel her eye roll from a few feet away.
Without much fuss, he got back into the car and headed toward Gregory’s school. Unlike Francesca, Gregory welcomed Anthony’s help and constant fussing. “Do you have your jacket in case you get cold?”
“Yeah.”
“Snacks? Lunch?”
Gregory nodded. “Yeah yeah, I got all that.”
Anthony smiled and ruffled his hair. “Gonna sign up for rugby this year?”
Gregory smiled sheepishly. “I was actually thinking football would be a better fit.”
“That’s my boy!” Anthony pulled him into a hug and kissed the top of his head. “Have a good day, okay?”
Gregory groaned. “Yeah, yeah. Bye Hyacinth!” Gregory waved to the car as he walked into school and Hyacinth waved frantically back, telling him rather loudly to have a good day.
With a slight sigh of relief, Anthony got back into the car. One more to go: Hyacinth. “Are you ready, love?” Anthony asked as he adjusted his mirrors and pulled out into the street.
Hyacinth nervously wrung her hands and let out a big breath. “Yeah.” She said softly, before looking at the driver’s seat towards her brother. “Can you walk me in?”
Anthony smiled softly. “Of course.”
Hyacinth grinned. “I wonder what my teacher will be like now that I’m in year four!” She kicked her legs excitedly and Anthony laughed.
“Well, I’m sure she’ll be wonderful.”
“I really do hope so. I’d hate for her to be mean.”
“Oh, if she’s mean, definitely tell me and I’ll get it all sorted.”
Hyacinth hummed. “You promise?”
Anthony nodded as they pulled up into the car park. “Of course. You’re going to do well and pay extra attention today, right?”
“Right!” Hyacinth chirped as Anthony parked.
“Alright, let's get ready for year four!” Anthony tried to get Hyacinth excited. He wanted her to be alright at school as he knew she could get very nervous.
After turning the car off, Anthony got out and opened the trunk. He got out Hyacinth’s backpack and made one last check to make sure everything was there before meeting her at the car door. With a smile, he opened the door for her and helped her out, grabbing her jacket in the process. Hyacinth slipped on her jacket and then her backpack before holding Anthony’s hand tightly with a smile. Anthony gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and then began to walk with her toward the building.
“You’re going to do just fine.” Anthony reassured her.
…
Being a primary teacher was one of Kate Sharma’s many joys. She had always aspired to be a teacher since she was young and her sister and step mother encouraged her in her career decision. Kate spent countless hours studying and taking every exam possible until she had her dream. Now the twenty-six year old was teaching year four and she couldn’t be happier. Kate greeted her students one by one as they came to the door and got to know the kids and their parents before drop off. Suddenly she saw flirtatious smiles from her fellow teachers and mothers fixing their hair and adjusting their tops to let their breasts show a bit more. Kate rolled her eyes, she knew just what was happening: hot dad incoming.
Kate always made sure she was professional in every aspect. She had a strict rule for herself to not get involved with any parent, and many had taken a pass at her (which she politely declined every time). Things like this were easy to ignore, especially since she didn’t want to get in trouble or have anything get messy. Besides, most of the dads that did hit on her were definitely not her type and way older than she would’ve allowed herself to date. Dating was hard to begin with, and she could not imagine getting with a parent just to get even more close to the child and then the two of them subsequently breaking up. So, Kate simply just stuck to her rule and went about her life.
Well, until she saw the totally very cute guy she raced with this morning.
He was wearing a suit (how dare he!) and the most tragic thing about this whole situation was that he was hot.
Shit shit shit shit.
“Hello!” Kate tried to keep her smile warm and welcoming, but it came off as tight and forced once she saw him. She was completely dying inside.
At least he doesn’t have my number.
Kate bent down to the young girl beside him. She was completely shy and holding onto her father’s hand tightly. Kate couldn’t help but give her a warm smile and she placed her hands on top of her knees. “Hello sweetheart.” She said gently. “I’m your new teacher, Miss Kate Sharma. You can call me Miss Kate or Miss Sharma. What’s your name?”
The younger girl still hid behind her father’s arm. “Hyacinth.”
The father coughed and looked directly at Kate with a small smile. “Hyacinth Bridgerton.”
Kate nodded in his direction before turning to Hyacinth. “Nice to meet you Hyacinth Bridgerton. I’m so excited to have you in my class. Would you like to put your stuff in your cubby and meet your classmates? It has your name on it and I think there's a pretty pink butterfly sticker next to your name. Would you like to go see it?”
The little girl seemed to perk up at the idea. “I think so. I’m just a little scared.” She looked at the classroom and then back at Kate. “Are the other kids nice?”
Kate nodded with a smile. “I assure you all the kids are very nice and if at some point in the day someone is being mean to you just tell me and I’ll get it sorted.” Kate gently took her hands. “There's nothing to be afraid of. I know coming to a new class can be scary, but it's just because it's new and you’ve never seen it before. Just think of all the fun we’re going to have.”
The man now crouched down next to Hyacinth. “I think Miss Sharma is right. You’re going to have lots of fun in your new class and your teacher seems very very nice. Why don’t you go put your stuff in your cubby, love? I have to go to work, okay?”
“Okay.” Hyacinth enveloped her father in a huge hug and he returned it before kissing her on her forehead.
“Have a good day sweetheart.” He told her before standing up and Kate stood up with him as they watched Hyacinth trot into the classroom. “Um, before I go there’s some things I need to tell you about Hyacinth.”
“Oh?” Kate asked, immediately setting her focus on him. “Yes of course.”
“Um well…” The young man let out a sigh and then lowered his voice so only she could hear. “Hyacinth was held back a year because she was in an accident two years ago and it impacted her studies. She has panic attacks as a result and can be a little sensitive.”
Kate nodded, “I see. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s alright. Thank you though.” He gave her a sad smile. “This is also a new school for her. We had to switch because of a bullying problem, so please keep a close eye on her. She can also…well she has a bit of a hard time acting her age. I think it's from the trauma, we’re working on it in therapy. Just know that she means well and isn’t doing it on purpose.”
Kate hummed. “Of course. Thank you for telling me. I’ll keep a close eye on her and make sure she feels safe in class.”
Mr. Bridgerton reached into his pocket. “Here you can have this, it’s my card. You can call me in case anything goes wrong. Ah, do you happen to have a pen?”
“Oh!” Kate laughed and grabbed one from the hallway shelf. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He scribbled on the back of the card. “Here’s my cell phone number. Just in case anything goes wrong, and here is the number for my assistant in case you can’t reach me.”
Kate took the card. “Thank you Mr. Bridgerton. Have a nice day.”
“You too, Kate Sharma.”
Before she could even react, he gave her a smug smile and walked away. Kate looked down at the card.
ANTHONY BRIDGERTON, CEO OF BRIDGERTON ENTERPRISES.
Kate sighed and shook her head before pocketing the card and turning to greet more students and their parents.
…
Anthony sat in his office, absentmindedly playing with one of his pens and thinking about the day. He couldn’t believe the woman from earlier was his sister’s teacher. Sure she was beautiful without makeup and with a sheen of sweat on her forehead, but when he saw her at the school he nearly doubled over. Her hair that was confined to a ponytail was now out and in gorgeous waves. Her face had just the right amount of makeup, but even if she put more on, he still thought she’d look amazing. The yellow dress she wore complimented her skin tone and made her glow, and the way she acted with Hyacinth with such understanding and compassion made his heart soften. Then he finally figured out her name: Kate Sharma. The name seemed to roll off his tongue perfectly, and he was already planning a way to get her to agree on a coffee date.
Feeling as though he knew the perfect person to call, Anthony dialed the familiar number and it rang twice before the person on the other end picked up.
“Hello brother. ” The voice said groggily on the other line.
“Benedict.” Anthony greeted with a smile. “Are we drunk? Tired? Hungover? Or all three?”
“Mmmph. Hungover. ” He heard a commotion and then the sound of a cap opening followed by a gulp. “I’ve got time though and I can listen. What’s going on?”
Anthony smiled. Benedict may have been the artsy party boy but Anthony knew he could always count on him. “Well, I dropped the kids off for their first day of school.”
“Shit, I meant to call and wish them good luck. I’ll call tonight or maybe I can visit, crash dinner and get some free food out of it.”
“I think a visit would be nice. I think they’d be really happy to see you. They already see far too much of Daphne and even though they like their nephew, spending copious amounts of time with him can be…a lot.” He loved that Daphne was around, and knew she would be since he got full guardianship of his siblings. Daphne made sure that their siblings knew that she loved them and would always be there for them. In a way, she had taken on a parenting role too, even if from afar.
“Augie is certainly the menace. Cute, but a menace all the same.”
“I just don’t get how she changes diapers.” Anthony wrinkled his nose. Having seven siblings meant that he got a front row seat to all the good, bad, and the ugly when it came to babies. “Anyway, I didn’t call you to talk about our nephew. I just wanted to let you know that…I’m thinking about maybe settling down. Who knows, by this time next year I might have a wife.”
“A wife?” Benedict let out a hearty laugh. “I know you already have a list of qualifications.”
Anthony clicked his pen. “Why yes I do. Responsible, dependable, good with children-”
Benedict groaned. “You want a nanny, brother. Not a wife.”
“You didn’t let me finish.” Anthony smiled. “Obviously I’d have to be attracted to her and she’d definitely have to be wicked in bed.”
“So Siena?” Benedict mused. “Ah, why didn’t that work out again?”
Anthony frowned, letting out a sigh. “We had different…plans for our lives. Besides, she’s not the wife type, at least the kind I’m looking for anyway. She definitely didn’t want to be a mother. She met them once, you know.”
“Oh, I remember.” He swore he could feel Benedict’s smirk through the phone. “I suppose you’ll have to look elsewhere for your new wifey.” Anthony cringed. “Definitely won’t find that on tinder or the escorts you frequently use-”
“Hey.” Anthony warned him. “Why would I pay for sex when I could have it for free? Besides, I’m the CEO of Bridgerton Enterprises and that kind of thing wouldn’t look good.”
“Well I guess it's much more worse than being named the ‘Playboy of London.’”
Anthony’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”
“Lady Whistledown, the gossip column. She wrote all about you and your dalliances some time ago. I’m sure that won’t stop anyone, especially Cressida Cowper.”
Anthony hissed. “God, she’s the last person I’d ever date.” Benedict laughed. “No one really reads Lady Whistledown anyway. Besides, I don’t have time to read gossip columns when I’m busy with the three stooges.”
The line was quiet for a while, before Anthony heard Benedict again. “How is Francesca?”
Anthony sighed, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand. He knew Francesca was a source of contention in the family. She was clearly unwell since the accident, and Anthony was fighting every one of his siblings tooth and nail to have her sent somewhere. As far as he was concerned they could fix the problem right at home. “She’s…trying. She’s trying really hard, Benedict. Honest. It’s difficult and that's no lie, but I’m afraid if we send her somewhere like you guys want, she’ll just…crumble.”
Benedict hummed. “I see. What does her doctor say?”
“Nothing that medicine, a good dose of talk therapy, and family support can’t fix. If she starts saying certain…things, then take her to the hospital. Nothing she hasn’t said before.”
Benedict sighed. “Why don’t you get some help? Surely you can hire a live-in nanny or a full time-”
Anthony shook his head. “No. No help, that's out of the question. If I needed help, I’d ask for it, you know I would.”
“That’s not the point.” Benedict sighed. “You can’t do this all on your own-”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?!” Anthony slammed his desk and ran his hands through his hair. “Maybe if you guys came around more often things would be better. Then we wouldn’t even be having this conversation!”
“We all have lives, Anthony. Even you. I’m not saying to go back to your partying ways. Fatherhood looks good on you that's for sure, but it's time to maybe start thinking about the possibility of hiring someone.”
“I can take care of it on my own. I’ve been handling it for the past two years, and I can keep handling it until I die.” He sighed. “That's why I’m thinking about looking for a wife. She can help out and it won’t be much of an adjustment for the kids, it’ll be family.”
“You know, I’m just not going to fight you on this.” Benedict finally gave up. “Forget I even said anything. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yeah.” Anthony said before hanging up the phone and collapsing into the chair. He let out a long sigh and rubbed his face again.
Nothing seemed easy.
Not while he was Anthony Bridgerton.
His mind was brought back to Siena (thanks to Benedict) and the moment everything came crashing down for the two of them. Anthony still wasn’t sure how he felt about how they ended, even if it was a year ago. There was still some anger there and definitely some regret. But relief? Anthony wasn’t afforded the ever welcomed sigh that let his bones ease and his heart heal.
His heart still held grief for what wasn’t.
His body molded into hers ever so comfortably. Their limbs were tangled up in one another and his hand rested at her hip, his thumb making soothing circular motions on her hip bone. Just lying together in the quiet after multiple rounds of sex was just what they needed. Anthony loved memorizing every curve and peak of her body with just his hands, exploring and putting everything to memory as if to store these moments for later. The two were off and on over the years, but they both tried to make a concerted effort in seeing each other since the accident. Suddenly they were faced with how short life really was, and giving their relationship a real hearty try seemed like the best course of action. Nothing was stopping them now, and neither wanted to give up the familiarity the one brought the other in such a dark time in each of their lives.
Finally, Siena shifted to face him and Anthony let out a content sigh as he took in her face. His hand came to cup her cheek before tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She was a vision, that was for sure. She had the face of an ingenue yet the body of a minx, and even though sex was what they did best, having conversations and taking in each other’s company was the thing he loved most about their relationship.
Siena even did pretty well when he formally introduced her to his siblings and they went off to Gregory’s football game. She juggled snacks, juice boxes, and Hyacinth’s whining with ease. Siena even made a pretty good impression on Francesca when Hyacinth made it known to her that “You will never be my mummy.” to which Siena replied: “And I’m not trying to.”
Knowing that the girl before him could hold her own so easily with the younger Bridgerton siblings made him wonder if they would make things official. Sure, they had decided that they would give their relationship a try, but when asked neither introduced the other as their partner. Solidifying their relationship was something that would come in time as it was simply too early to tell whether or not things were actually going to work out.
Anthony however found himself thinking about forever with her.
“Anthony?”
Her soft whisper broke him out of his reverie and he gave the brunette before him a slight smile. “Yes?”
There was worry in Siena’s eyes, worry that was there prior to the subsequent kiss and the multiple rounds of lovemaking they did earlier. Anthony held her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips, leaving little kisses there. “Siena, are you alright?”
Siena blinked and suddenly tears were streaming down her face. Anthony immediately moved to wipe them away, but they kept coming despite her desperate attempts to quell them. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a broken sob and Anthony immediately scooped her up and into his arms.
“Shh. Shh.” He whispered into her hair as he situated her on his lap. “Shh, it's alright. I’m here. We’re here together. I’m not going to let you go.”
Siena cried for a while, her body shaking with sobs and Anthony let her cry, soothing her by rubbing her back. Once she finally quieted, he rocked the both of them slightly. Anthony made sure to kiss everywhere he could: her hair, her forehead, her tear stained cheeks. He’d do anything to let her know that he was there for her and wasn’t going anywhere.
“Anthony…” She finally mumbled and he pulled away, tucking her hair behind her ears again.
“Yes?”
Siena let out a big breath and her watercolor eyes met his own. “I’m pregnant.” She placed her hands on his chest. “Six weeks. A-And before you get upset or excited, I already made my decision. I have an appointment for an abortion next week.”
Anthony didn’t know how to respond.
His eyes widened.
Blinked.
Then blinked, again.
“I…” He shook his head, his arms still around her. “Why?”
Siena bit her bottom lip, tears threatening to spill once more. “I um…” She let out a shaky breath. “I don’t want a baby.” She said simply, the tears now falling down her face.
“With me.” Anthony replied brokenly. “You don’t want a baby with me.”
“No.” Siena shook her head. “No, I…God, this isn’t how I wanted it to play out.” She wiped her tears. “I can’t be a mother. I can’t be someone’s mother-”
“So you’re scared, is that it?” Anthony cupped her face, wiping her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. “If you’re scared we can work this out together-”
“No.” Siena shook her head. “Can’t it just be that I don’t want this? I don’t want this, Anthony.”
“This is our baby, Siena.” Anthony pleaded with her. “Our baby. Ours.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Siena pulled away from him. “I know it's our baby, I heard it's heartbeat goddamnit. They made me listen to its heartbeat and look at the screen. I know it's our baby.” She hiccuped. “Raising a child isn’t easy. I know you have experience in that area and I know you’d be an amazing father, fuck you’d be such an amazing father. But I…I don’t want to have to spend my life worrying and loving and looking after this..this baby this thing. I just can’t Anthony. I can’t.”
Anthony let out a sigh and rubbed his face. This was too much to bear, but at least she had the decency to tell him her plans, at least he had that. He reached out towards her stomach. “Can I…?”
Siena closed her eyes, tears coming down her face. “Please Anthony, please don’t-”
The whole world seemed to stop as Anthony placed a hand on her stomach. Neither of them felt like they could breathe. Siena let out a shaky breath and looked at Anthony who seemed so transfixed on her stomach, tears were falling down his face too.
“I feel like my family is being ripped apart away from me.”
“Anthony-”
“First my father, then my mother, and now-” He let out a sob. “- now this.”
“Anthony.” Siena cried. “‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
After that there was nothing between them. He drove her to the clinic and after the deed was done, Anthony had nothing to do with her. He went his separate way and she went hers. He’d started and erased so many text messages, and the few that she did end up sending out went unanswered. Anthony didn’t know how to talk to her after that, and quite frankly he didn’t want to.
So, Anthony did what he had always done when some unsavory memory came up in his mind.
Look for a distraction.
After a quick dial of a number, Anthony leaned back in his office chair as the phone rang and rang. Finally, the person on the other line picked up and Anthony tried not to let out an audible ‘yes’.
“Hello?”
“Cressida Cowper.” Anthony smiled. “You wouldn’t happen to be free for lunch now, would you?”