Post by Sah'ta Thor/Insidious on Oct 5, 2020 7:48:16 GMT -5
OOC: Glad to work with Knox on this one.
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Chaos 100 was still over a week away when a man dressed as a bike messenger knocks on the door of the Baltimore Inner Harbor Marriott room 207. Given Knox’s visits so far, he approaches the door with caution, one first balled up as he looked out through the peephole. He furrows his brow, and opens the door, staring down at the delivery person.
“You guys go to Hotels, now?” He inquires with a bit of amusement.
"We do when we are paid to man." The courier quips back as he pulls out a manilla envelope with name Matt Knox on it. "In this case I was paid to deliver this and wait for your return delivery."
Matthew quirks an eyebrow, before taking the envelope and looking it over once, he returns his gaze to the delivery man, “I can deliver these back myself. Take a walk.” he reaches into his back pocket, producing his wallet and removing a couple of twenties that he promptly sticks in the guy’s shirt pocket, “A long walk, yeah?”
"Understood I will be down in the lobby when you are done." With that the courier heads off to go wait in the lobby suspecting that his services would be needed short. After all, he had been scheduled for a couple hours for this particular task.
Matthew shook his head, stepping back into the room and shutting the door behind him. He heads to the desk he’d dragged by the scenic window of his suite, and sat down. He produced a letter opener and proceeded to dive into the contents of the envelope, discovering a short note from Astryd paper clipped fully signed and initialed divorce papers. Matthew allows himself a sigh as he plucks the note, setting it aside and giving the divorce papers a once over. He feels the pang of nostalgia and guilt for a moment, before setting them down and grabbing a fountain pen from beside his journal, tucked neatly to the side of the desk.
He goes to start signing and finalizing another part of who he was, but stops short and sets the pen down. He picks the note up, lifting it up and reading it quietly to himself.
Matt,
I know this is what you want and even though I never stopped loving you all these years I am setting you free. If you want to be part of Ivy's life then it will on her terms. I won't stop you from seeing her but I refuse to let her be used as a weapon. I will always cherish the time we had but fly free Raven and find the peace I couldn't give you.
WIth my love,
Astryd
Matthew purses his lips, setting the note down he leans back in the chair, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose he lets out a quiet sigh. After a moment, he pulls his phone out and opens the contacts. He scrolled not far, until he comes across Astryd Thorn and taps on it once, lifting the phone to his ear then and waiting.
Astyrd sees the name pop up on her phone as it rings the first time. By the third ring she pushes the answer button and lifts the phone to her ear curious what this unexpected call was about. "Hello Matt, to what do I owe this unexpected call?"
“Got the papers. Figured I owed you a phone call, at least. Figure out what these terms are with Ivy.” he taps his fingers on the stack of paper, thoughtfully, “Just didn’t want to leave it at just paperwork, I guess. Done a lot of this wrong, might as well have the last thing be done right.”
"Matt you are one who made it clear you wanted this. I had hoped that once you had come out of your hermitage you would have wanted to come home. I never wavered over the years you were gone. I want you to know that. I always held out hope that you would come back. Well you have made it very clear over the last few months that my hope was misplaced. You have quite publicly stated that you want this to end. So here it is Matt. All you have to do is sign and intinitial your spots and you are free of me. As for Ivy like I said in the note, I won't deny your right to her so long as she doesn't become part of your hatred towards my father. All I ask is that you find a place to call home if you want Ivy to come stay with you for more than a few days at time. I trust that you will do what is best for our daughter when she is with you." Came Astryd's pain filled and somewhat rushed reply to Matt's words. As she stops to take a steadying breath she waits to hear what Knox had to say in response.
Knox remains silent, eyes darting around the room. True, the Marriott was anything but a place to host a child. Especially with Winter knowing where he lay his head down at night. After a moment, he responds with an even tone.
“I am sorry, for everything Astryd. It was never my intention to hurt anyone, but I was reckless in my actions. If it weren’t for us having birthed Ivy, this whole thing would be nothing more than a shameful, awful situation I authored with my own addiction, demons, and insecurities,” a pause “I’d never use Ivy like that. What I have going on with your father, it’ll be resolved soon now and then I'm done with him, Insidious, the whole thing.”
He exhales once more, closing his eyes and clearing his throat, “I’m going to sign these papers, get them sent off to you today but allow me to liquidate the assets I have in California. I’ve been thinking of moving here to Baltimore on a much more permanent basis. And this way, your half is just hard cash and not vineyards you’d likely never tend to due to distance,” he nods, pursing his lips once more before speaking, “I guess after all that, best I can say is goodbye, and good luck. You’re more than worthy of love and being loved, Astryd. You’ll do better than an angry and agitated drug addict with a death wish.”
"You know that you don't have to sign the papers if you don't want this Matt. If I had wanted anyone else I have sent them years ago. Do you remember the mess you were when we first got together? If I didn't leave you then when you were at your worst then what says I was going to leave. Before you sell the vineyard see if Hope wants it and I will make sure you have enough money to buy a place in Baltimore. You know you are more like my father than you are likely to ever admit. Do you remember my mother and the time she spent in the FWF?" Astryd asks the question hoping to prolong the conversation for another few moments.
“Money is no issue, you know that. Put it in a trust for Ivy, we’ll keep 20 acres for the girls, if that sounds fair? The house itself…” his gaze goes blank, replaying the death of Charlotte Knight for a moment before he continues, “The house is nothing but a tomb anymore. I wouldn’t leave it to my worst enemy, let alone our daughters.” he concludes that train of thought with an air of finality.
“Yes, I remember your mother. I remember being confused as to how people like her, and Thor managed to make someone with as much color to their personality as you have,” the compliment is sincere, but as deep as a puddle, “I do want this, Astryd. I’m sorry for the pain I have caused you, but It’s time this ended. It’s already far beyond the point it should have been called over. It’s not that I don’t love you, or never did Astryd but..” he trailed off, shaking his head, “This is what’s best for you, me, the girls, all parties.”
There is a moment of silence before Asytrd replies. "Sounds like a solid plan for the house given it's history. That small part of the vineyard can is more than fair for the girls. As for my mother she was the first woman my father gave his heart to and well you saw the outcome of that. If this is really what you want then fine I will have to accept it and move on." She falls silent for a few seconds before she makes an emotionless comment. "At least with me out of the way the women you have lined up in Carnage will be free to claim you. I have to go Matt you know how to reach me." As those words leave her lips Astryd ends the call before she breaks down.
Matthew listens to the silence for a beat, before setting the phone down and picking the pen up. He initials, and signs where the no doubt expensive blood sucker of a lawyer had marked. As he finishes, he slides the papers back into the manilla envelope and sits back, soaking it in a moment. His mind briefly circled the implication Astryd made. There was only one woman here in Carnage he’d have, but it hardly seemed to matter now. He scoffs and stands, snatching the envelope and heading out the door and to the lobby.
Now, Thor really was all that was left. Sitting in the lobby off to one side was the courier who had brought the divorce paperwork to Knox. As he sees Knox enter the lobby he stands up and moves over to take the papers for their trip to courts to make everything official.