Down to business

Ariana Layton

focused; real estate associate; grandmother
Messages
6
Blood Status
Muggle
Relationship Status
Widow
Age
01/2001 (58)
Admin Approval #90830
Ariana was fourty nine years old, and she'd already lost her husband and her eldest daughter. It had been almost a month since she'd received word that Olive had met her demise, and honestly the woman thought that it was preposterous that the Ministry was trying to cover it up. How could there have been a murder with absolutely no details? The investigation was ongoing, but as of yet no one could give the muggle an actual reason as to what went on with her daughter. As far as Ariana was aware, Olive was at home at the time, and even though there were no traces, she still had her own suspicions as to who it could have been. As Leda's mother, it was her legal obligation to meet with her and discuss Olive's Will. Bethany of course still had her son living with the pair too, and so Wendall was tagging along for the time being until Ariana could book him a flight back to Michigan to be reunited with her own sister. No doubt she would be pleased to have him scampering underneath her feet once again.

It was strange for the business woman to be sat in her daughters home, various things around the house that seemed oddly personal, but none of which she could place. Asides from the months Olive had come to stay with her after Clement's death to help Ariana with the fluctuating real estate market, she hadn't spent much time with Olive since she was a child. Long gone had been the days when Ari, her husband and her only daughter lived a life a luxury, and apparently no matter what she tried to do, it was destined never to be her luck again. Ever since Leda had been born and they'd lost the Layton's company to bankruptcy, Ariana's life had been nothing but an uphill battle that refused to be fulfilled. Of course she was grateful for Olive's help stepping in where she could, but as she looked around her daughters home she realised how very little she'd actually known of the woman and her interests, and even less so of her younger daughter; a young girl she'd never had to chance nor strong desire to bond with. Then again, she'd heard that Leda liked to cause trouble, so maybe it had turned out for the best.

Ariana hoped that the discussion of Olive's Will would have been between just herself and West King, a tall scrawny man whom Olive had chosen to marry. At least that had been the intention. The visit to her daughters house was also the first time she was properly introduced to him, and her grandchildren Amortentia and Felix. Such odd names. Ariana couldn't help but wince when she'd first read them. Unfortunately, the whole tribe appeared in the house, even some boy from Leda's school that she wasn't even sure of the name, Marlin? Morwen? Another strange one.

The woman slapped a pile of papers across the dining room table, checking her watch and getting to work, pen in hand as she began to split the documents. Of course everything always came down to her to sort things out, and since no one could be trusted, she would be the host to go through and tell the rest of the family what was in the agreement. "It's family only," she said upon hearing footsteps, hoping that if it was any of the friends that seemed to come and go, that they'd leave them in peace. It was going to be difficult enough to deal with West, Leda and Wendall let alone anyone else that wanted to ear wig into a private conversation. She scanned through another piece of paper and spotted another name. Asphodel. Oh great, Olive was due to have a step-daughter too. Why did Olive always want to go and make things extra complicated? Ariana sighed, it would have been so much more more desirable if Olive had chosen to settle down with someone who could actually take care of her, look after her, and didn't come with so many strings attached. "Well come and sit down, let's get this over with," she called out, hoping that the sooner they took a seat and Olive's assets divided, the sooner Ariana could get back to her proper work.
 
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West's eyes had been a fairly puffy and blood shot state for a week now. He should have been home, if he had been with Olive this wouldn't have happened. The man couldn't help but blame himself as he looked down at the two newest additions to his family. Losing his first love was hard enough, with a daughter to care for an no genuine experience. However now, now things would be twice as complicated - and this loss hurt twice as much.

Meeting Olive had been an accident. She'd been Pho's teacher at the time. If West had told himself he was going to fall in love again, no part of him would believe it - but he did. He fell in love with her burnt ginger hair, her delicate skin. The way her nose crinkled when she laughed. Olive had embodied everything West thought of when he heard or saw the word love - and now that was gone once more, along with every plan they'd made. He would never see her walk down the aisle, or read the vows he had written for her telling her how he'd love her even if she was hangry, and how he'd feed her any food she wanted. How he'd love her for as many years as she was with him - and the years after as well. He just hadn't expect the years after to come so damn soon.

West used one hand to wipe at his tears angrily, holding a baby carrier in the other arm. Fe was too young to understand, and Ten was as well. Hell he'd not be surprised if Ten started calling Leda or Pho mom. West looked at Pho, whose face was steeled. She'd been expecting a mom - something she'd never had. Olive had told him some about letters being written, and deep down West knew he needed to be strong for his daughter, because her being strong for herself wouldn't work. However his young ginger child didn't break yet, and she carried the year old baby into the room, looking stone faced at the blonde. "You must be the person reading the will. We're all family." He said, searching for Leda and Wendall to give them both hugs. He probably needed one as much as they did. "I'm West. This is my daughter Asphodel, and mine and Olive's -" His voice cracked saying her name.
"Our children, Amortentia and Felix."
 
Leda had been in a constant state of shock since finding out that Olive's death was really happening. Now, the Slytherin was just going through the motions of what needed to be done. She had been taken out of school during the Brightstone weekend along with Asphodel and Wendall. Maybe she was imagining it, but the Head Girl felt as though both of them were looking to her for answers or some kind of reassurance, but Leda had nothing left. Wendall especially had been nothing but a bag of tears since finding out, and the train ride back into Olive's home town had been a tough one between the three of them. There was so much that was suddenly up in the air, things that Leda thought would be waiting a lifetime to know about, but here they were, back at Olive's house much too early in the school year.
She'd seen the woman that called herself her mom, and felt like she was looking at a stranger. Ariana had never been close to her, and in fact the only time Leda ever found out something about her had been through Olive. When Leda was born it hadn't been this woman that had brought her up and shown her how things worked, she'd been much too busy with her business to ever pay her any attention. Realising that Wendall was in the same boat, with a mom who cared more about her jewellery than her own son, Leda felt for him a little as he had no other brothers or sisters. Leda was sat at the table, playing mindlessly with her new blonde if not slightly dry curls. She couldn't bare to see the red anymore. Every time she caught sight of herself in a reflection, she just saw Olive staring back, and the waves of crushing guilt came flooding back. She'd managed to find a Hufflepuff student with bright hair of her own who didn't seem to mind having another head to practise her techniques on. Of course Ariana looked at it with despise, but what did that matter?
Leda looked up as West came into the room with Pho, carrying Leda's little niece and nephew. It was the first time Leda had seen Felix, having left for school before he'd been born. He too had tiny tufts of red hair, and she could feel her eyes burning again. She gave the man a one armed hug, grateful to no longer feel like the person who had to lead for the younger ones, and sat quietly at the edge for whatever her mom wanted to talk to them about.
 
Wendall had been a mess since Olive died, and it was even worse now as he was sat at the dining room table with a woman who looked like his dead cousin, and a woman who looked like his own mom who always kept her distance. His cheeks were constantly tear stained, and he was sat physically shaking as he didn't know what was going on. In some ways he wished Lysander could have come with him too to cheer him up, but he also knew his friend probably would have a lot of fun over the weekend and was happy at least one of them would be. The second year was fidgeting in his chair, trying not to cry again and get another annoyed look from his Aunt. As West entered with the others, he hopped off his chair and gave the man a hug, fresh tears releasing themselves before he could stop them. He just knew how this chat was going to end, and he just knew he was going to be sent back home. He waved a Ten too, although not sure she noticed, before taking a seat once more.
 
What was Asphodel supposed to think? West had known Olive so well, the other two were raised by her - and Ten and Fe were her flesh adn blood. Pho was an outsider, and her freckled face didn't belong in this house. She had work to do, things at school to take care of. The Slytherin was angry, and felt so distanced. Did she even have the right to grieve someone who wasn't her mother. Olive didn't even know her either - and for sure couldn't have loved her like a mom would love a kid. That was all for Leda, and Wendall - and Ten and Fe. Pho didn't belong, and as she sat down with the baby in her arms she knew she was only here out of pity. Once bright eyes now stared at the table, dull in thought, unwilling to spill any tear. She didn't deserve to, those tears belonged to the others.
 
It was Leda that had joined her first, and taken a seat opposite. Ariana hated her daughter's new hair, although she hadn't said it out loud. There were bigger things to take care of and if Leda wanted to go astray then that would be her own mistake. Wendall was there too of course, tagging along like a lost puppy, which was surprising really considering Wendall barely even knew Olive. Ariana looked up to another voice, and her eyes met with a man for the first time, assuming of course this was West. The man that Olive had wanted to marry. She failed at stopping her eyebrows from raising in distaste. She would have thought Olive would have chosen someone a little more, tidy, to start a family with, after all that was how she'd brought Olive up. Appearances were important and West just didn't hit the mark. "Do they really have to be in here?" She asked, looking at Amortentia and Felix. Babies were going to be noisy, so why couldn't they just be put to bed while they spoke? The blonde woman glanced at Asphodel too, although she was older than Ariana had in her head. She thought the girl would have been more like Wendall's age or younger, but she looked to be similar more to Leda, which didn't exactly do many favours for Ariana's impression of her father.
 
Asphodel watched the snooty, blonde woman look over each other them. She felt like a cattle at an auction. However, her looks weren't what made the ginger say something - it was her comment. "They're more family to Olive than you ever were." She said bitterly. After all, she'd never even met this woman - though Leda had informed her who she was. Pho's hands gripped her slacks under the table until her knuckles were white, and as she was about to say more, West cut her off.
 
West felt no warmth from the blonde, not like what Olive was. Perhaps that was because they weren't around each other. West gave tight hugs to everyone, an especially long hug to Wendall who was crying, and even sat by the brunette boy, rubbing his back soothingly. Seeing the look that he was given, West knew this wasn't going to go well. He couldn't imagine someone like her producing a beautiful soul like Olive. And it seemed his daughter felt the same. West looked at Pho. "Stop." He said, his voice leaving no room for argument from his teen daughter. "Yes, they will all be here. Guess if anyone cries you'll need to speak up." He answered, adjusting to take Felix out of the carrier, to hold him close. These two were the last bits he had left of the future he'd planned. Wendall, Pho, and Leda were in it of course, but Leda and Pho were nearly adults, adn Wendall was quite independent and in school already.
 
It was Asphodel that spoke first and she glared at the red head child. It didn't take much to know that this girl clearly didn't get taught many manners, and it flashed through the blondes mind of even how capable West was to bring up her grandchildren. She didn't want more of her own blood relations to turn out like this arrogant girl who thought that she could just pipe up when not being spoken to. "According to my records, Olive never married West, thereby you and your father are unlikely to be entitled to anything. The only reason you're here is because Olive had other children too." Ariana considered keeping an eye on their upbringing, but it would all depend on how the business went. She had been glad when Olive took Leda off her hands, and after the death of her own husband, she wasn't overly keen on overbearing herself with children again. West seemed adamant to keep the babies in here too, which seemed totally unprofessional to the woman, but she wasn't here to argue. Things needed to be settled quickly. "The funeral will be held tomorrow. Obviously you're invited, provided you can keep the children under control," Ariana was referring to Amortentia and Felix, but may as well throw Asphodel in the mix now too. "Today we'll go through Olive's will." Ariana had been Olive's next of kin for as long as she'd known, so she expected many things would be going to her, she was after all her mother. Ariana's job however was to make sure that things were equal, and they could discuss it if they they felt it unfair. It was dated just after Amortentia was born, which meant clearly Felix wouldn't appear in it.

Ariana shuffled the papers to the first topic, "Regarding Olive's money. She held a small fund after her job as a professor, and her side tasks that she did from home." The muggle didn't know too much about what the side tasks involved, and in all honesty she didn't care to. Olive had never shown interest in taking over her real estate business as many of the Layton's before her had, and the woman had given up trying to convince her. "Her money will be split evenly between West King, Asphodel King, Leda Layton and children of Olive Layton and West King." Olive had managed to at least add in a clause then that would allow future children to be considered. She wasn't too worried not to see her own name, and pushed on. She heard another little peep from Wendall but decided to ignore it.

"As father of her children, West King will now have full responsibility for Amortentia and Felix," she noted, confirming her suspicions and hoping that West could handle the additional pressures. "Her house.." Ariana had to pause for a moment, making sure she read the words passed on to her clearly, taking a moment before relaying it to the group. "Goes to Leda." Why on earth wouldn't her own daughter have left her house in her possession? It didn't make any sense. She flashed her younger daughter another look of disapproval, heavens knew what Leda would do with a house. "Well, obviously Wendall we will have to make arrangements for you to travel back to Michigan. I'll arrange it with Bethany tomorrow." It was a blessing really that Wendall had only lived here for a year, not having the chance to get too comfortable. "There are some other items of note. Olive's potions equipment and research belongs to West. Wendall, you get the cat." Was that nosy thing still around? Ariana remembered when Olive first got Nugget, and he was a pain even back then. The blonde continued to list of a few other things, including some personal items that would be sent to a Montgomery Pendleton, items of clothing for Asphodel, and for some reason even mentioned a few names Ariana didn't recognise, Jonathan Phillips listed to receive her plant pot that looked like a popcorn bag. Had Olive taken her will as a complete joke? She looked around the room in silence when she was finished, bitter at having been eliminated entirely. "Any questions?" she asked, hoping there would be none.
 
Wendall wasn't really paying too much attention throughout the time Ariana was speaking. He only wanted to know one thing and until then was sat quietly, glad that West had taken a seat beside him. He was watching baby Felix's face to stop from crying, although his head turned back to the group when the discussion turned to that of the house. It had been his home for over a year now too, he'd even brought his friend over during the winter. He listened as his aunt told Leda that she would get the house, and for a moment he sat there unaware of what they meant for him. Ariana was quick to jump in there, and his stomach hit the floor when he was told he'd be going back home. It was what he'd spent the last few weeks dreading, and the second year's started up once more. The woman kept going, oblivious to the fact that it meant Wendall would be back with his own mom in America. He wouldn't be able to see his friends and family over the breaks, and instead he would be forced to stay on his own. His mom didn't care about him, he wasn't stupid. He always just got in her way. The Hufflepuff's body was shaking as he was letting out his tears as the others worried about whatever else they got. He just didn't want to go back to his moms house. He heard somewhere along the line that he got to look after Nugget, but he doubted that his mom would let him have any pets since she'd never done so before, so he'd probably stay with Leda anyway.
 
Leda's eyes darted between Pho and West, wondering if they were going to start an argument right now of all times. Luckily things seemed to calm down quite quickly and she listened as Ariana told them what would happen next. The funeral was so close that Leda didn't really feel prepared for it yet, but then when would she ever. The Head Girl was listening quietly, but as she heard that Olive had left her own house to her, she nodded, not really understanding why her sister would have done something like that. Wouldn't someone else need it more? Was Olive looking out for her even when Leda was refusing to speak to her? Olive had her back and knew she would have been graduating soon, as the guilt in her stomach intensified as she realised that the potioneer had still cared about Leda. The Slytherin had to lock down those part of her emotions otherwise everyone at the table was going to hear about it, and she had to close her eyes to push down the intense amount of regret she had towards Olive. She'd been so mean.

At hearing Wendall would be sent back to Leda's aunt, it didn't escape Leda's view that he was suddenly very uncomfortable about that prospect. She didn't know why, she didn't really know her aunt, but feeling as though she knew how Wendall felt right now she suddenly broke through Ariana's words, "He can stay here." The words were out before she even had a chance to consider what it meant. Well, she'd been given the house, hadn't she? Leda was seventeen too which meant she was perfectly capable of making a decision like that. "I.. I can look after him. It's what Olive would have wanted," she added quietly with a nervous glance to West. She didn't know how exactly it would work, but she wasn't going to let him lose everything he'd gained in the last year. Olive had taken him under her wing for a reason, and it was the least she could do to repay her sister.
 
West wanted to say something to this rude woman, but he was quiet. Now was not the time for the ginger man to be starting fights. Not with everyone in the room. Everything was somber and silent as Ariana read what was written. How could someone so young have a will prepared. Maybe Olive was just well prepared - it made West think for a moment of his own mortality. Who would take in the children if he was to suddenly go. He took a quiet and shaking breath, shocked when the woman said Wendall would be sent away - even more shocked when Leda, a child herself, said she'd watch him and the beloved black cat.

"Leda." West said quietly. "Olive would have wanted you to live your life, and form your future. So how about we make a deal. Wendall can stay with me or you whenever he wants. But if you need a break, or he needs a break - or something happens, he can stay with me." West offered, kind eyes looking between the children. Pho was silently nodding along, and West knew she'd not disagree to having a little brother for a bit. "If that's okay with you Wendall. And of course Leda you can always stay with me when the house gets quiet. Same for Nugget." He offered. He'd been in these children's lives now for far too long to not love them like his own - and he would treat them no different. Regardless on if he and Olive had married.
 
Asphodel white knuckle grip never loosened and she waited until everyone was done sharing their feel good sentiments to calmly hand Ten to Leda and speak. "Hmm, seems you got nothing left to you. What a shame. Almost like you really weren't family." She said before standing up and placing her hands flat on the table in front of her. West's hand on on her shoulder but Asphodel didn't stop for a second. "You come in here and give me dirty looks, and my father, and Leda. And say you're going to make the decisions when you obviously have no hand in anything. So now that you've got nothing in the will, why don't you just take your botoxed a** back to where it came from."

Though the ginger girl had been working on her manners, she couldn't help but compact her grief into rage - it was easiest for her to cope that way. "After all, I'm sure you'd love to get away from us urchins. We don't suit your lifestyle." She said bitterly, the rage she'd held back since getting a cocked eyebrow and a snide comment now flowing into her words. She didn't break eye contact with Ariana - and she didn't need magic to show this woman the door.
 
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Wendall looked up to Leda with his tear filled eyes, wondering if he’d just heard her correctly. He didn’t think his cousin cared all that much about him, and she’d certainly not really been much of a friend. The closest they’d come to doing anything together was that they were both on the Hogwarts Monthly but even then he barely spoke to her. Did she know what she was doing? Before Wendall could question it, West jumper in too and the Hufflepuff was listening wide eyed as he offered Wendall the chance to stay with him too. “Really?” He managed to get out, glancing across the table to Ariana to see if she was going to say anything to disagree, and take away his strand of hope. Before anything was confirmed, Asphodel was suddenly up on feet, shouting at his aunt. Wendall shrunk back in his chair again, nervously casting his eyes around the room to see what would happen next and hoping her voice hadn’t just startled those sleeping.
 
Leda gave West a small grateful smile as he spoke about helping to take care of Wendall so that they didn't have to send her cousin back to America. The only other male figure in her life had been Monty, and even he didn't seem to like Leda very much. West though, even if it had only been for a couple of years, had shown more towards the Laytons through her sister that anyone ever had. The Slytherin glanced over as Pho started to speak, and watching her moms reaction to her sisters argument. She had a point. At first Leda considered that Ariana was the only blood she had left in the world after the death of both her dad and now Olive, but the more she thought about it, the less that was true. She had Monty, Wendall. She had Amortentia and Felix. And Pho was right, Ariana had never even tried to be a mom to Leda. She'd heard about the times when Olive was young, and they'd played happy little families for a few years but as soon as things had gotten harder, and money played a more significant role, she'd left them to fend for themselves. Leda looked down to little baby Ten in her arms, before back at her own mom. Besides, what did blood matter anyway when she had West, Pho, Mervyn. The list was endless. "She's right you know." Leda started, backing up the red head. She'd barely spoken to Ariana much, let alone argued with her, but she was the one that came in here trying to stir things up and Leda wasn't about to let her get the better of her family. "I don't care who you are. I don't care where you've come from, or what you do." she glared at her mom, feeling no remorse for what she was about to say, "We're never going to be good enough for you, no one was. Do you really think Olive wanted to help you?" For a long time Leda had resented Olive for leaving her position as a professor to get Ariana back up on her feet, the few months she was away was the catalyst for Leda believing that Olive had chosen the woman over her. "It's too late. Olive is gone. She spent her whole life looking after other people. She was twelve when you dumped me on her! As soon as she broke into a life that was her own, you were the one to pull that back from under her feet, for your stupid money" Leda wasn't aware her voice had started to shake. The more she spoke, the more she was understanding her sister, and even though she knew she'd only realised these things herself much too late, something she was always going to regret. "If it wasn't me it was Wendall. If it wasn't him it was these guys," she added, motioning to the children who were still miraculously asleep. "And where were you?" Leda let out a mock laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, "even now, you sit there like you don't even care about anything but what you're getting out of this." It was surprise to understand that Olive had managed to get through an upbringing like that, and Leda vowed she wasn't going to let Wendall get stuck in that lifestyle either. The Head Girl had managed to lock a part of her emotions away since finding out the news, even now she wasn't able to tear up, although that worked in her favour as she was shooting the woman a glare that she hoped she could literally feel.
 
For some reason, these people seemed to want to keep Wendall hanging around, and the blonde woman shrugged. It didn't matter to her who looked after the kid as long as it wasn't her. She sighed as West and Leda seemed to argue over it, and honestly she couldn't decide which would be worse. The incompetent one or the questionably immoral one. "Well, that will be for Bethany to decide," she smiled at West, a fake smile plastered on her face. Suddenly his spawn decided to get up and slap her hands on the table, and Ariana's eyebrows raised high in the air at her surprise of the girls behaviour. "Do you normally allow this sort of talk?" she asked West, completely disregarding anything Asphodel was saying. She should have been grateful that she wasn't her own daughter otherwise she would have been scolded, but apparently this man was incapable of anything like that. She sighed and hoped the red head would sit back down, but suddenly Leda decided she needed to say her piece. The woman was hoping with her invitation of questions that it would be something useful, but once again Leda let her down and just tried to blame everyone else for things that Olive chose to do. "Anyone would think I hadn't just lost a daughter too?" she looked around the room, baffled as though they didn't know who they were talking to. "Olive made her choices. If you weren't happy with them, maybe you should have expressed that to her earlier," she had a stern look on her face, and if there was nothing left to discuss then she had no reason to stay with this group of misfits.
 
West rolled his eyes. "If Bethany was a good mother who minded Wendall she wouldn't have him here. But I will write her and let her know he is in good care. If she's anything like you appear to be she isn't going to mind." He said bitterly. He turned to Wendall. "I won't let them take you back if I can help it." He reassured the boy, whom he nearly considered a step son. His eyes flicked between Pho and Leda as they spoke, then back to Ariana. "Listen, all they're doing is being honest. You seem like someone who only cares about yourself, when these girls - Olive and Leda - deserved so much more. I mean how can you look down on Leda - she is head girl at her school, that's like a valedictorian. She's got so much going for her, and she's going to be successful - but you can't take your head out of the clouds to see that." West wanted to continue, but Pho inturrupted him in a shocking way.
 
Asphodel was practically fuming. Leda was just as upset with her, and if this blonde woman knew any better she'd leave before the two of them exploded. Occasionally Asphodel looked to Wendall, she didn't want him frightened. After all, he was just a kid. "Lost a daughter? Since when did you give a sh*t that she was your daughter! I didn't even know who you were walking in! Never a picture and barely a mention of you!" Pho shouted. The girl had easily had enough and swung a fist over the table at the Blonde's face, praying no one would stop her. "Get out you soggy hag!" She yelled.
 

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