| Details for Unexpectedly Expecting |
| Summary: | A spring cold turns out to be a new life, and Annie has a unique way of delivering the news to Tim. |
| Date: | 10 June 1940 |
| Location: | The Moody Residence, The Square Mile, London |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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Annie is a bit later than usual getting home on a lovely June evening. There were some things she needed to accomplish, and shopping was one of them. She arrives back at the house on The Square Mile by way of the front door instead of the fireplace, since her errands were local and fairly Muggle in nature. In one hand is a shoebox, tied up with a string to keep it closed and make it easier to carry. In the other is a bag from a nearby chip shop to save everyone the task of cooking after a busy day. Annie kicks her shoes off and nudges them aside as she calls out, "Tim? Bowie?" Padding into the living room, the package is set down on the sofa, the bag from the chippies is set on the coffee table so she can shrug out of the light cloak that covered her work robes.
Tim's voice calls from downstairs. "Here." Bowie comes jogging out of the kitchen. "I am here Mistress! Ooo Mistress has gotten her favorite! Fish an' Chips. Bowie could have made some Mistress." Poor Bowie he always feels so robbed of a chance to serve his family when she brings things home. But he never lets on and is smiling wide. He tarries over to the bag on the coffee table to pick it up so he can carry it to the kitchen where he'll portion it up onto plates.
Tim arrives wiping his hands on a hand towel that's kept in the dark room. He very much smells like he's been working in it. "Hello darling." He comes over to get a kiss in greeting. "Did I hear it's fish n' chips for supper? Very nice." Taking her shrugged off cloak he hangs it up and then offers his hand so they can head for the dining room. "How was your day?"
"Evenin', Bowie love," Annie greets the house elf, dropping one hand to lightly stroke his head as he passes. "I thought we all deserved a night off tonight, an' I picked up extra for yeh t'share with us." She tries to make his life easier, which really puts them at odds with each other at times, although they both have the best intentions. "Ta, love," she adds as he immediately takes the bag to get dinner set up.
The sound of Tim's feet coming up the stairs has Annie turned to greet him, her smile warm and loving. Arms go up at once when he nears, to not only give him an affectionate kiss but an embrace as well. It's a bit more of a squeeze than usual, and as she steps back, surrendering her cloak, she brushes her fingers lightly down his cheek to drift away as he turns. There's a softness in her eyes as she watches him, never tiring of the hundreds of little things he does every day to show his love for her. Her hand goes into his as she replies, "It was a lovely day, but things are gettin' a bit tense up th' school. End of year fast approaching, and all the fifth and seventh years are getting' in a right state." Accompanying him to the dining room, she leaves the shoebox on the sofa, forgotten for the moment. "I don't envy the nurse all the things she deals with at end of year. Between the ones that over-do the late nights studying t'th' ones that left it all t'th' last an' are in a fit of panic now. Cor, it's nice t'be a librarian," she notes with a chuckle.
Tim slides out a chair for his wife and he steals a chip to tide him over until he's seated next to her. "I remember those years very well. Auror requirements, remember?" A smile that holds a touch of possible regret. All that hard work and here he is a photojournalist who's rarely a vigilante now that it doesn't count any more. "Really? I always thought exams would be hell for the librarians. Just so much re-stocking and removing the doodles and candy wrapper bookmarks and such."
Annie can see that bit of shadow on his smile and it's a stab of pain knowing that she is, in large part, responsible for his taming of his ways. She's questioned a lot if it's truly fair to him and has thought often of approaching the topic. But now seems a worse time than ever for such thoughts. "It's not bad for us," she says lightly. "A few extra spells here and there and we're still out on time." Mostly. They're never really out 'on time' as it were, always staying to tidy up or answer last minute questions on the way to the main door. Annie looks over as Bowie bustles out the rest of the food, laid out like a veritable feast. Of course, he's added some things, unable to not do things for them, and there's been a salad added to the offerings of greasy food. She waits for him to disappear back into the kitchen before she looks to Tim and finally voices her question. "Tim… are yeh happy?"
Tim thanks Bowie sincerely and he puts together his own plate. To her question he looks a bit perplexed and he tilts his head a little bit. "I am. Very happy. What's all this about? Are yee alright? Are yee happy?" He is perhaps a little tiny touch of panicked tone that she's not happy again in their relationship.
Annie reaches over to lay one warm hand on top of Tim's, the pressure reassuring and tender. "I'm the happiest I've been since I was a girl in Camden Town," she says softly. Before life turned upside down with witchery and Hogwarts and then the loss of her parents. "I never knew I'd love anyone half so much as I love yeh, and never that anyone would love me back so fiercely as yeh do." She's reassured by his answer, and hopefully he is by hers as well, and she withdraws her hand, saying lightly, "Eat up, before it gets cold." There's a little smile playing around her lips, as if she's got more to say but is biding her time.
Tim takes another couple of bites and then turns his hand up when she touches him and he strokes her with his fingers and thumb. He is peering at her as he eats though. "You know, that I know that you know that there's more you have to say then that. What you said is true. I do love you, quite fiercely. There would be nothing in this world that I won't do for you."
The you know i know you know brings Annie's smile out fully, beaming at Tim while she looks, for all purposes, the absolute picture of innocence. "I've no idea what yer talkin' about, love. Eat," she urges gently. But she neither takes her hand back nor releases his, so they both have to eat one handed. At least it's easy enough to do with fish and chips. "I can hardly believe that in just a few months it'll be time again t'have the new first years in t'th' library for orientation. Time goes so quickly." She seems determined to keep the small talk going as they eat. "An' what were yeh up t'doin' in the darkroom, my dearest husband? A big story?"
Tim points one finger at her while the others are holding a piece of fish poised for consumption. "Ay, no fibbing to your Husband, now." But he eats with a snap of his fish and then he nods and wipes his mouth before squeezing a bit of lemon onto the bit of fish left, all one handed. "Dailies actually. Stilllifes, candids. Nothing as special like the prettiest thing in the world on a street lamp after a scarf. Mundanery."
Annie gives a light squeeze to Tim's hand, the day they met clear in her memory as one of the most unexpectedly special days of her entire life thus far. All the witchcraft in the world would never match the magic of that day. And surely there will be more days to line up on a par with it, in time. "I'm glad that it's nothin' too excitin'," she admits. "There's far enough of that going on right now." But at least London is safe, being kept so by the brave men who are giving their all for the sake of others. As they go on eating she keeps the talk light, asking to see some of his new work later, mentioning a new book that she's been wanting to read. She finally only lets his hand go as they're finishing up, and that's done reluctantly. "I didn't get anything for afters, but maybe Bowie can whip up something while yeh have a nip an' we get settled for th' evenin'?" she suggests.
Tim shakes his head when dinner draws to an end. Bowie brings out Tim's 'dessert' being his usual whiskey and cigarette. After standing up with smoking cigarette and drink in one hand the other hand offers down to her to help her up and give her a kiss when she is up. "Settling in sounds like a grand plan. After yee my darling."
Annie stands, pausing to address Bowie, "Would yeh mind terribly, love, bringin' us up somethin' sweet?" It's her compensation for depriving him of making their dinner, and it seems to cheer him up fairly well. As she steps away, her hand still in Tim's, she calls back casually, "Oh, an' if yeh would, could yeh bring up the box on the sofa, please? We'll be in th' library." Their nightly routine of cosying in together in the lovely space Tim made for her has become her favourite part of the day, and she often snuggles in next to him in his chair instead of taking the other for herself. She leads the way to the bedroom first, so they can change out of their clothes into more comfortable evening attire, taking turns washing up before getting settled in the library.
After they are washed up, changed with Tim in a house coat over some pajama pants he gets all settled down with her on his lap and his slippered feet up on an ottoman that's a new addition. The padded top lifts up and exposes more book shelf space. A new cigarette slowly burns in his standing ashtray next to his chair and his whiskey in its short glass on the side table next to the chair. His wife curled up on his lap with a book they switch off reading at night, he is a happy lucky man. Which he vocalizes, "How could you possibly think I'm not happy?"
In his industrious fashion, Bowie has already left the shoebox in the library, and he's happily whipping them up a treat in the kitchen. Annie curls up comfortably with Tim, leaned against him, not yet taking up their book. She looks at him, and says logically, "I don't really think yeh aren't happy… I just want t'make sure that yeh are." The difference makes perfect sense to her, obviously.
Tim aaaahs slowly and smirks a little. It's clear that he doesn't share his wife's sense in what the difference is. "What's that?" He has noticed the shoebox and he is quite curious about it. It's a wonder he's lasted this long without asking about it.
Annie looks over at the shoebox, and her brows go up in surprise as if she'd forgotten all about it. "What, that?" she counters, motioning toward it. She leans forward, reaching to scoop the box off the floor, and settles back, offering it to Tim. "I got yeh new shoes while I was out. I think yeh'll fancy them." The box feels rather light, but the label on the outside is a familiar brand and the size is the one he wears. The contents, when he opens the lid, may come as a surprise to him.
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Tim takes the little baby shoes out both held between his fingers. He looks up at Annie and manages to keep his expression schooled. "I think you got mine and Bowie's sizes mixed up." There is a sparkle in his eye that gives away that he knows exactly what she's getting at. The act doesn't last long because he's soon lifting up his chin so that he can give his wife a kiss. "I love yee. When are we expecting?" Now he's got a nursery to design like he did the library. Of course she'll be free to help up with it this time.
Annie watches Tim's face, her lips pressed as she tries to tame her smile. His observation makes her laugh, and there's no more repressing the smile that curves against his lips as they kiss. "An' I love yeh right back, my darlin' husband. The doctor thinks it's about three months along, so, December." It's likely that the baby was conceived around Tim's birthday, although they've not exactly been a chaste couple by any stretch of the imagination. But it's her own best guess.
Tim puts the shoes back in the box and sets it aside. He is all beaming and giddy. One hand slides to rest on her belly as he tilts his chin up for another kiss. "Our own little redheaded pressie. A wean, we are going to have a baby." Amazed he shakes his head and smiles up at her. "Will yee be patient with me? Yee thought I took too many pictures of yee before." He is going to have so many pictures of her they will be able to compile one of those pregnancy in 60 seconds pictures that will be so popular in three quarters of a century.
There's another laugh as Annie leans back against him, her hand falling to cover his where it presses lightly above the tiny life in her care. "We are going to have a baby," she repeats softly. His request for patience has her other hand gently nudging his chin, turning so she can kiss him again, her lips pressing to his, lingering on the softness. She nods as she pulls back, "Of course, love. Just mind I don't look my worst in all of them."
Tim shakes his head while coming in to give her another kiss to silence such nonsense as all that. "Yee could never look even a touch unsightly. So no more of that." He gives her another kiss. "A baby." Those present thought the dreamy look he got when just thinking about having a baby with Annie was cute back at the Black Friar would be floored with the look he has right now, the dream has become a reality and he is in a glorious mood!
Annie's hand is warm on top of Tim, and while there's nothing to feel just yet, there will be soon enough. "I love yeh so much." She giggles and playfully corrects, "Our baby. Th' doctor was surprised I hadn't come in sooner when I told him I'd been feelin' poorly for a couple weeks." No, she hadn't told Tim as much, not wanting to worry him and trying to keep the fact that she wasn't eating anything before noon for weeks as unnoticed as possible.
Tim looks a bit ashamed that he didn't notice. "Yee should have said. I would have spent the whole time pampering yee." Sure he's got a few stories he's working on, but as he's displayed already he is very willing and prepared to drop anything to make sure that she is safe and happy. "How are yee feeling now?"
"Love," Annie says affectionately, turning her head to nuzzle his neck lightly, "Yeh do that all the time anyway. I thought it was just a Spring bug, I didn't want t'worry yeh. Yeh know how things go around at Hogwarts if it's not caught early with potions." And she's still steeped in her Muggle ways enough that she didn't often take a potion herself for it, unless it was a particularly bad day. "I seem t'be all back t'myself." Gentle fingers urge Tim's chin to tip up a bit, and Annie leans in for a kiss. There are many more throughout the evening as the pair cuddle together in the library.