| Details for Just a Bit of Indigestion |
| Summary: | Last year they got married on New Year's Eve. Will Tim and Annie top that to see in 1941? |
| Date: | 31 December 1940 |
| Location: | The Weeping Banshee, Ballycastle, Ireland |
| Related: | — |
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It's almost as if the year 1940 never happened as it's last hours play out in The Weeping Banshee on the outskirts of Ballycastle, Ireland. The Moody clan is again out in force, just as they had been a year ago, just as they have been for as long as anyone can remember on New Year's Eve. The air is filled with laughter and reminisces, snatches of conversation in broad Irish accents: '…and then tha daft bugger fell into tha well!…' '…I thought she was just raisin' a ruckus, but it turned out the pigs had got loose…' '… and he said, drawin' himself up t'full leprechaun height, begone before ye have a taste of my shillelagh…' exactly as it had been one year ago.
Annie and Tim have had to forego sitting at their regular table for the evening, the swell of the Moody baby yet to be preventing Annie from snugging into the bench, a table with chairs chosen as an alternative. In addition to the stories being repeated from years past, everyone has stopped by to wish Tim, Annie and the future Moody all the best on this, their anniversary. "It should be any time now," Annie is saying to a cousin with flaming red hair that matches Tim's. Her hand rests lightly on the swell, and the English woman laughs as she adds, "And from the feel of it, the baby is ready to come and do a little jig. It's not been still since the music started playing."
Tim's hand is soon joining over Annie's to rub lightly at her swollen belly to get a chance to feel this dancing about. "Well at least the babe hasn't got my dancing skills." He leans over to place a kiss on his wife's cheek and then her forehead as he raises up. He's on his way to the bar, to get them some fresh drinks and something more to gnosh on. His fingers don't leave her belly until he's simply too far away to maintain the touch. He knows the days of having these moments with her belly are numbered and he's been making the best of them. As usual for Tim, even when he's at the bar his eyes are on his wife in the usual and constant adoring way. Even if they are having a bit of a bicker the look in his eyes on her never change.
"Thank the heavens for that!" the cousin agrees enthusiastically with Tim's assessment of his dancing prowess, and there is good natured laughter from the family around them. "I didn't fall in love with yeh for yer dancin' skills," Annie teases Tim lightly before he steps away to the bar. The conversation goes on in his absence, but after a moment Annie's smile turns to a light frown and she rubs the baby bump.
Tim has been what could be considered a bit over attentive since learning she's pregnant. Every little look that's not an at rest or happy face and he's doing something or another to please her and make her more comfortable. In a crowded bar seems to be no restraint for this as he's rather immediately leaving the things on the bar for them to return to the table and squat down beside her. Hand returning to her belly for a rub and he kisses her shoulder looking up through his lashes at her in a concerned manner. He doesn't even have to ask 'Are yee okay?' It's plainly in his expression and manner.
The smile returns as Annie looks down at Tim, her gaze no less adoring than his own ever is. The hand on her belly moves to cover his warmly, the other lifting to caress lightly at Tim's cheek. "Must just be a bit of indigestion. I likely ate too fast, an' now I'm bein' reminded of it." Her touch lingers, thumb stroking against the scratchy scruff on his chin. "Maybe a nip of brandy will help it?" she suggests.
Tim leans forward and murmurs in soothing tones into her belly. Typical things like, "Be nice to yer Ma." He punctuates it with a kiss and then stands up and after giving her another kiss to the shoulder and then lips and then forehead does he return back to the bar. Sheepish boyish grin across his face when the barkeep gives him a bit of a barbing about being so jumpy. A little glass of brandy is added to the order and Tim piles it all in his arms expertly and makes his way back to the table. "Here we are Moody Clan!" He puts all the drinks in the center of the table so people can fend for themselves. All but Annie's her drinks and bits of food are put right before her within easy reach. Once he sits down he offers a private toast to her in sweet murmurings. "Happy Anniversary Ans. Love yee so."
There's a cheer from those nearest to the table as they snatch up their drinks first, jostling with good humour and familial teasings, but they step aside quickly for the next few. Annie lifts her little brandy and toasts to Tim in return, "Happy Anniversary, my Tim. Love yeh…" Her words cut off with a slight wince, and she frowns down at her belly. "Stop kickin', I know yer there," she admonishes the baby quietly. Her eyes lift to Tim and she finishes her thought, "Love yeh back." She tips the brandy back, breathing a sigh at the mild burn of the alcohol.
Tim is looking concerned again, his dark lauger in one hand, a cigarette held in that same hand between middle and index finger keep the hand closest to her free to give her belly rubs and a hand to squeeze. "Maybe a bit of a walk around? Sway the weane to comfort, might be a bit noisy in here?" They live such a quiet life, even Tim gets a little overwhelmed by the rowdy pub. He can only imagine what the child of his is facing in there without the knowledge that they are surrounded by trusted friends and family.
It's not often that Annie will put down a brandy in one swig, but she does just that, putting her glass back onto the table with a light thunk. She nods, a lock of hair falling unnoticed between her eyes with the movement. "I think some air would be a fine thing. We've plenty of time before midnight." She takes his free hand to give herself a bit of leverage up from the chair, swaying just barely as she gains her feet. "Cor. That's gone right t'my head, it seems," she notes with a laugh. Gathering her thick shawl from the chair, she settles it around her shoulders.
Tim is right there to stabalize her and gives her a kiss to the forehead while doing so. "Not surprised, yee don't drink unless it's New Years really… trying to dull the memory of a bad decision, ay?" He teases her with a little soft giggle and then his hands gently manhandle her to turn her about and coil their arms together so that he can guide her in a slow walk for the back door. The very same back way they snuck out to enjoy their wedding night— or morning together a year ago. "Right here for yee. Just breath and shuffle shuffle."
"Celebratin' the best decision I ever made," Annie corrects Tim merrily. She's got her waddle almost perfected, any penguin would mistake her for one of their own if she was wearing black and white. When they step outside, Annie takes a deep breath of the chilly air, her head tilting back to look up at the night sky. "I'll never tire of seeing all those stars. Yeh don't see half so many in town." Her arm gives his a little squeeze, one that tightens slightly as her steps falter and she gives a soft grunt of discomfort. She doesn't want to worry Tim, but she's beginning to think it's a little bit more than just indigestion. She's just not sure, so holds her thought to herself for now.
Tim was looking up at the stars so he missed this latest discomfort and mistakes the grunt for a bit of a burp. So when he looks back down at her he's smiling ear to ear. "Never in all my days did I think I would find a more beautiful way of seeing these stars. Then I saw them in the reflection in your eyes. Yee have spellbound me firmly yee little red headed witch."
Annie's smile comes right back to mirror Tim's and she easily falls back into step beside him with barely a pause. "How yeh flatter me, Tim Moody," she teases her much loved husband lightly. "Never stop doin' so." The air blows back the light fog that was starting to creep into Annie's thoughts, and after a minute or two she's feeling much better. "Maybe it was a bit close and loud in there," she allows. "It's lovely just bein' here, walkin' with yeh."
Tim slows them down so that he can pause them under the glow on one of the village's street lamps. "I'll always flatter ye, though I must admit to a certain joy I've discovered…un-flat-ing yee." Such a big goofy grin is across his face as he rubs his hands over her rounded belly. "Such a beauty yee in every shape. My Annie."
Annie laughs and rolls her eyes dramatically at Tim's turn of phrase, the laugh giving way to a groan of the imagined pain it caused her. But in a second it turns to an actual groan of pain, one of Annie's hands joining Tim's on her round belly, the other clutching at his sleeve.
Tim's secret side that granted is a bit dusty shows itself in the rather suddenly focused and calm in crisis Banshee takes over. "Ans? Breathe and look in me eyes. Do we have time to get yee to the cottage? Or shall we hoist yee onto the bar and have a story to tell this one?" The cigarette is dropped and it sizzles out in a puddle in the gutter. Both arms are used now to give her support without scooping her up…yet. There is a strong bob from his adam's apple to show that the nebbish Tim is still there and concerned and nervous for her. But the Auror has beaten him back for his wife and child's safety.
Part of that puddle in the gutter seems to have originated mysteriously around Annie's feet, and she has to lean to see past her stomach to it. She looks up, into Tim's eyes as he instructs, and there's a smile but it's a bit wavery and nervous now that the moment they've been preparing for seems to be upon them. "I'm not havin' our bairn in a pub, Tim Moody," she scolds lightly, "Let alone on this night with all them about. They'll be givin' it whisky as soon as it's out." Despite the trepidation at now facing the imminent birth, her sense of humour seems to be doing nicely. "It's not far t'home, an' it's only just begun. Let's get me there, an' then will yeh go back for the midwife?" Who is, of course, at The Weeping Banshee.
Tim takes a deep breath and any of those nerves that were under the surface get pushed down when she still has a sense of humour, that certainly helps him. "Ay, let's get yee cozy an' see how things go. Things go quick like an' I'll just use a bit of floo to make sure ye get some good company. It's really h-h-appenin'…" He's all grins and shakes his head as she chews on his tongue a little as they walk. "Does it hurt love? I can carry yee?"
Annie wraps one arm halfway around her belly, as if now trying to hold the baby up where it belongs until they're home and help is with them. "It's not so bad yet," Annie reassures Tim, "the pain isn't even very close together yet. But it is really happenin'." There's another chuckle as she leans heavily on Tim's support. "My wonderful husband. I'll not be havin' yeh giving yerself a hernia just before our baby's born. I'm fine walkin' with yer help." She only has to pause twice on their way to the cottage, and when they walk in the door she's already tugging her shawl off, trying to hang it but letting it slide off the hook to the floor, muttering, "I'll just get that later."
Tim leads her into their cottage and uses his foot to knock the latch on the bedroom and lightly kicks it open. He's not removing his hands from holding and supporting her. "Shite, perhaps it would be a good time to narrow down on some names. Once we get a good look at'm we can settle on the real deal…" He slides out of his boots and uses his socked foot to kick and fold down the covers on the bed. "She said a good sopping towel goes down and water should be put on, right?" She being the midwife with her 'day of instructions'. One handedly he pulls out his wand to start working a bit of magic now that they are home so that the designated towel gets levitated over and the night gown she picked out is also brought over. While he's at it her scarf gets lifted through the air onto a hook. "So I don trip an' break me neck." Cause he's starting to feel a bit of a flutter of nerves again starting to rise.
As Tim wastes no time starting preparations, Annie is already peeling out of her clothes to put the nightgown on. Even as it's settling around her knees, her attention focuses on Tim. She reaches for his hand and looks up into his eyes, a calm assurance in her gaze. "I'll be fine while yeh dash back t'the pub. I'll stay on my feet for now, the pains aren't so bad when I'm walkin' through them." They are coming a bit closer together now, but not so much yet that she's worried. She pushes up onto her toes, lips meeting his, her eyes excited when she settles back onto her heels. "Go on, my love, an' we'll be right here when yeh get back."