The best laid plans...
“Well hello there, Mummy-to-be. Again,” Katie called as Romy entered the cozy coffee shop off of Charring Cross. When her friend had owled about coffee, Katie had happily taken her up on the offer. She had an idea to run by her friend, and this provided the perfect opportunity to do so. “How is the newest addition to Clan Wood doing?”
Giving her habitually round belly a pat, Romy grinned. It had been a little while since she’d gotten the chance to spend time with her friend, and more than a little while since she’d spent time with Katie without her boys in tow. “She’s itching to get out into the world,” she said as she sunk into a chair, “or maybe her mummy is just ready for her to come. I’m ready to get to know my feet again.”
“For approximately two to three months before you’re back in this condition again, you mean?” Katie grinned as she signaled for a waitress, ordering a latte for herself and a decaf mocha for Romy.
Once the other woman had gone, Katie glanced back at her friend. “So, what’s the latest on her estimated time of arrival?”
“I’d like to take a little break, actually. I’ve essentially been pregnant or nursing for three solid years now.” Her grin went crooked. “We’ll see how it goes, though. For all the trouble I had getting pregnant the first time, once that was accomplished it seems like all Oliver has to do is look at me and there’s a new bun in my oven. This one is due in about four more weeks, but the healer says things are already started to progress, so who knows?”
Katie nodded, pretending to ponder. “Four weeks... hrm...”
“Hrm?” the darker woman queried.
She weighed her words carefully, heart half in her throat as she laid out her proposition. “How would you feel about a short holiday before the baby came? Next weekend?”
Brows rising, Romy blinked. That was certainly not something she’d expected to hear. It wasn’t an ideal time to travel, although a holiday did sound nice. “I don’t know, Katie,” she said doubtfully. “With it so close to the baby coming, I’m not sure I’m up for toting the boys around the countryside. Where were you thinking of going, anyway?”
“Africa?” Katie squeaked, lips curled upwards. At Romy’s disbelieving gape, she hurried on, “I know it’s not an ideal time, but Stewart and I wanted to take a little couples’ trip, and with the holidays taking up most of the midseason break, this is the only time we can get away. And it would be lovely and warm... could Oliver’s parents take the boys?”
“Africa!?” Romy exclaimed, blushing as several other patrons turned toward her. “That’s quite the little getaway.” Her mind was already running through all the arrangements that would have to be made. Her in-laws would love having the boys stay a few days with them, she was sure, and Oliver didn’t have any imminent commitments. “I’ll have to talk with Oliver and check with the healer to make sure it’s safe for me to travel internationally. We might be able to make it work, though.”
Her heart was racing, and it took all Katie had in her not to bounce in her seat. Two down, one to go, she thought to herself, managing to keep her smile somewhat normal. “I know it’s not the best time, but I promise we wouldn’t have asked if it weren’t important.” Very important.
An important mini-break? Romy thought to herself, studying her friend’s countenance. She couldn’t help but think there was more to this, but for once she didn’t press. Katie was happy and excited, and Romy was happy for her. Were she not literally about to burst with pregnancy, and if she didn’t know how uncomfortable Katie got when Romy talked about Oliver and sex, she might have wondered if there was another motive for a ‘couples’ trip, but as it was Romy was sure that sort of thing was far from her friend’s mind.
“Well, I’ll do my best to make sure we can be there.”
Katie grinned. “Brill, Romy.” Just brill.
Their drinks arrived, and conversation fell quiet as the barrista set the hot beverages down on the table. Giving her a polite smile and nod, Katie took a sip of her latte. “You know, I liked coffee, but I wasn’t addicted to it before I started seeing Stewart. I think his blood runs caffeine rather than red.”
“I’ve finally broken Oliver of his morning protein smoothie. At least he’s not having raw eggs and spinach every morning.” Romy’s smile was wry. “I mean, I’m all for my husband staying fit - he’s bloody gorgeous after all - but he’s been retired a few years now. It’s time to tone down the icky bulk-up beverages.”
“If he bulks up any more, he’s like to look like one of those Muggle bodybuilders, Romy,” Katie pointed out gently.
Rubbing her stretched belly absently, the younger woman just grinned. Her husband was extremely conscious of his physique. It was primarily a leftover of his playing days and the need to be in top form, but there was a bit of vanity mixed in. Maybe a little more than a ‘bit’. She didn’t mind. Oliver’s ego was more than balanced by his love for her and the rest of their family. He’d never been able to deny her anything.
“Did I tell you we’ve picked a name for our first girl? None too soon, either.”
“Oh?” Katie took a sip of her latte, quirking her brow at her friend over the cup. “And what have you two come up with?”
“Isla Rose,” Romy said proudly. “You know Oliver calls me ‘Tulip’. He said he needed a different flower for his little girl.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” her friend said softly, her smile lighting her brown eyes. “Oliver is going to spoil this one extra rotten, you know? His baby girl and all.”
Romy couldn’t deny the statement. Oliver had been thrilled to find out they were expecting a daughter. He had his boys to get rough and tumble with, and to teach all about Quidditch and manly things, but in his mind at least, now he would have his princess to dote on and dress up. Time would tell if Isla was going to grow into the girly girl her husband imagined, but whatever she decided to be, her Da would think she hung the moon.
“Maybe one day you and Stewart will have a little girl to spoil rotten, hmm?” Romy said with a smile. “Oliver can give him pointers.”
“Maybe. But she’s a way off.” Katie took another sip of her coffee, enjoying the jolt of caffeine. “We’re not going to rush into having children.”
“No, I suspected as much,” Romy returned with a wry grin. “The day you two ‘rush’ into anything, I’m likely to die of heart failure.”
Then perhaps Katie’s little surprise in regards to her coming nuptials would be an excellent jolt for the younger woman. Her lips merely twitched, and she said, “You never know.”
Giving her habitually round belly a pat, Romy grinned. It had been a little while since she’d gotten the chance to spend time with her friend, and more than a little while since she’d spent time with Katie without her boys in tow. “She’s itching to get out into the world,” she said as she sunk into a chair, “or maybe her mummy is just ready for her to come. I’m ready to get to know my feet again.”
“For approximately two to three months before you’re back in this condition again, you mean?” Katie grinned as she signaled for a waitress, ordering a latte for herself and a decaf mocha for Romy.
Once the other woman had gone, Katie glanced back at her friend. “So, what’s the latest on her estimated time of arrival?”
“I’d like to take a little break, actually. I’ve essentially been pregnant or nursing for three solid years now.” Her grin went crooked. “We’ll see how it goes, though. For all the trouble I had getting pregnant the first time, once that was accomplished it seems like all Oliver has to do is look at me and there’s a new bun in my oven. This one is due in about four more weeks, but the healer says things are already started to progress, so who knows?”
Katie nodded, pretending to ponder. “Four weeks... hrm...”
“Hrm?” the darker woman queried.
She weighed her words carefully, heart half in her throat as she laid out her proposition. “How would you feel about a short holiday before the baby came? Next weekend?”
Brows rising, Romy blinked. That was certainly not something she’d expected to hear. It wasn’t an ideal time to travel, although a holiday did sound nice. “I don’t know, Katie,” she said doubtfully. “With it so close to the baby coming, I’m not sure I’m up for toting the boys around the countryside. Where were you thinking of going, anyway?”
“Africa?” Katie squeaked, lips curled upwards. At Romy’s disbelieving gape, she hurried on, “I know it’s not an ideal time, but Stewart and I wanted to take a little couples’ trip, and with the holidays taking up most of the midseason break, this is the only time we can get away. And it would be lovely and warm... could Oliver’s parents take the boys?”
“Africa!?” Romy exclaimed, blushing as several other patrons turned toward her. “That’s quite the little getaway.” Her mind was already running through all the arrangements that would have to be made. Her in-laws would love having the boys stay a few days with them, she was sure, and Oliver didn’t have any imminent commitments. “I’ll have to talk with Oliver and check with the healer to make sure it’s safe for me to travel internationally. We might be able to make it work, though.”
Her heart was racing, and it took all Katie had in her not to bounce in her seat. Two down, one to go, she thought to herself, managing to keep her smile somewhat normal. “I know it’s not the best time, but I promise we wouldn’t have asked if it weren’t important.” Very important.
An important mini-break? Romy thought to herself, studying her friend’s countenance. She couldn’t help but think there was more to this, but for once she didn’t press. Katie was happy and excited, and Romy was happy for her. Were she not literally about to burst with pregnancy, and if she didn’t know how uncomfortable Katie got when Romy talked about Oliver and sex, she might have wondered if there was another motive for a ‘couples’ trip, but as it was Romy was sure that sort of thing was far from her friend’s mind.
“Well, I’ll do my best to make sure we can be there.”
Katie grinned. “Brill, Romy.” Just brill.
Their drinks arrived, and conversation fell quiet as the barrista set the hot beverages down on the table. Giving her a polite smile and nod, Katie took a sip of her latte. “You know, I liked coffee, but I wasn’t addicted to it before I started seeing Stewart. I think his blood runs caffeine rather than red.”
“I’ve finally broken Oliver of his morning protein smoothie. At least he’s not having raw eggs and spinach every morning.” Romy’s smile was wry. “I mean, I’m all for my husband staying fit - he’s bloody gorgeous after all - but he’s been retired a few years now. It’s time to tone down the icky bulk-up beverages.”
“If he bulks up any more, he’s like to look like one of those Muggle bodybuilders, Romy,” Katie pointed out gently.
Rubbing her stretched belly absently, the younger woman just grinned. Her husband was extremely conscious of his physique. It was primarily a leftover of his playing days and the need to be in top form, but there was a bit of vanity mixed in. Maybe a little more than a ‘bit’. She didn’t mind. Oliver’s ego was more than balanced by his love for her and the rest of their family. He’d never been able to deny her anything.
“Did I tell you we’ve picked a name for our first girl? None too soon, either.”
“Oh?” Katie took a sip of her latte, quirking her brow at her friend over the cup. “And what have you two come up with?”
“Isla Rose,” Romy said proudly. “You know Oliver calls me ‘Tulip’. He said he needed a different flower for his little girl.”
“That’s a beautiful name,” her friend said softly, her smile lighting her brown eyes. “Oliver is going to spoil this one extra rotten, you know? His baby girl and all.”
Romy couldn’t deny the statement. Oliver had been thrilled to find out they were expecting a daughter. He had his boys to get rough and tumble with, and to teach all about Quidditch and manly things, but in his mind at least, now he would have his princess to dote on and dress up. Time would tell if Isla was going to grow into the girly girl her husband imagined, but whatever she decided to be, her Da would think she hung the moon.
“Maybe one day you and Stewart will have a little girl to spoil rotten, hmm?” Romy said with a smile. “Oliver can give him pointers.”
“Maybe. But she’s a way off.” Katie took another sip of her coffee, enjoying the jolt of caffeine. “We’re not going to rush into having children.”
“No, I suspected as much,” Romy returned with a wry grin. “The day you two ‘rush’ into anything, I’m likely to die of heart failure.”
Then perhaps Katie’s little surprise in regards to her coming nuptials would be an excellent jolt for the younger woman. Her lips merely twitched, and she said, “You never know.”