And now we wait
Roger was trying not to be late. He'd spent at least half an hour the night before promising his girls that he'd be able to pick them up from day care and that he'd actually be on time this time. It might not always be his fault when practice ran over as they got closer to matches or other events, but it was hard to explain that to the bright,
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Somehow, he never actually talked to many of the other parents. When he did they seemed to be complaining to him about how he'd not done some activity or volunteer event quite right.
"Tell me about it," Roger sighed and shifted where he was leaning to look at her a little better. "But if I have to endure another overdramatic lecture about abandonment from my girls, I might actually not make it."
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Yes, it was much easier to pretend he was just your average (except very much above average) dad going to pick up his children.
She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, laughing slightly.
"Don't you miss the days when they didn't talk?"
She couldn't help but flush slightly at that admission. But it sure as hell was a thought when Emmeline and David delved too far into the precocious category.
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Actually, maybe there hadn't even been a time like that, now that he thought about it. Dahlia had bee sassy from the jump. Once she'd met Lily and Lily decided she wasn't threatened by her new sister, they'd been on a mission to be as sassy and sarcastic as possible. He never stood a chance, especially once Lavender was gone.
Roger shrugged and grinned a bit into a wince, leaning over just enough to lower his voice and feign secretive. "We probably shouldn't say that too loud. They always look at me like I've told them the sky is orange if I say anything like that."
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He really was absurdly attractive.
And it was rude of him to even exist at such a hectic and ridiculous time of day like this, when she knew in a matter of moments she'd be lunged at by two very quick three year olds.
But, in a similarly conspiratorial tone she replied, "Only because the lovely women who run this place don't actually have children yet-"
She shrugged slightly.
"Nor do they quite know what its like to have to do it all on your own-"
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Then her words caught up with him and he met her eyes with a raised eyebrow.
Well. That. That was unexpected. Roger needed a minute to piece that together in his mind. Not only was she this attractive, but she was witty. And single, apparently, which he didn't want to forget.
"That's definitely something they don't get. It's definitely not as easy to keep up with multiples when you're trying to do it alone." He shrugged a little against shaking his head over a quiet laugh and small grin. "Especially when your job? Not really what someone would pick when you have dance classes and day care pick up happening."
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She nodded, knowing just how much her own job got in the way of day-to-day motherhood, and just how guilty she felt about that.
But then, with Drew gone, she was it. She had three mouths to feed these days and that had to become first priority.
"It's never easy-" she agreed. "I sometimes feel as if I rely far too much on my father or my assistant these days-"
She couldn't help but smile though.
"Your girls are in dance?" she asked. "My daughter has been begging me to put her in ballet but she's barely three and I just don't think she's quite coordinated enough-"
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And somehow, tormenting her children didn't quite pop into her head as immediately as it should have. She felt a little ashamed. Really- the vision of Emmy falling all over herself in tulle and tights brought a slight giggle to her lips.
"Merlin, that's a brilliant idea. I wonder if I could convince David, too- oh he could be like a little Gene Kelly or something-"
She paused, chewing on her bottom lip again.
"Sorry- Muggle thing- my mum was obsessed with Singing in the Rain was I was a kid-"
She brushed her hair back.
"Still, you're very smart R-er-I'm sorry, I'm Jemma-" she stumbled, offering him her hand.
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He was grinning openly by the time she got to a mini-ramble about Gene Kelly and Singing in the Rain. And hell, how was that so adorable in a completely different way?
He was about to go off on that when it happened, and his grin barely slipped. It's not like he wasn't used to getting recognized. The way she did it was very obviously a slip, too. Roger could be bothered and offended but who had that kind of time?
Also, she was beautiful, hilarious, and vaguely embarrassed. He settled for taking her hand and laughing.
"Nice to met you, Jemma." He shook her hand, letting go before he let it get awkward, even then he had to remind himself to. "I'm Roger. But I guess you know that," he teased.
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Not only was it Jemma's job to know everyone with a public profile in the wizarding world, it was a responsibility to at least know of all the very handsome ones. Still, the flush creeping into her cheeks was pink as she laughed.
"Hard not to, anyway," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "My father is a huge fan- If it weren't so ridiculous for an old man to have a bunch of posters hanging around the house, I'm sure you'd be hanging over the mantel."
She pressed her lips together.
Maybe she had rambled on enough.
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Not having to walk on eggshells around Lavender for the past couple years just made things easier. He liked not having to lock every thing down into carefully planned reactions.
From the way Jemma kept saying something random and trying to cut herself off, Roger go the feeling he didn't have to.
So he laughed. It was a little louder than it should have been, earning them a few startled looks from other parents. Roger winced a little and quieted to a more sedate chuckle.
"I don't know if I should be creeped out or flattered. I'm going to choose flattered because I kind of like talking to you."
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But no- nothing to get excited over.
"Definitely be flattered," she said, nodding her head. "It's not like I'm the president of your fan club-"
Then, she paused, a cheeky grin spreading across her lips.
"I'm just the treasurer."
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"If you're just the treasurer then I guess that changes everything." Roger bit his lip around a grin. He didn't know her well enough to get away with outlandish flirting, but... He was Roger Davies. A little bit of that reputation still held so why not own up to it a little?
"If you were the vice president, not only would it be not creepy, but I might have considered asking if your schedule - "that was obviously as at least as hectic as his - "and sitter might give you time for dinner."
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She hitched up her eyebrow, turning her body just slightly enough so that it was turned more toward him, open to the idea of dinner. Well- more than open, but she couldn't seem desperate now, could she?
"I suppose I could squeeze you in, maybe- that is, if you're not beneath dinner with the one counting all those fan club membership fees?"
Was this happening? Like, a date? With a man? A real, live man? She almost couldn't believe it.
She wondered briefly what Reid would say. And then nearly laughed at the image of his eyes bulging.
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