Enchantment Under the Sea

[broken_brushes]

One thing I'd learned in my time on the island was that you could always count on people to lend a hand when you needed it. It had taken most of the day, but working together we'd managed to transform the rec center gym into something straight out of a Fifties flashback

Comments

[1000_cranes]

The bigger her bump gets, the harder it is to find a pretty dress (God only knows what it's going to be like when she's 8 months gone instead of four) but she's found a green dress with a broad, gold ribbon under her bust and she's wearing her hair swept up, 50s style.

She feels pretty, and that's really all that counts.
Especially if she's got to drink fruit juice all night.

[red_ponytail]

"You," Bill said, coming up next to Charlie, "look gorgeous." There was a pack of cigarettes rolled up in one sleeve of his tight black t-shirt, but it was just a prop. "In fact, I think you might be glowing."

[1000_cranes]

"Bill, you know I'm a married lady. Flattery's gonna get you nowhere." She does grin though, reaching out to smooth his white t-shirt. "You don't look so bad yourself, Mister."

[red_ponytail]

Bill grinned even wider at that, slipping his thumbs into his belt loops. "Are you telling me married ladies don't need to be complimented any longer?" he teased. "Here I thought all women wanted to be told they look good. And thanks. Getting ready for this was a fair sight easier than getting dressed for drag night at the club, that's for sure."

[polly_okeefe]

"Cheers," I said, raising my mango juice in a toast. "Hello, Charlie! How are things?"

[1000_cranes]

"Things are pretty okay," says Charlie, grinning at her friend. "Despite the fact that people keep talking about me like I'm a table lamp."

[polly_okeefe]

"Now who would do a thing like that?" I said, grinning back. "I can't think that they'd do it for very long if you were around."

[1000_cranes]

"Well, that's what you say to pregnant women, isn't it?" she says. "You tell them they're glowin'."

[polly_okeefe]

"Oh!" I said. Sometimes I'm so slow on the uptake. "I think after the fourth or fifth kid, Mother clamped down on such talk. People just said she was beautiful, or that she looked great." I smiled at Charlie. "You're beautiful. Really, you look great."

[1000_cranes]

"Awh, thanks, Pol." Honestly, there's only so many times in an evening Charlie can hear that and not start to get slightly embarrassed by the whole thing, but she smiles anyway and smooths her skirt.

"I guess bein' pregnant just suits me."

[polly_okeefe]

"Well, I'd hope so, given how much you've wanted this," I said. Then, a little more seriously, I asked, "How long are you going to stick it out at the Children's Office?"

[1000_cranes]

"Long as I can. Same as the school," says Charlie. "It's not exactly strenuous work, you know? I can sit behind a desk even when I'm the size of a house."

[polly_okeefe]

"I'm glad you're staying on," I said. "It'll be good practise, I'm sure."

[coffee_sir]

"Have half a dozen people told you you're glowing yet?" Ianto teased as he slipped an arm about Charlie's waist and pressed a kiss - carefully - on her head. "Because I think you just look plain gorgeous."

[1000_cranes]

"More than that," says Charlie with an extravagant sigh, leaning in against Ianto's side and slipping her arm under his jacket to curl around him, natural as anything.

"It's like a suddenly developed LEDs on my boobs or something."

[coffee_sir]

"Now that would be interesting," he murmured with a pointed glance, but smiled to show he was only joking. Mostly.

"They only mean well," Ianto continued. "You know that. And it's worth it in the long run, isn't it?"