| Firecrab
Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: melbourne
Posts: 887
|  xxxwelcomebackSophxxx
Chapter Fifty Six
‘It’s been ages’ she sighed ‘Over a year, I can’t believe we’re going back’
‘But we are for a reason’ he held her ringed hand to his lips smiling, ‘Christmas day – we sure can pick’
‘We’re doing it and then we’re leaving Charlie, I’m not hanging around I want to get out as soon as we can – to see the rest of the world before they try to keep us tied there’
‘We missed last Christmas – the twins first Christmas, we can’t miss their second’
‘We are kind of plonking a wedding on them for that day though’
‘They’re not likely to remember honey; I think we’ll get away with it’
‘Hmm – you are ok that we see Harry and Gin first?’
‘Yeah, its three days until Christmas so we have to round them up’ he smirked ‘start with the ones who actually approve hey’
‘Hmm’ she leant her head against his shoulder looking at the passing landscape in the train window,
‘Don’t be worried or anxious, we’re still together – we’re married according the captain of that boat in Vanuatu’
She giggled ‘I don’t think that sticks’
‘We jumped over that broom together in Fiji that was pretty much the same’
‘Not in the eyes of any law I’ve read about’
‘This is our official one, our home grown one’ he grinned ‘the one that matters to them’
‘And to us though the other ceremonies were pretty cool’
‘That they were’ the train came to a halt, ‘Back on the English soil my love, take a deep breath and prepare for the cold’
‘I miss the sun’ she groaned, ‘its flaming miserable but its home’
‘Exactly, its home’ he grinned kissing her gently before they picked up their bags,
‘Charlie I can manage it’ he took it from her hand as she protested,
‘Can not, you’re already carrying him, you don’t need anymore weight’
‘You can’t even tell’ she frowned trying to take the bag back,
‘I can because I know, it won’t be long before they will’ he frowned back holding on ‘I wouldn’t let you carry it the entire trip since we found out, I’m not starting now’ he smirked,
‘Urgh, I’m not even that-’ she stopped and stared at the arrivals bay on the platform, ‘CHARLIE!’
He grinned as she jumped up and down and then on him ‘Thank you!’
‘Thought you’d like it’ he dropped the bags and held on,
The door at the end of the carriage opened ‘Sir, Madam its time to exit the train now please’
‘Harry?’ she said recognising the voice and then leaping on him,
‘Aww jeez sis you haven’t half put on weight, all that foreign and strange food you could get your hands on hey’
‘Oi!’ she punched his shoulder lightly and then waved out the window to Ron, Percy, Fred, Cara, George and Yvonne, Bill, Fleur and baby, Ginny and the twins waving back and then her mother…
‘What is she doing here Charlie?’
‘Came to say hi, she misses you honey, she said she was sorry’
‘You spoke to her’
‘Well I figured it would help to have the mother in law on side and then maybe Molly would follow her example – try and beat her in their who can be the best and worst mother competition’
‘Oh’
‘Come on guys they’re waiting’ Harry said with a grin and led them out,
‘Wow the girls got so big’ she picked them up one by one and hugged them,
‘Hello’
‘They talk now?!’
The little one giggled in her arms,
Harry grinned, ‘Faith’s the quiet one’ she looked at her clinging to her mother’s leg, ‘Patience is the one with the big mouth like her Aunty’ he gestured to the one she was holding,
‘Don’t be mean, it’s not like you get credits to use for everyday we were gone’ she replied sticking out her tongue as she gave her to Charlie and kissed Ginny’s cheeks before hugging her,
‘It’s so nice to see you’
‘I’ve missed you so much Soph – there’s no one to talk to but Fleur and that’s only ever about “zee little angel”’ she made a puking sound after she whispered,
‘I’m so sorry I stuck you with her’ she whispered back ‘but we have sooo much to catch up on now’
‘Ah no – we have a wedding to plan for Christmas day’
‘He told you guys too – when did you do all this Charlie?’
‘You were passed out Moscow to Switzerland never mind through China – it’s along time when you have to go by train’
‘Why didn’t you fly?’
‘Erm…’
‘The scenic route’ Charlie said with a covering smile, ‘It was her suggestion only being Soph she slept through the scenery and woke up when we were in the tunnels’
They laughed and then made there way out side, Charlie still wouldn’t hand over the backpack insisting she was too tired to carry it and she was glad to be able to wrap her arms around herself when the cold winter air hit.
‘Apparition time’ they grinned and wandered to the alley way in small groups,
‘Charlie, we tried apparition remember – the puking mess that followed was not something I want to repeat’
‘We’ll take a portkey, should be ok’
‘And if I throw up all over you and our guests…’
‘We’ll tell them the good news’ he grinned and she smiled leaning up to kiss him
‘Ok but I was just going to use it to blag our way out of not getting them Christmas presents’
‘Oh yeah – well I’ll go shopping then’
‘Stop thinking of reasons to get away with things honey’ she kissed him again,
‘Stop thinking of reasons of why not to tell them’ he replied,
‘Shotgun wedding’
‘No one is holding one to my back – my mother might be to you but since we’re expecting she’ll have to put it away and live with the fact we’re happy’
‘Very, very happy’
She reached out to the old newspaper as it glowed blue and found them selves outside Grimmald place. She turned and puked in the bushes,
‘Soph’
‘Don’t’ she held out her arm to stop him coming closer,
‘I’ve told you before Dragon puke is a lot worse, this I’m fine with’
‘Urgh’
‘The party is not such a good idea now’
‘Uh huh’ she threw up again,
‘I’ll tell them you’re not well’
‘No’ she tried to get up but he dropped the bags to support her weight as she struggled,
‘Soph’
‘Mmm – I don’t feel so good, portkey was worse’
‘Bed’ he lifted her up and she curled into his warmth. He tapped the bags with his wand making them small enough to carry in his pocket and carried her in.
‘You have to come too, I’m cold’ she yawned,
‘Sure, I’ll just clear them out K’
‘Uh huh’ he walked her up to their room – newly decorated thanks to his brothers – and placed her on the bed with a sigh
‘Be right back gorgeous’
‘I don’t feel so gorgeous’
‘Yet you are’ he kissed her forehead, held her cheek and then apparated downstairs,
‘Guys I’m sorry – I just had to put Soph to bed, she’s really not very well, reckon it’s food poisoning - she tried this thing on the train, tentacles and stuff I didn’t go near it’
‘I’ll check on her if you want’ Cara suggested ‘give her something to calm her stomach’ she winked at Charlie and he nodded,
‘That would be great thanks’
She wandered up as Charlie said his goodbyes, agreed to one drink with them all and then waited for them to go. Her mother said her goodbyes when the one drink turned into three and asked to see Soph before the wedding to which he agreed jovially.
***
‘Soph’
‘Hmm – Cara … have I got puke in my hair? – be honest’
‘You did a good job to miss honey’
‘Yay’
‘Congrats love’
‘Huh’
‘I kind of figured with the puking and Charlie carrying your stuff…’
‘Do they know too?’
‘No – no, I’ll let you have the pleasure love don’t worry’ she stroked her hair, ‘Feel better right, I know apparition is rough when you’re knocked up’
‘You do?’
‘Had a little one of my own while you were gone, he’s with his dad’
‘I didn’t even know you were dating’
‘We’d been together a while, years… just didn’t tell cause he’s a muggle’
She smiled ‘Who?’
‘Dylan Saunders’
She sat up holding her head as it spun ‘Whoa – but he’s like – does he know?’
‘Oh yeah, he’s kind of the first person that knew, remember primary school and the way the trousers fell down on Mitchell Waters when he tried to punch Dylan – that was me’
She giggled ‘With great power comes the responsibility to kick bullies butts’
‘Exactly’ she smiled back, ‘we’ll I’d best be getting back to them, little monsters gonna be awake for a feed soon’ she leant in for a hug,
‘What’s his name?’
‘Nathan, cute but a big mess just like his dad – you remember the state of his uniform, well he hasn’t changed one bit’ she grinned ‘Only to fall madly in love with me’ she sighed ‘He hasn’t asked me to marry him however and I’m glad, Nathan wasn’t planned exactly but marriage – I love him but I don’t think we’ll ever want to get married, it’s not for us, we’ll just be partners for life instead’ she grinned ‘I hear your getting married in three days’
‘Yeah, it was a kind of spare of the moment, spontaneous we might as well go home and do it moment – the thing is we can’t leave and I’ve only just realised that was his plan all along, he’s ready to settle down Cara and I don’t know if I can’
‘Sure you can, but why would he – he’s a dragon tamer, a free spirit surely he wants to keep going’
‘A baby changes everything, we can still travel, and I mean going on a train takes a long time but once he’s old enough-’
She stared ‘- He?’
‘Oh I’m like four months it’s just I don’t show so much its weird’
‘Right’
‘He’s not very big I guess or my body is just strange’ she shrugged ‘He’s fine, we’ve been for scans and stuff, he’s just – he just doesn’t show on me’ she shrugged ‘It took a lot for Charlie to persuade me to come back Cara, and I don’t know if I can be happy here – I mean for one we’re pretty much married in every other country in the world’
‘You are?’
‘The first few blissful months were spent in bed or finding what strange wedding ceremonies we could do before we got back – we’re married already’ she giggled ‘Just not legally here where we are supposed to be married’
‘Hmm’
‘Whoops I’m not supposed to tell you’ she covered her mouth still giggling,
‘I think you have to be checked out at Mungo’s’
‘Why?’
‘You’re showing delirium; a symptom to Merlin knows what’
‘No silly I’m just happy’ she hugged her ‘I’ve got my man, my son, my family, happy is great’
‘I’m glad – are you going to make up with your mum though?’
‘Maybe… is she nice yet?’
‘When my mum found out about Dylan she kicked me out, when she found out about Nathan she swore she’d never talk to me again, when she realised we’d probably never get married I was cut out of the will’
‘Ouch – she really doesn’t like muggles’
‘No one bit, but your Mum – she took me in, she helped me and Dylan get a house and get ready for Nathan, she’s been crazy helpful and I don’t know what we would have done without her’
‘Hmm’
‘When she sees’s how happy you are she’ll forget ever being mad at you’
‘Maybe I should tell her now’
‘You need to rest and get ready for it don’t just do it on a whim or you might say something you’ll regret’ she leant in for a hug and kissed her cheek, ‘I have a feeling I’m going to be roped into helping with the wedding preparation so I’ll probably see you tomorrow’
‘Later Cara – and thanks’
‘No problem’ she waved and then left, Sophia rolled onto her side to get more comfortable as Charlie wandered back in,
‘Hey honey, you feeling any better?’
‘We have to tell our mothers about him first’ she stroked the slight bulge ‘tomorrow, is that ok?’
‘Sure’ he took the news in his stride with a smile ‘Shall we try getting them together again?’
‘Please’
‘Ok, the guys said Mum’s warmed up a bit since we left so it shouldn’t be too bad’
‘Warmed up to what the temperature of the north pole?’
‘More like a bag of frozen peas’
‘Brilliant’
‘Don’t worry; worrying isn’t good for you or him’
She sighed and gave in to the question pressing on her mind, ‘Charlie do you want to stay here and raise a family? Are you ready to settle down?’
‘Are you?’
‘Tell me first’
‘Now we’ve done the far away exotic places can we travel closer to home?’
‘I want him to have seen the world too’
‘He will, but there’s no point taking him when he won’t remember – can you hold off until he’s like five?’
‘Five years…’
‘Soph, I know it’s a big ask of you, I know that if you had the choice you would have waited longer but can’t you see my reasoning?’
‘Hmm’
‘Honey I’m not saying we’ll never travel again, but we have to fit him into our plans now, it’s hard to be spontaneous and carefree when you’ve got a big responsibility, when we’ve got to raise a child’
‘I know’
‘You’re not mad at me are you?’
‘Me – no Charlie, don’t be silly’ she smiled shuffling towards him but turning, back against his chest as he held their arms around her belly, ‘I’m just nervous is all, he’s our first and I want to do what’s best for him and as his mother I should know that – I think it’s because I know he’s there but I can hardly tell’ she rubbed the belly gently ‘It’s not like Ginny who got completely massive as soon as she hit four months’
‘She was having twins and you’ve got five months yet – maybe he’ll have a growth spurt’
‘Hmm’
‘I’m gonna be here every step of the way, we’ll do this together just like we always talked about’
‘You’re going to have to accept that job offer aren’t you?’
‘We need the money’ he smiled ‘The hours are good, the pays great and it’s a nine to five with weekends off and I get to do something I’ve never done before’ he smirked ‘Work in an office’
‘Isn’t there something else?’
‘I have to take what I can get for now’
‘I’m sorry’
‘Don’t apologise – it’s a change of pace – granted a slow dreary pace but different is good, at my grand old age of twenty seven I should be working the pipe and slippers look’
‘Charlie’ she frowned,
‘Joke honey, just a joke’ he squeezed her gently and kissed her cheek
‘Night’ she sighed holding onto him a little tighter,
‘Night gorgeous’
***
They sat at the dinner table in the basement of Grimmald place staring each other down. None of the four wanted to speak first but Charlie gave in,
‘How have you been mother?’
‘Fine’
‘Have you changed your mind?’
‘No’
‘Dare I ask why not?’
‘She is not good enough for you’
Gwen took her chance to cut in, ‘Your son doesn’t deserve my daughter’
Sophie sighed ‘And to think we thought this was a good idea’ she muttered to Charlie,
He smiled a little, ‘It was a good idea, and it still is better then watching muggle TV’
‘Charlie’ she frowned at him,
‘Yes Honey’ he smirked back and she stuck her tongue out at him when the mothers had stopped bickering enough to watch them,
‘Just like a child, still a child’
‘And your son’s no better for polluting her mind’
‘We’ve been together like two years isn’t that good enough for you Molly’ she said icily ‘and you – I was told that you might actually be seeing sense and would support me – support us’
‘When you’re not making life changing mistakes I will’
‘Two years together means nothing, that we’re getting married in two days means nothing that we’re expecting your grandson means nothing?!’ she shouted at them both, Charlie trying to calm her with a hand on her shoulder,
‘Grandson…’ they gawped together ‘You’re pregnant’ they managed to say in both the most shocked and exasperated tone either Charlie or Sophia had ever heard,
‘Four months’ he replied, ‘we came back to tell you, we came back to stay for a little bit if either of you had gotten over yourselves’
‘Obviously they failed’ she crossed her arms ‘They’re still just as stubborn and mean as they always have been’
‘I don’t understand why’ Charlie said staring them both down, ‘I don’t see how they can’t see we’re happy, that we’re crazy in love with each other and we are together – that we want to be together for ever’
‘How can you be happy? With her of all the girls you dated’
‘Sorry but you don’t know who I’ve dated – I’ve never dared to bring them to meet you’
‘Instead you bring her’
‘Sophia is perfect for me, she’s my other half and I love her’
‘Love is not just sex!’
‘The one time you found us kissing’
‘On my bed – you would never have done that, never been that disrespectful if it wasn’t for her’
‘Argh!’ he said in frustration ‘We kissed big deal – you’ve had seven kids, shoot me for having one with the woman I love, for marrying the woman I love’
‘She broke your brother’s heart’
‘Seriously is that what you’ve based your hate of me on – that George fancied me and I turned him down for Charlie! He’s engaged to Yvonne or was he too scared to tell you?’
She flinched at the news but still gave way to angry words ‘She’s played games with you, she’s turned you against your family, and you need to be with someone your own age that you respect not a little girl you have to play house with’
‘Stop with the little girl you miserable old hag! I love Charlie, I’m having Charlie’s baby, I’m marrying Charlie and there’s nothing you can do or say that will change it – he loves me, he wouldn’t be with me otherwise – and don’t even suggest that it’s now only because I’m pregnant or I will hit you this time!’
She gawped and gaped and huffed before storming out of the room,
Charlie made no attempt to go after her quite pleased with the way Sophia had protected herself although there was a slight irritation that he didn’t get to help too,
‘Are you going to say anything?’ she turned to her own mother angrily,
‘Congratulations, I’ll see you on Christmas day’ she walked round kissed her forehead and hesitantly patted Charlie’s shoulder before leaving.
Sophia burst into tears and he pulled her into his arms,
‘Don’t cry’
She sobbed but nothing coherent was emerging from her mouth,
‘Shhh it’s alright honey’ he stroked her hair, ‘It’s going to be fine, I promise it’s going to be fine I’ll do what ever it takes to make it happen for us ok?’
‘Uh huh’ she mumbled holding on tightly ‘Love you’
‘Love you too Soph, love you too’
__________________
RIP JD Salinger |