I'll open up and be your parachute -- March 1999

I was getting around for work.  Yes, being newer, I got the crappy shifts.  I had to work the overnights this week.  I felt bad for Addie because I knew she worried about me when I wasn't home at night.  Especially with being an auror.  Okay, I was basically doing their grunt work due to the fact that I was still considered the new kid.  It drove me nuts... but it is what it is.  I looked over at Addison and smiled at her.  "Everything alright, babe?" I asked her as she was in her pajamas and I was pulling on a long sleeved shirt to wear underneath of my cloak when I was ready to leave.

I nodded and walked over to him and brushed his shoulders off to even out his shirt.  "Of course it is," I told him.  "I'll just worry about you, is all."  I loved the fact that he was working as an Auror.  I was working as a chef in a Muggle restaurant.  I loved the way they cooked compared to the way the magic folk enjoyed making food.  I liked the idea of actually taking the time to cut the veggies and stuff.  Yes, there was more that I wanted to tell him... but I wasn't sure if I was ready to or not.  I was a little nervous - especially with his profession.

I eyed Addison curuiously, she should know by now that I could see through her enough to know when there was more to the story than what she was saying.  "Come on, sweetie... what is it?" I prodded, getting a little concerned myself.  It normally wasn't hard to get information out of her... she was the one who was an open book.  Me on the other hand, she had issues getting things out of.  I opened up to her, but with certain things it was a little harder than others due to me wanting to be strong and everything for her.

I smiled at my husband and shook my head.  "Honey, it's nothing.  I'll just tell you tomorrow when we have dinner," I told him.  Him working the overnight shift kind of sucked especially when I had to be in to work in the conventional hours.  But we could at least have dinner together for which I was grateful.  I had had an appointment with a Healer earlier today while he was sleeping and there was great news.  It's just that I was a little guarded, espeically with what had happened before.  The healer suspected that that was due to me being as young as I was, not because of anything else that would inhibit me from carrying full term.  But we would still be watchful.  I just didn't want Dean to worry about that while on his shift.  We really didn't have time to get into all the details now, so I didn't even want to say anything.  "Just know that it's nothing bad... it'll be a surprise for you when I see you," I told him, leaning up to give him a kiss.

I hated how she did that.  I looked at the clock and sighed; she had me.  I was goign to have to leave shortly.  I put my hands on her shoulders and said, "Alright... but you have got to tell me when we're both home tomorrow, okay?"  I was hoping that it would be a good surprise... she said nothing was wrong so I had to believe her.  I really wanted to pry, but knew that wasn't going to get me anywhere -- especially with me having to leave.  I gave her a kiss on the lips.  "I love you... see you tomorrow night," I told her with a smile.

"And I love you," I said to him as he left.  I let out a sigh of relief.  I guess I didn't realize that I was that easy to read when I had something on my mind.  I went about my nightly routine and then headed to bed.  I fell into a fitful sleep like I did every time he worked like this -- I couldn't help but worry about him.  In the morning I splashed water on my face and went to work.  I always had to be creative on how I got there... I lived too far away for me to say that I walked there, but I definitely didn't drive myself.  Naturally I apparated, but with them being Muggles, I couldn't exactly say that.  I swear Dean and I were going to have to live a little bit like Muggles.  We already were -- we had a TV, telephone, computer... some technology that I would prefer not having, but we needed it for when my co-workers came over.  None of them knew I was a witch.  I kept eyeing the clock just waiting until five when I would leave work -- I loved not working during dinner rush.  Just breakfast and lunch... just the way I liked it.  It was steady but not overwhelming.

Finally it was time to leave.  I hung up my apron and bade farewell to my co-workers -- a few of the ladies giving me winks as I left as if they knew I was pregnant or something.  Was it that obvious?  I wasn't far along at all... only a month or two according to the Healer.  So how on earth could they tell?  Unless it was just me being a little paranoid.

I had a casual dinner on the table waiting for Addie to get home.  It's how we did things... When I worked overnight, I would come home in the morning and sleep for a few hours then I would catch up some housework and make dinner for when Addie got home.  It was a good system; always worked for us.  I heard the door open and heard Addison putting her purse down on the table in the hallway.  I walked to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  "How was work?" I asked her, smiling at her.  She was not going to be getting away with not telling me what was going on, but I figured I'd give her the chance to tell me on her own time.  Which had better be by the time we got to the dinette area.

I grinned at him and returned the kiss, removing my jacket.  "It was pretty easy going... a few of the waitresses gave me some odd looks, so I don't know if I have something on my face or if I'm having a bad hair day or what.  Everything was fine when I left this morning..."  I was hoping he would tell me if there was anything.  Of course, those weren't the odd looks I was receiving; it was the knowing looks that I had gotten when I had been pregnant before.  So I knew what they were all thinking.

I chuckled and shook my head.  "I don't know... everything appears normal to me," I teased, pulling out her hcair for her so she could sit down.  I sat across from her and we started to eat a little bit.  "Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they know you're hiding something from your husband."  I looked up at her and grinned.  I had given her a little bit of time to bring it up, but patience was not my virtue at all.  I had to know; curiosity had been eating me alive all night long.

I coughed a little bit on the water I had been attempting to drink before he said that.  "Oh, you think that's the reason?" I asked, toying with him.  "And I don't think that I'm hiding anything from you... I was just waiting to tell you."  I gave him a pointed look and quickly took a drink before he made me cough on the water again.  I was grateful that he hadn't grabbed wine...

I rolled my eyes.  "Technicalities... will you tell me now, though?" I asked, eating some of the pasta.  It wasn't nearly as good as what it would be if Addie had made it, but it still tasted delicious in my opinion.  She was probably silently scrutinizing it to see how she could have made it better.  I know how her mind works... but it's okay; I never claimed to be a cook or anything.  That was deifnitely her area of expertise.

I smiled and set my fork down.  After taking another drink, I decided that I would not play around wiht words or anything and be up front and blunt.  "Dean, I'm pregnant," I told him.  I wanted to jump around like a little school girl after having said it out loud.  Was I a little concerned after everything before?  Of course.  But my happiness was outweighing that right now, even though I was sure that Dean would be filled with worry as soon as I said that.

I swallowed what was in my mouth so I wouldn't spit it out or anything.  "Wait, what?" I asked, a smile slowly spreading across my face.  Was she joking around or something just because she said other girls were giving her odd looks?  The twinkle in her eyes and the grin on her face gave me my answer.  "You're right; it was a surprise!" I said, laughing and standing up.  I pulled her out of her chair and gave her a huge hug and kiss.  This was fantastic!  We were going to get another chance at being parents!  I pulled away slightly.  "And everything is okay thus far?" I tried to hide the concern in my vioce, but I was sure that she caught it.  Of course I was going to be worried after having lost Cyrus before... I mean, who wouldn't be?

I nodded, smiling at him.  "Everything is fine; we'll just be keeping a close eye on everything throughout the pregnancy," I explained to him.  "The first ultrasound appointment is in two weeks... I know that it's after you get home from a late shift, but you're still going to go, right?"  I figured I knew the answer to that; he would do so much before he let sleep get in the way.  Which was good practice for nine months from now.

I rolled my eyes jokingly.  "I guess I can go... I don't understand why you couldn't schedule it when I could get some sleep," I sighed, shaking my head.  Surprisingly I was able to keep a straight face saying that.  I saw a hint of confusion in her eyes; I must have pulled that off well if she actually believed me.  I smiled at her.  "I'm teasing; of course I'll be there.  You're just going to have to make sure that if I do have time to take a quick nap that I wake up in time."  I doubt there would be any issue; I'd be probably too excited to get the first glimpse of the baby that I wouldn't even be able to use any time for a nap.