Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Thirty | Hester House, February 2009

Chapter Thirty

Hester House, February 2009

 

 

 

            "You have to go."

"But -"

"No buts! They're expecting you."

"But Robin!"

"Will be fine." Andrew tossed his wife some laundry across their bed, over a gurgling babies head. "I'm capable aren't I?"

Amara sighed, folding one of the girls' dresses. "You are, but he's barely a month –"

"Honey, I got this." Andrew chuckled and folded a onsie. "The girls have planned a tea party, we can watch a film after that or go on a walk. Everyone will nap peacefully. Then you'll be home!"

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will." He assured her, picking up Robin from the middle of the bed. The baby was born on the first day of the New Year, two weeks late and somehow still scrawny. He looked so much like Amara in complexion, with olive skin and a darker shade of her cinnamon hair. Somehow Hazel's dark eyes had appeared in her grandson, sleepy and watchful. Winston said he was exactly like Andrew had been as a baby.

"Maybe I should take off another month..."

"Mara, you've been dying to get back to work!" Andrew said, resting Robin on his shoulder. The baby made sweet nothing noises and cuddled against his father's neck. "You better hurry and say bye to the girls or you'll be late. C'mon now – c'mon!"

Amara let him tug her away from the laundry and to the foyer, where Ella and Hester were playing dolls in their nighties on the carpet. "Say bye to Mamma girls, she's off to work!"

Hester jumped up, a little panic stricken. The three year old shook her head furiously and clung to her mothers leg. "No Mamma, no!"

Her six year old sister gently tugged her away. "C'mon Hessie, Mamma will be back later!"

"Oh." Hester let go. "I thought forever."

Andrew and Amara laughed. "No girlie," Amara soothed, smoothing out Hester's cinnamon curls. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay." Hester sat back down. "Bye Mamma!"

Amara kissed both her daughters cheeks and promised to read a story when she got home. Then she smoother Robin's hair and gave Andrew a worried smile. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes."

"Just double checking!" she defended, laughing. She picked up her bag and put on her coat, heading towards the car.

Andrew stepped onto the front porch in his socks. "Mara!"

She whipped around, looking almost hopeful. "Yeah?"

"You forgot your keys." He chuckled, tossing them to her.

"Twat." She hissed, running back up the steps to kiss him once more before driving off.

Andrew felt relieved to see Amara go to work. She loved her teaching and the students, and it made her glow – more than being pregnant, more than their wedding day even. Teaching fulfilled her differently than motherhood.

"Papa, come play!" Ella called from inside. "We want to play safari!"

"Coming!" kissing his son's head, Andrew went to play with his daughters. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

            Amara had not anticipated feeling so scared. In her art classroom before the students arrived she sat at her desk, putting out two photos. One of Ella, Hester and Robin, the latter only a few days old. The second was Andrew, sitting at his desk, glasses between his teeth as he contemplated something or other.

"Mrs. Nelson!" several happy voices cried, students flowing into the room. Choruses of "You're back!" and "How's your baby?" "How're your daughters?" "Is Mr. Nelson looking after them?"

Amara chuckled and accepted hugs. "It's Mr. Bowen for one, and yes, he's looking after the kiddies."

"What's the baby's name?" someone asked.

"Robin," Amara glanced at the picture of her baby boy. "Like Whinnie the Pooh."

There where shouts of how cute he was and that he looked just like her before she got them all settled down. She introduced the outline for the course, saying they would start with something fun before getting into theory.

This is where Amara thrived, felt the most alive. During her break she would work on art and let lonely students sit in the art room. This was the world she wanted to be in.

            Andrew stared at the living room ceiling, wondering what his fifteen year old self would think of his life now. Married? No way! And to a Muggle? Merlin's pants! Three kids? What a dream!

A daughter was tucked beneath each arm, Robin lying on his chest. Whinnie the Pooh was on his lap, still open. Fifteen-year-old Andrew would be very satisfied with this arrangement.

He heard the front door open and Amara appeared in the high archway, beaming. "Good day?" he whispered.

She gave him a thumbs up, obviously pleased. "Best day. You?"

Andrew smiled at the kids piled on top of him. "Perfect."

Amara sat at his feet, still in her fancy teacher clothing – pressed blouses and longer skirts. She looked as if she were meant to be wandering Paris or Rome, wearing large sunglasses and painting nude statues.

"Looks like we both got what we wanted, huh?"

"Yeah." Andrew stroked Hester's hair, smiling at his wife. He then asked, rather hesitantly, "Are you happy, Amara?"

She took his hand. "Yes, and you did it all." She shook her head as he tried to speak. "You did, and I will never be able to repay you fully. You saved me, Drew. My magician man." Andrew couldn't say anything, just let himself drift off to sleep, safe and warm at last.

A/N: Awww babies. This is my last update of 2014, wow! Unless inspiration strikes tomorrow. Probably not, I actually (wow rare) have plans for New Years? Oooohhh Rose don't do anything stupid. Don't. 

Question: I want to do a whole Hazel/Twins series Q&A with some Underground Angels thrown in there (if you don't read UA just ignore that) for my whole reaching 1000 followers holy merlin f**k (well almost thought I'd think ahead) but I would love to have some fresh questions for both. I doubt I'll update UA tomorrow so if you want to ask here that's cool, or inbox me. Doesn't matter. I have a compilation of questions from the past few months saved up, a lot of which I've gotten over PM. 

Also, Robin! Robin Remus! Didn't mention that in the chapter but REMUS. ROBIN REMUS. Thoughts on Andrew's first son? 

Please leave a question below if you so wish, and I'll link the vid to you when I do it. I look forward to answering some very well thought out Q's with some less thought out A's.

Thank you for following Hazel and the twins' journey over the last year, it's been fun! See you in 2015 (oh no scary numbers...)

Happy New Year!

Rose xx