Surviving in Harmony

Chapter Thirty-Three | Hester House, April 2010

Chapter Thirty-Three

Hester House, April 2010

 

               A spring rain fell on Andrew and his children as they dashed from the cover of the woods to the front porch. A small bouquet of daffodils were in both girls' hands, Robin sat on Andrew's shoulders. The fifteen month old was a pure joy, scarily like Andrew had been as a child.

Ella and Hester shoved their flowers into his hands and dashed out into the rain again, twirling and trying to catch droplets on their tongue. Ella's hair was short, sunshine curls bouncing. Hester had her mothers cinnamon curls, but they were long and weighed down by the weight. Andrew had never seen a more beautiful sight than his daughters spinning in spring rain.

"C'mon girls!" he called, opening the front door. "Bath time."

He stepped into the hall, almost tripping over something set in the centre of the carpet. Robin giggled as Andrew stumbled, as he righted himself he stared at the trunk on the floor. "Ella, Hester!" he said more urgently, putting Robin on the floor and removing his yellow rain boots and coat. "Now, girls."

The sisters ran in, taking off their rain boots and jackets and hanging them up on the lower hooks. Andrew glanced at the suitcases again. "Amara?" he called out into the house. "Honey?"

There was no reply. He ushered the kids into the playroom, setting them in front of the Muggle television set their Grandfather had gotten them. He put in a movie and satisfied that they wouldn't move, he left the room. "Watch your brother, Ella."

Leaving the kids entranced by singing animals, he headed up the stairs. "Mara?" he called again. He passed Ella and Hester's room, then Robin's; the door to his own room was closed. Opening it, he saw Amara sitting on the floor in front of their floor length mirror. She was wearing her coat and boots, a hat crushing her curls.

"Amara?"

She watched him in the mirror. "Hey Drew."

He noticed the tear tracks on her cheeks. Andrew couldn't seem to force the words out.

She read his mind. "I was going to leave." Whispered Amara, fingers running through her hair, hat falling off. "But I..."

"What changed your mind?" Andrew didn't seem to be able to move from the doorway. He watched his wife shiver in front of the mirror, paralyzed.

She turned to look at him, voice empty. "I'm pregnant." She said helplessly. Their eyes met, and neither could read the other; it felt odd, to be so unconnected.

Andrew pushed his elation aside – Robin was only fifteen months, still a handful. Amara was loving her job, even started her prints again. She truly was becoming her old self while still being a mother. This news had poisoned her, blown out her light.

"Do you..." he licked his lips, nervous. Andrew just wanted her to be happy. "Would you like to get rid of it?"

"What?" Amara cried, hands flitting to her mouth in shock. "No!"

"I just want you to be happy –"

"I know, and I love you, but Andrew – you matter, too." Amara got on her knees. "Could you just...come here, please."

Andrew moved swiftly, going on his knees to embrace her. "I don't want you to get sick again." He whispered. "I can't...I'm not losing you."

Tears soaked the shoulder of his shirt as Amara clung to him, shaking. "You have sacrificed so much for me, Drew, and I can never repay you. This baby...it made me see some sense."

She sniffed and drew back, hands resting on his shoulders. "I love my life, our kids – I would never trade it in for the world. I realize I have been selfish, like I was with my twelve-year plan."

"Amara –"

"Just hear me out, please." She wiped her eyes and smiled weakly. "I want this baby, and I think I can do it without getting sick again, for the kids' sake."

Andrew cupped her face in his hands, breathing a sigh of relief mixed with a sob. "I want you to be healthy, that's all."

"I am." She said, taking his hand and placing it to her abdomen. "But I think this is the last one, yeah?"

Laughing, Andrew kissed her hard. "Maybe you need a break? You could go to Lilah or Emmerson's, your Dad's?"

She shook her head. "I need to be at home right now." She told him. "Leaving...I don't know what I was thinking, honestly. It was drastic, I haven't taken my pills in a while –"

"What?" Andrew asked sharply. "Honey, that's dangerous –"

"I know, but I was feeling really off." She nuzzled his neck. "Makes sense now, huh?"

When Amara had been pregnant with Hester and Robin while on medication she had felt awful, her morning sickness had been worse; they'd need to go to a doctor to get the maternity version.

"So you're not mad about me breaking that dish yesterday? Or turning all the bed sheets pink?"

Amara laughed and kissed him once more. "Oh I am, yeah."

The couple held each other for a little longer, then went downstairs and joined the kids in front of the television. Robin cuddled on his mothers lap, sucking his thumb while Hester sat on Andrew's lap. Ella was tucked between her parents; oblivious to the kisses they shared as the movie progressed.

When bath time was finished, stories had been read and Amara was fast asleep in their bed, Andrew got up. He crept down the hall to Robin's room, making sure his son's sippy cup had water and that he was tucked in. Ella and Hester's room was large, one of the rooms within the circular turret. A bed was against each wall, simple wood frames painted white, a vase of flowers on each bedside table. He tucked them in again, filled their water glasses with a tap of his wand. Ella had set her stuffed animals floating again.

She must be dreaming of flying again. Thought Andrew, tucking the stuffies under the blanket.

Returning to his own room he slipped in beside Amara, watching her breath slowly. "Thank you." He whispered, hoping she could hear even in her dream state. Their next child – the last child – would be special, he could feel it.

Hazel would have laughed. "All children are special," she'd say, and then wink. "But especially yours."

Sometimes Andrew missed his mother so much it hurt, but Amara, his children – they numbed the pain. Slowly, Andrew was healing.

A/N: Hmmm...interesting development. 

Question: What gender do you think the last Bowen baby will be? And what do you think Andrew and Amara will name it?

Two chapters in one day...sweet.

Rose