Jaime Davies (monologuinghero) wrote in expresslogs, @ 2012-11-26 17:49:00 |
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"You're insane," Jaime informed a very pregnant Lily as they wove through the crowds. At least Lily had left Annie at home with Nick, so that was something and they weren't chasing a toddler around the mall. "You should learn the joys of online shopping like the rest of us." "I know," she agreed. "But there's something lovely about the atmosphere and the decorations and the music ..." she continued even as she twitched her fingers to cast a slight deterrant spell around them; she had no desire to get bumped into, and this was a bumpy crowd. "Insane," Jaime repeated as she glanced toward a shop. She had to get something for Ray, and she always got stuck on presents. Maybe she'd get some lingerie and some bows and turn herself into a present, and she smirked slightly at the idea. Well, it was something he could unwrap and play with ... so how was that a bad present? As they passed a toy shop, Jaime had to look away from the display in the window. Even now, five years later (well, a touch over, but close enough), she couldn't stand the sight of trains. They riled up any number of memories, and she didn't like it. "You think if we wrote to the mayor's office again we could get toy trains banned from window displays?" She asked. "Again?" "I seriously did it last year when I threatened to. I didn't get any reply, but maybe if we go the route of a petition ..." Lily laughed softly, reaching out one hand to stroke Jaime's hair. "It's been ... what, five years now?" "Hey. Weasley was gone for thirty. Once we hit that, then maybe I'll finally relax." She lapsed into silence as Lily browsed something in a window. "Do you still dream about it?" "Sometimes," Lily said softly. "Not as often or vividly as I did at first, but ... sometimes." She couldn't completely hate it though. She was twenty-four now, going on twenty-five, and she wouldn't have had that at home -- so she couldn't completely hate the train. It had brought her here, and brought her Nick, and given her a new chance at life. "Me too," Jaime murmured. "When Ray got shot ..." She shook her head. "I dreamed about it for two weeks straight. All the horrible things. The Dementors, the memory loss. The tracker jackers ... I kept dreaming it had taken him away and I was living in a delusion to cope with it." "That's probably the only way you could cope with it," Lily said gently. She hadn't thought, when the rescue came, that Jaime and Ray could have gotten any closer, could have formed any more of a bond than they already had ... but their relationship had only grown as time progressed. Jaime laughed faintly, without humor. "I think so." She shuddered, then shoved the thoughts away. They had no place here. She was fine, and Ray was fine, and he was home waiting for her ... and she had to figure out something to get him. Maybe some joke gifts this year. Or a puppy. Well, a dog. Maybe a cat. They were both very busy with their jobs, and Jaime didn't think she was exactly the young animal sort, any more than she was the child rearing sort. But cats were fairly independent, and maybe she could find a kneazle cross here. Drawn out of her thoughts by the feel of Lily's hand in her hair, Jaime glanced over. "It's all right," the younger witch said softly. Jaime swallowed, then nodded. "I know," she said quietly. "I still think they should ban trains in display windows," she concluded as they moved away from the window of the shop they'd been peering into. Lily's quiet laugh brought a smile to her own lips, and they continued to shop. |