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zacharias is a particularly good finder (overlooked) wrote in pandorarpg,
@ 2012-01-12 17:00:00

Entry tags:

!status: complete, ^date: november 11 2003, character: marietta edgecombe, character: zacharias smith

Characters: Zacharias Smith & Marietta Edgecombe w/ Healer Crumplebottom
Setting: Healer's offices, Tuesday one o'clock
Rating: PG
Summary: Zacharias needs confirmation that Marietta is pregnant and Marietta has schemes in place to assure that he thinks she is.

This was not the way he wanted to spend his break today. Honestly, Zacharias would have preferred to spend it in the offices trying to catch up on what he missed last week and that was a revelation that floored him just as much as the reason why he here. It was strange to think of who he had become over the past year, let alone how the past two weeks changed him.

Almost a year ago, Zacharias Smith never imagined himself as someone who would enjoy a regular job or even all of those things that being an actual grown up entitled. In that regards his mother's plan to cut him off in the hopes that he might grow up had actually worked. Except for the rather obvious part where he was still the rough around the edges young man who didn't have the patience for tact or playing nice. And of course there was the fact that he was sick at the thought that Marietta might actually be telling the truth.

In some way his life felt like something of a joke that simply forgot to be funny. Just because he had a job, didn't mean that he wanted to become a father anytime soon. Scrubbing his face he glanced down at his watch wondering exactly what was keeping Marietta. If they had to do this, he wanted it over and done with it. That way he would know and could move forward, as scary the reality was he didn't like being strung alone in the unknown.

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overlooked
2012-01-14 10:24 pm UTC (link)

"It shouldn't happen to me because I go through all of the precautions to make sure I don't end up in this position." What was implied was his belief that Marietta had to be up to something if she actually was pregnant with his child. Zacharias just couldn't see what her angle was just yet, what did she hope to gain from him? Surely, she couldn't be that desperate to find a way into the Smith family - not when it could also go very wrong for her.

"And I don't want to be having this conversation at all." Those words carried his most vulnerable moment thus far. Zacharias didn't like showing any sort of weakness, least it give someone a way to get control over him. However, it would seem that to some extent that he didn't have much say over that at all. "Honestly, I fail to see how this little situation fits into your new outlook on life."

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edgecombed
2012-01-14 10:52 pm UTC (link)

Marietta rolled her eyes. "So do I, Zacharias, but look where it's got me? Shall I call Crumplebottom in to tell you the statistics or are you smart enough to read the warning labels on the potions you take?"

She began to wonder if she were on the other end of this situation how she would really be reacting. If they actually were pregnant, would she be considering it just as she was pretending to now - a terrible inconvenience? She may have considered Zacharias one of her close friends and the Edgecombes may have been close to the Smiths for most of her life, but she knew better than to be delusional and assume that she would ever marry into the family. Marietta may have high hopes of finding a Pureblood to marry, but she didn't really expect to achieve that dream and as for Zacharias, well, there was a good chance they would end up tearing one another apart from the inside out if they had tried to live together. Their similarities were unconventional and while that helped them get along with one another, it was a poisonous combination that was sure to destroy not just a relationship, but more-so the people in it.

Marietta shifted into a more comfortable position on the exam table and smirked. "There are some things that are greater than even this stupid little setback. I'm certainly not going to let this ruin what I've been working toward."

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overlooked
2012-01-14 11:54 pm UTC (link)

Even reading the labels, Zacharias never imagined he would be that small percentage of when the birth control didn't work. Those sort of thoughts took the fun out of it. Sort of like how Marietta was making this a more miserable experience for him by seeming to enjoy his discomfort. And all of this talk about the things she had been working on and her great plans for some happy existence, surely there was a plan for this too.

"So what do you want to do about the pregnancy?" He wouldn't talk hypotheticals, but it was confirmed she was pregnant. It was at the very least happening to her and one most days he did consider her a friend. Currently she was a friend who he didn't like all that much because of what he was being brought into. It didn't even matter that all of those years ago he had been the one who approached her for sex because it was time the benefits started. And looked where that landed him.

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edgecombed
2012-01-15 12:17 am UTC (link)

She was surprised that he would have to ask, but then again, she had a feeling he thought she had ulterior motives in this situation besides just watching him squirm. For most women in the world, that might be the case, but Marietta Edgecombe was not that sort of woman and Zacharias should know that by now.

She shrugged. "I'm not under any delusion that it's going to be my decision, even if it is my body being defiled." Marietta knew that the women didn't get much of a say in these situations, especially when she was the Halfblood and the men she shagged were mostly Pureblood. "When the father is determined then I suppose his family gets to make that decision, seeing as it's going to be their name scandalised if word gets out." Marietta looked at her fingernails as if she were bored and had recited this speech a thousand times; it was more that she had heard it a thousand times, said both to her face and behind her back. Her tone was mocking when she said, "The Edgecombes may have quite a lot of power in the Ministry but what sort of reputation have they to destroy being only Halfblood?"

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overlooked
2012-01-15 01:03 am UTC (link)

Zacharias wanted to call bullshit. It wasn't that what she said wasn't true. In terms of standing his family had more to lose than hers who might actually gain standing. However, she could have had the situation taken care of without even having let any potential father know. So he might have known her and what sort of woman she was, but that didn't mean she could still be playing at something. "And you would just see your role in this little 'scandal' as inconsequential to whatever else you are involved in? My dear, Marietta, you clearly haven't thought this through."

He had heard a number of stories of mistresses or unfortunate woman who became pregnant by the wrong pureblooded man. In some circles it could make your life forfeit for a few months. Now his family weren't the sort to go to the absolute extremes, but he knew Elaina far worse and more calculating than she let everyone see.

As disgusted and annoyed by the possibility of this situation, he couldn't help but consider how him having a bastard child would upset his mother. Elaina might have wanted him to settle down, marry, have a child, but certainly not like this and with someone with like Marietta Edgecombe. Perhaps in that way he and Marietta weren't that different - taking pleasure in watching other people squirm, but he didn't like being on the receiving end.

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edgecombed
2012-01-15 01:34 am UTC (link)

Marietta raised an eyebrow. She supposed that the timing of her two schemes overlapping could be a bit unfortunate in some ways - mostly that she wasn't going to enjoy Zacharias' torture quite as much as she would normally like to, but that was a side effect of climbing one's way to greatness she would just have to deal with. She certainly wasn't going to call either of them off because that was not her way, even if this one was inconsequential to the other.

"You seem entirely too invested in finding out 'whatever else' I may be involved, Zacharias. One might think you're actually interested." She shook her head back to get her hair out of her face and smiled falsely at him. "I know what you're getting at so let me clear some things up for you. What I am 'involved in' has nothing to do with this unfortunate incident. It did not come to my attention until after I was already aware I was pregnant and it's given me many more substantial things worry myself with than some Pureblood family's fantastical reputation.

"As far as I'm concerned the bastard can be destroyed and it can be done with but this took more than one person to create and I'm sure as hell not going to let some bloke get away with not having to deal with it just because he's Pureblood and can't keep his prick in his pants."

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overlooked
2012-01-15 02:20 am UTC (link)

He only cared about what she was up to because he was grasping for something to use against her. He didn't like this current imbalance. Zacharias didn't like that while it might be his and his family's decision, she had some strange power over him because she had a uterus. "If I remember correctly, you've never had any complaints about that in the past and for someone so concerned, you certainly were enjoying yourself with Roger the other day."

Zacharias leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest. This was not getting them anywhere, not that there was anywhere to go really. Shaking his head, he glanced down at his watch trying to figure out how long it had been. "What is taking Healer Crumplebottom so long?" Surely this had gone on long enough. Otherwise this was the longest ten minutes of his life, which might also be true.

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edgecombed
2012-01-15 02:49 am UTC (link)

"Please, I never said I was going to become celibate. All I meant was if two people are going to partake in a mutual agreement that may have consequences, then I'm certainly not going to take on all those consequences myself just because the stupid things grows inside of me."

She rolled her eyes at his impatience. She knew he would not be so anxious once he heard the results, but that was for him to find out. There was another knock on the door though and she was saved from having to amuse him further. "Alright, let's take a look at these results," Healer Crumplebottom said as he walked into the room, moving straight to the counter where the potion was still sitting. It had changed colour again by this point, which Marietta hadn't noticed while she and Zacharias had been talking. The healer pulled the flat glass top from the bowl and looked down into the potion, swirling the liquid a bit. He stared at it for a moment, then set down his instruments and turned to face the two in the room.

"The results are conclusive. Mr. Smith, the fetus in Ms. Edgecombe's womb was indeed fathered by you. Ms. Edgecombe, it looks as if you are about three weeks along by your blood sample." He paused for a moment then said, "I can give you a moment, if you need it?"

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overlooked
2012-01-15 03:22 am UTC (link)

He wasn't sure how he was going to react to hearing the news either way. Going completely numb seemed to at least preserve some false dignity here. The color drained from his face. Zacharias barely even heard that she was only three weeks along, which at least meant there was time for decisions to be made.

Decisions that Marietta had at first said she wasn't going to make. Although she later added her willingness to terminate the pregnancy and it was just a lot, almost too much because Zacharias Smith was not a father. Some people could argue that he wasn't even much of a decent human being, which was probably a good basic requirement for being a father less there be a new generation of children just like him.

"No, it's fine." A moment wasn't going to be enough for him to even start to deal with this. It would probably be a few day until he was able to wrap his head around it, not unlike her barb about being pregnant, which he supposed now wasn't so much a barb, but the truth. Yeah, there was definitely nothing fun about this moment even as much as his mother might hate it because right now it his burden to bear. "Is there anything else we need to know right now?"

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edgecombed
2012-01-15 04:07 am UTC (link)

Marietta watched Zacharias closely. It seemed he was going through a bit of shock. She wondered if he was going to yell at her eventually or blame her for this, show up at her flat unannounced angry and frustrated because she had ruined his life by being that statistically unlikely combination with him. In some ways she wanted him to because that's something she'd liked to see, but this was interesting to watch as well.

"Not right now. When you've made your decision on where you plan to take the pregnancy, you can contact me and we will go from there. As of now I believe that's all we can do. If you have any questions you are welcome to contact me at any time. I hope you both have a pleasant afternoon." He left the room and soon after the receptionist poked her head in. "Mr. Smith, Ms. Edgecombe, there is another patient coming in fifteen minutes so if you could be out of the exam room by then. Thank you so much and have a pleasant day."

When she left, Marietta stepped down from the exam table and straightened out her blouse and her trousers, trying to look busy but mostly just wondering if she should say something or leave him to speak first. She actually tried to sound as nice as possible when she said, "Well, I suppose we have that then. How would you like to handle this concerning your family?" She wanted to gauge his reaction and she thought being pleasant in an equally unpleasant situation was how she would have handled this anyway.

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overlooked
2012-01-15 04:19 am UTC (link)

How did he want to handle this? He was barely processing the fact that this was happening to him. Shock probably was a good way to describe what he was going through right now. His gut reaction was to not tell his family at all, to just take care of it and not involve them and yet he found himself pausing. Was that what he actually wanted?

Zacharias didn't know. The only thing he wanted right now was to not make any sort of decision and if in withholding that put Marietta in an unwanted position then he didn't really mind. In fact he might have liked that better. She wanted him to suffer through this, well, he wasn't going to be be suffering alone.

"I have to get back to work," he said not answer her question. Zacharias stood up, straightening out the lines of his shirt and jacket. If he didn't feel composed, at least he could look well put together. "We'll have sort this out later."

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edgecombed
2012-01-15 04:38 am UTC (link)

Marietta walked over to the coat rack and pulled her coat down and shouldered it back on. So much for being nice. Oh well, it wasn't like she didn't have other things to do and she knew very well that just like when she had first told him about this, Zacharias would be silently simmering in his misery for a while to come. She would certainly not mind that in the least bit, even if she didn't get to watch the entire time.

She buttoned her coat and picked up her bag. "Let me know when you decide." She walked toward the door and then added, "Have a nice day, dear," before pushing it open and leaving him there.

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