Tilly Armstrong used to be a fox (moonshone) wrote in reduxpitch, @ 2016-07-30 09:30:00 |
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Entry tags: | !thread, character: edward carmichael, character: galinda blishwick |
WHO: Eddie Carmichael and Galinda Blishwick Carmichael
WHEN: A Dream!
WHERE: Dream!Hogsmeade
WHAT: A domestic scene between parents and child… Wait, WHAT?!
RATING: C for Cavity inducing
STATUS: Completed in Docs
Eddie pushed his glasses up his nose, blue eyes fixed thoughtfully on the three rolls of parchment before him. He’d been reviewing the new accountant’s copies of last month’s books for nearly an hour, checking that the man was trustworthy, and by now the figures were starting to swim. They’d only taken him on as a favour, really, given that they’d worked with his father before the war and the lad was still trying to find his feet. The figures appeared to be correct, but this was hardly the most clear and detailed method of bookkeeping that he’d ever seen (and given the number of years working in business with his father, he’d seen rather a few).
The sound of an indignant squeak and rustling appeared below him, and Eddie looked down at his eighteen month old daughter who was busy playing with the scraps of balled up paper at his feet. Apparently, one of them had rolled too far from the grip of her pudgy hands and she was most cross about it - so taking it as a sign, Eddie hopped off his stool and kneeled on the floor beside the toddler.
“Well, Estelle, you’re bored and I’m bored” he told her matter of factly, watching a pair of eyes as equally blue as his own bore back into him. “Shall we go and see mummy instead?” A pair of short arms waving around in acquiescence, Eddie picked her up, put her on his hip and wandered through the open door to the shop front.
Children’s birthday parties were a hell of a lot of work, but they were worth it, Galinda mused to herself as she picked up used paintbrushes carelessly tossed on the table. Not only for the money they brought in, but for the word of mouth they provided. Painting your own ceramics was hardly the type of activity most thought of for a magical store front, but it made them unique and it meant that she could spend her days doing something she loved.
Well…. Her eyes glanced to the back office where she banished all paperwork she didn’t want to think about. She could spend her days doing other things she loved, but that wouldn’t put food on the table or money in the vault. Plus, she liked the idea that she was growing something worthwhile. Something she could be proud of.
And then, as if by magic, the two people she was most proud of seemed to appear. Either that, or her husband finally grew tired of the paperwork she could in no ways tolerate. “Emerged from the dungeon, have you?”
“Emerged from a near state of catatonia so deep that I doubt a roar from Smaug could rouse me” her husband replied in his most Ravenclaw-like state, slipping in the Tolkein reference without blinking. “To wit, the new accountant needs a few tips in how to make his books clearer.” Stopping at Galinda’s side, Eddie tilted his head down to give her a quick kiss, their daughter squirming a little between them. “Also, this one was about to tear things apart. Literally - she’d got into the waste paper basket again. We thought we’d come and see how you were getting along instead” he added, shifting Estelle on his hip so her arms were freer to move around.
“Well you never know what treasures you will find amongst things others have discarded.” Galinda tossed the paintbrushes in a container of solution that would remove all traces of paint and glaze.
Turning towards Eddie, Galinda let her daughter catch her fingers, but gently pulled them away before they could find their way to the toddler’s mouth. She wasn't completely paint free yet and while most of the ingredients were non-toxic, it couldn't be healthy to ingest them. “I think I spotted a clean area in the far table. Crayons shouldn't be too far away. Or are you making a break for it in the hopes I won't notice?”
“Oh, drat, you caught us” Eddie grinned, watching his wife and daughter interact fondly, planting a kiss on top of the soft brown hair on Estelle’s head (the little one letting out a loud, appreciative giggle). “Sorry Estelle, looks like mummy got us this time. We’ll just have to hang out here instead, won't we?” Popping her down onto the floor, he let the active little girl toddle over to one of the unused tables, her hands pawing different supplies as assembled ready for the next customers. Ever watchful, he kept half an eye on what she was doing as he talked to Galinda.
“And how are you two doing?” he enquired, running his hand over the curve of her belly, holding her close without their elder child running interference.
Galinda wasn’t too worried about the trouble her daughter could find herself in. Trouble was a good thing, in her opinion, and anything particularly dangerous was locked up and away for the adult parties. “We’re both fine. We’re in the cute stage of pregnancy, remember?” She leaned into his touch, happy that this pregnancy was going so much better than her fi
“Though I’m not looking forward to the last month when I’ll resemble a beached whale, I’m glad the morning sickness bit is over and done with.” She’d been sucking on ginger candies for a month and she still couldn’t think about them without gagging a little. “Everything alright on your end?”
“You certainly are” Eddie agreed, before removing his glasses. Setting them down on the table beside them carefully, he wrapped his arms around Galinda’s waist and held her close, drawing her in for a proper kiss. There was something so delightfully decadent about being able to do this in the middle of the working day - he didn’t know what he’d do if he wasn’t able to make life work around his family.
“You seem to be feeling better with this one” Eddie replied, patting her belly again as they broke apart. Less sickly. I’m glad. And as for our end -” he glanced towards the doorway to the back room “ - it’s all right back there. Not much to do, not much to worry about, but still a bit dull unfortunately.”
“She was trouble even before we met her,” Galinda snickered as she glanced at her daughter who had found the promised crayons and paper. The toddler was now merrily working away on some masterpiece. Or plotting to take over the world. It could go either way with her little star.
Leaning into Eddie’s embrace, she sighed. It taken her a long time to get to this point, where she was happy with who she was and what she had. Yes, there were challenges and some would never be able to look beyond her diagnosis, but Galinda could be proud of her life and her family. “I am so lucky,” she tipped her chin up to look at him, “you and Estelle. I don't know what I would do without you.”
“You say trouble, I say high achiever in the making” replied Eddie, watching Estelle fondly as she happily entertained herself in the corner. She was smart, his daughter, and he just loved watching her grow and thinking about what type of person she would be as she aged.
It had been a hard adjustment for Eddie, both falling in love with Galinda in the first place and then learning how to be the man she needed, not the man society told him he should be. He wasn’t perfect, Merlin’s beard no, and he still made mistakes. Maybe even more than he would like. However, when she leaned trustingly against his chest and he was able to wrap his arms around her comfortingly, he felt as though he could at least try to be a good husband. “I feel a bit lost, sometimes” he admitted. “All of this, being a family - it’s a big responsibility, isn’t it? ...I just hope that my best is good enough. For both of you.”
“It is a responsibility,” Galinda agreed, “but it’s not a burden you have to bear alone, you know. You and me. We’re a team.” Unlike her husband, learning to love her spouse had been far gentler learning curve. She’d tumbled arse over elbow in love, doing very little to slow down, even when it probably would have done her some good. Oh well. The past was in the past and Galinda had to learn to let things go that she could not change.
Galinda pulled Eddie down for a kiss. “Your best is more than good enough,” she murmured against his lips, “we are happy and healthy and we have a little girl who will run circles around us all. And another,” her hand dropped down to her belly, “who will undoubtedly make his or her own way in the world.”
They were a team and as long as they worked together they could do anything they put their minds to.
Eddie let Galinda take the lead. Ever the more passive one in their relationship - it was not hard to take a step back when one was married to such a bold and confident person - he let her manoeuvre them both into the kiss and touched his forehead to hers, listening. He found it hard to listen when people praised him, even his own wife. It was the consequence of never being put first, even in his own family.
“She’ll have the world in her grasp by the time she’s ten, that one. Watch out Hogwarts” he murmured softly, still holding Galinda in his embrace, one eye on Estelle. He was definitely in proud dad mode at the very least.
If Galinda could read her husband’s mind she would have informed him, under no uncertain terms, that he was more than enough. He, and their daughter, were her whole world. Instead, she just smiled against his lips. If they had someone to watch Estelle, or if their daughter was due for a conveniently timed nap, she would have definitely let him know how much she appreciated him. Alas, however, neither option were available to them, and they were due for another party––adult this time––in just ninety minutes time.
“And we will have front row seats to it all.” Galinda promised him as she stepped away. “Which makes me glad that her uncle is in the Department of Mysteries and we can hold that over her head when the time comes.” Not that it was as good as having a relative in the DMLE, but considering nobody actually knew what the Department of Mysteries did, the enigma should be enough.
“I think I like her too much to subject her to threats concerning your brother” Eddie quipped dryly, reaching for his glasses and giving them a quick polish using his shirt before putting them back on. He would have been more than willing to use a few stolen minutes alone, but sadly, that still meant someone needing to mind Estelle. Best back to work mode, then, especially given that he'd just mildly insulted his brother in law.
“Osgar isn’t that bad,” Galinda grinned, reaching up to brush some of his hair out of Eddie’s eyes. “A little intense maybe, but he means well. Having a family of his own helped, I think.” Becoming a husband, then a father, had changed her brother. For the better, in Galinda’s estimation. “Though he probably won’t appreciate me using him and his position for threatening purposes. So this conversation never happened. Okay?”
Decision made, Galinda went over to where her daughter was occupying herself, squatting down beside her as the child scrawled and scribbled over her paper. Already she knew it was going to be a masterpiece.
“Well, I'm certainly not planning on telling him” Eddie shot back, privately thinking that Belvina Blishwick was a bloody hero for putting up with the stubborn git. His sister in law was pretty much the textbook definition of taking one for the team in that regard, but then again, arranged marriage. Eddie was never too sure of how to approach that topic with his wife, given that his parents in law would possibly have preferred someone of similar status for their daughter. He had money, yes, but not a pureblood name to go with it.
He really, really ought to go back to the paperwork and write notes for their erstwhile accountant. The sight before him, though, with his wife playing with their eldest child, was far too appealing. Eddie casually leaned against the counter, watching them both instead of going back to the office.
When she didn’t hear Eddie make his way back to the bloody office, Galinda turned back, catching him watching the both of them. “Stella, look,” she pointed over to her husband, “it looks like Daddy is feeling a bit left out. Maybe he should come color with us?” She raised an eyebrow. Paperwork could wait for just a little bit longer.
“Estellllllle” Eddie sighed in pretence, “your mother is an exceedingly bad influence. I hope you realise this.” Yes, he did talk to their daughter as if she was an old person, but the little girl adored him and it was easy for all to see.
Still, bad influence or none, Eddie seated himself next to Galinda, their little girl seated between them, happily playing away. There was really something to be said for the domesticity of family life.