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Tweak says, "keep people guessing"

Anabel Runcorn (notyourfriend) wrote in wished,
@ 2010-09-04 23:26:00

Entry tags:

!2003: 09, !complete, anabel runcorn, delaney twilfitt

Who: Delaney Twilfitt and Anabel Runcorn
When: late afternoon after this conversation
Where: St. Mungo’s
What: Delaney comes in for an examination after prompting from Anabel due to her sickness.
Rating: TBD
Open/Closed: closed

Nuisances and annoyances were just about all Anabel really thought she dealt with when she was at work. And unfortunately she couldn’t blame it all on just the patients. She had her fair share of idiotic coworkers to deal with that she’d never understand how they’d ever even graduated from any magical school let alone to become a Healer at St. Mungo’s. She didn’t really have a whole lot of patience to spare when dealing with anyone and so she kept her limited patience to the patients and not to her coworkers. Which is probably why most of them labeled her as either a frigid bitch or antisocial, but Anabel really couldn’t care less.

“No, I told you that I wanted you to discharge that patient, not admit them,” Anabel hissed, stressing the first part of the word discharge as she glared at the young wanna-be Healer. She hated dealing with Healers-in-training and swore she was never as stupid as they were. “They’re taking up a bed now that they don’t need. Now you get to be the one to go in and get them out and explain how you are too stupid to listen to what you’re told.”

The trainee frowned and backed away from Anabel, promising that they’d get the person gone and Anabel stalked off, already feeling a vicious mood creeping up along her spine. She’d probably get an ear full later from her supervisor for how she treated the trainees. Again. She’d tell them that they were incompetent. Again. And then she’d get a warning not to do it any more or they’d have to do something more severe. Like always Anabel would simply go on like she always did.

“Oh no, trust me. You don’t want to deal with Healer Runcorn. She’s in a right foul mood, like always, and I’m quite certain you’d much prefer if I took care of you.” Anabel had stopped when she heard the words coming from another Healer’s mouth. She was just around the corner from it and she walked forward again, peering around the corner to see Delaney dealing with Healer Brunning who was an insatiable flirt an annoying twit and just generally incompetent.

“Trust me, Brunning, Delaney most assuredly doesn’t want to deal with you staring at her breasts through the entire exam and listening to your lame attempts at pick ups and flirting,” Anabel stated, coming to stop behind the man who’d stiffened when he heard her talk.

“Ah, Anabel, I was just coming to l-”

“To lie to me? I’m certain we don’t need to take up any more of your valuable time. Do go harass one of the trainees. Delaney, if you’ll just come with me?” She gestured down the hall as she looked at the other woman, completely dismissing Healer Brunning who stalked off muttering under his breath.

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notyourfriend
2010-09-05 06:41 am UTC (link)

“Ah yes, the biggest blood traitors of all.” Anabel could understand how terrible it would be to run into them. She had gone out of her way at times to make certain she didn’t. Any interaction she had with them was kept short and to the point before she moved on. Though luckily for her it really only consisted of the few classes she’d shared with the one that had been in her year.

She nodded, having thought that would be the answer she would receive. “You don’t have to answer that one yet. Think about it, talk it over with someone you trust if you’d like. This is always a choice you can make much further along into your pregnancy.” Plus if she was going to go that way it would be best to be completely committed to that decision. It would only be hard on Delaney and the potential parents if she changed her mind near the end of her pregnancy.

“Trust me, if it was going to be too much trouble I’d have definitely said no.” Plus having regular appointments with someone would mean that was at least part of the day she wouldn’t have to devote to absolute morons. “And unfortunately a number of the Healers who’d deal with this would be like that. Though I would have endeavored to get you one that wasn’t.” That didn’t mean she’d have been successful, however.

“Right then. I’ll go and gather up the necessary potions and come back with a few pamphlets for you to read over so we can get everything set up.” It was best not to dally around, after all. She’d need to explain which potion was for what and set up their first official appointment concerning the progression of her pregnancy.

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-05 08:41 am UTC (link)

Someone she trusted? Oh, Merlin. Maeve.

"I suppose at some point I should probably tell my... well, she's not my girlfriend, but I'd like her to be... I guess she's not going to want to be when she finds out." She buried her face in her hands and groaned. "I can't think about that, about any of it. All I know is, I'm going through with the pregnancy. There's been enough death in my life recently, I want some life."

She was relieved to hear that apparently Anabel didn't mind too much being her Healer for this. "I couldn't deal with some sort of Alfred Weasley type trying to tell me to do things the muggle way. You know he'd be trying to put tubes in me and do those bloody pathetic... what are they called? Megasounds? Supersounds? I overheard a couple of mudbloods talking about them once..."

Watching Anabel leave the room to gather potions and the like, Delaney sank into the chair and placed a hand over her belly gently. It was completely unfathomable to her that there was, or would be, a baby in there. She wasn't sure if she wanted to curse at it or coo at it, and she couldn't help laughing bitterly at herself. Even contemplating saying anything to this... thing growing inside her was bordering on insane, and she refused to go down that road.

She needed to think about what she was going to tell the father, if anything. Well. First she needed to figure out who the father was. Roughly two weeks along, Anabel had said. Delaney started counting on her fingers the people she'd slept with in the past three weeks, to be safe.

Gretchen and Maeve could be ruled out for obvious reasons. That left Trevor, Caine, and Marcus.

Fuck.

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 01:13 am UTC (link)

In all reality Anabel wasn't used to really being told this much about someone that she didn't know all that well. Certainly she remembered Delaney from when they were in school, but the other girl was a year ahead of her. Though she guessed that being told such jarring news would perhaps give her reason to feel a little more loose lipped and open. She could deal with it well enough since it was coming from someone that was of the same mindset as she was.

"They certainly wouldn't force you to do things the muggle way, but they'd offer it to you." Which was ridiculous because they'd offer the muggle way even after the person stated they wanted everything done their way, the magical way. "Evidently the muggles thing that the ultra sound is something oh so amazing. Our scans are so much better and less obtrusive then that way."

It didn't take long for Anabel to get to where are the potions were kept. Of course finding all the necessary potions wasn't quite as easy. The anti-naseau potion was the easiest since she'd dealt with it often. She gathered enough to last Delaney through her first trimester. Once she found the other potions she gave an approving sound at how they were stocked. It was nice that all the needed pregnancy potions were close together. She gathered the prenatal potions with an iron boost, enough for a week and then enough regular prenatal potions to last through the first trimester.

Once it was all gathered she made her way back toward the room she'd left Delaney, stopping only long enough to grab pamphlets dealing with what to expect through the first trimester, tips to dealing with morning sickness and tips to telling 'loved' ones. And then it was back to Delaney and she sat the potions out in groups and laid the pamphlets in front of it.

"Right then. These are your anti-nausea potions, these ones are your prenatal potions with an extra iron shot that you should take for the first week and these are the prenatal potions that you'll take after, just one a week." She pointed at each as she spoke so that Delaney would know, though she wrote it down as well as a reminder. "And you might find these pamphlets helpful. Of course after your first trimester we'll have different potions for you."

Which made her pause as she tried to think of all the appointments she'd need to set up with her. At least they both had journals, that would certainly make it easier. "Right, well, we'll need to set up your next appointment before you leave which won't be needed until around a month to make sure everything is progressing well."

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 03:58 am UTC (link)

"I would feel insulted to even be asked to partake in such primitive and barbaric practices," Delaney said haughtily. "Honestly, don't those people understand that they have the best chance of making money, if they cater to the people who have money? What is the point of pandering to the penniless Weasleys? They probably can't afford half the care here."

She wasn't left alone in the room to stew for long, but it was long enough for her to decide that she wasn't going to tell any of the men anything. It wasn't as if - with the exception of Caine - they had made any effort to contact her. God, and Merlin forbid that the baby be Trevor's, that arrogant asshole. Sleeping with him was something Delaney regretted almost as much as getting pregnant in the first place.

It was a dizzying array of potions, but she paid attention the best she could. She was thankful that Anabel seemed to be writing down everything she was saying, though, because it was a hell of a lot to take in and she wasn't sure she'd remember half of it after walking out the door. She barely glanced at the brightly colored pamphlets, shoving them in her purse with the potions and instructions, the thought of reading them making her anxiety levels rise even further.

"A month from now? Or at a month... pregnant?" Delaney clarified, her voice small and miserable.

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 04:58 am UTC (link)

“They don’t seem to realize that. I’m starting to think that they honestly believe that those with money will start mixing with the blood traitors or muggles and therefore will be interested in those techniques. Which just goes to prove how little they actually interact with the people with money.” Which in reality was a good thing because she certainly didn’t want to have to interact with them more than she had to.

She was glad that it appeared that Delaney was trying to pay attention as best she could. She didn’t honestly expect the woman to remember much just because it was such shocking news and Anabel was pushing a lot off on her. Still it was appreciated that she was making an attempt. She got aggravated with the patients who seemed to tune the Healer out and go off into their own little world. It was always best to listen to the person trying to help as long as they knew what they were talking about.

“A month from now, when the fetus should be six weeks along. That would be the best time to locate the heartbeat and check on the growth. It would also be the best time to find the most accurate due date, though we could hazard a guess now.” Though that really all depended on Delaney and whether she wanted to progress naturally or not. Everyone varied on that point. “Though when we do figure out the date we’ll need to discuss if you want to go for a natural birth or not. Each opens up a new discussion.”

She paused, just looking at the woman. It was easy to tell she was still quite frazzled by all of this. “Is there anything else you need? Anything more I can do to help?” It wouldn’t do for Delaney to leave on her own too distraught. She might even insist that she not apparate if that was how she got here. It wouldn’t do for her distraction to cause her to be splinched.

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 05:15 am UTC (link)

"Well, more fool them, because in the end all they're going to get is the people with money taking their business elsewhere where they won't have to feel insulted and pressured to do things they have no interest in doing," Delaney said crossly. "But on the bright side, Weasley has enough offspring to keep the place going for at least a couple of years. Oh, did you see his only girl spawn is marrying another girl? A halfblood, from what I can gather."

Talking about society gossip was a lot easier than thinking about being pregnant. She just had to sort of not think about the fact that Maeve was muggleborn. Her feelings for Maeve were different, she told herself, and she still despised most mudbloods, it was just Maeve who was different. Because she was more pure acting than some purebloods Delaney knew. Cough-Weasleys-cough.

A month from now, would she be showing? Would she still be feeling ill? Would she be able to tell if the baby was a boy or a girl? There were so many questions, and she didn't know how to ask any of them. "I don't even... I don't know," she said faintly.

"No, I think you've pretty much covered it. Though, I suppose when I came in here expecting you to diagnose me with food poisoning, this was the last thing on my mind..." Her eyes narrowed. "And it makes that little cockroach in reception all the more repugnant. The nerve of him, trying to crack on to a pregnant woman."

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 05:41 am UTC (link)

“In reality I think they don’t think like that because they believe they have a monopoly on the business. Everyone comes to St. Mungo’s. But if another reliable practice was started up by the right source they would lose a lot of clients. They just think it is something that won’t ever happen.” Which could be their downfall if they pushed too many people the wrong way. “I’d heard word that something like that was going on. I can’t really fault her for wanting to marry a girl, but a halfblood? They’re family is already so poorly off. But trash do tend to stick together.”

Normally Anabel wasn’t one for gossip, but the Weasleys were always a family that rankled even her. She didn’t understand a pureblood family that could have fallen so far and didn’t seem to want to try to come back. They seemed perfectly happy living in squalor and that was an inconceivable idea to Anabel. If her family ever started to fall into a lower class Anabel was quite certain she’d do whatever it would take to bring them back up. Or at the very least everything she’d need to do to save her own name.

She wasn’t entirely too certain that Delaney was being serious about not having any more questions. The woman was overloaded on information as it was though and so she believed it was probably best to not load on any more. She didn’t need her to have a full breakdown though if she did this was the best place for it to occur.

“Right, well keep in mind that you don’t have to come to St. Mungo’s to contact me. I’m available for questions whenever you would like to ask either by owl or over the journals.” She wondered if she should leave her a message in the journals tomorrow just to make sure nothing drastic had happened over the night. “I think that he’d have only not come on to you if you were heavily pregnant. I highly doubt anything else would have stopped him.” Because he was a disgusting bug and Delaney calling him a cockroach was a fitting description.

“How are you getting home? I’d advise you that it is probably best you don’t apparate yourself.” She didn’t want to hear that Delaney was back only shortly after getting to leave.

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 06:07 am UTC (link)

"I'd be willing to invest in a medical practice that catered solely to the magically pure," Delaney speculated. "I'd need someone like minded to head it up, of course. And to set it up, since I know next to nothing about Healing. But I do have my own store, so I know how to run a business."

Her eyes widened slightly at Anabel's comment, but she managed not to embarrass herself. "At least the two of them can't procreated. I heard one of the twins had spawned, and that thought horrifies me. The fewer of them that sully the gene pool, the better. And at least she's not trying to insinuate herself into actual society."

She got to her feet. "Well, thanks for all your help," she said, her heart heavy at all the thinking she was about to have to do. "Will you protect me from the beetle on the way out? I'll walk, it's not far."

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 06:14 am UTC (link)

Now that nearly sounded like an offer. It was a tempting thing to set up, honestly, but it would take time and interest of others. Still though it probably wouldn’t hurt to ask around and just get a generally feel from some of the other Healers. She knew that she wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stand dealing with some of the people they dealt with on a normal basis.

“Too true. I guess that means they’re doing a favor to the world then.” She tilted her head in thought when she mentioned the one twin procreating. “Doesn’t the oldest Weasley child have a least one child as well? I think I remember his wife posting about them before. Plus the pictures the child drew in the journal and the pressed flowers.” Which she might have found endearing if she cared about such things.

Ah good, one less thing for Anabel to have to worry about. She didn’t like worrying and she wasn’t used to it. “Most definitely. More than likely he’s hovering around somewhere out there to see if he can give you ‘more adequate care’ then I did since evidently I’m not hospitable enough.” The thought made her role her eyes. She didn’t know why she needed to change how she acted to please them. The majority of them landed themselves here due to their own folly.

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 06:18 am UTC (link)

"Ugh, the thought of any of them procreating makes me feel ill," Delaney said. Then she paled. "No, seriously. I'm going to be sick, do you have a basin or a bathroom or something?"

Ugh, this had been going so well, she'd managed to get through it without freaking out more than a little, and now she was going to throw up on the Healer. Perfect.

And the thought of the man who was more than likely waiting for her didn't do anything to settle her stomach. "You know if he's out there I'm not going to hold back on giving him a piece of my mind," she said weakly.

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 06:22 am UTC (link)

Her words amused Anabel at first and then when she admitted to truly feeling ill she was still quite amused though she did feel bad. The whole fact that pregnancy could make you so ill when it was supposed to be such a ‘miracle’ had never really made much sense to Anabel. Nothing that made you feel so bad could be something so good no matter what anyone said.

Still though she could help her and so she stepped over to the counter and opened the cupboard below it, pulling out a basin they kept there just for purposes like this. Wordlessly she handed it over to the other woman. It would be best to let this bought of sickness pass before they started moving.

Though the thought of her perhaps getting sick on Healer Brunning was very amusing. “Oh trust me, I wouldn’t stop you from doing that. He needs a good dressing down on at least a daily basis or his ego inflates too large.”

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 06:27 am UTC (link)

Vomiting weakly but gratefully into the basin, Delaney looked around for somewhere to put it, blushing a little. "So... that was embarrassing," she mumbled. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

She got to her feet again, swayed for a moment then steeled herself. "I'm okay," she said finally, pulling out her wand and doing a quick breath charm on herself. "Let's get me out of here, perhaps we can avoid him completely."

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notyourfriend
2010-09-06 06:57 am UTC (link)

Anabel stood calmly and quietly by while Delaney was sick and watched as she put the basin aside after. “There isn’t a need to be sorry, it happens during pregnancy. Though at least you threw up in a basin.” There had been those that thought they were retaliating against the workers at St. Mungo’s when they were mad by throwing up wherever they happened to. It was quite juvenile, really.

When Delaney swayed Anabel didn’t even realize she’d reached for the other woman until her hands steadied her. She certainly hadn’t wanted to see her fall. She didn’t move though until she was certain that she was stable again and then she gave a affirmative nod of her head. “It would be lovely if we could.” And with that she moved to the door, opening and stepping back to motion Delaney through. She grabbed the chart before following her.

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delaneytwilfitt
2010-09-06 10:35 am UTC (link)

"Really, Anabel, I am a lady," Delaney smirked weakly. "You know as well as I do that ladies of our status don't make messes. It's so unbecoming." Truthfully, Delaney had never dealt well with vomiting. It wasn't something she did often, but she hated it enough that when she did do it, she ensured that she made it to a toilet or other acceptable receptacle, to minimize clean up and avoid making a scene.

Grateful for the steadying hand, she smiled up at Anabel. "You know," she said carefully, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. "You're awfully pretty. If things were different, I wouldn't hesitate to ask you out. It would be so nice to date someone who feels the same way I do about so many things... and is of a decent status to be worthy of my affection."

God, she felt like a heel just saying that. Maeve was worth it, she was worth all of it, but Delaney was just so tired of having to justify everything she did with Maeve, both to Maeve and to herself. Even since she'd found out about the girl's blood status it seemed like staying with her had been an uphill battle. It would have been so much easier if she had happened across Anabel first.

"Lead the way," she suggested. "And listen, I wasn't joking about that investment thing. If you think you could make a go of it, we could talk. I don't want to come back here if they're all muggle loving fools about policy. I'd much rather set up something more fitting for people of our status."

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notyourfriend
2010-09-07 05:44 pm UTC (link)

"There are exceptions to everything," Anabel replied calmly. She could understand where Delaney was coming from, but she'd also been around enough pregnant witches to understand that they weren't always able to get to somewhere private to be sick. Of course in her mind Delaney had a second excuse due to the fact they'd been talking about Brunning when she'd started to feel sick in the first place. In her mind he was enough to cause just about anyone to be sick.

Her words... She had thought that from a few things Delaney had said through their conversation that there might be a little flirting going on, but Anabel was so good at basically ignoring everything she'd simply passed over it without giving it much thought. This wasn't something she definitely couldn't ignore though. Well honestly she probably could, but it would come off as ruder than Anabel normally was. "Different in what way?" Probably not the sort of response Delaney was looking for, but what came to Anabel's mind. She had to wonder if the other woman had gotten tied to someone inappropriate.

Though really it wasn't her fault, but she was making an effort to be a little more sociable since Delaney was at least suitable company. The older she got the more she realised she was extremely limited on who she interacted with. Perhaps if she were a little friendlier toward her then she might have someone else she could call an acquaintance and spend a little time with when she was off duty.

"It's something I'll think about seriously," Anabel replied, turning the chart in at the desk and stopping Delaney there for a moment while she filled out a card with a reminder that she'd need to come in sometime on or after October 5. She handed the card and the instructions she'd wrote earlier to her before she started walking again. "It wouldn't be just the muggle loving fools though that I think some people would like to get away from. Some would like to get away from just the general incompetence of some of the others. Though I do guess I can be overly critical at times."

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