a/n: Hello again!!! Thank you everyone for the reviews and thank you Anna for this quote!!!
I want to put up fifteen and sixteen tomorrow. (Fifteen is really short and really bad so I want to put two up). School starts on Tuesday so I won't be updating until Friday or Saturday and then maybe on Labor Day I'll update again!!! I'm only on chapter seventeen right now but I'm hoping to be on nineteen by the time school starts.
Ok, one last thing. Willa's first birthday is coming up and of course it's a Halloween party with everyone but Fred and George will have to add their own "sparkle" to the event so if anyone has an idea on a prank for that chapter let me know. I have somewhat of an idea of where I want to go with it but suggestions are always welcome!!!
Always,
Kylie
No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for another. – Charles Dickens
I feel blessed in my life to have friends and family to help me through difficult times…or to share the good times with. I remember the look on Luna's face as she saw everyone who came to be there for her when she was having her baby: the look that portrayed the feeling of being loved. If you're loved then there's always someone to get through tough times with; if you're loved then there's always someone to share the great times with.
"Ha!" I declared as the last word of my second book was typed. It was early afternoon on a Thursday, the first Thursday in September. I sat outside with Ron while Willa napped inside. Ron looked up from his copy of the Gazette.
"Finished?" He asked. A wily smile played at his lips. He'd been waiting for this moment for weeks.
"Yes–" I saved the document on the laptop and turned to smile at him. "–I am actually." I closed the laptop and put on my best seductive look. After I finished the first book I was extremely happy and Ron happened to be in the room at the moment. The second book would surely have the same effect…
He placed down his paper and we both stood up. I laughed ardently and grabbed his hand, before pulling him inside and upstairs to our bedroom where we would celebrate the fact that I had finished the book I had been working on for months.
x
A little later on Ron and I were sitting back outside. Ron was working on some papers for the Gazette and finishing off his lunch while I was working on homework from my class earlier this morning. Classes had recently started up again. (Only one more semester after this one until I would be student teaching!)
"So…when do you think the third will be finished?" Ron questioned. He looked up from his papers, still smiling from earlier.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked. I wasn't sure if he was implying something or trying to be seductive.
"Nothing." he assured me. "But you're always in the greatest mood once you finish your books." He was still smiling at me. I couldn't resist giving him a grin back.
"True." I agreed. "But I'm also in the greatest mood when I'm with you." I said…flattery always worked on Ron.
"As I am with you." Ron responded. He leaned over the table and pressed his lips against mine. I smiled into the kiss and felt the rush of emotions from earlier come back. At that moment the baby monitor, echoed Willa's sounds from the living room. "Willa's awake." Ron noted. He kissed me once again before pulling away.
"We'll finish this later." I assured him with a seductive wink. Ron smiled back and we both walked into the house to find Willa, standing in her playpen. In the past month Willa's mobile skills had developed greatly. She was now baby waddling around the house while Ron or I held her hands and helped her along. At the Healer's appointment last week, the Healer said that Willa was progressing well. She was in the top development group for her age.
"Mama's here." I said. I lifted Willa from her playpen and into my arms.
"Mama!" she exclaimed. It only took me a second to register that she actually said a word instead of her usual sounds. A smile spread across my face and I felt very happy.
"Yes, girly, I'm Mama." I said. She smiled at me.
"Mama!" she repeated. I turned to Ron who was looking absolutely amazed.
"Where's Mama?" Ron asked.
"Mama!" Willa said again with a very big smile on her face. Ron and I smiled back at her.
"Willa knows her Mama." Ron declared, smiling proudly.
"Mama!" Willa exclaimed again. She smiled at me and reached for my necklace to play with.
"Yes baby, you know your Mama." I said, smiling.
"Mama!" my baby girl repeated.
"Hermione, she's talking!" Ron announced. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She giggled heartily.
"Yes, she really is." Actually hearing Willa call me "Mama" for the first time was the greatest thing in the world. Each time she repeated it I felt slightly more like a mother. My little girl knew I was her Mama.
x
Classes had started up again and this semester I had a whole new schedule to fit into my life. My classes schedule looked like this:
Monday: one class in the morning; one class in the afternoon.
Tuesday: one class in the morning; one class in the early afternoon; and one class in late afternoon.
Thursday: one class early morning.
Friday: one class early afternoon; one class late afternoon.
Since going back to school, my schedule's shifted a little. Willa goes back to Gabby's daycare while I go to class. My palm pilot had been packed with all of the things I had to get done but this time around, Ron helps more with everything. This is how my schedule goes:
Monday: bring Willa to daycare; go to class; library to work on homework; second class; spinning class; pick up Willa; homework; Ron makes dinner.
Tuesday: Ron brings Willa to daycare; go to class; library for homework; go to class; library; class; pick Willa up; work on homework; Ron makes dinner.
Wednesday: no classes; spend time with Willa; get caught up on homework; spinning class; make dinner.
Thursday: Ron watches Willa; I go to class; either library or home to work on homework; I had yoga; dinner at the ShoreHouse with Becki, Paul, and Anna.
Friday: Ron brings Willa to daycare; early morning spinning class; go home to get ready; go to class; go to class; library; pick up Willa; make dinner.
After last semester's freak out I had learned something. I was not going to be overwhelmed with school and my at home duties. I had faith that with my new schedule, things would be easier…but I still enjoyed my Wednesdays where I didn't have many things to worry about except spending time with my daughter.
The Wednesday after I finished my book I decided to share the news with Jenna. I put a light sweater on Willa and then grabbed a sweater for myself before we headed to the car. Today Willa was wearing a red top under a denim overall dress. She sat in the back seat shouting the only word she could say. I wore a navy empire dress with a white sweater. I was smiling as I listened to my daughter repeat my name over and over again. Ron had been referring to himself as 'Dada' in the past week, hoping that she would say it. She was getting close.
Once we parked, I got out of the car and lifted Willa out of the car. I placed her into her stroller and hooked her diaper bag around the handle and slung my purse over my shoulder.
"Mama!" Willa shouted gleefully.
"Yes, that's right baby. Mama's here." I said. I smiled brightly.
Willa and I walked through San Clemente Souvenirs, said hello to Marv who owns the place, and made it to Sparks Street on the other side.
"Here we go baby. We're going to go to Jenna's bookstore and then we'll even get you a new book too." I said.
"Mama!" Willa exclaimed. "Aieyaya!" Willa threw her rattle onto the ground. I stopped and bent down to pick up the rattle.
"No, no." I said, smiling at her. "Don't throw."
"Oh what a cutie pie!" someone from behind me exclaimed. I turned around to see a grandmother-type witch standing behind me. She was tall with gray hair and carried a few shopping bags.
"Yes, she is." I said, smiling. The woman smiled at Willa.
"How old is she?" She questioned.
"Almost eleven months old." I responded.
"Aw." the woman said. "How long have you been with her?" the woman asked. She was looking into Willa's stroller so she could not see the confused expression on my face.
"Sorry?" I replied.
"How long have you been her nanny?" The woman repeated. "My daughter is your age and she does the same thing. She lives in Anaheim, though. Watching a child is a really special job." She turned her gaze from Willa to me. I wasn't quite sure how to respond to this.
"Mama!" Willa exclaimed again. She smiled at me and held her rattle out for me. I gave Willa a weak smile before taking the rattle.
"This is my daughter." I said. It got even more awkward. The woman's kind smile was replaced by a look of surprise. She looked from Willa to me.
"Mama!" Willa exclaimed again. She held out her hand for the rattle and I handed it back to her.
"I'm sorry." the woman said. Her tone had taken on an icy quality and she no longer looked like the friendly grandmother-type anymore. "I just–" She didn't have to say anything. I knew exactly what she thought. I looked as if I were the same age as her daughter. To her, there was no way I could be mother to this child because I was so young. The only logical explanation seemed to be that I was Willa's nanny.
She forced a smile. "Have a wonderful day." she said. She hurried away from us.
"Mama!" Willa exclaimed again. She held out her rattle for me.
"Thank you baby." I said. I took the rattle and resumed pushing the stroller. I couldn't even manage a smile. My spirits were crushed completely.
"Mama!" Willa demanded. "Mama!" She got my attention again and I handed the rattle back to her.
We made it into The Book Loft where Jenna stood behind the counter. She flashed us a smile while I settled down into a seat and pulled Willa into my lap. Jenna joined us.
"Why the long face?" Jenna questioned. She smiled at Willa and tickled her tummy. Willa giggled.
"Do you think that when people see Willa and I, they think that I'm her nanny?" I asked. I hugged Willa a little tighter, afraid of what the answer might be.
"Why?" Jenna wondered.
"I ran into this lady and she thought I was Willa's nanny." I said.
"Oh." Jenna replied. She looked at me for a moment, deciding how to handle this situation. "Well, it shouldn't matter what people think. You're not Willa's nanny. You're her successful mother who loves her very much."
"Yes…I suppose." This didn't help but I tried to pretend it did. Jenna saw through it.
"Listen, Hermione." Jenna started. She took one of my hands. "You are a great mom. The fact that you're almost twenty-one and you're raising a baby is amazing. You take care of another life. It doesn't matter what age you are." She smiled kindly at me. "Look at Willa and then tell me she hasn't been in capable hands since she was born. Tell me she's being raised by a mother who has no clue what she's doing." I looked down at Willa who was shaking her rattle around.
"I am a good mum." I said. I knew this; I've always known this but there were times when I got put off by other people's opinions. Ron claimed this to be my only flaw.
"Mama!" Willa called again. She smiled at me and puckered her lips. I smiled and leaned down to kiss her. I was still slightly discouraged from what the woman said and how she reacted once she found out that I was Willa's mother but Jenna brought a little optimism back into the picture.
"See." Jenna said with a bright smile. "You can't tell me that she's not being raise by two able parents…no matter how old they are." Jenna's attitude towards this helped but there was still the lingering worry about what people saw when they looked at me with a baby. They didn't see what Jenna saw; they saw a young girl with a baby.
x
Ron was home at his usual time. I knelt on the floor with Willa and guided her around the living room. Ron knelt down next to me and kissed my forehead.
"Dada's home." I announced.
"How was your day my love?" Ron asked. He smiled at me and captured Willa in his arms. She giggled.
"Fine." I answered. I leaned forward and planted a kiss on his lips. Willa puckered hers.
"Mama!" she called. I kissed her cheek and then stood up to check on dinner.
"Yours?" I questioned.
"Great." Ron answered. "Being the boss is awesome!" He stood up with Willa and brought her to the kitchen counter with him.
"That's wonderful, love." I said. I opened a cabinet and hid my head behind it. I didn't want Ron to know what happened today.
"So, anything happen today?" Ron asked, trying to sound casual. Curiously I peered around the cabinet and looked at Ron.
"Do you know something?" I asked. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Do you have something to tell me?" Ron countered. I turned back to the cabinet and grabbed the olive oil before shutting the cabinet and turning to the counter. I stared at him, waiting for him to back down.
Ron pulled a book from his briefcase, Fairytales For The Little Wizard.
"I stopped by Jenna's bookstore." he informed me. "I wanted to get a book for Willa.."
"…and Jenna told you what happened?" I asked. I felt a blush rise in my cheeks.
"Yeah." Ron replied.
"Oh." I said. I turned my attention to the oven and looked anywhere by Ron.
"Are you ok?" Ron questioned.
"Fine." I replied quickly. I removed the hot pan from the oven with my wand and placed it on top of the stove. Ron placed Willa in her highchair with the book and came around the counter.
"Hermione." he said. I stopped moving around the kitchen and looked at him. I moved closer and he enveloped me in an embrace.
"I don't know why what people say bothers me." I said. "Really, I know I'm a good mother...but you should have seen her face when I told her. It was awful."
"So just because some woman gives you a look because you have a child, that means that you have to doubt yourself?" Ron asked. He brushed a stray piece of hair from my face and kissed me. In the background of what was happening in front of me, I could hear Willa yammer on and on in baby talk while she tried to lift the book up to throw it. The vegetables were nearly ready and I had to take them off the stove soon.
"Sorry." I apologized.
"Don't be." Ron said. "Just never doubt yourself, Hermione. You're beautiful, brilliant, sexy, a wonderful mother, and I love you. Those are the things that matter, not some stranger's opinion."
There was something about the combination of Ron's comforting arms and his touching words that could always make me feel better. I cracked a smile and leaned up to kiss him.
"I love you." I said. He smiled back and pressed his forehead against mine.
"And I love you." He responded.
The sound of a book hitting the floor turned our attention to Willa who successfully managed to throw the book of fairytales.
"Dada!" she called. She lifted her arms up. "Ah! Ah!" The look on Ron's face was priceless. I suppose it mirrored how he said my face looked when she called me.
Ron hurried around the counter and lifted Willa out of her highchair.
"Dada's here Munchkin." Ron said. The smile on his face was huge. "Dada's here." he repeated. I smiled and joined them around the counter.
"Can you say 'Dada' again?" I asked her.
"Dada!" Willa exclaimed gleefully. She puckered her lips for a kiss from Ron. I turned to Ron, he was smiling at me. He kissed Willa's forehead and then mine.
Having people who will take time out of their day to make you feel better is an amazing thing. Jenna is a wonderful friend who was there to help when I needed comforting. Ron is the most incredible man in the world who knows me better than anyone. He's there to talk me out of feeling awful.
No matter the situation Ron was always there to lessen the burden of the bad times or to share the joys of the good. I was lucky to be married to the greatest man in the world.
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