Ok, ok I get it. You want longer chapters. I've lengthened this one for you. One thousand, six hundred and seventy odd words. Is that better?
Chapter forty six.
When Kris returned a week later the house was once again full of noise (surprising how much din one person could make) and the smell of Welsh cakes. Kris had told her mum of Ayla's bad time recently and the woman had sent every comforting thing and food she could think of.
The two house mates were in the kitchen chatting. Ayla sat at the table while Kris warmed the sweet treats. Both had missed the others company over the past week. It was good to catch up, but the conversation drifted, as usual, to what Ayla was going to do about her family.
"Mum thinks you should tell your parents." Kris said through a mouthful of cake. "And I agree. It's stupid to think they won't understand or whatever. They're your family. It's their job."
"I know, and its all very well telling me I should tell them, but I'd like you see you try it. Can you imagine the look on your mothers face?"
"Yeah it'd be shocked, she knows that I don't want kids. She'd be as surprised as me."
"Ok well it's not like this is a dream situation for me you know." Ayla snapped.
"I know hun. And I know you have every right to be ratty but if you snap at me one more time I'll take all my mum's cakes back.!"
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap. It's all very well saying I should tell them, but how? 'Hey mum, dad, I'm up the duff and the dad doesn't want to know.' It's not going to look good."
"Well no, but maybe try and be a bit more tactful than that."
"And it's not like I can tell them about Oliver. I mean if I tell them their niece is drugging her husband and plotting against me I'll look like a paranoid nutcase."
"So don't tell them about Oliver."
"They'll ask who the father is though. I know them."
"Tell them there is no father."
"That's likely."
"No tell them it's the second coming of Merlin. Immaculate conception like!"
"I think we're back in nutcase territory there."
"Yeah. What if you say you don't want to talk about it?"
"I'm sorry, you have met my mother right? You honestly think she'll be fobbed off with that?"
"Avoid the question then, change the subject."
"That won't last long though. I won't be able to keep it up."
"A letter then?"
"A letter?"
"Yeah bad idea I know. You really think you can avoid your family? For what, five and a half months?"
"Kris I know you think it's stupid but I can't tell them. I just can't."
"What if they come round? What will you do? Hide behind the sofa 'til they go away. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me mate. And don't even think about asking me to lie to them, I can't lie to mothers."
"No, Marcus has said I can go to hisduring the day when I'm alone. They won't find me there."
"Oh has he really? And what does Sarah think of this?"
"Sarah? She doesn't know. She's got enough on her plate without my problems."
"Exactly, she's got enough with the baby and she's still worrying herself sick about you. If she finds out you've kept this from her she'll freak."
"So basically if I don't tell her you will?"
"Basically."
"Fine, let's go get it over with. I'm not arguing about this any longer than I have to."
"Cool."
The girls apparated to Sarah's country house. They found the young mother asleep on the kitchen table clutching a stuffed pink lamb in one hand and a muggle baby monitor in the other. A small pool a drool had puddled on the table top, reflecting Sarah's mouth and nose. As they watched she gave a snort and mumbled something unintelligible.
"Aw look at sleeping beauty. It's seems a shame to wake." Kris whispered.
"I know, let's come back later."
"Nah I was kidding, let's mess with her!"
"You just said she was stressed to death and now you want to wind her up?"
"Oh will you two shut up! I'm trying to sleep here."
"Damn Ayla, you woke her up!"
"I did not."
"Shut up the both of you! What do you want?"
"Ayla here has been invited to stay at Flint's, instead of being alone in her own home while I'm at work."
"Just wanted to keep you updated. You know where to find me, have a nice nap." Ayla said, trying to rush out before Sarah exploded in her sweet, over protective way.
"Ok then darling. You go home and put your feet up. You're looking a little drained." Sarah said in a unexpectedly calm manner.
"Oh. See I told you she'd be fine about it. Come on Kris you can make me a cuppa while I put my feet up."
"Oh no, Kris has to stay."
"Why?" Ayla and Kris both asked.
"Well when the baby comes along she'll be helping you. I think it's a good idea if she knows everything you know. Then you won't have to worry that she'll accidentally drop the baby while you're having a nap."
"And you're willing for her to practice on Bubba?"
"No, don't be daft. We'll start off on a doll, like we did with you. Do I look like someone who wants her child's head caved in by someone who was trying to change a nappy?"
"Ok well I'll stay and watch."
"Nope you have to go Ayla. I didn't get to watch you and I'm sure I've got plenty to learn. I don't need you laughing at me when I make a mistake."
"Well ok then. Spoilsports. See you later I guess." Ayla said hugging her two friends somewhat sulkily before apparating home alone.
"So spill it," Kris said as soon as she was sure the coast was clear. "Do you really think it's a good idea for her to hang around Flint's place?"
"I'm not sure. I think we need to do some investigating first."
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well…"
Not long after nightfall two figures both dressed in black, one holding an equally black clothed baby, apparated into Aussie Alley.
"This is a fantastic idea mate. Just like one of those muggle movies!"
"Shhh!"
"Sorry." came the whispered reply.
The two figures, quite obviously Kristina and Sarah with little Geraldine, tiptoed into the garden. The plan was to raid Marcus Flint's kitchen, specifically his potion store, and look for anything out of the ordinary. It had been Sarah's plan, the black clothes were Kris's idea: to make them feel stealthier.
"I still don't get why you had to bring the baby." Kris said as quietly as she could manage.
"You try finding a decent babysitter at such short notice!" Sarah snapped back, sounding like a hissing Ashwinder.
"Ok I was just saying."
"Shh!"
They had reached the back door. Sarah began to work on opening it.
"You think there'll be any security charms?" Kris said, scoping out the street for any possible signs of trouble or witnesses.
"Doubt it, he hasn't even bothered to shut the door properly." Sarah said dismissively, as she gently pushed the door and entered the dark room behind. "What should I do about Gerry?"
"I don't know, she's your kid."
"Maybe we should come back another time?"
"No this is perfect." Kris said in a barely controlled whisper. She had tiptoed to the door leading to the living room and peeked through. "Look he's fast asleep. If we put Gerry by the door she can let us know if he wakes up."
"My child is not a guard dog."
"No but she doesn't like strangers. Especially male strangers. She'll cry if he gets up and we can run for it."
"Ok, it's not you best plan to date but I suppose it makes sense. Ok sweetie, you just sit here like a good girl while mummy looks around. If the smelly man wakes up you let us know right?"
"How much of that do you really think she understood?"
"Shut up and start looking."
"What exactly are we looking for?"
"Anything dodgy."
"We're in Marcus Flint's house, be specific."
"I don't know, dodgy potion ingredients."
"Mate I can barely remember potions and I did N.E.W.T level. What makes you think you're going to find something?"
"Just look, we don't know how much time we have."
The two set about rummaging in Flint's cupboards and drawers. As far as they knew he was still fast asleep on the sofa in the next room.
Marcus shifted in his sleep, his arm flopped over the side of the seat, hovering just above the floor. Something wet and sticky covered his index finger. The cold liquidy substance was shortly followed by an attempt to chew his digit. He woke up groggily, pulled from his sleep from the weird sensation his right hand was currently experiencing. A baby was trying to toothlessly eat his finger.
"What the?"
He bent down and picked up the black clothed bundle. If it had been any darker he might not have noticed her at first. Apart from the attack on his finger of course. He could hear muffled noises coming from his kitchen. The sounds of someone trying to be quiet and not succeeding. Was he still dreaming?
"What the frigging hell's going on here?" he said pushing the kitchen door fully open.
Is that better? Are you people happy with the length of this chapter? I guess I can't ignore you if at least five people are commenting on the shortness of the chapters. Thing is I write a certain amount of pages and then type them up, so I'm never sure how many words I'm writing. Plus I have certain things that have to happen in each chapter and I don't like to overload them. Hope you're all happy now. Welcome home Karen by the way, missed yoooooooooooooooooo!
