"Ayl' I don't feel so good." Kris called from her room.
"Join the club." Ayla answered from her own room.
It had been two weeks since Marcus had scared Adam off. No one had heard from him and Ayla felt that one small weight had been lifted from her.
"What's wrong with you?" Kris called again.
"I'm bored, fat, sick of staying in and just miserable."
"Oh I meant I feel sick sick. I'm all ache-y, a bit flu-y. And tired. It's nothing I can put my finger on, I just don't feel right."
"Sounds a bit like a virus. Stay away from me, it could hurt the baby."
"But I'm bored too, and lonely. Come keep me company on my death bed." Kris called weakly through the wall that divided their bedrooms. Neither had any inclination to get up.
"Tough luck amigo. I don't want the baby exposed to your germs."
"But I'm bored!"
"Go find something to do then. I'll stay up here. Out of the way. Alone."
"Is being pregnant really that bad?"
"It's worse."
Kristina was silent. She got up and crept down the stairs, into the living room. She'd never know Ayla to be so down. So she made it her plan to cheer her up.
"Alright come on misery guts time to get up and out." said Marcus's voice as he strolled into Ayla's bedroom.
"Noooo. Leave me alone. I'm not in the mood Marcus, for anything. I just want to get fat, well fatter, and be alone."
"Tough, we're going out."
"But I don't want to."
"Get up."
"No."
"Ayla if you don't get up and come to lunch with me I'll…"
"What? What are you going to do? I'm pregnant, you wouldn't dare do anything."
"I'll pick you up and carry you out."
"Oh the indignity of it!" Kris called through the wall once again. "Ayla, go. We just want to cheer you up. You can't sit around here all day. You aren't fat, you're pregnant. It's natural and beautiful. And if you don't go, I'll come in and breathe on you."
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Wouldn't I?"
Ayla could hear the bed creak as Kris moved to get up.
"Oh fine, I'll go."
"Yippee. Have some chocolate cake for me."
Ayla and Marcus headed for Camden. Marcus said he knew a nice open air café that served a more than acceptable chocolate cake.
"So why are you making such a fuss about being fat? You don't seem the vain type." Marcus teased.
"I'm not! It's just everything's changing. Including me. And I don't want it to. I know I'm not that big, and I know I'll get bigger. But it's just bumming me out."
"Which is where me and Kris come in." Marcus said sitting down at the small silver table. They ordered their food and Ayla picked up the conversation once more, as the waitress came back with their orders.
"What do you mean?"
"This was her idea. To cheer you up."
"And she picked you?"
"Oh ha ha very funny. As it happened I was the only one brave enough to put up with your moods."
"Oi! I'm not that bad."
"You are. Now shut up and eat your cake."
Ayla, needing no more encouragement, did as she was told. She took a bite of the sticky slab of cake the waitress had given her and contemplated what Marcus had just said.
"I'm not that bad though am I?"
"Are you kidding me? You're a nightmare from the sounds of it."
"I am not."
"You are. You're argumentative and snappy."
"You're so mean! I'm pregnant, you're supposed to be nice to me."
"Who told you that crock? Besides I got you cake didn't I? You should be thanking me for being so nice."
"It's not a crock. Sarah told me so."
"Doesn't surprise me. I guess you could be worse, with all the hormones and stuff. But it doesn't mean you're not a pain in the arse at times."
"Oh nice." Ayla said laughing.
"I'm not going to lie to you just because you're having a baby."
"Thanks.
"Hey someone has to tell you when you're being a bitch."
"No I mean for this. I needed to get out. Kris's evil plan to cheer me up's worked."
"I bet the cake helped."
"Oh the cake definitely did its bit. It's like heaven."
The waitress returned shortly with the bill. She smiled at the young couple before her. Just starting out together, still enjoying each others company. Ah, she thought, young love.
Marcus reached for his wallet. Intending to pay.
"I'll get it." Ayla offered.
"Don't be daft. It was my idea, sort of."
"Yeah but I want to say thanks. For today, and for scaring Adam off."
"The whole point was for me to cheer you up. I'm paying."
"No, I am."
"You got any muggle money on you?"
"Oh bollards, no."
"Oh what?"
"I'm trying not to swear. I am going to be a mother you know."
"Really? Well mummy to be, as you have no money I get to pay."
"Cheat."
"How is that cheating?" Marcus asked laughing.
"I don't know, but I bet you did."
"I dunno, you women and your hormones you never make sense." Marcus handed the money to the waitress and held Ayla's chair out for her to get up.
"Watch it you or I'll have to pull one of my moods again."
"You think I'm scared? Please woman, give me some credit."
Ayla moved to punch him playfully on the shoulder, but he caught her fist before it made contact.
"It's not fair to hit a man when he's not looking."
He squeezed her hand gently and held it by his side as the started the walk back to Ayla's house.
"Well you learn something new I suppose." Ayla said.
They walked in silence now, knowing that nothing more needed to be said. The two strolled along in no hurry, reaching Ayla's door long after the twenty minutes it would normally have taken them to get back.
"Thanks for today Marcus." she said at the door.
"No problem."
"Bum."
"Pardon?"
"I've just realised, I left my keys inside."
"So apparate in."
"Ugh, Merlin no. The chocolate cake might come back to say hello."
"Nice."
"Kris should still be in. I don't understand why the door's locked."
She knocked the door and rang the bell. There was no answer.
"Funny. She should be here."
She flipped the letterbox and yelled through the opening.
"Kris you there? Come and open the door."
She heard a window open overhead and looked up.
"Ugh Ayla, you can't come in. I've got chicken pox. Look at me, I'm all spotty. I told you I was ill."
"Well chuck some of my stuff down and I'll go to Sarah's."
"You can't. Bubba's got it too. That's where I picked it up from."
"Where did she get it?"
"Someone on Melvin's side. Look why don't you stay with Flint. We know he'd tidy and I'm sure he won't mind. Right?"
"It's fine by me. Up to you though."
"If it's not too much trouble?"
"Course not."
"Great! I'm going back to bed. I feel awful. And itchy. Damn babies."
"Kris wait. My stuff!"
It was too late, Kristina had shut the window and had gone in search of calamine lotion.
"Don't worry. I'm sure I've got something's you can borrow. And anything else we can get on the way to mine. Come on."
He grabbed her hand once more and they walked on to Marcus's home. Luckily it wasn't that far, Ayla was thoroughly put out at being locked of her own home. Marcus could sense another mood coming on.
