Part Twenty-six

By early March, Ailene looked nine-months pregnant. She barely moved around despite her nesting instincts kicking in. Marden only became more and more worried that she was going to give birth at any moment.

"Are you sure that we conceived in August?" Marden now echoed her obstetrician's concerns.

"Yes, Marden. It was the night we were in my dressing room..." She reminded him. "I was not with anyone else prior, I promise you. I wouldn't do anything with anyone else. I was too busy waiting for you to think things out, remember?" She asked coldly

Marden nodded, "Yeah, no need to remind me, love." He said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Their marriage was indeed legal, having received a confirmation Owl, along with their announcement in the Prophet. Marden was surprised to find out just how many people read that small column, practically everyone who knew him came up to congratulate him. His good friend, Allistor Moody, was not happy that he wasn't invited. But he understood, for he was the only person outside of his family that knew Ailene was pregnant, and Moody wouldn't betray his friend by telling anyone else.

The couple also got a handful of nasty, hateful letters from other members of his family, but they found a good hobby of tossing them into the fire and watching them burn. One nice letter came from Albus Dumbledore, congratulating them on their union and helping to change the discourse of an ever hostile world against Muggles.

Marden had also convinced Ailene to see a midwife at St. Mungo's because they were trying to see where best to have the baby. Ailene was not willing to have he or she at home, and was quite fine with having the baby at a Muggle Hospital, but Marden wanted to have the baby at St. Mungo's.

"Trust me, they know what they're doing." He said as they sat in the waiting room of the delivery wing. Ailene watched nervously as Healers walked by in their bright, lime green robes. They didn't even have stethoscopes or other medical equipment. If anything, their practices seemed quite medieval. How on earth would they be capable of delivering a child? She was not comfortable with the idea.

Nevertheless, they were called in to see a stout witch. She looked at Ailene's belly and tilted her head to the side when she was told that Ailene was seven months pregnant. Ailene was instructed to lie on an old, metal examination table. They didn't even have pretty pictures on the ceiling to keep Ailene calm while she felt the witch taking a closer look. Marden stood off to the side, his eyes averted as if afraid he'd see the baby peeking out or something ridiculous.

"Well, love, the baby is low, very low. You could have this baby any day now."

At that, Marden turned on his heals and looked at the Healer.

"Any...any day now?" He echoed, before the witch sat Ailene back up and held out her arm. She punctured her skin and drew blood into a tiny vial.

"I'll be right back." She said, and the two were left alone.

Marden sat down in a nearby chair, looking like he was ready to vomit. "Any day." This didn't help Ailene, she was shaking as well and she could feel her heart pounding in her ears.

"I-I don't get it... do wizard babies grow faster?" She asked, echoing one of her theories.

"Not that I bloody know of!" Marden said rather loudly, clearly sweating and now pacing back and forth.

The witch came back with a clear bowl that was billowing over with purple smoke.

"Just as I suspected. Twins."

"Twins?"

"TWINS? TWINS! BLOODY TWINS?"

"Calm down, Mr. McKinnon." The witch said evenly. "Yes, twins. It's why Mrs. McKinnon is rather large for how far along she is. And why they're ready. Most of the time, a woman carrying twins will have her children prematurely. Humans are not usually capable of holding more than one. Yet, the female body endures. And by the looks of it, you'll be having a boy and a girl."

Marden let out a strange, helpless noise as he leaned against the wall, his back turned to them and his hands supporting him. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"So, congratulations. Other than this news, everything from your blood indicates that you and the children are healthy and strong. I advise that you see the witch at the front desk to get your name down when you come back in to deliver. Like I stated before, it should be any day now, and I suspect much sooner than later."

The couple left without doing as the witch advised. Ailene was impressed by the fact that the Healer detected the underlying issue of rapid growth, but she wasn't sure if she could have the baby there. She was still much more comfortable having the baby at a Muggle Hospital.

Marden was quiet as they walked along, feebly holding her hand and his complexion as white as a sheet.

"Twins. I can't fucking believe it. What are we going to do? Now we have to go out and buy more things for the other baby...a boy and a girl." His voice changed at this. Marden didn't even think much about the sex of the baby, but now it was a reality. What were they going to name them?

"You're not disappointed, are you?" Ailene asked her husband, turning to him.

"No, just shocked. Completely shocked. Two at once. I thought we could wait a little while before we even thought of a second one. I don't even know how good of a father I'd be..."

"Oh stop it, you'd be a wonderful father. If I had any doubts, I don't think I'd be here with you." Ailene turned to stand in front of Marden, taking his face into her hands.

"I know; I just didn't have a good relationship with mine. I wouldn't know what to do, and I can't even reach out to him for advice."

"You'll learn, we both will. You don't think I'm worried about being a good mother? My mother has been out of my life for almost ten years. You don't know how many times I wanted to write to her over the years and get advice."

"You'll be a great mother." Marden replied. "You're so kind and caring, and you're already good with children."

Ailene smiled up at him before pecking his lips. "Come, I want to make a stop real quick." She took Marden's hand and they began to walk, making a left turn.

The buildings slowly became more recognizable until they stopped in front of a familiar coffee shop.

It was quite busy inside, having been past noon and people were stopping in for their midday coffee break. The two made their way to the back of shop, in the last booth.

Not much had truly changed in the little café, new faces worked behind the counter, but not a sign of Rosa. When one of the younger workers came to take their order, they asked for her, and the worker disappeared in the back to go and get her.

As they waited, Marden let out a small chuckle. "I remember that night the drunk came by. Now that I think about it, I probably shouldn't have used magic. I could've asked him to leave, or had Rosa throw him out."

Ailene smiled, imagining all of her papers everywhere. She could feel her hair tied up in a bun, the smell of espresso on her tongue. "Well, I don't think I would've have introduced myself to you if you didn't." Ailene said, looking around at their surroundings, before back to Marden.

"Is it weird of me to miss those days? Of us just being free and young, stupidly in love."

Marden sat and thought about this for a moment. "I guess not, I miss those days too. Walking you to your door only to be welcomed in. Kissing you on your sofa, the radio on in the background."

Ailene smiled again, the smell of the musty apartment hitting her nose. Her eyes began to sting with tears, and before she knew it, she was crying rather profusely. They were happy tears, but she didn't know why they came on so strongly. Perhaps it was the baby. No, babies. She had to get used to knowing that there were two inside of her.

Marden took her face and wiped away her tears. "I'm much happier being your husband than being a man who visits you from time to time."

Their moment was interrupted by a loud, "Oh santo cielo." Rosa approached them slowly, only looking slightly older now. Her black and silver hair tied up in a tight bun on her head. She immediately leaned down and kissed Ailene on both of her cheeks before she moved to Marden to do the same, though he stood and hugged her.

"I thought I'd never see you two again. You were my favorite customers." She practically cried, and Ailene held out her hand to show Rosa her engagement ring and wedding band.

Rosa laughed and clapped her hands loud enough for others to look on, and took them both into her arms.

Ailene then outlined her large stomach to Rosa, and at this she cried even louder, placing both of her hands onto her stomach, speaking in Italian that sounded like a prayer.

Marden and Ailene sat for a long time, talking to Rosa and drinking as much coffee (for Marden) and water (for Ailene) as they liked. It was dark before Rosa checked her watch and smiled at the two.

"Closing time?" Marden asked, and Rosa nodded. "I'm afraid so. But don't you be strangers, I want to meet the baby when you have it, capisce?"

They left Rosa's, and this time Marden led the way down the street, his arm entwined with Ailene's.

They stopped in front of Ailene's old apartment building, and she smiled, leading the way inside.

They came up to the third floor and stopped in front of her old door. There was distant chatter inside, but she stepped forward and gently placed her hand over the metal numbers. She smiled softly, the door that led to her old life was now closed for good. She had a new life with Marden, and new life on the way.

She felt hands snake along her sides, holding each side of her belly and soft lips at her neck. She closed her eyes, her hand slipping away from the door as she placed both of them over Marden's. He kissed her shoulder fervently, and for a moment it almost felt like she was standing behind the door, in her flat, sweet music swayed along with their bodies, the smell of coffee filling their nostrils, kissing and making love.

Their last stop for the evening was at the dance hall where she used to sing. The lights were down, a woman singing a love song as attendees danced to her voice. Marden and Ailene were among them, their foreheads pressed together as they danced. And they danced until the night was done.

She entered their house and looked at the state of it. Everything was fine, but she needed to prepare for this baby...the babies if they were going to be here any day now. She immediately began tidying up, putting things out of reach that would kill them in an instant. She went to the spare room that would now be theirs, looking around and picturing where the bassinets would go, and the changing tables, and the clothing ...this was going to be a lot harder now with two. All at the same time. God, she really needed her mother now more than ever. But she could only do what she thought her mother would say in a time like this. Even her mother-in-law would have been some sort of help. But she had to rely on herself, like she always had, but she wasn't alone anymore.

She then went to their room, maybe it was best to have the bassinets in their room for the first few months. Not to mention getting them on the same eating and sleeping schedules. Every two hours.

She was just about to sit down when she felt Marden's arms around her again, embracing her, kissing her neck once more. His hands rubbed her belly, then slowly moving up to her swollen breasts. It had been quite a while since they had sex, and she was sure Marden was aching for her. He has been very good and patient, even when she would turn him down at bedtime.

But she was aching too, and she felt even more aroused now that she was so far along in her pregnancy. But she remembered what the witch had said, that they were low and ready any day.

She felt his hardness against her bum, his hand now moving lower and lower. She couldn't deny him, but she felt she had to, she was sure sex would only induce labor.

His body gently pushed against her as they walked over to the bed. She turned around in his arms and kissed him, his tongue slipping it's way into her mouth. She slowly sat down on the edge of their bed. He knelt down in front of her to continue kissing her. He slowly peeled off her clothes until she was naked, his eyes looking over her body, and her swollen, pregnant belly.

"You have never been more beautiful." He whispered to her, helping her get into bed before he, too, took off all of his clothes and lied with her, holding one another until dawn.