Here is the final chapter/story for the Five Nights series. I really hope you enjoy this one, even if it is the shortest of the lot. I think I have decided how I am gong to be posting the rest - details below.
If you have left me a review, I have/will reply to everyone that I can. If I don't, it's because you're logged in as a guest, so I can't reply. But, I just want people to know I really do appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Thank you.
That being said, if you enjoy this one, I'd love to hear about it :)
5.
I heaved a huge sigh as I rolled over in bed yet again, adjusting all the pillows behind my back, under my head and the ones shoved between my legs in hope of trying to get comfortable enough to sleep. Although I suspected it just wasn't going to happen tonight - being just over eight months pregnant, things had become too big, too awkward and uncomfortable for doing anything much. I couldn't remember it being this bad when I'd been pregnant with Rose. I turned, rather ineptly, onto my left side for awhile, eyes tightly shut as I willed sleep to come.
And then winced again as the baby kicked hard – why he or she always seemed to consider this the perfect time to be awake and torture their mother, I didn't know, but I wished it would stop it. I rolled onto my back and huffed loudly, flinging the duvet off myself and rubbing my belly in hopes of calming the baby. But in this position my back tensed and ached too much, so I rolled to my right, facing Ron who was blissfully fast asleep. I watched him enviously for a few moments, before closing my eyes again, beyond annoyed with the situation now.
It was another ten minutes of clumsy tossing and turning – not an easy feat with a huge belly in the way, before Ron stirred and opened one bleary eye in the dark. "You okay?" he asked, a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Can't sleep," I muttered in reply, wanting to cry from frustration. I was actually exhausted, but I just couldn't find a comfortable position.
"The baby?" he asked, knowingly.
"Your child seems to think it's time for bludger practice," I grumbled. "I can't get comfortable at all."
Ron leant up on his elbow, kissing the top of my head softly. "Want me to rub your back for you?" he offered.
"No," I sighed heavily and rolled onto my back again so I could see him. "You have to work in the morning. I'll be fine," I assured him.
"Honestly?" he asked, already laying back down.
"Yes, go back to sleep," I told him, grasping his hand and lacing our fingers together.
"Okay," he mumbled, "if you're sure." He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze as he closed his eyes again.
"Sorry I woke you," I added.
"S'ok," he yawned and within seconds he was snoring again.
I sat up in bed and looked down at him, feelingly inexplicably frustrated with the fact that he was already asleep again and that it came so easily for him. In a fit of jealous rage, I wanted to shake him and wake him up again, demand that he rub my back and read to me and make me some warm milk – anything that might help me finally doze off.
But then I watched the soft lines of his face, untroubled and peaceful in sleep, knowing that he needed it. He did have to work in the morning and his job was demanding – any lack of sleep could prove dangerous to him out on a job and I could never bring myself to do that to him. Rose would just have to make do with a tired and cranky mum tomorrow.
Instead, not wanting to disturb him further, I slipped from the bed, shoved my feet into my slippers and grabbed my dressing down as I crept from the room. Heading towards the stairs, I paused to look in on Rose. She too was fast asleep, her arms thrown carelessly over her head, her blankets at her feet and the dummy she'd gone to sleep sucking, fallen by her side. Smiling at our sweet two year old daughter, I carefully tucked her in again, knowing the blankets would be kicked right off again in minutes and left her room, heading downstairs.
Instead of warm milk, I made myself a cup of soothing chamomile tea and sat on the sofa in the living room lit only by moonlight. "I really wish you'd let your mum sleep," I stroked my belly, talking to our unborn child. With Rose, we had known she was a girl right from the start. With this baby, we had decided to let it be a surprise. Of course everyone had their own opinions on what we were expecting.
Ron had told me countless times that he honestly didn't care what we got. Neither did I really, so long as he or she was healthy. Though, secretly I would like to give Ron a son, and one of each sounded like the perfect family to me. But everyone else, especially family members, took interest in speculating on what it would be. I wouldn't be surprised to find out George was taking bets on it to be honest.
Because this baby was sitting much differently to how Rose had been during my first pregnancy, putting more strain on my back, Molly claimed that meant this baby was a boy. She reckoned all her boys had given her back ache. Fleur said that was nonsense, that she'd had just as much back ache with her girls as she had with Louis. And Angelina reckoned being pregnant with Fred had been worse than her second – she breezed through her pregnancy with Roxanne.
All I knew was that I was much more tired this time around. I had started maternity leave much earlier than I had during my first pregnancy. Mostly at the insistence of my healer and to ease the worry of my husband who said he didn't want another medical emergency with me collapsing on the job, thank you very much. But even still, I was so tired all the time. I suppose when I'd been pregnant with Rose, I hadn't had to deal with an on the go toddler like I did this time. She certainly kept me on my toes all day long. Even if we took an afternoon nap together, she'd wake after only an hour or two and find great fun in poking my face until I woke up too – usually after I had just nodded off.
And now, the nights had become a struggle for sleeping. I would honestly be glad when I gave birth right now. Not that that would help much with the sleepless nights I realised. But at least I might be able to get comfortable again, I thought wincing as I shoved another pillow behind my back and sipped some of my tea.
I picked a book up that I had been reading earlier, but was so tired that my eyes couldn't focus on the words. So, instead lay my head back against the sofa and closed my eyes – at least I was resting, I decided.
And then the lounge door opened behind me, I prayed it wasn't Rose – she had taken to climbing out of bed just lately, ever since we'd moved her into her big girl bed, wanting to get her used to it before the cot was needed for her sibling. It had taken several nights and some gentle persuasion to settle her in it since she thought it was a brilliant game to get up to see mummy and daddy all night long now she didn't have the added effort of having to climb out. Though, she had never made it downstairs, as of yet that is.
A hand then gently clasped my shoulder. "What you doin' down here, love?" Ron asked, sounding thick with sleep as he rubbed his eyes.
I looked up at him peering over the back of the sofa at me. "I didn't want to wake you again," I replied. "What did you come down for?" I threw the question back at him.
He shrugged, "can't sleep when you're not in the bed." he said.
"Huh," I scoffed. "You were snoring well enough when I left the room."
"Well, I woke up and when I saw you weren't there, I got worried. Come on, come back to bed," he held his hand out to help me up.
I shook my head and took another sip of tea. "I'm actually more comfortable here," I admitted.
Ron sighed softly, looked around the room and spied the blanket laying on the armchair. "Shift up then," he told me grabbing the blanket and shaking it out.
"Huh?" I asked him.
"Shift up, make room for me," he demanded, shooing his hands at me. "If you're sleeping down here, then so am I," he added as I shuffled down the couch a bit.
He sat down behind me, stretching his legs along the sofa, against my own, then pulled me back to rest against his chest, with the help of a nest of cushions to support my back and threw the blanket over us both, tucking it in until we were nice and cosy. "All right" he asked me, one arm around my shoulders.
I smiled up at him, this was nice, almost perfect I decided as I nodded my head laying against his chest.
He picked the book up from where I'd abandoned it on the arm of the sofa then, found my last saved place and with a faint light from his wand, he began to softly read, out loud, to me.
I smiled and settled in against him, feeling more loved and cared for and protected than ever before. People who doubted our marriage never saw these tender moments, never knew this man the way I did. But, Ron was a sweet, loving husband. Yes, he was stubborn, lazy and obnoxious when he wanted to be, but I got to see much more of his considerate, tender side than anyone else – something I had always known was there.
And, with the soothing cadence of his voice murmuring to me, the lulling of his heartbeat beneath my ear and his warmth surrounding me, finally, gradually, I drifted into blissful, much needed, sleep.
Reviews (kind ones) make me happy...and I don't have much of that in my life right now, so if you can spare a moment to let me know you liked it, that would be great!
Okay, so this might be the last little story in this particular series, but I have many more of these - 5 short stories written on the same theme in progress. The only problem is, none of the others actually have all 5 stories written yet, some have 3 or 4 done, some only have an idea for them. So, what I am going to do over the next few weeks, is post a bunch of themes and then add to them as and when the stories are written. Most have at least 2 written I think, but as I don't get much time for writing at the moment, I didn't want to start posting just one theme and then leave you hanging whilst I get around to finishing that one. So, that means there could be 4 or more stories in incomplete stages from me at a time - something I never usually do (I like to have something completed before I start posting it)
Anyway, that is my idea for right now...and I hope you will enjoy these other themes too.
Thanks again.