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Chapter Thirty-Two
Baby Shopping
It did not take long for a routine to be established. Esmerelda, Mildred, and Sybil would leave for school each morning and Julie and Ethel normally would stay home during that time. Ethel was finding sleep difficult these days as her bump was uncomfortable and the baby kept kicking so she normally slept in well until midday and then did not feel like doing anything. If she was up for it Julie would take her to the local corner shop or he park just to get her our of the house but most of the times she was not up for it.
Esmerelda, Sybil and Mildred would then return home after school had finished at around three. The girls would always be starving (now they returned home each day they tried to avoid eating the school food) so Julie would make them a quick snack and they would usually talk to Ethel for a bit as they ate before they had to leave to do schoolwork. Ethel worked when she could but she was so heavily pregnant these days normally she just wasn't in the mood.
Weekdays were pretty much the same but Julie tried to get Ethel out the house for a few hours during the weekend. Mildred and Sybil sometimes chose to stay at school so they could have the weekend with their friends as they saw them so much less now they were not boarding but Esmerelda did not have any friends she went around with each day and she would rather be at home with Ethel. That weekend was one such day.
"It is a beautiful day" Julie said looking out the kitchen window at the sun shining through the window. Esmie and Ethel were sat on the sofa talking to each other quietly. "Why don't we go out somewhere?" Julie suggested to them, or more so to Ethel.
"I don't feel up for it" Ethel told her foster mother as Esmie cuddled her rubbing her bump gently. Julie watched the older girl and something came to her. Ethel was only a few months of giving birth yet they had not got anything they needed for the baby yet. They just hadn't had time, everything had been manic. They needed the stuff now and Julie smiled.
"Why don't we go out to start to get things for the baby?" We need to get all the furniture still, the cot, the car chair, the pram, we only have a few clothes and we can't buy this stuff when the baby is here, we need it ready now" Julie told the girls and Ethel started to smile, wanting to pick all the stuff.
"Yes can we? "Ethel said smiling.
"Of course, get your coat" Julie told her and Ethel jumped up excited.
Julie would not tell them but she was actually glad Mildred and Sybil were at school right now. She knew both of them would be bored stiff looking at furniture, even for the baby. Julie drove herself and the two older sisters to a baby shop a bit further than the shopping centre, it was the largest place that sold baby things and Julie knew Ethel would have a great variety of choice here. The two blondes were both smiling as they looked at the shop and Julie led them in.
"Hello there can I help you?" a woman said as they walked in, clearly a worker. Julie shook her head knowing how much Esmerelda and Ethel were insecure around other people.
"No thank you, we can manage" Julie said with a smile walking to the first section of the shop which was prams. Ethel instantly spotted a purple one and ran to it happily. Well speed-walked to it as she couldn't run in her condition.
"Can we get this one please?" Ethel asked testing it out by pushing it a little bit.
"I am not sure Ethel if purple will be the best colour, it might be a boy" Julie told her not really bothered herself about it but wanting to warn Ethel.
"Boys wear purple, they wear it at Pentangles, please Julie please" she asked and Julie sighed.
"Well test it out first, walk around with it a little make sure you like the feel of it" Julie told her knowing it was not all about the colour but the steering and feel of it in your hands. Ethel walked down the aisle with it and came back smiling.
"I want this one" Ethel said not even looking at any others. Julie took the pram and started to test it, not wanting to spend money on something bad quality. She had to admit it was a good pram, light steering and not to heavy.
"Alright you can get the pram" Julie told her and Ethel hugged her happily before they went to the next section.
Next up was cots. Ethel picked a lovely wooden one and she picked a matching purple car chair. After the main items of furniture they then had to pick out some more clothes. Esmerelda and Ethel had a brilliant time trying to decide what to buy the baby. Esmerelda glanced over to the checkout at one point and whispered she needed to ask the cashier something.
"What is she up to?" Julie asked. Ethel was curious but was way to busy looking at everything to focus to much.
After ten minutes Julie was about to go find Esmerelda when she came back holding something in tissue paper. She handed it to Ethel.
"I got you a present" she told her sister as Ethel pulled of the tissue paper and gasped.
"Esmie!" Ethel said her eyes filling.
It was a small white rabbit, a very soft one. Stitched on the stomach in purple writing it said 'Much loved baby Hallow'. Esmerelda smiled at Ethel.
"They are doing printing today, I thought you could put that in their cot with them, you know none of us had a first toy, I thought this one could be something they keep" Esmerelda told Ethel who looked at her, her lip trembling and then she burst into tears hugging her big sister.
"Sorry Ethel I didn't mean to upset you" Esmerelda told her hugging back.
"I am just so overwhelmed" Ethel told her sister who rubbed her back. She was so emotional these days that her giving her a piece of her toast could set her off.
Esmerelda kissed her head. "That baby will be so loved" Esmerelda told her sister touching her bump. Julie smiled and felt like crying herself but instead she spoke.
"Right it is getting late, why don't we pay and start heading back, we can get anything else we need some other day" Julie told the girls who nodded as they made their way to the tills to pay for everything.
Julie gave the woman behind the till the cards with the pictures of everything they wanted to buy. The woman looked at Julie and then behind her to Esmerelda and Ethel hugging before she tutted.
"Is everything okay?" Julie asked thinking that was an unusual response. She suspected most customers in this shop brought the same amount at once.
"Teenage mothers, it shouldn't be allowed" she said loud enough for Ethel to hear, not caring about her rudeness. "What are kids these days doing going around having sex at such young ages?" the woman asked, as if she was expecting Julie to tell her Ethel was stupid and she had already told her that.
"My foster daughter was raped actually" Julie said annoyed that this woman was making assumptions without knowing anything about their situation. Julie could sense Esmerelda was becoming angry and the last thing she needed was for the girl to curse someone in the non-magical world. Esmie held her sister tightly and Ethel just sighed.
"Is that what she told you? I wouldn't believe it" the woman said. Esmerelda stood forward in that moment, probably to curse the woman but Julie stopped her grabbing her shoulders.
"Look we are not here for a lecture, your job is to scan our items and take our money, can you please do your job so we can leave? My foster daughter is six months pregnant and needs to rest" Julie told her angrily.
The woman fell silent scanning their items and then told them delivery was going to be £10.99
"I don't think so, not after the customer service we have had here, I can take this to the shop's headquarters and I will" Julie told the woman who looked at her with a scowl knowing she had lost. She scanned the cards with the items on them.
"They will be delivered in three to five days" the woman said as she took the money of Julie.
"Thank you, come on you two" Julie told her girls as she lead them out the shop.
"Are you okay Ethel?" Julie asked her worried. She was hoping this woman hadn't knocked her confidence down again.
"I am okay, I suppose I will have to get used to criticism being a teenage mother" Ethel replied with a shrug knowing she couldn't let every negative comment get to her. Julie was impressed at her mature response.
"Esmerelda are you okay?" Julie asked knowing how upset she was.
Esmerelda took a deep breathe and nodded, Julie smiled at them both putting her arm around them.
"Let's go home then, it has been a long day" Julie told them leading them back too the car.