coffee (cici)

[itsaspaz]

Liam woke at quarter to five in the morning on the nose like always, without the alarm. Not that it was ever set, they could sleep as late as they wished during the summer. Just one of the many perks of being a teacher, they got summer vacation like the students did. Without waking his wife, Liam slipped out of bed. He slipped into his bathrobe, and then went to make himself a cup of tea. Liam started the coffee-maker,and then went out onto their balcony. Liam actually hated coffee, but he knew that Cici couldn't function without it, and so, he always made the coffee in the morning. He seated himself in one of the chairs, glad that their balcony faced west, so he could watch the sunrise in the mornings.

Liam sighed lightly to himself. There was so much going on currently, quite frankly he was worried. Especially about the mission that he and Cici would be partaking in next month. In July, they were going to track down the dementors and attempt to get them on their side before Isabelle got to them first. Cici, bless her soul, had wanted to go the day school let out, but Liam had talked her into waiting a little bit. He supposed that their plans of having a baby would also go on the back burner, which Liam had to admit disappointed him, but he supposed their family could wait. The sliding glass door slid open and Liam couldn't help but smile.

[* JAQI]

When Cici woke that morning, she found herself alone in the bed, Liam was already up as usual. She knew that her husband liked to rise very early so he could watch the sunrise. She showered and put on her own bathrobe, and grinned upon going into the kitchen, the smell of coffee met her nose. Liam would never know how much she appreciated him making her coffee summer mornings. She poured herself a mug of black coffee and then went to join Liam on the balcony. She slipped outside and placed a light kiss on her husband's cheek before occupying the other chair. "Morning," said Cici.

[itsaspaz]

"Hello, love," said Liam, returning his wife's peck on the cheek before she sat down. He noted the mug of coffee in her hands and managed not to wrinkle his nose, he just mentally told himself that he didn't have to drink the stuff, and that it made Cici happy. Liam loved her so much, he would do anything for her. "Did you sleep well? You squirmed a lot last night." Liam said and then took a sip of tea.

[* JAQI]

Cici held her coffee in one hand, and reached over with the other to wrap it around Liam's. She cherished every last second of time they could get together. They didn't get a whole lot of free time during the school year, well, at least she didn't. Cici took a long sip of coffee, relishing the bitterness. She had her routine in the mornings. She got up, showered, and had a cup or two of coffee, and then she could function normally. "There's a lot on my mind," said Cici.

[itsaspaz]

Liam nodded slowly, looking directly at the sun, it was at eye-level now. This was his favourite time of day, and he had always been an early riser; he hadn't slept after the sunrise since he was a teenager. It was understandable that Cici was a little bit restless, they both certainly had a lot on their plates. Liam stroked the back of Cici's hand with his thumb as he took a sip of tea. "Anything you want to talk about?" said Liam.

[* JAQI]

Cici paused a moment, she wasn't sure if she wanted to discuss it just yet. But Liam was closer to her than to anyone in the world, and she told him everything, she didn't like to have secrets between them. She mulled over the silence by taking in a deep drink, allowing the warm liquid to trickle down her throat. "My period is late," Cici finally said after a long break in the conversation. Her cycle had always been like clockwork, rarely off by even a day. She remained quiet, waiting for Liam to reply.

[itsaspaz]

Liam felt his throat tighten, he wasn't sure whether to be happy or something else. They had been trying for years as they had both wanted to have children, but right now, with the forces of Isabelle breathing down their necks, it might not be a good time. He knew that if Cici had actually conceived that they would find a way to keep them safe during gestation, but it was only an 'if' right now. Liam knew he would have to choose another partner in going after the dementors if Cici was pregnant, but he needed to know for sure. "How late?" said Liam.

[* JAQI]

"Eight days," Cici said heavily. That was over a week, her period had never been that late before, except for when she was a teenager, they had taken until her mid-twenties to be regular, but since then, they had always been predictable. She wasn't sure what was wrong with her, normally she would be excited, because that could mean she was finally pregnant, carrying the child that she and Liam had tried so long and hard for... But right now certainly wasn't convenient. It was too dangerous, no doubt both she and Liam had large targets on their backs.

[itsaspaz]

Liam thought a moment, his wife's cycle had never been anything that he had paid that close of attention to. At least her PMS wasn't unbearable, she mostly got fatigued, not moody. "They aren't normally that late, are they?" said Liam, for the first time in a long while noticing his Irish accent clashing with her British one. His parents had been a bit skeptical when he introduced Cici to them, but like always, after a little bit they had been supportive of him. Liam took a sip of his tea.

[* JAQI]

Cici shook her head once, not speaking this time. Her mind was racing, she had bought a muggle pregnancy test two days ago it still sat under the bathroom sink, unopened. She had gone with the test versus a visit to St. Mungo's for the sole purpose of price, pay five pounds for a stick, or fifty galleons for a visit to the healer? She was planning on taking the test sometime that morning, perhaps once she was finished with her coffee.

[itsaspaz]

"Hmm," said Liam, unsure of what else to do or say. He resumed stroking the back of Cici's hand with his thumb. His mind also began to ponder on the 'what ifs'. He supposed that if Cici were actually pregnant that he could send her to live with his parents, and he could put every protective spell on the Irish cottage he could think of before heading off to meet the dementors, have a member of the Order stop by a couple times a week to make sure everything was still going well; keep some Floo powder on the mantle just in case...

[* JAQI]

"I bought a test the other day," said Cici after a long pause in which she drained the rest of her coffee, she would probably have another cup, she still felt groggy. Mornings were never her best time of day, she was most productive in afternoons and early evenings. She only got up before noon during the summer because Liam did. Which was why she was so big into coffee. "I was planning on taking it later this morning." Cici added quietly.

[itsaspaz]

Liam nodded, and then took a lengthly sip of tea. He was all too familiar with the muggle devices, they had gone through quite a few of them when they were trying more fervently to get Cici pregnant. He allowed a light sigh to escape his lips, all while continuing to rub the back of his wife's hand. "Well, no matter what the outcome," said Liam, taking a breath and pausing a moment. "I'll be here for you, and we'll figure something out."

[* JAQI]

Cici managed to give her husband a weak smile, he was always so supportive of her, she felt incredibly lucky to be with him. Although Liam had stressed that he wanted a family when they got married, he had not left her through all the difficulty of trying for so long to get pregnant. They still weren't certain who had the fertility problem, but Cici had said that if she didn't get pregnant soon that they would set up an appointment at St. Mungo's. But in the rush of this upwelling war against evil, the plans of having a family had been set aside. "Thank you, Liam," said Cici.

[itsaspaz]

Liam nodded once more, now remaining quiet. The sun was now too bright and high to look at without causing discomfort to his eyes, so he instead looked to the flower boxes along the railing that he had been cultivating. Although not very far along, the plants looked promising, they were already budding. But as this was a muggle apartment complex, Liam had opted for simple pansies, they would be royal purple once the buds bloomed.