Surprises come in small packages

[onlytolerable]

Remember, Alexandrie Berthier used to say, you simply must make time for yourself. The fine spring day finds Sophie settled at a table overlooking the green taking her arrière-grand-mère's* advice to heart. She closes her eyes a moment and enjoys the sun warming her cheeks before pushing aside cup and teapot so she can admire her handiwork. That buttery yellow yarn she'd been saving knits rather nice, even if she does say so herself.

She picks up her needles and swiftly casts on stitches for the second tiny baby bootie, all the while humming a lullaby under her breath.


[*great grandmother]

Comments

[headfollowheart]

It wasn't unexpected to see Sophie knitting, really, Zoe thought as she strolled up to the table in a blue cotton sundress and wedge sandals. A little early, maybe, but it had been a long winter. A long year, honestly.

Her brows popped up, though, when she saw what Sophie was knitting.

"Sophie..." She began. "Er. Booties?"

[onlytolerable]

"Zoe! How's married life treating you? Do you have time for tea--erm, coffee? It's such a lovely day, isn't it?"

She holds up the finished bootie for her friend's inspection. "It's too early to know gender, so I thought yellow? Maybe mint. Better yet decide on the color scheme and keep with that."

[headfollowheart]

"They both would look nice on a redhead." If that was a concern, at least. Though Adrien had dark hair and might pass that along. Zoe shook herself and sat down.

"Tea's fine," she says with a grin. "And married life is....surprisingly not that different than things already were, except Victor seems to have developed a thing for calling me 'Mrs. Fox.'"

They hadn't gone on a honeymoon yet, but she was thinking maybe somewhere over the summer. Things had settled down, it seems, but Victor had been gone a lot in the last month.

[onlytolerable]

"You think?" Red hair did run in her family. Still. Blonde was more common. "Dark hair's dominant, isn't it? I suppose you won't have those problems with your own."

She smile at Zoe's revelation. "That's sweet." Victor probably never expected himself to be wed, much less to a woman he loves. "Do you suppose calling you that is a bit like pinching oneself?"

[headfollowheart]

"No, we're pretty much doomed to have brunettes. Though Victor has some red in his." His mother's picture wasn't in color, but the hair was light in it - maybe an auburn-brown. "Brunettes with bright blue eyes, though."

She bites her lip to hide a smile - or, well, to try and fail to do that. "Maybe a little. I couldn't have imagined him a married man when we first met, I have to admit. Or myself married either." She pauses then, though. "So. Do I need to organize a baby shower for you?"

Cadogan when he stops being a jerk. For now, this. o/

[heneiddio]

"Aye, but you'll do an old woman in, cariad, sittin' about with boots for the little'uns."

That, surely, is enough of an introduction before the old woman takes her own seat. There are far too many bags over her arms not to stop and have a sit, after all. Where better than across from a lovely young lady Roisin's got rather a soft spot for?

"And these are for, my clean and shining? Not keeping secrets from mam?"

When is he ever a jerk?

[onlytolerable]

Cadogan's mother has swiftly become one of her favorite people. It's no wonder Cadogan turned into the man he did once she met his mother. There's something familiar about her: the curve of her cheek, a smile seen more frequently than the rare one she knows so well, and a certain caring frankness that reminds her of her long-gone great-grandmother.

"Secrets?" Her welcoming smile grows confused. "Why would I--?" her gaze drops to the bootie and she understands. "Oh! Oh, goodness!" She laughs and shakes her head. "I am expecting, but a niece or nephew, not--" she shakes her head, "not me." She doesn't hear the wistful tone the last words take. Babies aren't in her future.

"Please say you'll join me for tea?"

When I'm like "let's tag Sophie \o/" and he's like "/NO INSPIRATION FOR YOU" :|

[heneiddio]

Which is just as well. Roisin never raised a daughter, but if she had? She'd well have hoped the young woman would have Sophie's lovely red hair--and, more importantly, Sophie's wonderful personality.

There's a pleased little chuckle as she settles in better, carefully gives her wrists a bit of a massage. No question she's staying for tea.

"An' you keep it that way, fy merch. That handsome young man o' yours already has you raisin' his little babe." And Roisin clearly approved of the entire posse raising her 'first grandchild.' "No more until he's got you y graig."


{*my girl, *the rock}

Oh! I thought he was giving someone grief somewhere!

[onlytolerable]

Sophie understands the first little bit of Welsh, but the last escapes her utterly. "Oh, dear. I should know that, shouldn't I? The...what?"

She thanks Dani when she deposits another cup for her guest. Sophie stops here often enough that the waitress knows the drill. "Would you like a fresh pot? I'm afraid I take mine terribly strong. Are your hands bothering you? Arthritis?"

[denythyfather]

It's just a little side-eye, Sophie. A small, not at all obvious side-eye. And then he clears his throat. "Um... Sophie? What are you... making?"

[onlytolerable]

"Hmmm?" She looks up. Goodness, Adrien, even a non-knitter ought to be able to tell the tiny item belongs on a foot. "Booties, then a hat and sweater, probably a blanket. This is lovely yarn. Feel how soft it is--like a cloud."

[denythyfather]

Oh dear god. He manages to not totally freak out, reaching out absently to touch the yarn. "Yes, well... ah. Who... who is it for?"

[onlytolerable]

"Who do you think?" Honestly. Had he tuned out when she prattled on about Irene's problems? There aren't that many people she'd knit for who might be expecting, and it's far too early for Zoe.

This is who I'm logged in with, so...

[fiddlerjohnny]

He's just passing by, hands in his pockets, not a care in the world.

But Sophie knitting booties is apparently enough to get him to pause and watch for a moment. "Isn't that kind of...old-fashioned?"

That was a nice way of putting it, anyway.

Works for me!

[onlytolerable]

Sophie looks up. "What? Oh! The knitting? Not really. Apparently it's trendy again." She smiles to herself. Not that it had been when she'd taught herself the skill. "I may need to stop lest I ruin my reputation."

[fiddlerjohnny]

"Is it? I'm totally not trendy, obviously." He smiles easily, "baby booties?"

You're getting raised eyebrows, Sophie, the question left unsaid.

[onlytolerable]

"That's right. Then a hat or maybe a sweater. I haven't decided yet. Booties are more fun. Hard to believe these will probably be too big at first."

[sirforawhile]

He was coming over to say hi anyway, but the sight of the bootie will leave him standing in awkward silence for a moment or two until he finds his voice. "Okay, confess. Who's this meant for?"

He might mean to wear or he might mean to freak out. Whichever.

[onlytolerable]

Sophie holds up the tiny bootie and makes a show of checking it for size. "I'd say a baby. I doubt it'd fit anyone our size."

Why yes, she's finally realized why so many people have been asking her that question and can't resist teasing a bit.

[sirforawhile]

All right, he walked into that one. "Oh, harhar. How do you know there isn't someone out there with the world's smallest feet? They need warm feet too."

[onlytolerable]

She laughs. "Point taken. My sister just found out she's expecting so I finally have a chance to play with this gorgeous yarn I bought ages ago."

And the moop himself.

[diemwnt]

He's certain she's mentioned someone being pregnant, and he's certain it wasn't her.

A sister. Right? Maybe a cousin. Absolutely not a bastard Berthier-Fitzgerald. As much as he's certain she keeps from him--out of a misguided attempt to keep him from worrying, likely, although genuinely nothing will likely stop him worrying about his most important people--this wouldn't have been skipped over. And he absolutely wouldn't have forgotten it.

So. Hair-tug for his little sister. Explain why this is happening.

Aw, Moopy!

[onlytolerable]

Hey! She bats at his hand (never actually aiming at it). Has he mistaken her for Adrien or something? "For Irene. She and Peter are finally expecting. I'm going to be an aunt!"

[diemwnt]

Just because physical contact with her doesn't get him jittery doesn't mean he's good at it. Pulling a girl's hair used to be how you told her you liked her. Pigtails in inkwells. Right?

/How soon?/

[onlytolerable]

"First trimester--is there a sign for that?" //So I have loads of time to knit silly baby things. Sitara tells me you have not been around nearly enough.//

Or some female with an S name.