In the end can they just pretend?
Ronald Weasley had hit rock bottom, his life as he knew it was over. He had lost everything. Well not everything, but it felt like the life he had imagined for himself was over. And his family wasn't helping him. Th...
CHAPTER THIRTY - HEAVEN KNOWS I AIN'T GETTING OVER YOU
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Claudia felt very strange in herself, she felt almost like things around her was becoming unreal. Like they were starting to float into a world of disbelief. Everything seemed to be too good to be true. From the moment she had even told Ronald of the big life changing news, things only seemed to be getting better for them. It left her perplexed if she was being honest. She knew that she had always been a little confused on just to what extent their relationship was real. Yet every single second from the moment he had found out, the way he had acted. It felt all incredibly real to her.
It was no longer uncommon to find him at her place, he seemed to just want to spend his free time with her, whether it was doing the housework, listening to her rant about her day at work. Or just be in the same place doing completely different things. It had been a matter of weeks, yet things seemed to be as though it had been like it for months. Part of her loved this, part of her hated it. She was unsure of which part she wanted to lean into more. But she was sure if there was to be an argument about it, it would occur soon enough.
However, she could no longer focus on the confusion of thoughts swirling through her mind. The cold gel snapped her back into the present moment. Sure the technician had warned her just how cold the gel would be against her stomach, yet it was colder than she was anticipating. Her eyes travelled from where they had just been staring up at the ceiling over to the monitor which she was anxiously waiting to see the image display. She felt her hand be taken and a gentle squeeze given.
Claudia chose to move her eyes away from the screen and over to the man sat in the room as well. Ron's left leg bounced anxiously as he too found himself waiting to see what was going to be displayed on the monitor. His anxiety was also present upon his face and all she could do in that moment was give him two little gentle squeezes back, to let him know that she was not only okay but she was there. He did not make eye contact with her in this moment, too scared to miss anything and Claudia could understand and agree a little turning her attention back to the monitor unsure what exactly she was seeing.
That was until she truly caught eyesight of what they were even in the office for. As on the screen to her side, the screen which was being turned towards them both was the first image of her baby. The baby at first she wasn't sure she could be a mother to, but now, now she had just seen them. And she could feel as though the tears welling in her eyes were about to fall. Her free hand moved to cover her mouth. Her baby.
"That's our baby." Ron's whispered words came through to the point where she was sure she could have missed them.
"It is." Claudia confirmed unable to say much more in that moment in time. Rather she found herself remaining shocked and letting any words the technician say bounce off her from the moment that they confirmed that things were looking okay. The rest of the appointment seemed to go fast and as Ron returned from the machine required to print out the scan images taken she took some time to stand out in the fresh air.
Ron would return to her just a matter of minutes after having left her side passing over one scan image. Claudia found herself focused on the image she held within her hand and knowing that now she couldn't not go through with the pregnancy. She had barely seen her baby for twenty minutes but she had made her final decision from the appointment.
"Claudia." She raised her head at Ron's words still not really used to him calling her by her full name, not unless it was something serious. And this appeared to be again something serious. Instantly the thought of him being spooked out crossed her mind, she could understand why. She hoped that this wasn't the case, but she knew that her feelings for the man were so strong. That at the end of the day, it didn't matter what he chose, she would support him for whatever that was even if it meant losing him.
"Everything in that room, it brought some things to light." Ron noticed her full attention remained upon him and used his words carefully waiting for any kind of emotion to cross her face. It was brief the moment of confusion which quickly settled into one which seemed more content. Like she had come to terms with what he was about to say, even if she did not know what it was.
"I've had enough of this pretending thing that's going on. I don't want to pretend anymore." Ron's voice was strong and Claudia felt herself take a deep breath in knowing the next sentence could go either way and though she knew what she wanted it to head in, a path remained unwritten.
"I just saw my baby on that screen and I fell in love with them instantly. It was so instant so easy because I already love their mother more than I ever thought imaginable. I never want to think of you as my fake partner again. Be my girlfriend for real this time?" Claudia threw herself at him moving to lock her arms around his neck unsure whether this day could get any better. And as he wrapped his own arms around her, she allowed their hug to last for just a little while before pulling back. Back to a point where they could make eye contact properly.
"I love you too Ronald, I want nothing more than for this to be permanent, real. I want us to build our family together." He bent downward to gently kiss her knowing that they were on the same page now and hopefully forever more.
