Speechless

Chapter Eight: I'll Breathe When They Try To Suffocate Me

In the week that followed Eileen's second birthday, Lily found herself growing accustomed to the quiet around the house once again. She'd hosted her daughter's birthday, this time around, although Molly had come over bright and early to help with the food, with Hermione showing up shortly thereafter to assist with the decorations. The end result was Eileen being treated like quite the little princess—although what else was new, really?—and as Lily stepped into the living room, holding tightly to the plate which housed the cake Molly had especially baked for Eileen, she watched as her daughter's eyes filled with excitement.

The house was quiet on Monday evening, just after Lily had put Eileen to bed down the hallway and around the corner, and was taking the liberty of doing a quick tidying up of the living room, for Eileen had fallen asleep, her nose in a potion's book for beginners, from Severus, which she had gotten for her birthday, and had been too tired to pick up her things herself. As Lily finished spelling the books back into Eileen's little case by the window, and her toys in the box just below that, she was surprised when her Floo flared unexpectedly.

Pocketing her wand, she ventured towards the hearth and knelt before it. "Hello?" she asked, peering into the flames. "Aiden? That you?"

"Yeah," Aiden said with a chuckle. "Just got back from Austria tonight. The Graphorn is far more elusive a creature than we thought."

"You manage to find any horns?" Lily asked; as the daughter and older sister of a potioneer, she knew a thing or two about this subject, her Outstanding's in it on both her O.W.L.'s and N.E.W.T.'s notwithstanding.

"Yes, some of them were nearby the camp," Aiden replied. "I sent them via owl to St. Mungo's earlier this evening. Al's working the late shift and he got back to me, letting me know that he appreciated the donation."

"That's good," Lily said. "How's Mara doing?"

"She'll never forgive me for saying this, but the twins are exhausting her to no end," Aiden put in with a loving smile at the thought of his wife.

"They demanding to know the number of days until their birthday?" Lily asked, very aware of Eileen's words ringing in her mind in the weeks leading up to hers.

"Unfortunately, yes, and it's not until the end of March, unfortunately," Aiden replied. "Mara's already told me that these will be our only children."

Lily smirked. "You okay with that?"

"I'm okay with whatever she wants," Aiden said. "And you? Think you'll have any more children after Eileen?"

Lily sighed. "Well, I'm not planning on it, at this point. Have to find someone to settle down with eventually, if I ever want it to happen for me, I suppose."

"You're raising Eileen alone."

Lily nodded. "I know, and it's wonderful not having to share her, believe me. But I don't want to have to do it again."

Aiden sighed then, obviously wanting to get something off his chest. "Look, Mara's sleeping, and I need to talk about something important..."

Lily blinked. "Well, I obviously can't leave—Eileen is asleep in the next room," she said quietly to him. "Would you care to come through?"

Aiden nodded. "I think that's best," he replied. It took a moment, but once Aiden came through the Floo and got his bearings, Lily was standing expectantly opposite him. "Look, I know this is coming out of left field, given that there's a significant amount of time that's past. But I've got married soon after finding out that Mara and I were expecting, and then came the business opportunity for the department..."

"You're spiraling," Lily said, forcing a laugh through her lips so as she didn't sound completely like Severus. "It's all right, Aiden. Just tell me what's bothering you."