WHO: Thomas McCormack
WHAT: His past year
WHERE: Here, there, and everywhere
WHEN: Flashbacks leading up to tonight
April 29th, 1984"You look lost."
Thomas lifted his head from the brochure in his hands and smiled wearily at the woman who'd stopped on the sidewalk beside him. "I'm a bit lost."
"Only a bit?" she smiled and took the pamphlet from him. He watched her with vague interest. "You're on the wrong block. Come along!"
He attempted to protest, but she started down the pavement with his brochure still in hand. Hefting his bag, he hurried his pace and caught up with her. The impromptu weekend holiday he'd decided to disappear on before the pre-season started was going as smoothly as any of Thomas' unplanned adventures, it seemed. They turned a corner and the woman presented the hotel with a flourish of her hands.
"Here you are, don't open the mini bar."
Thomas refrained from asking her what a mini bar was and mentally noted to find out later. "Thank you," he said, shifting his bag from one shoulder to the next. The woman nodded, her green eyes narrowing.
"Aren't you going to ask me for a drink?" she said, causing Thomas' face to flush.
"That's a silly question—that's----I have to check in."
"And then you'll ask me?"
"I don't even know your name. I've literally known you for a minute---" he vainly attempted to argue, as he internally struggled with the need to be alone and the growing desire to take this woman out. The mischief in her eyes was hard to ignore. She stuck out her hand, standing straight and proper.
"I'm Julia, and you've known me for two minutes, now."
Thomas hesitated slightly before taking her hand in his. This muggle woman seemed determined to throw his weekend off course, and while it would be easy to dismiss her, he felt an attraction that he couldn't ignore.
"Tom," he said, deciding that on this one-shot weekend of he deserved a bit of his own mischief.
July 20th, 1984He dropped into the chair at the small table of the cafe, waving his hand in an apology, "I'm sorry I'm late, I got caught up--at work." Work, meaning not the boring paper company she believed him to be employed at, but the rather rigorous round of interviews for the upcoming All-Star weekend.
Thomas stopped trying to explain himself and cocked his head in question as she frowned at him. Julia shut her eyes for a moment and let a breath out from her nose. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a haphazardly put together bun atop her head. He felt his chest constrict; she never gave off such a severe demeanor, and Thomas silently hoped that his lies hadn't finally caught up with him.
"I'm pregnant."
Silence. The world had gone completely and utterly silent.
When he finally regained his motor skills, Thomas blinked.
"I'm a wizard."
It was Julia's turn to lose control of the most basic of functions, and after staring blankly at him for a solid minute, she blurted, "Excuse me, what?"
September 30th, 1984"Would you get down from there?"
Thomas stared up at Julia, who balanced precariously on the stone wall of the bridge.
"Wouldn't you be able to magically catch me?" she said, turning quickly on her toes and causing Thomas to blanch. His arms rose to help her jump down, and she let out a laugh.
"I'd rather not risk it," he said, not letting go of her sides until she was safely on the ground. His hand shifted to rest on the side of her stomach. "I'd like to see if that's a boy or a girl in there."
Julia batted her eyes, "You think I don't know?"
"I thought you said you wanted to wait?"
"Tom, I haven't a lick of patience!"
Thomas pressed his lips together; he'd accepted having to wait another four months to find out the gender, but Julia had that twinkle of mischief in her eye that he couldn't resist.
"Tell me."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, I think."
"That doesn't sound very sure."
"I'm sure! I want to know."
"You're not going to like it."
"Of course I will!"
She smiled and said, "Girl."
"Oh, hell."
October 30th, 1984"Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"You've never shown that sort of concern before," Thomas said, lighting the candle inside the hollowed out pumpkin. Julia pursed her lips.
"Is there a reason you haven't told your family?"
"They'd drive you off."
"Your friends?"
"We're in the middle of the season; I don't...want things going mad."
He turned his focus back on the pumpkin, but could feel her strong stare. Thomas sighed and looked up. A rare look of insecurity had spread across her face.
"I want to keep something for myself," he answered honestly. "I don't want to share you two right now."
Julia seemed pleased with the answer and went back to decorating her poorly carved pumpkin. Thomas smiled and ducked his head.
"What about me? Am I worth the secret keeping?"
Julia didn't lift her eyes from her work and said, "That's a silly question."
December 1st, 1984His elbows pressed into his knees, and if the chair wasn't so sturdy Thomas was sure that he'd have shaken the legs right off. Holly sat beside him, legs crossed in a stern manner, but her foot was bouncing so furiously that it betrayed her serious demeanor.
"You couldn't convince her to go to Mungo's?" she said lowly, her eyes searching the waiting room for any eavesdroppers. There was only one other person there, a man passed out in the corner who had been asleep before the two had entered.
Thomas shook his head. He'd quickly explained the situation to Holly, who had responded with a hard pinch in the arm. The baby wasn't supposed to arrive until the end of January, and his nerves were getting the best of him. He felt like he could honestly be sick any moment, and the fact that the
doctors weren't giving him any updates or news had him ready to lose any sense.
"It's too soon," he said, dropping his head and taking in deep breaths. He had been so ready for the end of the season because that meant he could really focus. He'd invited Kendall and Rose over for lunch tomorrow—today, to break the news (and probably break his eardrums), he was going to break the news to his family, and they were finally going to meet Julia. He didn't even know what they
were, he felt strange calling her a girlfriend and she never referred to him as her boyfriend.
Was that strange? It was, he knew, but it felt appropriate for him. They lived nearly separate lives save for the baby, but he enjoyed her company and she seemed to enjoy his. Maybe when things were put out in the open, things would change. He'd like for it to change. She didn't have any family outside of the elderly aunt that raised her, so Thomas was the one that had been holding things off. He should've brought a present.
They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, and it wasn't broken until the main doors opened and the doctor that had instructed Thomas to
stay put came through the door. Thomas jumped to his feet immediately and when the doctor pulled the mask off of his face, the wizard felt ready to collapse.
"Mr. McCormack, I'm sorry," he began. Holly grabbed Thomas' hand as he listened to the doctor explain what had happened, the entire situation. None of it made any sense; he didn't know any muggle medical jargon and his eyes went blurry as he tried to understand it all. The doctor frowned, and gestured to the door. "You can come with me."
----------
He bit the inside of his cheek, eyes red and narrowed. The chair was uncomfortable and gave no support, so he leaned forward on the mattress of the bed, feeling exhausted though he hadn't done a thing.
"You didn't tell me you were sick," he said hoarsely. Julia stared at him wearily.
"What good would that have been?"
"We could've tried magic," he began, but she shook her head. Thomas dropped his gaze, unable to stop the tears that were stinging his eyes.
"She's going to survive this."
Thomas' stare hardened; he had barely thought about the baby that had been born and whisked away to an emergency center. Did it matter if the baby survived and she didn't? He wasn't sure.
Julia's hand weakly took hold of his, "What are you going to name her?"
"I can't—"
"I've always liked Alice," she said softly. He managed to lift his head, chest and shoulders heaving with his attempts to keep himself from falling apart. Thomas nodded, he liked it too. Julia smiled and he felt his heart break. "How pretty."
His eyes shut tightly, nodding once again.
"Alice McCormack," Julia murmured, sounding as if she was falling asleep. Thomas' eyes shot open and his throat clenched. He took hold of her hand in both of his, pulling her hand to his lips. They fell silent, and he could see her slipping away from him. Thomas felt as if he should have something wonderful to say to her, but he couldn't think of anything profound.
"Did you love me, Tom?"
Thomas choked out a laugh; she'd read his mind.
"That's a silly question."
