wild birds flying around –– rains of winter never seem to leave the walls
Summary: Johanna never thought she would be able to even have a child of her own. But four years into their marriage, she's nursing a swollen belly just as she's seen her in-laws do dozens of times before. Anthony is overjoyed, already singing lullabies to her belly while she's still trying to grapple with her condition--and the fact that they're having a baby.
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“Jo,” Anthony whispers again. And his expression breaks, displaying all the joy of a man. The way his fingers quiver, she can tell he wants to stroke the skin there, let himself fully grasp a reality he considers to be nothing but beautiful. Anthony looks up at her. “You can touch.”
Chapters: 2/7
Read on: Ao3
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She says nothing as she approaches her husband, waits for him to notice her.
It doesn’t take long. He looks towards the sun and finds his wife over him instead. The expression on his face admits to her that he would have jumped if he had been standing. She continues to be quiet until he rises.
“Do you see it?” Johanna asks.
Anthony doesn’t answer her. “It’s freezing out here!” He takes her hand, leading her back inside. “What are you doing? You’re just in your…” He blinks as he realizes what she’s just in. “ Jo… ”
“ Look .”
She is undeterred, though allows him to close the door behind them. It is much warmer in here. Every morning, Anthony lights a fire for her to protect her from whatever chill Plymouth has in store for them today. She told him once that it was hardly fair how she has a roof over her head and a fire in the pit while he had to slave away on the docks. With a kiss, Anthony told her that he’s delighted that’s how it’s worked out.
He said something about her not having any fire for nine months. As if her time in Fogg’s could make up for a whole lifetime. He doesn’t want her to suffer like that ever again.
How was she able to marry such a perfect man?
“ Look ,” Johanna whispers again as she brushes away her shawl. Anthony grabs a corner of it, but with a move of her shoulder, it falls away again. She takes his fingers. “It’s already begun.”
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