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Sep. 19th, 2011 10:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiery_ringSixteen weeks.
Carlotta stares down at her tummy. There's no sign of a bump yet, but then again, she's got a lot of muscle down there.
Will visited last week, as a surprise, from his barracks. And she wanted to tell him all the time, tell him he's going to be a dad, but somehow the words wouldn't come. Which was ridiculous, because she knows he'll be delighted, because he was the one who wanted them to have a baby in the first place.
And then there's her performers. She's not told them yet either. Three of her performers have just given birth in the last two weeks, and yet, she can't bring up the subject.
After a lot of deliberation, she slips on her top hat and coat, and goes down the road to the phone box.
"Grandma?"
"Carlotta! I'm so glad to hear from you. I don't like you being on tour in these dangerous times. Are you well?"
"Yes, I'm well." Carlotta grimaces. Of all the people to call! She must be mad. "Grandma... don't go mad but..."
She hesitates.
"Carlotta Maria Frances, I may be a stern old thing but if you're in trouble, you'd better come out with it."
Carlotta smiles slightly.
"I'm pregnant. Sixteen weeks. But I don't want to leave the circus and I'm afraid if I tell anyone they'll send me home."
There is a pause.
"Carlotta, if there's one thing I learned from your mama, it was that taking her away from her life against her wishes was a terrible thing to do. So if you want to have your baby in a caravan, you go ahead and do it, so long as you teach her some nice manners for when she comes to stay."
Carlotta grins. That went better than expected.
"How do I tell other people? Do you think they'll still take me seriously as a leader?"
"Well you can hardly not tell them, love. They're bound to notice."
They chat until the coin runs out, then she heads back to the circus.
And still doesn't get around to telling anyone just yet.
Carlotta stares down at her tummy. There's no sign of a bump yet, but then again, she's got a lot of muscle down there.
Will visited last week, as a surprise, from his barracks. And she wanted to tell him all the time, tell him he's going to be a dad, but somehow the words wouldn't come. Which was ridiculous, because she knows he'll be delighted, because he was the one who wanted them to have a baby in the first place.
And then there's her performers. She's not told them yet either. Three of her performers have just given birth in the last two weeks, and yet, she can't bring up the subject.
After a lot of deliberation, she slips on her top hat and coat, and goes down the road to the phone box.
"Grandma?"
"Carlotta! I'm so glad to hear from you. I don't like you being on tour in these dangerous times. Are you well?"
"Yes, I'm well." Carlotta grimaces. Of all the people to call! She must be mad. "Grandma... don't go mad but..."
She hesitates.
"Carlotta Maria Frances, I may be a stern old thing but if you're in trouble, you'd better come out with it."
Carlotta smiles slightly.
"I'm pregnant. Sixteen weeks. But I don't want to leave the circus and I'm afraid if I tell anyone they'll send me home."
There is a pause.
"Carlotta, if there's one thing I learned from your mama, it was that taking her away from her life against her wishes was a terrible thing to do. So if you want to have your baby in a caravan, you go ahead and do it, so long as you teach her some nice manners for when she comes to stay."
Carlotta grins. That went better than expected.
"How do I tell other people? Do you think they'll still take me seriously as a leader?"
"Well you can hardly not tell them, love. They're bound to notice."
They chat until the coin runs out, then she heads back to the circus.
And still doesn't get around to telling anyone just yet.
