Authors' note: One of the supporting players in the Last Dance cast gets to take center stage so to speak. This is mostly about Mimi and how her family celebrates her birthday. There's also some RJ/Audrey and something else happens but…that's all we can say about that.
Thank you for the great response to Chapter 200! We appreciate your comments and thoughts! Thank you for reading our "little" story!
It was Mimi's birthday, and her mother had invited Oliver Wood and Jake over for dinner that evening. She'd made all of Mimi's favourite foods and they were all currently enjoying themselves.
"It's not everyday that my daughter turns 18," Cheryl said smiling at her.
Mimi blushed. "Thanks Mum."
"These potatoes are fantastic, Mrs. Doyle," Jake said spooning another spoonful on his plate.
"Thank you Jake," Cheryl said. "Eat up- or I'll have to send you home with some."
The doorbell rang and Cheryl excused herself to answer it.
"Your mother is a wonderful cook," Oliver said to Mimi when Cheryl had gone. "This is better than a Hogwarts feast."
"She's really great, isn't she?" Mimi asked proudly.
"Mary Margaret?" a familiar male voice said from the doorway. Mimi froze.
Cheryl appeared again, her smile gone. Behind her was Mimi's father.
"What are you doing here?" Mimi asked icily.
"It's your birthday," Fred Doyle said. "And I haven't seen you in awhile."
Cheryl looked at her ex-husband. "Um, Fred. Would you like to join us? We just sat down..."
"There's no room," Mimi said abruptly.
"Mimi, why don't you help me in the kitchen?" Cheryl asked her daughter.
Mimi glared at her father and shoved her chair back.
Reluctantly, she followed her mother into the kitchen.
"Mimi," Cheryl said evenly. "Your father does love you very much. He just wanted to stop in and wish you a happy birthday and give you your present."
"If he loved me so much he shouldn't have cheated on you and broke up our family," Mimi crossed her arms.
"No matter what, he does love you," Cheryl said reaching into the cabinet for another plate. "Please try and be civil to him. He's not going to be here long."
"Fine," Mimi said crossly.
Cheryl asked her daughter to grab some extra silverware, which Mimi did reluctantly. This had been such a great evening and now here he was---ruining it.
They went back into the dining room. Oliver looked a bit out of place while Fred was talking quietly to Jake.
"Mary Margaret," Fred said standing back up when she came back into the room. "You look beautiful, sweetheart. Jake here was just telling me about your last two matches. I can't believe my little girl is playing Quidditch!"
Mimi shrugged. "Thanks to Professor Wood."
"I just showed her a few tips," Oliver said. "She picked everything up really fast."
"She's an amazing Keeper," Jake said proudly.
"I really would like to see your next match," Fred said. He would have gone to the others, but Cheryl told him that Mimi wasn't comfortable with him being there.
Mimi shrugged again. "I don't know when it is," she lied.
"Oh," Fred said quietly. "I-I see."
Mimi dug her spoon into her potatoes and pointedly ignored her father. It still hurt to see him now, knowing what he had done.
"How are things at St. Mungos?" Oliver asked the other man politely.
Fred nodded. "Couldn't be better, actually."
"I bet you see some strange things," Jake chimed in.
"Every day it's something new," Fred replied.
"And how is Amanda?" Mimi asked sarcastically.
Fred looked down at his plate. "I'm not seeing her anymore, Mary Margaret."
"Would you stop calling me that?" Mimi snapped.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Fred said quietly.
Mimi shook her head and stared back down at her plate, pushing her food around.
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Fred continued.
"Too late," Mimi replied coldly.
Fred reached into his pocket and produced an envelope and a small box. "This is for you, Mar---Mimi."
"I don't want it," Mimi shook her head.
Fred tried to hide his disappointment. "Mimi, if I could take back what happened, I would. I'm so sorry that I hurt you and your mum...."
"It's too late for all of that!" Mimi snapped. "Professor Wood has made her happier than she ever was with you!"
"Jake, how about you and I step outside and let them have their privacy?" Oliver asked pushing back from his chair.
"Yes sir," Jake stood up and followed the headmaster out of the room.
"Maybe I should go too," Cheryl said starting to get up.
"I'd very much like to speak to Mimi alone for a few minutes," Fred replied.
Mimi glared at him, but didn't say anything.
"I'll just be in the kitchen," Cheryl told her daughter.
Fred waited until everyone was gone before he spoke. "I know you were very hurt by what happened--" he began.
"You didn't even think about me or mum when you were with that----that woman!" Mimi interjected angrily.
"I was selfish," Fred nodded. "But I'm still your father, Mimi. Despite the mistakes I've made, I still love you very much."
Tears welled up in Mimi's eyes. "You were my dad. I used to look up to you, but now---"
"I still am your dad," Fred said gently.
Mimi looked away from him. She wanted to go into the kitchen with her mother. Being here alone with him made her feel disloyal.
"Your mother and I are making an effort to get along for your sake," Fred continued. "We know that there's no chance of reconciliation. But we both want to be there for you."
"Every time I look at you, I think about what you did," Mimi said her voice shaking. "I don't know if I can get past that, Daddy."
"I hope you can try," Fred answered. "I may have made a mistake, but I never meant to hurt you, Mar-- Mimi."
"You and Mum are the only ones I let call me that," Mimi said wiping at her eyes.
Fred chanced putting an arm around his daughter and was glad when she didn't pull away.
"I have missed you," she admitted.
"I thought about you every day," Fred told her.
Mimi pulled away to look at him properly. "Mum said you moved to a flat in Surrey."
Fred nodded. "It's a nice place. I hope you'll come to visit me there."
"You didn't decorate it yourself, did you?" Mimi asked.
"It came furnished," Fred said with a smile.
"That's good," Mimi said smiling back at him for the first time in what seemed like forever.
"How about you open your present?" Fred asking picking up the card and box and handing it to her.
"Okay," Mimi replied, tearing back the paper. Inside was a pretty silver bracelet.
"What do you think?" Fred asked hopefully.
"It's really nice, Dad." Mimi said. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," Fred said giving her a hug.
Cheryl poked her head in. "Are we all okay now?"
"Getting there," Fred replied. "Thanks for letting us have a moment, Cheryl."
"Sure thing," Cheryl replied. "I'll tell Oliver and Jake it's safe."
Fred looked over at his daughter and smiled. "I can't believe you're 18 years old, Mimi."
"I grew up kind of fast," Mimi said with a small smile.
"Too fast," Fred said. "It seems like just yesterday, you were following me around in the backyard."
Mimi nodded. "Feels like a long time ago to me." she said as Jake sat back down next to her.
"Where is Elizabeth?" Fred asked. "I would have thought she'd be here."
Mimi shook her head. "She stayed at school. But, she sent me a card and some really nice makeup."
"You don't need makeup," Jake said with a grin.
"Good answer," Mimi said grinning back at him.
Oliver looked at Cheryl. "Everything all right with you?" he asked softly.
She nodded. "I'm really glad you're here."
"I'm glad you invited me," he said, reaching for her hand. "I don't get to see you often enough during the school year."
"We have the weekends, sometimes," Cheryl said smiling at him.
"I really ought to have you come out for a Hogsmeade weekend," Oliver said thoughtfully.
"I can go a little shopping crazy in Hogsmeade," Cheryl warned him.
"Like mother like daughter," Oliver quipped.
"Very funny," Cheryl said hitting him playfully on the arm.
Mimi noticed the wistful expression on her father's face as he watched her mother and Oliver. She did feel a little satisfaction at that given how hard it had been for her mother to get over her father and what he'd done.
Jake squeezed Mimi's hand. "Save some room for when I take you out for ice cream later."
"I will," Mimi promised.
Jake gave her a quick kiss.
"I think we're ready for cake," Cheryl announced.
"You made chocolate, right Mum?" Mimi asked.
"Mimi, have you ever had any other flavour for you birthday cakes?" Cheryl asked with a grin.
"No," Mimi laughed. "And you make the best cake in the world."
Cheryl smiled. "Only the best for my girl."
Fred nodded. "I'm glad I got to stay, Mimi. Thank you."
"I'm---I'm glad you could be here, too," Mimi said softly.
Cheryl was proud of her daughter and smiled at her.
Mimi smiled back. This had been a very tough evening, but she had missed her father. She knew she'd never forget what had happened, but she was going to try and find some way to forgive him.
*** *** ***
Audrey closed her eyes and sighed happily. She'd had a long day of waiting tables at the pub and her feet were killing her. She didn't know what RJ was doing but he seemed to have magic fingers as he massaged her sore feet.
"That definitely was a happy sound," he teased her.
"Very happy," Audrey said her eyes still closed.
"How busy was it, really?" RJ asked.
"Well, there was a retirement party," Audrey said. "And then there was a stag party....and that was just the first hour...."
"Jeez," RJ muttered, moving to her other foot.
"But it's good for business," Audrey said. "And I did well in tips."
"So maybe you'll buy ME dinner next time we go out," he joked.
"You're the professional athlete," Audrey said opening her eyes and grinning at him. "With the big salary."
"Yeah, yeah." RJ laughed. "You win again."
Audrey laughed. "Yay!"
"Your prize..." RJ kissed the top of her foot. "Is me..."
Audrey rolled her eyes, but was laughing. "That's it?"
"That's it?" RJ pretended to be insulted. "I'm telling you Marlowe..."
"Only joking," Audrey reassured him. "I like having you all to myself."
"You do," he answered, moving up to the sofa. "All to yourself..."
"Andrew's on another date, is he?" Audrey asked.
"Yeah," RJ answered.
"Come here then," Audrey said huskily.
"What are you going to do to me?" RJ asked devilishly.
"One way to find out," Audrey purred.
RJ grinned as she pulled him to her. "Show me what you're made of Marlowe."
Audrey wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.
RJ deepened it immediately, pushing her down onto the sofa.
Audrey loved the way that he kissed and how he knew just where to touch her. She closed her eyes and just relaxed in his arms.
He slid his hands up under her shirt, stroking her smooth, warm skin.
Audrey arched against him. "Mmm, RJ."
"If you do that again I don't know what I'll be responsible for doing," he said, only half joking.
Audrey opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Sorry."
"It's okay," he said, pushing her hair off her forehead. "You get me a little excited sometimes."
"Sometimes?" Audrey teased.
"Most of the time," RJ corrected, kissing her again.
Despite their rocky start, Audrey had fallen hard for him. She thought about him most of the time and she felt so happy when she was with him.
RJ pushed himself off to her side and wrapped his arms back around her.
Audrey smiled at him. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I just love being with you," RJ said. "As much as I possibly can."
"Me too," Audrey said softly.
"I might even have to go so far as to say I'm falling in love with you," RJ said, his voice quiet.
"What?" Audrey asked. "RJ---"
"We've been dating for about nine months now," RJ replied. "And... I just can't stop thinking about you when I'm not with you."
"I feel the same way," she whispered.
"You do?" RJ's face split with a grin.
Audrey nodded. "I haven't felt this way in a long time."
"I haven't either," he replied. "Not since I was with Lexie."
Audrey gave him a kiss. "I love spending time with you."
"We could spend more time together if you wanted to spend the night," RJ hinted.
"Spend the night?" Audrey stammered.
"Just spend the night," RJ said hastily. "Sleep over. Nothing else."
"It's not that I haven't thought about us doing that," Audrey said. "I have. It's just---"
"What?" he asked softly.
"I'm---well, I've never," Audrey said blushing. "I've never done that before and I'm not sure that I'm ready to take that step with you."
"We don't have to do that," RJ replied. "I just... I guess I just thought sometime you might like to stay over, that's all. We can forget I said anything."
"I'd like to stay over," Audrey said.
"You would?" he asked in surprise.
Audrey nodded. "It would be nice to wake up with you."
RJ kissed her. "That it would," he agreed. "And I don't have practise until noon tomorrow."
"We can have a proper lie-in," Audrey smiled.
"I could also make you breakfast in bed," RJ said with a lazy grin.
Audrey laughed. "You sure are pulling all the punches to get me to stay."
"You already agreed to stay," RJ poked her side.
"Come on then," Audrey said. "It's been a long day and I'm knackered."
RJ helped her up. "You can wear one of my shirts," he said, leading her down the hall.
"I might not give it back," Audrey teased.
"I can deal with that," RJ said, closing the bedroom door behind him. He'd made a half arsed attempt to pick up earlier, and the comforter was thrown carelessly over the bed while his dirty clothes had been tossed in the corner.
"You are such a bloke," Audrey said shaking her head.
"I tried to clean up," he said sheepishly.
"You should see my older brother's flat," Audrey said. "He doesn't even make an effort to clean up when he has us over."
"Andrew's a bit of a neat freak," RJ said. "That's why the rest of this place is spotless."
"It's part of your charm," Audrey reassured him. He handed her a t-shirt and she smiled at him. "Thank you."
"You can change in here," he told her. "I'll just go use the loo."
"Okay," Audrey said.
RJ was glad that his girlfriend wanted to spend the night. He was also ecstatic that she felt the same way about him as he did about her.
On his way back from the loo, he ran into Andrew.
"Alright?" Andrew asked.
"Yeah," RJ replied. "When did you get in?"
"Just now," Andrew replied.
"You seem to be getting kind of serious with Natalia," RJ commented.
Andrew nodded. He was getting closer to Natalia. He'd spent Easter with her family and he'd liked spending time with her. "She's fun."
"Cool," RJ smiled at him. "Audrey's staying over. We were just going to bed."
"Natalia's waiting for me in the sitting room," Andrew said motioning over his shoulder.
RJ raised his eyebrow in question. "Oh yeah?"
Andrew nodded. "Yeah, so why am I standing here talking to your ugly mug?"
"Behave yourself in there," RJ punched his shoulder.
Andrew laughed. "You too, Casanova."
"Who?" RJ asked.
"Never mind," Andrew said walking back into the sitting room where Natalia was looking at their music collection. "See anything there that you like?"
Natalia smiled. "A few things..."
"You can put on whatever you want," Andrew said sitting down beside her on the floor.
"Okay," she answered. "I know it's corny, but I still love Celestina Warbeck."
"You know that she was the first person I ever had a crush on?" Andrew admitted sheepishly.
Natalia laughed. "Really?"
"I was seven years old at the time," Andrew said defensively.
"I think it's cute," Natalia assured him.
"What about you?" Andrew asked. "Who did you have your first crush on?"
"Oliver Wood," Natalia said, her face red.
"Good thing you're not a student at Hogwarts then," Andrew said putting his arm around her.
Natalia leaned against him happily and sighed.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" Andrew asked.
"I always do when you're with me," Natalia answered softly.
Andrew leaned in and kissed her. "I feel the same way when I'm with you."
She blushed. "I really like being with you, Andrew."
"I like being with you too," Andrew said. She was beautiful, intelligent and she made him laugh.
"You made settling in here so much easier," Natalia said, playing with his hair.
"I'm glad I volunteered to help show you around your first week," Andrew said smiling at her.
"I am too," Natalia kissed him again.
Andrew's arms snaked around her waist and he pulled her onto his lap.
"Mmmmm..." Natalia made a sound deep in her throat.
Andrew pulled down the strap of her dress and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. "Natalia...."
Her breath came in short gasps and she was unable to speak.
"Do you want to stay?" Andrew asked her, his eyes darkening as he looked at her.
"You have no idea how much," she whispered.
Andrew effortlessly stood up with her in his arms. They were both laughing as he carried her into his bedroom.
"Well," RJ said as he heard them come down the hall. "I think Andrew's going to be getting some tonight."
Audrey smacked his arm. "Have you no tact?"
"No," RJ laughed. "I don't think anyone in my family does. Except for Josh---"
Audrey shook her head. "It's a good thing I know when to keep my mouth shut."
RJ turned off the bedside lamp and cuddled up beside his girlfriend.
"I'm glad I stayed," Audrey said with a smile. "I could really get used to this."
"Me too," RJ said softly. "Aud?"
"Yeah?" she asked.
"I know last summer you and I didn't have that great a time at Brighton," RJ said. "But, my family does go there every summer. I was hoping I might convince you to come with me for a weekend or two..."
Audrey turned to look at him. "I'd love to go." she touched his cheek.
"We'll have a great time," RJ promised.
"I know we will," she agreed. "Especially if you promise to take me out somewhere on a boat..."
"I will," RJ said. "Just the two of us."
Audrey grinned and gave him a kiss. "I'll clear it with Vic, but I don't think it'll be a problem."
"I can't wait," RJ said. "And you know my nieces and nephews will love having you around, too."
"You have a great family," Audrey said. "Especially Jon, Allie, and their kids. What a bunch they are!"
RJ laughed. "They're something else, aren't they?"
"Especially Emma," Audrey said. "She still calls me 'Odd'."
"If it makes you feel any better, Adam calls me 'Ruh'," RJ told her.
Audrey laughed. "I like that. Ruh."
"Ruh and Odd," RJ said laughing. "What a pair."
"What a pair indeed," Audrey pulled him down to her.
RJ gave her a good night kiss. "Sweet dreams, Odd."
"You too, Ruh." Audrey replied.
RJ held her until she fell asleep. He wasn't going to rush things. He would give her all the time that she needed.