Sunflower. [F. W]

101. Numb

She had told no one. She didn't have any recollection of Lestrange manor, so apparating there was not an option. She knew baby Sirius was there, but she couldn't get there, and it was frustrating to sat the least. 

Bee had been hiding and brokenhearted in Charlie's cottage, which was fairly close to Shell Cottage. Each time Bill would come over, she'd hide on the closet, or under the guest room's bed for hours. No one knew where she was. Fred was getting more and more worried by the minute, not only about Sirius but also about his wife, who was nowhere to be found and who thought he had cheated on her. But Charlie promised her he wouldn't say anything.

That particular morning the both of them had woken up extra sad. It was Bee's birthday, but for the first time since she had a memory, she was not going to go to her mother's grave. It felt like heartbreak upon heartbreak, so she stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, wishing she was somewhere else instead. 

That's the thing about heartbreak, you don't get to remember what your heart felt when it was once whole. She felt small, she felt like she had lost all of her power. No one should feel this much pain at 21, but everything reminded her of Fred. From the way the sun rays would bleed into her empty bed early in the morning, to the smell of tea and how what once gave her comfort, now it was a painful reminder that it was not Fred serving her tea, but Charlie. Not even falling into routine made her feel safe. She would wake up, spend the morning trying to find a way to see Sirius, refuse lunch, eat lunch because Charlie would make her, wallow in self pity and miss Fred all afternoon and then cry herself to sleep. 

"Bee, come on. Get out of bed." Said Charlie making her groan. "It's your birthday and I refuse to let you wallow in self pity. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know. I'd like to cease to exist, that would be nice."

"We could get drunk, too." 

"Charles Weasley, you read my mind." She smiled for the first time in a really long time. "Are you going out to buy some alcohol?" 

"Yes ma'am!" 

"Can you do me a favour?" Bee took off her wedding ring, leaving on only the promise ring Fred had given her just before the third task. "Can you give the wedding ring back to Fred?" 

"Are you sure?" 

"No. This is the last thing I want, but it is a constant reminder of what he did." 

Charlie took the ring with him, and before he went to buy as much alcohol as he could anticipating the rough night ahead, he apparated to the flat. What Charlie didn't count on, was the small crowd on the flat, where George, Ginny, Molly and Arthur were trying to get Fred to eat something. Of course George was still mad at Fred, but the bond they shared was strong enough to put that aside seeing the state of his twin brother. 

"Charlie?" Asked Molly. 

"This is a shitty moment. I'm just here to drop something off. Sorry bud." 

Charlie gave Fred the ring the ginger recognized in a heartbeat, breaking down in sobs in front of part of his family. 

"Please! Please tell me this isn't true!" Fred sobbed. "Where is she?" 

"I promised I wouldn't tell, Fred. She's not coping well, but she is healthy. She didn't want to give back the ring, but she says it is a reminder of what you did, and it hurts." 

"Charlie you have to believe me, I didn't cheat on her, she came onto me. Jessica kissed me but I never kissed back, it was a set up to take Sirius I'm-" 

"It's not me who has to believe you, it's her." 

"Then let me see her! Please!" 

"Not today Freddie... It's her birthday and she'd be far too emotional to make a proper decision. She still loves you. She wears the promise ring, it's not all hope lost. But you have to face reality, even if you didn't cheat on her, you don't have proof, and this is not something you can mend with words."