The Healer | Part 3: The Survivors

Never Again

George

'You're late,' Lee greeted me as soon as I arrived to the shop that morning.

'Isn't it a lovely morning?' I grinned widely at him.

I'd been in a brilliant mood all morning. I felt more relaxed and satisfied than I had in eighteen months. Blimey, it was mad how much sex changed things. I hadn't been expecting to do it last night, let alone the second time this morning. I wondered if Edith was feeling as giddy as I was.

'Right...' Lee said hesitantly.

'I need your help,' I told him, brushing past him towards the stairs.

'You're never late,' he went on, following me.

'I wasn't going to come in at all,' I informed him with a smirk.

'Is that right?' He replied.

'I had a good reason,' I replied.

'Oh?' He raised an eyebrow.

'We'll talk in the workshop,' I was aware of the other staff stocking shelves close by. I didn't want everyone knowing my business now that it was Edith's business, too.

Once I shut the workshop door behind us, Lee turned on me.

'Are you going to explain yourself?' He asked.

'What for?' I told him. 'I'm the boss, not you.'

'Fair enough,' he shrugged. 'What do you need help with?'

'This bloody thing again,' I reached into my pocket and pulled the ring out.

'What about it?' Lee asked as if it were a piece of Fever Fudge instead of a diamond ring.

'I've got to give it to her, you spanner,' I replied.

'Do you?' He smirked.

'Look, nothing about our relationship has been proper so far.'

'You can say that again,' he muttered. I shot him another glare.

'She deserves a proper proposal,' I told him. 'But I've never done this before, I don't know how.'

'You think I do?' He asked incredulously.

I exhaled heavily.

'Look, no one else knows,' I told him. 'Except Charlie, and he's in Romania at the moment.'

'When are you going to do it?' He asked.

'Today.'

'Sorry?'

'You heard me,' I sighed and shoved the ring back in my pocket.

'Is this why you were late?' He asked.

'Well, not that it's any of your business, but Edith spent the night last night,' I said with a grin.

'Did she?' He grinned in a way that I knew meant he was about to tease me. 'And how was that, now?'

'Again, none of your business,' I smirked.

'Well, it must have been good if now you're going to ask her to marry you,' he chuckled.

'Oi!' I exclaimed, instinctively reaching for my wand.

'I thought you needed my help,' he said.

'With the proposal!' I rolled my eyes. 'I've got everything else covered.'

'Of course you do,' he winked. 'Have to make everything proper now that she's spending the night.'

My heart jumped into my throat at that statement. Hell, I knew for a fact that she hadn't performed her Contraception Charm last night. She could be pregnant right now. I hadn't thought about it in the moment, how could I have been so stupid?