All Good Things

Chapter 19 - Extracurricular Activities

!!CONTENT WARNING!!

More sexual content this chapter <3
I did a literal fuck ton of research for this one
(Research that quite frankly had me turning various
shades of red by the time I was done)

Also, tiny time skip at the very beginning of this chapter!

ALSO Also, I was intentionally vague on what Tori is shopping
for, but I imagine it's not that hard to figure out. ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Victoria

The store was fairly empty, save a couple eyeing one of the displays a bit further down, and a man looking at a piece across the aisle. Tori was skimming her fingers over the edge of one of the displays, the glass reflecting the light above her. She had owled Natty to go on a girl's day out, citing a need to get out of the house and away from work. The two women were each looking at different pieces, engrossed in conversation.

"Surely things will simmer down soon. I cannot imagine Eliza would be insane enough to show up on your doorstep looking for Poppy. She appeared a bit unhinged the last I saw her, but I did not know her very well." Natty shifted her bag on her shoulder.

"Honestly, Nat, at this point I wouldn't put it past her. Poppy and I even made a point of putting the post on hold for the cottage, and for the last two weeks, we've had to go and pick up literal hoards of letters." Tori lowered her face closer to the display, pointing at one of the pieces within. "What about this one?"

Natty leaned over, inspecting the article in question. "No, definitely too extravagant for her. She likes to use her hands, so I think it would be best to get something much more simple."

Tori tsked, one side of her mouth tilting up as she moved on. "You're right. It's too gaudy. But either way, the letters do make for good kindling. Poppy's mostly irritated that she's found the address of the sanctuary in the first place. Not to mention it's been over a year, and this woman is not backing down."

"That most certainly is strange. Perhaps she is in touch with someone Poppy told about the sanctuary? Or someone she is in contact with?" Natty looked at her, and Tori could feel her questioning gaze burning through the side of her head.

"It does make the most sense. I doubt her grandmother would have said anything to Eliza, and as far as I know, the only other people she's been in contact with are you, Amit, Garreth and Samantha. None of those people would be in their right mind to tell someone's ex about their new whereabouts." Tori's hand grazed another case, tilting her head at one of the items on display. "What do you think about that one?"

Natty leaned into her again, taking in the small golden item, her hands coming together in front of her. "I think that one is perfect. Poppy will love it. Back to the topic at hand, Samantha Dale is still friends with Sacharissa Tugwood. And there were plenty of times when Sacharissa would approach us when I would be out with them."

"I don't particularly see how that would lead up to Eliza getting Poppy's address, Natty." Tori raised a hand to the shop attendant in an attempt to flag them down.

"Sacharissa and Eliza would often hug, and were very friendly toward one another. She was always particularly nosy, offering Poppy a large assortment of potions to..." Natty raised her hands, grimacing as she brought her index and middle fingers down in quotations. "fix Poppy's image."

Tori rolled her eyes, furrowing her eyebrows in disgust at the mention of the way those two had essentially ganged up on the tiny Hufflepuff.

"And, Samantha has been known to talk far too much, especially once she has gotten into a chat with one of her close friends." Natty pursed her lips into a thin line and raised her eyebrows at Tori as the attendant took the item she had pointed out and prepared it for purchase.