LILAC (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 54

„Earth to Jean?", Gabriella waves a hand in front of Jean's face, snapping the woman out of her trance.

„I'm sorry, what?" Jean leans back at her office chair, turning towards her colleague.

Gabriella chuckles: „What's gotten into you today? You seem out of place." She lays a folder on the desk, next to the quill and open textbooks.

„Nothing, it's just- nothing. Sorry." Jean has a hard time focusing and looking her friend in the eyes.

„That doesn't seem like nothing. Spill." Gabriella pushes some parchment aside and sits on the table, feet dangling in the air. „Did Mr. Peterson ask for a private shower again?"

„What? No. Luckily no. That mans disgusting." Jean shudders at the thought of the old man.

„Then what's going on in that thing you've call head?"

„I went on a date yesterday. A blind date to be exact."

„Oh, why haven't you said anything? A blind date? Really?"

„Yes I know, I'm still angry at myself for agreeing to. My cousin ask me to do him a favour and well what can I say, it was more like charity work at that point."

Gabriella starts to laugh. „Oh by Helga, that bad?"

„You have no idea. At first I thought it might be alright and that just the beginning with conversation takes time to fully get on. It was awkward and then after we have already eaten our food and drank some beverages his mannerisms got even more worse. Especially when my cousin and his lovely girlfriend decided to leave me alone with that man. He had some audacity."

„What did he do?"

„What happened before is to be ignored, non of importance, but what drew the line for me, was when he decided for me, that I'm not allowed to educate myself further and get higher up in my field. Yes you heard correctly. He said, that in my age I shouldn't be doing this, because I'm the one who has to get the kids."

Gabriella stares at her with disbelief. Both women sit there in silence, letting these words fully affect them.

„What the actual fuck?", says Gabriella.

„Yes. Needless to say I decided to call it quits after that. I really tried the whole evening, but that was enough."

„How old was that piece of shit?"

„Somewhere around 40. He told me, but I can't remember. He works at the ministry at that. He recently got a promotion himself."

„I'm not sure if that is suitable in his age."

Now Jean has to laugh. Gabriella is her best coworker she ever had, and she is grateful that she transferred to her station some years ago.

„But that can't be everything. Because I hope an idiot doesn't make you smile like that?"

Jean immediately is transferred back to the night before. Seeing Alec was surprising and in all honesty even nice. Catching up with him was great and she never dared to think that something like that might have happened after school and especially after their break up. They've talked for some time. Shared a few glasses and some laughter. When the bar closed it was time for them to head back home and they shared their goodbyes. To See what life had stored for him was interesting and yet sad.

A part of Jean imagined how it might have been with him with her by his side. And she shouldn't have done that. It is a closed chapter and it is over. She knows that and life is already complicated as it is.

„No but I managed to catch up with someone unexpectedly."

„That grin. Was it someone lovely?"

„No. I mean yes... but it was just a one time meeting. Like a full circle thing, just for closure I guess. We went to school together."

„Do I know them?" Gabriella plays with a strand of her curly hair, swinging her legs.

„I believe you might, but not really good. He was in my year, a Hufflepuff."

„A Hufflepuff. Mhm, let me think." Gabriella taps her chin.

Jean watches her nervously. Gabriella was a year under her, but she is smart. If she gives too much away, she might figure out who it is.

„One question. If it was nice meeting him, why not meet up again?"

Now she has it. „That's complicated and not that easy. We had history together."

„Mhm... let's see. Oh, I understand. Which one of your boyfriends was it?"

Unintentionally I had to laugh. „Wow you make it sound like I was eating from a buffet."

Gabriella jumps down from the table, stretching her back. „Honestly you could have, if you wanted to. But now spill, I remember you were together with someone for a long time in your last year. How was his name again?"

„Alec. His name is Alec."

„It was him. Wasn't it? Ha, I knew it. So what would be so bad about meeting him again?"

„As sad, we were together and that is over. It was nice seeing him and all that, but that's all. There won't happen more. There can't happen more. We aren't the ones who we were at school and we have a different life now."

„And who sad that has to be something bad? Does he have a wife or spouse?"

„No."

„Then what's stopping you?"