Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them...Continued.

20: American Dream

JACOB
    It was the best time he'd had in his entire life.
    And that was including the time he spent establishing the bakery, which was a close second. Queenie was everything he remembered and more; a kind smile, a charming laugh, sweeter than his pies, more beautiful than any other sight in the city. He was glad Mildred left his life; she made the room for Queenie to come back into his life.
     They had gone for a walk after dinner the previous night in Central Park, and Queenie didn't go back to her apartment. They walked along in the park, snow falling gently on their shoulders as they talked.
    Queenie told him about everything; how the wizarding world and wizarding government worked, what differnt kinds of magic there were, what kinds of things they taught in wizardry school. Almost every time he had a question, she answered it before he asked. Sometimes it was like she let him ask out loud just to hear him talk.
"What was up with Newt?" He asked her. "What's his actual...job?"
"He stayed with us for about a week after your memory was wiped," Queenie said. "He worked at the Ministry of Magic in England for awhile, but it wasn't good money. He was offered a chance to rewrite an old  magical beast book, so he took the job, and went around the world doing research. He actually published it a few weeks ago, I think. Should be along for a visit pretty soon..."
"It's getting cold, do you want to get going?" Jacob asked her.
"Sure," she said nonchalantly. "Can we head to your place? Tina's probably already asleep."
"Don't want to wake her up?" Jacob guessed as he led her to his apartment.
"She won't wake up," Queenie yawned. "I just...don't really want to leave, yet."
I don't either...He thought.
    He was embarrassed at first when they walked into his musty little apartment, only one small bed. Queenie was nice, though.
"I bet it was hard to make it feel like home," she said to him.
"Yeah, but I managed it," Jacob managed a smile.
"It sure smells good," Queenie smiled."Like bread. I bet that smell's permanent by now; baked right into the walls."
"Probably, to be honest," Jacob said. "It's nice and all but...I'm moving out as soon as I can. It's too small for me."
"Yeah," Queenie said.
"There's an apartment right above the bakery that's a lot bigger," Jacob went on. "It'll be perfect when I have the money."
"Oh, it is a lot bigger," Queenie muttered. "I bet you're real excited for the day when you can just pack up and go."
"Yeah,"Jacob said dreamily. Then he thought about how he only had one small bed for the time being. He wasn't sure he was quite ready to sleep next to Queenie yet, as much as he liked her. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, or make her feel like he just wanted her for her body, which wasn't at all true."That'll be nice. Look, there's only one bed, so I can sleep on the floor. I have lots of extra blankets and stuff-"
"It's all right, honey," Queenie said, smiling. "I can conjure a bed. I've been practicing with furniture a lot lately, so I think I can nail this."
"Conjure....oh yeah, you can make one," Jacob said, grasping the information in his mind.
"Yeah," Queenie said, making a bed right across from Jacob's. It was a modest twin-sized bed with a pretty quilt and a pillow; nothing special. But Jacob stared at it, amazed.
"You never fail to amaze me," he said sincerely.
Queenie laughed. "You never fail to amaze me, either."
    He wondered what she meant, but she only smiled.
That night, Jacob slept well. When he woke, he was startled by the sound of another person breathing, until he remembered who was there. Then he smiled, got up as quietly as possible on his creaky mattress, and sneaked into the kitchen to grab something for breakfast.
"Good morning," Queenie said when she entered the kitchen, looking refreshed. "How did you sleep?"
"Pretty good, and you?" Jacob said cheerfully.
"Great," Queenie said. "Want me to go with you to your bakery before I go home?"
"Sounds great," he said, even more genuinely happy than he had been when he got the bakery.
     Later, when they went to the bakery, Jacob bought Queenie a single, pink rose for a nickle.
"Oh, you're sweet," She smiled radiantly as they walked away from the florist in the cool, clear sunlight.
"You're sweeter, ma'am," Jacob said in the most ridiculous accent he could muster. Queenie's laugh was even sweeter than she was.
"Would you like to stay?" He asked her when they got there.
"Oh, I would..." She looked disappointed. "...but I have to go and check in with Tina. She doesn't know I didn't come back last night."
"Oh, well that's all right," Jacob said. "I'll see you later, or at least tomorrow, right?"
"Of course," Queenie said happily. She leaned forward and kissed him once on the lips before skipping away gleefully. He beamed after her, finally living the American Dream.