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

32: Not Again

JACOB
   "What...what do you mean, leaving?" Jacob asked Queenie, stopping dead in the process of kneading bread dough.
"It's sort of a mission," Queenie said gently. "It's not as dangerous as last time. We're going after Grindelwald; he's escaped the cells in MACUSA and he's goin' for Europe."
"You guys are following him to catch him?" Jacob assumed.
"Yeah," Queenie confirmed. "It shouldn't take long; a couple weeks at the most! And Tina is a great Auror. Her and Newt'll protect me just fine; if I even need protection, that is."
"I don't think you need protection...it's just...I feel wrong letting you go..." He stopped and wondered where he qould lead that. Europe was where the war was; there were so many dangerous weapons and people over there. Besides, Queenie had promised she and the others were there to stay, and if he let them go and they died while they were away from him...he didn't think he could take it. Jacob had already paid back the bank, for the most part, and he had quite a bit of extra money; he could afford a ticket to Europe.
"Jakie..." Queenie looked like she was about to cry. "I don't want you to come. You could get hurt."
"I can help," Jacob insisted, getting impatient. "Pack bags, cooking, sorting out tickets, there has to be something I can do. Other than be mildly entertaining."
Queenie didn't even laugh. "Jacob...please. Think about this. I want you to be safe--"
"Queenie! I will be. Besides, I miss some parts of Europe. It'll be good to see Poland again, like I did whenever Grandma took me as a kid."
"You have to stay!" Queenie insisted, growing angry.
"No," Jacob said firmly. "You just said it wasn't going to be dangerous! I'm not letting you leave alone. Not again."
"You can't defend yourself against their weapons!"
"But I can run for cover," Jacob said. "Face it, doll, you can't change my mind about this."
  Queenie moaned, irritated. "Fine, Jacob. We leave tomorrow to Southampton on the USS Eustace. But don't think I'm happy about this!"
"I know you aren't, but...I'll see you tomorrow," Jacob realized that this was their first argument. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Queenie said, still sounding irritated, but Jacob knew she wasn't one to hold a grudge. She allowed him to stand on his tip-toes to kiss her forehead before she left, which Jacob took as a sign of forgiveness.
"Henry?" Jacob called. Henry obediently came in from the front where we was refilling the display cases.
"Sir?" He asked.
"You know you said that you had a friend who needed a job? He's hired. I'm going on a trip to Europe for  few weeks; you can keep the bakery going. I trust you. Here-" Jacob wrote a couple of checks. "His first two-week paycheck. I should be back by the time four weeks goes by. That one's yours."
"Um...all right, sir. Why are you going to Europe?" Henry asked, confused and curious.
"You know that English fella that was here yesterday?" Jacob asked, randomly inventing the most believable story he could. "He's got some family troubles, and we're some of his most trusted friends to help him sort it all out."
"All right, sir, didn't mean to be nosy or nothin'." Henry said apologetically. "You can trust me n' Pedro not to burn the place down while you're gone."
"Say hi to him for me. You know where the recipe's are. See you in a few weeks," Jacob pat Henry's back and hung his apron on its hook, setting out to buy a ticket to Southampton. His bread dough sat on the counter, forgotten.