Unlikely Companions

Chapter 18 Something Strange

Newt smiled from the stairs of his house, down into the living room where Mathilda and Credence sat on the ground. She was resting her head on his shoulder, while he read in silence from a book. He was glad to see them together, happy, and as if everything that had happened the previous week had only been a bad dream.

He needed to break that bubble, however, because things weren't calm outside of their walls.

"A guest is coming today," he announced, walking down the stairs.

He was pretending that he hadn't been standing there for a few minutes, but his heart still sank a little when he saw them separating slightly.

"Who?" Mathilda asked.

"An old friend," Newt said. "You might remember him when you see him."

There was a spark of curiosity in her eyes, but Credence placed a hand on hers, and she fell back to her spot next to him.

"Thanks for letting us know, Newt," Credence said. "We'll be ready for his arrival."

The hand that he had placed on hers squeezed her fingers, and she looked at him. They exchanged a nod, showing Newt the extent of their unspoken connection.

He continued his walk towards the kitchen, to alert the Goldstein sisters of the arrival of their ally – and wondering if, perhaps, there was something between those two that he hadn't considered before.

"Good afternoon, Newt," Queenie said. "Tea?"

"Please," he said, smiling. "Someone is coming later today."

"Who?" Tina asked.

"A friend. He's going to help us with all of this."

"It was about time," Tina said. "We've been going blindly for long enough."

"In more than one way," Newt said, rubbing his temple. "Have you seen those two out there?"

"Who?" Queenie asked. "Credence and Mathilda?"

"Yes, don't they seem a bit... too close?"

"Well, they've been living closely for the past few weeks. They were bound to find some common ground and grow closer."

"But... the way they act is so... intimate..."

"They're young," Tina said. "If being with each other makes them happy, let them be. They deserve that happiness in their lives."

Newt nodded, still deep in thought. What the sisters were saying made sense, and he couldn't deny that he was happy to see them like that. But, he worried that it wouldn't end well for them.

"Well, no matter," he said. "Our guest will be here soon."