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Post by Bridget Harvey on May 25, 2008 23:41:13 GMT -5
 Bridget sat on the porch of her cottage with a cold glass of chocolate milk. The sun was setting and a cool breeze blew across the lawn, rustling the hedges. It was nice to relax before work. She had about 30 minutes before the sun would set and darkness would fall. This was her favorite time of day. |
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on May 27, 2008 18:11:50 GMT -5
Wesley was out for a walk in the neighborhood, enjoying the fresh air. He was also secretly hoping to find a nice house that was for sale, since he and Natalie couldn't continue to stay with Athena and Alastor. The little house was already crowded, with the happy couple, their adopted daughter, and Athena's two small sons. They certainly didn't need Wesley there, too. Of course, Angelique had offered to let them stay with her, but her apartment was also very small. Besides, his sister's blatant honesty never failed to shock him.
As he walked, Wesley looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful evening, with the very sun getting ready to set. Olivia had always loved this time of night. So had Sabrina.
Although his heart was beginning to heal from Olivia's death, thanks to Evangeline, he could not say the same about Sabrina. Little girls just were not supposed to die so young. They were not supposed to die before their fathers. It ached to think of her; the brightness of her smile and the way the sun shone on her hair. The embarrassed way she rolled her eyes at him when he was doing something "nerdy" as Angelique would say.
He stopped walking in front of a house, and wiped away the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes. He couldn't do this now. He couldn't let himself think about Sabrina, and what she could have become. What she would have looked like on her wedding day. Yet the thoughts kept coming. The images of things passed and things that would never be. It felt like a hole was being punched in his chest and he'd forgotten how to breathe. He bent down and tried to catch his breath.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on May 27, 2008 21:58:44 GMT -5
As she looked out over her front lawn, a familiar face came walking her way. He seemed to be in his own world, saddened by something. But not knowing the man outside of work, she couldn't begin to imagine what was on his mind. And just as he stopped in front of her house he bent over. Was he a panic attack or something?
Bridget jumped up from her seat on the porch, dropping her glass on the ground. It shattered and chocolate milk splattered everywhere. But Bridget was already down the walk and at her gate.
"Mr St Clare, are you alright?" Her voice was high with concern.
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on May 27, 2008 22:47:51 GMT -5
Wesley was still trying to gain control of his breathing when he heard a familiar voice nearby. He straightened up slightly, and glanced up to see a woman he remembered from the Ministry. She was a vampire slayer, if he recalled. Usually, people in her line of work didn't cross paths with Unspeakables, but because she worked closely with the aurors, including Olivia, he had come to know her fairly well. Strangely, the familiarity seemed to help his breathing slightly, reminding him of a time before his world had come crashing down, and his family had been cut in half.
His breathing steadied, and he turned to her with an apologetic smile. "Ah, Ms. Harvey," he greeted her. "Yes, I am fine now, I think. I think perhaps I let myself wallow in my own misery a bit too long."
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Post by Bridget Harvey on May 27, 2008 23:17:01 GMT -5
Bridget was still concerned, even though he claimed to be alright. He certainly looked a fright. "Would you like to come inside and have a chat? Whatever's troubling you, I'd like to help." On the few occasions they had met previously he had always been extremely kind to her, and now if she could return even an ounce of that kindness she would leap at the chance.
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on May 28, 2008 16:09:42 GMT -5
Wesley took another deep breath and realized that his legs were a little shaky. "Well, yes, on second thought, it might be a good idea to sit down for a bit," he said. "Perhaps I've got a little too much fresh air.... I'm not exactly the outdoor type, if you know what I mean." He managed a light chuckle, but it felt forced and stiff.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on May 28, 2008 16:26:06 GMT -5
"Well nature is not for everyone I suppose." She laughed as she led him up the walk and into the house. Luckily she had picked up earlier that day and without hesitation she led Mr St Clare into the lounge. She gestured to the flower printed sofa for Westley to sit on.
"Would you like anything to drink? Or eat?"
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 1, 2008 0:07:28 GMT -5
Wesley followed her into the house and walked over to the sofa that she had indicated. "Yes, well, I confess that I've always been more of a bookish type, and even when I was outside, I usually had my nose in a book." Sitting down on the printed sofa, he remained rigid and stiff, hoping he wasn't intruding. "Perhaps a glass of water, if it's not too much trouble," he said, not wanting to trouble the woman more than was necessary.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 1, 2008 13:14:12 GMT -5
"I'll be right back," she said, nodding as she went to fetch some water. When she returned from the kitchen she had a tray with two glasses on it, a pitcher of ice cold water, and a small plate of sugar cookies. She set the tray on the antique coffee table in front of the sofa and poured water into a glass, then handed it to Westley. She did the same for herself.
"Have a cookie. I find sweets always make me feel better." She offered him a warm smile, noting his rigid posture.
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 1, 2008 22:51:29 GMT -5
Wesley smiled and took a sip of the water before setting it back down on a coaster and picking up a cookie. "Thank you," he said. "Don't mind if I do."
He took a bite and nodded enthusiastically. "These are very good. Did you make them?" He was already beginning to feel a little better, as the sorrow and grief no longer seemed to be engulfing him. He relaxed slightly and leaned back against the back of the sofa, focusing his attention on Bridget.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 1, 2008 23:17:00 GMT -5
"I did. And it only took me three batches before I got it right." She laughed at herself before taking a cookie for herself. "I'm not much of a cook, so I decided to start on something simple. Eventually I want to be able to cook an entire supper."
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 4, 2008 22:40:21 GMT -5
Wesley chuckled. "Well, I can understand that," he said. "I've never been much of a cook myself. I wasn't all that great in potions, either, for that matter. I always followed the directions, but got something wrong towards the end. It was always something stupid like not heating it at the right temperature or something like that. My wife pretty much banned me from the kitchen altogether..." He trailed off as he inadvertently mentioned Olivia. Sometimes he still forgot that she was gone and that she wasn't going to be there when he got home.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 6, 2008 0:07:51 GMT -5
Usually one to pick up on everything, Bridget somehow managed not to notice Wesley's faltering voice. It was truly the stupidest moment ever to ignore what was right in front of her face. "Well she's a lucky woman to have a husband who would even consider going into the kitchen. I believe that is generally known as No Man's Land." She chuckled lightly, then finally realized something was wrong. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 7, 2008 0:24:33 GMT -5
Wesley grew silent at her reaction, unable to hide the stricken expression on his face. He had thought everyone had heard by now... "Then... you didn't hear?" he said at last. "Olivia--my wife--is dead... She was actually killed in the Ministry by a Death Eater. It happened last summer."
In a way, he was glad she hadn't heard, because some people still treated him as if that was all he was. "You're the one whose wife was killed..." or "I heard about what happened to your older daughter.... how's the little one coping?"
But for a brief second, he felt normal. Whole. It was a strange feeling. He'd forgotten what it felt like.
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 7, 2008 0:48:44 GMT -5
"Oh dear. No, I'm afraid I hadn't heard." Bridget felt ridiculous for making that comment now. But there was no way of going backwards, she could only go forward. "Well, she was lucky to have you before..." What was she planning on saying? What could she say that he hadn't already heard?
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 7, 2008 1:04:30 GMT -5
Wesley shook his head and managed a slight smile. "It's all right. I'm mostly over Olivia's death. I miss her, of course, but I feel at least that she died the way she would have wanted--fighting a Death Eater. She was brave and strong and clever... I believe I was the lucky one, to have been loved by her." He took a bite from his cookie, and his smile grew stronger. "I'm actually seeing someone else now... Evangeline James from the werewolf registry. She's helping me to move on. But even though I'm getting over losing Olivia, it's my daughter's death I can't get over. She was murdered by a Death Eater as well... right in front of me. She was barely 14."
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 10, 2008 0:38:48 GMT -5
Bridget gave a faint smile, trying to match Wesley's. She had meant to help him feel better not make him relive all this pain. The most she felt she could do was offer to freshen his drink.
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Post by Wesley St. Clare on Jun 11, 2008 21:39:22 GMT -5
Wesley took another sip from his drink. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't mean to dump all that on you like that. It's just that I haven't really dealt with all of this, especially my daughter's death, and sometimes I just think about it and it crashes down on me. I have to be strong for my other daughter, Natalie.... I don't want her to see me falling apart. So when I'm alone, that's when it hits me."
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Post by Bridget Harvey on Jun 12, 2008 9:43:31 GMT -5
"No, no. You're not dumping anything on me. Really. I just wish I had known, I wouldn't have brought it up. I couldn't begin to imagine how you must feel. And with your little one at home... I feel just awful. I see now something much stronger than cookies was needed." She laughed a bit, and forced herself to smile.
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