George had been acting differently.
He was gentler, softer than he had ever been before. He had started looking at her like she would disappear if he looked at her too long. Like she was already a phantom memory.
It wasn't bad...just different.
Cassandra had been wearing the engagement ring on a long necklace gingerly around her neck, often tucking it under her shirt. No one seemed to mind, both men seemed to like it better this way.
Adrian had been gone longer and longer, much to Cassandra's delight.
Maybe he really loved Uma, maybe they could all be happy. Maybe.
Trying to lift George's off moods lately, Cassandra headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour to grab them some dessert before work. She pushed the door open, hearing the soft singing of the bell, moving to stand in line.
The woman in front of her was an inch or two shorter than Cassandra, her black curly hair was pulled into a ponytail on top of her head. She seemed familiar but Cassandra couldn't place it.
She ignored the feeling as the line moved up. The woman ordered two scoops of ice cream and tipped the servers well.
When the woman turned to leave however, Cassandra finally recognized her, freezing in place.
Uma Olamina.
Cassandra tried to mask the shock on her face as Uma smiled at her. Uma momentarily looked down, "Oh wow you're ring! It's beautiful!"
Cassandra looked down to the ring, she must have forgotten to tuck it in today. Shit.
"Oh..um thank you."
Uma smiled, paper white teeth flashing, her dark complexion flawless. "You're welcome! Is it an engagement ring?"
Cassandra nodded, gulping down the knot in her throat. What the hell is going on?
"Wow congratulations! How lucky...Here let me get your ice cream to celebrate!" Uma beamed again. Cassandra studied her but couldn't uncover some secret agenda. She seemed so genuine. Cassandra told her the flavor, (George's favorite) and Uma bought her the biggest scoop possible.
"Wow thank you..."
Uma smiled again, "No problem! I wish you both the best!" With that she twirled on her foot and was off, her yellow dress flowing around her ankles.
It was so genuine, so kind and real. Cassandra was sure Uma thought she had done a nice thing for a stranger. But Cassandra was no stranger. Uma had no idea she had bought ice cream for her boyfriend's fiancé. She was clueless, naïve to the situation she was deep within.
Hot shame rippled through her chest, guilty thoughts collecting of how Uma deserved so much better. How George deserved so much better.
She walked into the shop, heading to the office to find a stressed George. His hands were in his ruffled up hair, elbows pressing onto the table. Cassandra lightly knocked on the open door, George turned around, his worried expression being replaced with a weak smile. "Hey baby..."
"Hi," Cassandra leaned down and pecked his lips quickly, "Gotcha a little something."
George turned his attention to the stoops of ice cream stack on top of the other, "You got this for me?"
Cassandra nodded, smiling at him. "Share it with me." George patted his lap, Cassandra eagerly sat down, wiggling to get comfy. George's hands flew to her sides, a soft grunt escaping his mouth.
Cassandra licked a stripe up one side of the ice cream scoops, wigging again to turn to him, holding the ice cream to his face.
He grunted again, "How is it that you always find a way to drive me wild?" he mumbled before licking his side, he then grabbed her face and pulled her in for an open mouth kiss. The ice cream melting on his tongue sent her taste buds into overdrive, nothing had tasted so sweet.
He pulled away, both of them diving in for more ice cream, George now clutching the cone. He watched as she went in for more, lightly pushing it to her face, getting ice cream on her nose, loving the way her nose crinkled.
"Hey!" She wiped it off with the back of her hand, "I'll have to get you back for that."
"I sure hope so."
As they finished the treat, the ice cream had melted, making sticky hands. "Might want to wash up, wouldn't want you to ruin your paperwork. What is it about anyway?"
George got up from his seat, following Cassandra, "We got an extra shipment of products that we didn't order, we tried to send it back but it's no use. Fred's in the storage room now trying to make space."
As they were heading to the restroom, a large crash rang through the building, sounding like a troll had knocked through a wall. The rustling of papers and the clatter of small objects sounded not too far off.
Sounded like it came from the storage room.
George looked to Cassandra, the expression on his face telling he knew as well, then broke into a sprint towards the back of the building.
Cassandra took off after him, holding her wand tight in her fist, ready for whatever they were about to face. Cassandra heard something between a cry and a gasp, making her run faster.
When she finally turned the corner and pushed through the doors, her lungs fell out from under her, collapsing as she gasped.
Fred.
George knelt on the ground, frantically pushing through boxes that were spilling out the contents of products, mumbling to himself. He yelled to Cassandra when heard the door open, "Help! Oh God, help!"
He kept shoving boxes and products away, sending Decoy Detonator packages every direction. Cassandra ran over and knelt beside him, copying his actions. She could have sworn she heard a groan beneath the pile, seeing a panicked George pick up his pace.
"Freddie!" He wailed, shoving the metal bar of the shelf up, Cassandra getting on the other side using her wand to levitate the shelves back in place.
With the weight gone, Fred pushed the last boxes off of him, George rushing to his side grabbing his arm and pulling him up to sit. "Fuck. Fuck. You okay Freddie?"
Fred grunted, brushing off his clothes, wincing as he tried to stand. Cassandra walked over to them, inspecting him over. He had a small cut on his forehead, most likely from an edge of a box, and a swollen ankle.
George was hysterical, "Answer me! Are you okay? Where does it hurt? What happened?"
Fred, clearly irritated and annoyed, snapped, "Alright alright! Blimey calm down! I'm fine! I climbed the shelves trying to make room for the last box."
George threw his arms around his brother, still mumbling nonsense to him. Fred pulled George off of him. "It's not that big of a deal, George! Bugger off!" Fred yelled.
George pulled back from him, startled, furrowing his eyebrows to his twin. His bottom lip started to quiver as he turned on his heel and marched out of the backroom.
Cassandra started after him when Fred called to her, "Don't...he needs a minute..come help me stand."
Reluctantly, Cassandra knelt by Fred, pulling his arm over her shoulder, hauling both of them up with a grunt. Fred hobbled on his leg, shifting his weight, bringing a hand to his forehead.
"What the hell was that?" Cassandra sternly asked, hating seeing George upset. Again.
Fred sighed, "He's uh...well during the war, a blast caused a wall to come down on me. Supposedly it was touch and go for a while. Ever since he's been more...sensitive."
Cassandra hit his stomach, "You bloody prick! Why would you act like that then? You know he was just worried about you!"
"I...I don't know. He just made it a bigger deal that it needed to be.."
Cassandra huffed, "If I heal your stupid arse you better apologize to him."
With a roll of his eyes he replied, "Deal." They shook hands, then Cassandra pointed her wand to his ankle, "Episkey."
Fred sighed as the swelling went down, finally shifting to a normal stance. Cassandra pointed a finger at him as she left, "You better apologize...Oh and George and I are taking an hour off, you are opening."
Fred scoffed, "I have a shelf fall on me and you all are the ones who get time off work?"
Cassandra sent him a smile, "If you were nicer to your brother this never would have happened."
With that she raced up the stairs and through the apartment to George's room, knocking on the door. When there was no response she sweetly called to him, "Georgie...it's me...can I come in?"
George's only reply was a sniffle, enough evidence for Cassandra that he needed her. He sat at the end of his bed, trying to even his breathing. When he looked at her though, all of his hard work crumbled around him as his lungs hiccuped. Cassandra hushed to his side, engulfing him in her arms, rubbing soft circles on his back as he softly cried.
Finally once able to talk, he whispered, "We've got to stop meeting like this."
She laughed remembering how only days ago this situation was reversed. She gently grabbed his chin, turning him to face her, kissing away his salty tears.
"I feel so ridiculous.." His sentence ended in a laugh or a cry, Cassandra wasn't sure which.
"It's not ridiculous to cry, it's normal...healthy even." She continued rubbing his back.
"It's just...I almost lost him once...I can't do it again. I'm terrified I'm going to lose the people I care about." He looked at her then, quickly looking away, "I can't lose anyone, I just can't."
Guilt washed over her like waves, slowly crashing onto the soft shore, growing in intensity. No matter how much Cassandra wanted to promise George he would never lose her, she couldn't. They could be ripped from each other any moment.
Their beautiful little fantasy was held up on pillars of sand and they were both starting to realize it.
She pulled his arm around her, nuzzling into his chest. Seeing her in his arms was a beautiful sight, one he couldn't handle picturing himself without. He often thought of their connection like stained glass-- broken pieces that fit together. But he hadn't considered the double ended sword, how fragile glass can be.
"No.." he mumbled to himself, "I can't lose you Cassandra. I know you can't really respond to that but I want us to progress, to continue. I want you for as long as I can possibly have you."
The feeling in Cassandra's chest was strange, bittersweet. He continued, "I want to go out again, be open again."
"Like another date?" She sat up from his chest, now sitting beside him.
He nodded and he watched as one of his favorite sights happened, Cassandra smiled a big open mouth grin, her cheekbones holding her face high. "Where?"
"I did the last one, you pick."
Her smile somehow got bigger, "Really?"
He nodded again, smiling too, her happiness infectious.
He saw the light bulb go off in her head. "What if you hate my idea?" She asked.
"As long as i'm with you, I'm happy."
She nudged his shoulder, "So cheesy..."
The door creaked open, moving wider to reveal Fred. "Hey."
Cassandra got up, "I'll give you two a minute." She left them alone, but not before giving Fred a stark glare.
She could hear them from down the hall, thankful to hear Fred's apology: "I'm sorry Georgie...I shouldn't have snapped at you. Truth be told I was kind of embarrassed that it happened. I don't fancy seeing you upset either which I actually made worse so...good job on my part."
She didn't have to hear George's response to know that he had wrapped his brother in a hug, already forgiving him.
Cassandra felt pressure lift off of her from all the past drama, finally feeling George to be better, more secure in their relationship. She already knew she had to take George to her favorite place on Earth, wanting nothing more than sharing it with him...as long as he liked it.