Chapter 10: hug.
"Umuwi nang tila bang lahat nagbago na."
(home as if everything has changed.)
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"He's late," Celine said. "Did you text him? It's already 5:10 p.m.; I thought he'd pick you up at 5?"
"It's only ten minutes late, Cel, it's not a big deal," May replied, assisting her sister in getting the customer's order, despite the fact that her work had already ended. "I texted him; maybe something came up at work, you know? Perhaps a meeting."
"You always look on the bright side, May," Celine spoke as she walked up to the counter to put the order of the customer who was waiting. She returned to her sister, a faint smile on her face. "I didn't mean it in a negative way; in fact, it's great that you look on the bright side; it's just that maybe try to be observant, just try it."
"What do you mean by that?" she inquires, May always looking for the bright side of any circumstance, even if it's difficult to find one. She always believes that there is a bright side to every situation; you just have to look for it, no matter how tough it is, since it is not always darkness; at the end of it, there will be a light for a brand new hope.
"Just keep an eye on things, May," Celine replied. "Open your eyes and ears, look everywhere, and you will notice a difference, especially with your husband; not that I'm complaining, you two are doing ok; in fact, I'm glad he's been doing well, but I had a horrible feeling about this month; maybe it's just me, but be observant, that's all."
May was about to speak when the door chimed open, revealing Harry. His white button-up long sleeve polo fit him flawlessly, his muscle were visible as his sleeve rolled up to his elbow, his two top buttons were open, and his unkempt hair added to his hot appearance.
"I didn't mean to be that observant, May," Celine chuckles lightly as she observes her sister staring at Harry as if he were the center of the universe.
Celine's gaze was drawn to Harry, who was now approaching them. "Oi, Potter," Celine said as she approached him. "Why are you late? What did you do for the past ten minutes, hmm?" Her eyes were scrutinizing his soul, getting some information with his demeanor that made you feel guilty for a crime you didn't even do.
"Meeting," Harry answered. "I had no idea there was going to be a meeting, but Kingsley decided at the last minute."
"I told you, Cel, there might be a meeting," May said. "Perhaps always looking on the bright side isn't such a bad thing."
"Right, whatever."
"Hello, darling," Harry says as he wraps his arm around May's shoulder and plants a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry for not responding to your messages; Kinsley wanted everyone to focus on the meeting."
May nodded, understanding the situation; at every meeting, you need pay attention since there may be crucial details that will be useful for work.
They left the shop hand in hand and apparated away from muggles; when they returned home, she noticed her husband's melancholy countenance. His eyes were no longer glistening with glee, like if he was hiding something.
'Just be observant, May,' those words ring in her thoughts, followed by Celine's voice. Among the three of them—Hanan, Mayari, and Celine—she isn't usually the most observant. Celine is the most observant; her instincts are usually correct; if she overthinks something, it happens in the future.
After Celine mentioned that she got a bad feeling this month, May is anxious. She hopes it isn't too awful, although Celine's instincts aren't always correct. "Look on the bright side, May," she told herself, "nothing terrible will happen, nothing."
"Is there something wrong, Harry?" May asked softly as she helped him unbutton his sleeve, sensing his breath hitch. "I have the feeling that something is bothering you."
When she successfully unbuttoned his sleeve, Harry put on his shirt; his biceps were visible through the shirt, but May was unfazed.
"In the meeting, Kingsley told us that he would send some aurors on the mission," Harry began. "I'm a part of it, and I'd be away for a week."
Silence then embraces them; of course, May is used to this; after all, this is his profession, and being away from him is part of it. This was not the first time he would be away; even during their first few months of marriage, he was sent away for two weeks; she would miss him, but she is not selfish enough to stop him from going on a mission. It's part of his work, and he always wanted this job; there were occasions when he was sent away for a month, and the longest was two and a half months.
This is only for one week, and time flies fast. "Who would be a part of the mission?" May inquires. She feels compelled to do so; she knows who the aurors are in the ministry, and she wants to know who would be with him for a week.
"Caelum would be there, Britney applied to be an auror, and Kinsley thought she should be a part of the mission even though she's still new," he explained. "Ron would also be there, a bunch of aurors really," he added. "Jairus and Althea would be there since they write for the daily prophet and need to witness the mission, and Hanan will also be there."
May can't help but feel a twisting knot within her stomach as Harry leaves for a week with Hanan, but she still flashes him a faint smile. It's not the first time Hanan has been assigned to a mission with him; she's an auror, so it's predictable.
"When are you leaving?" she asks softly, her gaze fixed on those green eyes that put her at ease, those eyes with which she fell in love.
"Tomorrow."
She didn't answer right away, but he noticed his wife's glum demeanor and drew her closer to him, hugging her. He hummed gently as they began to sway, feeling each other's presence before he left the next day.
His hum was like the tune of Apollo's lyre, soothing your nerves and assuring you that everything will be alright. A tune that never gets old, swaying with it until we forget the agony in our soul.
He kisses the top of her head as they continue to dance while embracing one other; it's as if the stars have joined them as they glimmer in the sky, watching them together before they leave tomorrow.
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"I'll see you in a week, darling," Harry whispered as he wrapped his arms around May and kissed the top of her head, refusing to let her go.
"Be safe, Harry," May spoke as they let go of each other's embrace.
"I will."
She tiptoed and planted a light kiss on his cheeks, startling him, yet a smile emerged on his lips, along with his cheeks going scarlet.
They exchanged smiles before she watched his figure walk away from her. Her heart feels as though it is carrying the weight of the world, a never-ending load that causes her heart to drop from the weight it bears.
Every step he takes away from her twists her stomach—she had a bad feeling about this mission but shrugged it off, nothing bad would happen, nothing terrible would happen.
Celine wrapped her arms around her sister and buried her head on May's shoulder, still sobbing over the fact that her girlfriend Althea would be gone for a week. May rubs calming strokes on her sister's back since she knows how distraught Celine gets every time there's a mission and Althea is sent away.
"Would you like one, Cel?" Thalia inquired as she handed her a tissue. She had just done crying, but her eyes were still puffy, Caelum had been sent away, and their hug lasted longer than everyone else's.
Celine nodded, grabbed the tissue, and returned to snuggle her head against her sister's shoulder. She always finds comfort when she's with May; don't get her wrong, she loves Hanan just as much as she loves her sister May; it's just that when she has a problem and wants to cry, she always finds herself running to May rather than Hanan.
May has always been there for Celine when she had a breakdown since she was a child. In fact, May has sacrificed her dream to be there for both of her sisters. Her grandfather described her as selfless, always putting others before herself, always wanting the best for her sister, always thinking of her sister's needs and never her own.
She's there for her sisters and friends when they need someone, but when she's down on her knees pleading the heavens to take away her misery, no one is there for her—she only has herself.
"What's your plan?" Bethany inquired of May as they took a lunch break at her shop. Bethany and Isabella are aware that Althea and Harry were assigned for a mission, despite their lack of knowledge about the ministry.
"Just like before," May replied. "I'll carry on with my life while I wait for him to return; it's only a week, and time flies fast, and before I know it, he'll be here."
"However, a lot can happen in a week," Isabella pointed out. "Didn't you mention Anastasia was there?"
"Yes, Hanan is there," May confirmed, despite having a strong uneasy feeling about it. This emotion hasn't left her since she entered the ministry; it's like coming home, and everything changes.
A change she's not sure if it's good or bad, a change that may impact their life's timeline, a change that could affect the breeze of air that flows in their lives. A change that could tip the scales in her favor, a change she wants to get out of her system.
Isabella is correct; a lot can happen in a week, both good and unpleasant things. Every second thing that happens may not effect you, but it will affect others. If Hanan is a part of the mission that Harry has been assigned, she will be paranoid, thinking things she shouldn't be thinking, which will lead to her making assumptions that will not allow her to sleep well.
"I think I want to paint my nails," May spoke as she examined her nails. "I'm thinking about doing the color red."
"Count me in!" Celine beamed.
"Cut my hair too," May added.
"Just go bald," Isabella jokingly suggested.
"Your husband would be incredibly surprised," Bethany laughs.
May's gut slowly dissolving as her and her friends' laughter echoes the room, they were indeed her safe haven, even if life can be rough, their laughter can easily bring out the brightness in the darkness of the world.
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end of chapter 10.
mar notes:
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By far the shortest chapter in this story. Oh, crack the code if you can but if you can't it's alright, the code is not big deal anyway. Happy reading :)