WHO: Betty Braithwaite & Flick Swann WHAT: Gossip time WHEN: 20th March WHERE: Flick’s home. WARNINGS: None!
“You’re going to need to open the door for me, I’ve got a bottle in each hand,” Betty called out through Flick’s front door, gently clinking the wine bottles against the knocker in the hopes that Flick would hear her. Going to pick up photos for her next article in the Beacon probably didn’t require quite such a stock of alcohol, but going to visit her best friend definitely did.
She clinked the bottles once again, knocking the heel of her shoes against the base of the door. “Felicity!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Felicity called from deep within her place, her forced smile turning to a real one as the clinking bottle sound grew louder while she drew closer. She missed her son more than anything, but at least she still had her best friend to distract her from her misery. And wine. Wine definitely helped a lot.
She opened the door and reached for one of the bottles to lighten Betty’s load, letting Betty make herself at home as she went to the kitchen to open the bottle and fetch glasses before joining her in the lounge. “I’m so thankful that eleven year old me made good friendship choices even before she knew how important wine was,” she smiled, passing one over-filled glass to Betty before sitting down next to her with her own equally full glass.
After the customary hug, overjoyed to see a smile from her friend, Betty was happy to make herself comfortable on Flick’s sofa. “Eleven year-old you was easily the best judge of character,” she told her friend. “She knew what was what at a very early stage.” She smiled, accepting the glass and clinking it against Flick’s in a wordless toast.
It was good, she knew, to see Flick looking well - but the lack of Luca in the place was all too apparent to Betty. Her smile faltered as she drank from her glass.
“Not as good as your judgement, of course, since you ended up with me.” Despite the smile, Felicity’s sip from her glass was longer than usual, making a decent dent in the liquid already. “And your judgement has mostly stayed good. Mine…,” Felicity grimaced, taking another long sip. “How’s the boy?”
“We all make mistakes,” Betty joked softly. “You’re allowed a lapse or two.”
The smile she gave at the mention of Joe was involuntary, the kind of soppy expression that she’d have contempt for in any other situation. She tried to focus on the wine glass for the moment, glad that she’d always had someone to talk to about this. Even if it was strictly between best friends.
“Dropped the “L” word the other day.” Betty smirked.
“Oh?” Felicity asked, making a note to tease Betty about the lovestruck expression on her face later, but for now wanting all the gossip. This was just the sort of distraction and small, happy moment that could help push all the bad stuff deep into her mind for an hour or two. “Who can blame him, you are very Luscious? Lustful? Loony?” she joked. “Did you drop the “L” word back?”
“I’m luscious, lustful and loony,” Betty agreed quietly, hiding her smile behind her glass. “Yes, I think I did say it back,” she lied, knowing full well that she’d said it again and again. It was one of those words that felt incredible to say, and she wasn’t going to be sick of it any time soon. “But you know. He’s not into casual, I’m not into casual. We’re both quite into — serious, I guess.”
“That’s good, I’m not sure how well casually loving someone would work.” She did think it was a little fast, but she kept that to herself — Betty was happy and that was what mattered. They’d dated before anyway, so it wasn’t like they were just getting to know each other, she supposed. “So should I start sending you bridesmaid dress ideas? I look good in purples.”
Betty gave her a Look and returned to her glass of wine. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.” She sighed slowly. “I know it’s ridiculous, and there’s so much going on that makes it difficult. But it’s different from the last time, we’re so much more honest. And if that involves a future, I’m happy about it.” There was so much to navigate, but for once she had confidence in their relationship to muddle through it.
“And I’m happy for you,” Flick replied, voice full of sincerity. “It’s not ridiculous. I think we should be hanging on to anything we have that makes us happy. There’s not enough of any of it anymore, and you deserve it.”
Betty leaned into her friend, resting her head on Flick’s shoulder. “That means the world to me that you think that, Flick, you know?” She paused. “I wish you were happy too. Maybe soon.”
Flick smiled sadly, turning her head to press a kiss into her best friends’ hair. “You do though. You’re putting up with a probably Death Eater boss and managing to not put yourself or the people you love in danger while still speaking out in your own way, and sharing stories that need to be told instead of yelling at Death Eaters to prove your defiance.” She did think that Betty had always been much smarter than Jasper though.
“I sometimes think it’s not enough,” Betty said softly, suddenly quieter. “All sorts of things are happening around us.”
“The people whose job it is to stop these things from happening can’t even do anything,” Flick pointed out. “You’re doing more than most. You’re doing more than me.”
“You’re helping me,” Betty was quick to point out. “And I’m not even giving you the proper photographer credit. Or print royalties,” she smiled, trying her best to make a feeble joke. “You tried to do more. Don’t ever forget that.”
Felicity nodded, returning to her glass of wine for a long moment. “Anyway,” she said, wanting to lighten the mood before it inevitably descended into her crying over Luca. “Tell me more about Joe. I don’t think I’ve seen you look like you do when you talk about him ever before.”
Betty laughed softly. “He’s such a dork. He loves puns, wordplay. His nose crinkles up when I get a better joke than him, and it’s partly because he’s annoyed and partly because he’s impressed. And his dog adores me, almost as much as he does. Coming back to his place the first time after we got back together just felt like going home. If that makes sense?” Babbling gently through all the collection of feelings and thoughts she had on her boyfriend seemed childish, but also perfect. “Fuck, I’ve held all this in for a while. Please tell me I’m not boring you?”
“You’re not boring me,” Felicity assured her friend. “Trust me, I’d much rather hear about your love life than the love life of the Death Eater who brought me in for questioning and then just asked for girl advice instead. Yours is actually cute.”
Betty couldn't help frowning at the idea of Flick being questioned. “You know, if you want me to leak that somewhere… because that's not on. Really.” She cleared her throat softly. “I know the department’s a joke but really.”
Flick sighed. “You can if you want, I can give you all the details. But it was just a waste of time because Jasper can’t keep his mouth shut, really. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be when they called me in.” Because that moment had been terrifying.
“They seem to be issuing interview summons and arrest warrants like they’re sweets, don’t they?” Betty’s frown softened a little, but she still couldn’t quite shift it. “I’m glad it wasn’t anything worse,” she nudged her friend. “We’ve had enough of that for now.”
“So now,” Flick started, reaching over to the coffee table to pick up the bottle and top up both their glasses, “Only good things for the rest of the night!”
“Only good things,” Betty echoed, leaning to pick up her glass and raise it to Flick’s. It was much easier said than done.