With a soft laughter of happy recognition and relief Alicia disappeared into Oliver’s hug, her laughter cut off by the small grunt when he squeezed her just a little too tight. It didn’t matter, though, because for that one too tight moment, she wasn’t the mother, the protector, the caregiver, the organiser, the Healer or any of the other labels that could be attached to her, she was just Alicia being embraced and for that moment someone else was in control and taking care of her. “You’re a lifesaver,” she murmured into his shirt before they let go and sat down.
“Ollie-bear,” she smiled back to him, his joy and beaming smile already affecting her mood positively and making the world just that much easier to deal with. “It feels like it’s been weeks, because the only times I’ve seen you the past month was while you were busy grinding against Susan Bones with Harry and then briefly again at King’s Cross,” she laughed then drew in a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. “Tell all, you say, but how much?” She shrugged. “Isla and Liam started year 1 at Fox Primary, Isla flat out refused to go to the match on Saturday because you were benched, how is your head by the way? Other than that, it’s been work, work, and Foundation work while spending too much time being ‘just friends’ with Adrian.” And she had not meant to say that, so she quickly moved. “But you? You’re looking great! This…” she gestured to the smile on his face, “whole girlfriend things is really suiting you.”