RP: Trust Issues
Who: Zahara & Mandy What: A Meeting of the Minds When: December 22nd Where: Honeydukes//Zahara and Hyperion's Flat Warnings: some thoughts of abuse
Mandy felt, in a word, horrid. It wasn't the being roughed up causing it either, not really. It was that horrible curdling suspicion that settled like a lead weight in her gut.
The churning sensation that told her she was getting into a situation too similar to the one she'd escaped in America by coming here. She was so tired of it. She was so... over it. But once again she knew she didn't have the power in the situation.
But she had no proof of that, just ridiculous suspicions from a jaded mind. And it would be her word against his anyway. What she did have was a report she wanted to make -- but she wanted to make it to a specific person. And to be honest, she didn't want to make it in front of everyone and even more than that, she really hoped the man would simply let her make it on the down low, her name not attached.
She knew a good way to contact him, though. Without giving away that she had a mobile stashed at home. And it solved a curiosity she'd wanted to solve for a while. So she ran with it.
She looked pretty bundled up, her scarf fluffed all the way up her neck, a stray extra glamor tucked against her skin to help disguise any additional bruises, and she walked briskly enough to where she wanted to go -- the branch of Honeydukes here in the Alley. She pushed at the door and then cursed. She'd sworn it was open another half hour, but it wasn't. It already appeared locked, and in her frustration, Mandy slapped her palms against the glass, feeling a tug of anger mixed with something much too sad to be anger swirl around inside her.
Zahara had only just locked up, the bright pink doors had just slipped closed behind her when she heard the noise at the front door. Worried for a moment that it was someone meaning to do the shop harm, she slipped her wand from her pocket, before slipping out from behind the pink double doors. The person on the other side was a woman, banging against the glass. She shouldn't open that door, she should call Hyperion and ask for help. The woman looked upset though, what if something bad was going on? She was confident enough in her defensive spells, and so she lifted her wand and turned the lock. There was no need for her to walk closer, just in case this was someone meaning to do her harm.
"The door is unlocked!" She called out to the person on the other side of the glass, her wand held down at her side. She didn't want to start the interaction by pointing a wand at the woman, what if she was hurt? "Is everything alright?" Zahara couldn't seem to help herself and she walked up to the counter, keeping it between herself and the person that was entering her store. She lifted her wand only once more, to turn the lights back on in the shop.
Her cloak was tugged tight around her, and she tried to be completely unthreatening as she pushed it back just a little and smiled hopefully. She knocked hopefully again, much less aggressively this time, and let out a sigh of relief when the woman undid the lock.
"Oh, hey, thanks! Sorry, I didn't think it was this late," she said, slipping inside and closing the door behind her. "Oh, um, sort of yes sort of no? I was wondering if Hyperion Montgomery is here?" she asked hopefully. It would make her life a lot easier, not that she didn't want to meet this woman right here. "I work with him," she added belatedly.
Zahara watched the other woman a moment, still tense when she just asked if Hyperion was there. Her first worry was that this was a witch he had locked up before. Their engagement had been extremely public, and then the article in the birdie had really made it known just where to find her, if someone wanted to find her. She had just been about to answer with a firm no, followed up with a request for her to leave. Then she finally added the magic words to instantly drop Zahara's guard I work with him.. Her wand didn't go away, but she did step away from where she was standing at the counter and made her way through the store towards the woman.
"He's not here, he actually went out tonight." She wanted to ask if there was anything that she could do, but she knew if they worked together that she likely needed help with something work related. She wasn't going to be any help with anything work related, she had been oblivious enough to leave her wand at his place, and had tried to sneak back in only to be caught by him. If that wasn't bad enough, she had forgotten her wand for the first time since then just last week. No, she definitely wouldn't be any help with anything work related. Unless it was maybe bringing treats to the office holiday party, though she didn't think she was that lucky. "He'll be home..." She gave a glance at the wall clock behind herself, "A bit. I'm sure you could reach him on his phone?" Her attention was back on Mandy, she had the urge to offer to let her wait, message Hyperion herself and have him meet them here.
Zahara had good reason to worry and be paranoid. It wasn't an unhealthy response, even if it was inconvenient for her. Mandy could have ramped up some lie; she could have easily been someone who meant the woman ill. But her response had been a good cross of caution and heart, which... she also couldn't disapprove of.
Mandy hesitated, biting her ful lower lip and hten wincing when she was reminded why she had a glamor on -- because she'd split her bloody lip. Thank god for those wearable charms from the charms shop. She quickly licked it, tasting blood and hoping it wouldn't start dripping because honestly she didn't think the glamor was meant to hold up to blood. "I don't have a phone," she said. "Except at the office, anyway."
She had Illy's burner phone, yes. But not on her person right now and thank goodness or it would have been destroyed. And despite her situation she wasn't willing to let Hyperion know she had communications the ministry couldn't monitor.
It wasn't that unusual to hear of a witch or wizard not having a phone, so she didn't think anything of the fact that the other witch didn't have a phone. "If this is an emergency, I can call him?" For all she knew, this was just a social call, though that would be a bit odd. She apparently couldn't help herself anymore however, and blurted out what was running through her mind just then. "What's going on? Is everything alright?" Her phone was upstairs though in her office, she would take the other woman upstairs with her.
She lifted her wand to relock the doors, "I'm ZJ by the way," though she had been Zahara in Hyperion's phone up until their engagement, "introductions feel a bit necessary." Especially since the woman knew Hyperion, which made Zahara wonder just how much the other woman knew about her. "My phone is up in my office, would you like something to eat? I.." She laughed suddenly, "Only have candy, many different types, but just candy. I don't exactly eat the healthiest." To prove her point, her hand slipped into her pocket that her wand came from, and she pulled out a lemon drop candy. "I always have a few pieces in my pocket." She always had candy around, the house was ridiculous. She had candy stashed in their freezer, as well as stashed in her bedside drawer.
Mandy paused and weighed her words. "It's not an emergency," she said finally. "But no, everything isn't all right. I suppose I'm in the grey area in the middle. I don't wish to go back to the office and deal with those who are there right now. Your fiancé is trustworthy and I'd rather take this to him." Surprisingly not lies. She'd chosen Hyperion because one, she knew how to find him through other means, but two, he had been nothing but professional and even respectful and she couldn't say that of everyone. Singh had taken holiday, and so he was her first choice.
"I'm Mandy, it's nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you," she said. "You don't need to get me anything, I should be fine." Though her eyes did sweep a little wistfully over some of the sweets. They weren't really in her budget most of the time.
Something inside of her relaxed when Mandy admitted it wasn't an emergency, though it sounded as though something was wrong. She knew the woman was right though, he was one of the most trustworthy men she knew. After everything that had happened recently with her father, it was a trait that she cherished about her fiance. She nodded her head at the other woman's words, "I understand, I was just getting ready to pack up and head home. You're more than welcome to wait there with me?"
She caught the look at the sweets, Zahara was an enabler. "Help yourself to some candy. I'm going to go grab my phone and then we can head out?" That was, if Mandy was going to go with her. She had been feeling a bit dizzy when she apparated lately, so they were going to have to walk back to the flat. She hoped the other woman wouldn't mind, though it was lucky that the flat was just up the road. It wouldn't take them long, especially with the shortcuts that Zahara knew about.
Mandy nodded after a moment of thought. "I suppose that works. I'm sorry to put you in the middle but without a phone or anything this was my best bet."
And admittedly she'd been curious about the other woman. Especially since Hyperion never flirted with her and almost everyone did, at least in passing.
After double checking,she took a few pieces of candy but wasn't generous about it. She was a thief but not of things like this.
"Don't let me be a bother. I'd just rather get this cleared up quickly."
Zahara shook her head, shooting Mandy a smile, "I don't mind, honest. It'll keep me from taking a nap on the sofa while I wait." She was glad that she at least knew that it was because she was pregnant, and not because she had caught the cold that Dora had. She was fully intending to blame that cold however if the other woman asked, she didn't want to share the news with strangers just yet.
"Alright, two seconds." Just like that she slipped off upstairs to grab her phone and things, before she was back downstairs with Mandy. "Let's be off, I can make us some hot cocoa when we get there. I think I've got colorful little marshmallows that I can put in them?" She was a bit too friendly, and since she knew that it was going to be a little bit before Hyperion was home, it seemed like a good idea. "I can always make tea as well, but with Christmas so close... It just sounds delicious." She led the way towards the front, snagging a piece of candy off the shelves on her way past to munch on for the walk.
"Ah, but naps are lovely," she said with a faint grin. Some days she did go home and sleep. She didn't always have much else to do, and it was comfy in a blanket nest with Skittles. She was getting a bit lazy, she supposed, though she was doing more than she used to.
She waited and notably didn't snoop around at all. "Whatever you want. You're the boss here." Mandy was just along for the ride, really. She liked the woman's upbeat, friendly attitude, and she could see what had drawn Hyperion to her. "Hot chocolate actually sounds perfect. The time of year for it, yeah?"
A soft laugh slipped from her, it if were just a few days sooner she would spill the beans. This was a secret for Hyperion to share with his co-worker when he was ready to share with more than their inner circle. "Naps are really lovely, I doubt it would end at a nap though. I'd likely stay asleep," she admitted.
"Exactly, that's why I picked up the marshmallows. I missed out on getting some warm cider with cinnamon," which sounded so good just then. She wondered if she could pop a cinnamon stick into her hot chocolate, was that strange? She wouldn't ask, instead she led the way out of the shop and up the road to their flat.
It was a short walk, and shortly Zahara was letting them both inside the flat that she shared with Hyperion. As the women walked into the flat, Zahara started to shed her jacket almost immediately. "We have two cats, Oz and Nancy. They're overly friendly, I'll apologize now." Nancy could be seen laying out along the back of the sofa, her ginger tail flicking as she watched her mistress. Little Oz, the grey kitten with black stripes, came slinking out from under their sofa.
"Working too hard, huh?" she said, basically just making conversation. She wasn't actually dipping for information. But then she couldn't help the smirk and the follow up question. "Or is soooomeone keeping you up too much at night?" she teased. "Do I need to lecture bossman on the wonders of beauty sleep?"
"It's all right. I have a dog named Skittles -- but in my defense I didn't pick that name. He's a yorkie." And yeah she was a little worried about him. Most law enforcement could get into her home, but she didn't think the criminal helement could. But she just wasn't sure about everything. She leaned over and gave one of the cats a scratch though.
Zahara flushed pink, laughing as Mandy teased her. "Something like that," she said with a playful smile, it was because of those late nights that she was so exhausted currently. Those nights were what had made the little bun in her oven. What she was completely forgetting in that moment was the fact that on their tree at the house was the ornament that Hyperion had gotten her to celebrate their pregnancy. When Zahara had placed it on the tree, she hadn't thought much about the placement. It was right at eye level though and one of the first things that one would notice when walking into their living room.
"Skittles?" She asked with a laugh, as she went about shrugging out of her jacket. "That's a really cute name though," she said as she made her way into the living room. She had her wand out already, starting the hot chocolate process while she took a seat in the chair in the living room. She was a bit too exhausted to stand on her feet for much longer, let alone making the hot chocolate.
"I've had Nance since I was in school. I think a lot of men I dated over the years thought I actually had a roommate named Nancy," she said with a soft laugh. She hadn't run into that issue with Hyperion though, their first meeting he had met Nancy. She had knocked her mistress over and onto her rear in front of the auror.
"Yeah, it's cute, but it also makes me want to charm his fur all different colours and I'm pretty sure people frown on that," she said. "But he was sort of a rescue, and I didn't want to change his name on him, you know? He's been with me through a hell of a lot, too." He was starting to get old, and she tried not to think on it. She hoped to have a few more years yet with him. he wasn't magical in the least, so it was a matter of taking care of him and praying.
She looked around curiously as they walked in, unable to help herself. She didn't see the ornament yet, but the tree was cute. She had nothing in her little nothing of a flat. She snorted softly at the information. "That's adorable. Bet they thought she was an animagus, right? Well, at least you can't mistake Skittles for anything but a pet I guess."
“They might, but it isn’t their animal, and I don’t think it really does them any harm,” Zahara said with an easy shrug. “I can check with my sister-in-law? She’s fantastic with charm work. She owns that little shop on Victory Road?” Or maybe Dora just ran it, either way Zahara knew that Dora was hands down the best around. If anyone would know if charm work like that would hurt the animal, it was Dora. “I’m going to be that person, is there any way you have pictures? I’d love to see what he looks like,” she said with a smile. She had a large heart, and loved animals and children alike. If Mandy had children, she would likely ask to see pictures of them too.
“Likely, I never asked what they thought she was. They rarely lasted long,” Zahara smiled as she went about picking up her hot chocolate as the two hot chocolates levitated their way to the table. The marshmallows and cinnamon sticks were following in their own little containers. Zahara had been craving sweets lately, and so she when she grabbed the marshmallows, she put a few extra into her cup.