"Hey, Tini?" Tina looked up from the cup of coffee she was nursing. Mornings were getting colder and the apartment seals weren't as fresh as they used to be. Mrs. Esposito hadn't bothered to re-weatherproof the place over the summer and now it showed in the slight chills and drafts through the place.
Queenie was standing in the doorway, fully dressed, but without her coat and shoes. It wasn't quite time to go, but Queenie clearly had something on her mind. "Is now a good time?"
Tina nodded and took another sip of her drink, more quietly and with more presence of mind than she'd shown before. "Of course. Do you want to sit down?"
Queenie shook her head, and shifted from one foot to the other. Her fingers slid together. "Tini, I think I'm going to move in with Jacob." Tina put her cup down, now fully awake, her sleepy brain already formulating protests-he was a No-Mag, she would have to give up so much or live in secret from him, they knew none of the same people-but Queenie cut her off. "Look, I know there are problems, but there'll always be problems, won't there? With anyone?" Tina paused, then frowned. From the practical to the personal, she had a feeling this wouldn't be wise. "He cooks, Tina, it's not like I'll have to re-learn that. How hard can cleaning be? Come on, I'll just say I work for the State. That's not even a stretch of the truth."
"Well, you've made up your mind to go." Tina took another sip of her coffee and closed her eyes. "I will miss you, but I won't try and stop you."
Queenie was silent for a moment, then Tina heard her pull out a chair and sit down across the table. "That's it, Tini?"
"What more is there to say? I like Jacob. If you have a thing for a no-mag, I'm glad it's him." She drained her coffee and picked up her wand to send it over to the sink to give itself a scrub. "When do you think you'll be moving out?" Over and over in her mind, she wondered if she wouldn't need to get a new place, as well. This one was charming, but even if it were properly cared for, she might not want to stay without Queenie.
"Oh, maybe a week or two. He's invited me a couple of times, though, so I could go any time. I figured since you're an auror again, you can afford to stay on your own, and his business has really taken off, so we've got nothing to worry about."
It was true. Now that she had more money coming in, she didn't have to live with anyone to make ends meet. Still, she'd been with her sister since they'd finally grown out of their rivalry phase. It would be odd to have the place to herself-perhaps she'd have to start a proper social calendar like most witches she knew-divination club or potions club or the like. "Oh, of course, of course I'll be fine."
"Tina, don't worry." Tina blinked, and realized she'd been fretting rather loudly. "You won't become one of those potion club witches. You'll be welcome by any time, or I could come back to visit-we'll see each other at work." Queenie took her hands and smiled her wide, gleaming smile that just made you want to hand her the world. "Or...he has a guest room, you know."
"No." Tina smiled, trying to soften the firm answer. "Thank you, but no, I think I'll be fine here on my own. Don't worry-do you think you'll need help moving?" As if half Queenie's things hadn't been shuttled over to the apartment above the bakery already.
She shook her head and the honey bob flopped from side to side. "I don't think so. But if it'll make you feel better to see me settled, I'll let you." She winked, then stood. "Might want to hurry up if you want the bathroom to yourself. The kids down the hall just woke up." She retreated to the sitting area and picked up a copy of Urban Witch.
Tina's teeth clicked together, as she tried to sort through what Queenie had said. Before she'd made her announcement, Tina had been considering what to have for breakfast, now she was trying to think of a place to stay and how she'd ever maintain her social life. The sound of little feet scurrying around in the room across the hall and the shouting of Mrs. Barker trying to herd them brought Tina to the moment again. She pulled her robe tighter and walked herself down the hall to pull pins from her hair and smear cream on her face.
By the time she got back, it was nearly time to go and Queenie had placed a pastry in a napkin for her to nosh on the way to work. Next to the napkin there was a note.
THEY SAY WE ARRIVE AT TWO STOP I HAVE YOUR BOOK STOP NEWBORN YOU WILL WANT TO MEET STOP
Tina read it a couple of times, then turned to her sister. "Queenie, did you leave this here?" She held up the piece of paper and turned to her sister.
Queenie wasn't in the living room, and she had to step out of the bedroom to ask, "what, where?" Her eyes flicked down to the note, and she smiled before shaking her head. "What's it say, Tini?"
Tina turned it over a couple times, then shoved it in her robe pocket, and squeezed past her sister into the bedroom to choose something to wear. "It's from Newt." A suit of grey, a loose skirt, and a hat that would match her overcoat. Same coat, same locket, new shoes. She came back out with her bag and the note and gloves in her hand. "Shall we?" she asked, and nodded to the door.
Queenie came close and took Tina's arm. Tina wondered if she did it because she was leaving so soon, if she felt as homesick as Tina. "Sounds good to me." They left and locked the door, but though she felt that perhaps she should be more grounded than ever with her sister leaving, Tina couldn't help how excited she was at the thought of seeing Newt again.