Chapter Sixty-Four - Friends II

George never hated working. It was hard to hate something that you dreamed about half of your life. During his time of depression, he may have despised going there and loathed the thought that maybe he would have to hire someone to replace his dead brother to help him on the backstage. They always worked like this: Fred was the creativity and he was the brains. No, his brother wasn't dumb, he was just smarter than him. Period. However, spending the last, definitely the last, week of his brother existence on the living world stuck behind the counter of his joke shop was hitting on his nerves.

Kagome offered to take care of the things since he gave Verity the day off as he asked her to run things from Wednesday to Friday to give him time to take care of last minute issues with his mother and in-laws, but he refused. She was still learning about this products and it would be a risk if anything happened while he was away. No, not now or in a million years.

So, yes, he was stuck behind the counter with a pout and a frown marring his face. At least he wasn't the only one suffering because since Fred didn't want to stay alone at his home for the day, Kagome took him to shopping with her. Not only she needed a dress for the weekend but also she was running low on clothes that fit on her ever growing belly. They would be back before lunch but George still had at least one hour of suffering alone.

The bell on the door rang, announcing the arrival of a client. A couple crossed the door. Two people he hadn't seen in some time, one of them he wasn't really looking forward meeting now. Angelina Johnson and Lee Jordan, his old schoolmates stopped in front of him. Angelina had on her sweetest smile and George wished she hadn't. Even before left Hogwarts, she was paying him extra attention and back then he may have enjoyed it a bit. She was gorgeous, a great quidditch player, his friend for years and he, well, was a teenager driven by mischief and hormones. Nothing beyond some heavy make out sessions but she always signaled wanting more. For him, more meant four walls and a bed but he knew that for her it was dating and compromise. Too focused on his dream, he tried not to feed her expectations. Over the years she tried to keep in touch but he kept her away, only meeting occasionally on the streets. To be honest he hadn't thought about her at all since the Battle and he only hoped she had moved on.

"George, it's so good to see you again." She sounded genuinely happy.

"Yeah, mate, when Katie said she saw you working again we didn't believe her. I mean, how could you be back and not tell me, your best mate?" Way to go, Jordan, launching the guilt train on the poor one-eared man.

"Things had been hectic around here, mate. I hadn't got a day off since I came back." It wasn't exactly a lie. "But I'm sure we can schedule something, next week maybe."

"I would love to spend some time with you, Georgie," said Angelina as she leaned over the counter. George gave a step back and promptly put both of his hands over the top, his wedding band shining on his finger, but apparently the former quidditch captain hadn't got the message. "I can drop by some time."

"Lee and you can show anytime but I don't live here anymore. But it's better if you send an owl first, Kagome doesn't like surprise visitors." Especially because they liked to spend the day in pajamas doing Netflix marathons whenever he didn't have work to do and Kagome didn't feel like going out.

"Who's Kagome? Your roommate?" Maybe Lee hadn't got the message about his engagement too.

"I hear my name," said Kagome as she emerged from the storage, she must have used the back door or Fred apparated with her here. She was holding a box and alone. Fred's whereabouts was a question he saved for later.

"This is Kagome Weasley, my wife. Love, this is Angelina Johnson and the is Lee Jordan. I told you about them." Even if he didn't, she would know anyway.

"Wife… since when..." George read the unspoken words on Angelina's lips and felt a bit bad for her.

"Wife, wow, that's... Unexpected, mate." Lee sent an apologetic glance to Angelina. "Congratulations! But I'm taking a personal offense from my lack of invitation."

"This is our lucky day because I just have the invitations here with me. We hadn't a party back then because we saved the celebration so George's friends could attend too." She opened the box and picked two envelopes. "Here. I know it's a bit sudden but I hope you can make it."

"You bet we will. Right, Angelina?"

"Huh? Yeah, right." Her voice was low and uncertain but she smiled anyway. She'd been always very mature. Maybe now she will finally give Lee a chance.

Thank you for your support!

No Fred here but we will have a lot of him next!

Please, send me your words! They are my mental food!