23 Jul 2019, 06:44
A Quiet Celebration
[font=PT Serif]“How old are you, Reid?” It was followed up by the sound of a spoon gently scraping the bottom of a waxed ice cream cup. Reid looked over at his uncle, knocked from his daze as he finally felt the gentle nip of the melting ice cream in his hand. [/font][font=PT Serif]Birmingham, UK
Cannon Hill Park
July 22nd, 2019[/font]
[font=PT Serif]“Thirteen, uncle.” Atticus nodded, he it was nearly two weeks since he moved to Birmingham and he still seemed as displaced as ever. He was in regular muggle clothes and so was his uncle, who seemed to have a sense of flair - despite being a wizard. “Do you feel any different?” he asked, leaning over with napkins outstretched.
A mumbled thank you came from him as he set it on his lap, wiping the ice cream from his hands and setting it aside. “Not really.” Reid broke a piece of the waffle cone off, dipping it into the melted mixture of what used to be his scoop. “I feel the same as I did a year ago.” [/font]
A mumbled thank you came from him as he set it on his lap, wiping the ice cream from his hands and setting it aside. “Not really.” Reid broke a piece of the waffle cone off, dipping it into the melted mixture of what used to be his scoop. “I feel the same as I did a year ago.” [/font]
[font=PT Serif]He bit into the cone - CRUNCH - it was still brittle, slowly softening to the liquid cream. “Are you sure you feel the same as you did a year ago?” The boy glanced over at his uncle, who peered at him from behind his tinted shades. His chewing slowed as he broke another piece off and slowly swallowed. “Well, suppose not entirely.”
Reid’s voice seemed to hush and mumble as he answered, taking his time to elaborate. In the days that he had since moved her, he found a sort of friend with his uncle Atticus or Atty, a name he surprisingly suggested. The rest of the family weren’t the warmest of company, often quiet or stuck in their world, especially his grandfather. [/font]
Reid’s voice seemed to hush and mumble as he answered, taking his time to elaborate. In the days that he had since moved her, he found a sort of friend with his uncle Atticus or Atty, a name he surprisingly suggested. The rest of the family weren’t the warmest of company, often quiet or stuck in their world, especially his grandfather. [/font]
[font=PT Serif]Dinners were quiet, if not a little intimidating, Reid had gotten scolded for improper dining etiquette already. “I'm not very … happy. Well, no, that’s not really the word -” His uncle gave a shrug as he gently tugged his sunglasses off. “I don’t imagine being moved from Derby to Birmingham made you happy, neither was … well your parents’ situation. You have a reason to be unhappy.”
Reid always went quiet at the thought of his parents, the thought of his mum and dad elsewhere kept him up at night. He was tired, he woke up tired, and he went to sleep tired. It was the hardest summer of his life and he couldn’t help but feel tossed to the wind this whole time. [/font]
Reid always went quiet at the thought of his parents, the thought of his mum and dad elsewhere kept him up at night. He was tired, he woke up tired, and he went to sleep tired. It was the hardest summer of his life and he couldn’t help but feel tossed to the wind this whole time. [/font]
[font=PT Serif]“I’m tryin'.” the young wizard quickly answered. Atticus tilted his head. “Trying?” Reid gently bit into his ice cream a few more times, inhaling as he did so. The sweetness of the treat was enough to combat the gently toil of his emotions inside, enough to distract him and prevent himself from spilling tears.
“To be happy. I’m tryin' to be happy.” he firmly responded, glancing at the man. His uncle straightened his expression and slowly nodded, clasping his hands from under the table. “Is it working?” Reid quickly gave a half-hearted response, eating his ice cream a few more times as he turned his attention to the people who were passing. [/font]
“To be happy. I’m tryin' to be happy.” he firmly responded, glancing at the man. His uncle straightened his expression and slowly nodded, clasping his hands from under the table. “Is it working?” Reid quickly gave a half-hearted response, eating his ice cream a few more times as he turned his attention to the people who were passing. [/font]
[font=PT Serif]“Some days, sometimes it works. Some days feel harder to try than others, dunno. Long as I’m tryin', things kind of feel better.” He proceeded to eat the rest of his ice cream, rather wishing he could occupy himself than be interrogated about things he couldn’t explain. Reid sounded like a broken record, perhaps he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Atticus.
It was hard to explain. It was hard to put into words how he felt on some days and how he felt on some nights, the hours between just mix like white noise. Even at night, he couldn’t get that rest, waking up to a ceiling he barely knew. His room was decent, a little more spacious than his one in Derby. But with the space came the emptiness, he didn’t have much in his room and it felt barren. It was only people like his uncle who really made the transition easier than he expected.
“As long as you’re trying, that’s all.” he nodded at Reid. The boy slowly ate, chewing a little as he swallowed. He wiped his hands in the napkin and softly sighed. “Thanks for taking me out for my birthday, uncle.” Atticus nodded and gently clasped a hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. He pulled his hand away from him and looked out at the park. "Your mum and I used to go here all the time, for the hydrangeas." Reid's eyes seemed to crawl to the floor as he ate. "She likes 'um, -"
"Baby blue ones." Atticus nodded, finishing him. Reid nodded as he finished the last bit of his cone impatiently. "When can I see her?" His uncle glanced at him as he played with the ring on his finger, a black and gold one that Reid couldn't make out from how he sat. "When you're ready to. Are you ready to?" The Derbyshire boy made a face, almost trying to suppress the frown that began to form on his face. His hand came together, running his fingers across his knuckles as he turned his head away in an almost ashamed manner. "No."
Atticus slowly leaned back and set his cup beside him, his hand rested back on his jeans as he looked ahead of him. "You'll see her, don't rush it." Reid rested his hand on his neck, gently squeezing it as if he was trying not to let his emotions get the best of him. He sharply exhaled as he used his other hand to gently pinch the bridge of his nose. [/font]
It was hard to explain. It was hard to put into words how he felt on some days and how he felt on some nights, the hours between just mix like white noise. Even at night, he couldn’t get that rest, waking up to a ceiling he barely knew. His room was decent, a little more spacious than his one in Derby. But with the space came the emptiness, he didn’t have much in his room and it felt barren. It was only people like his uncle who really made the transition easier than he expected.
“As long as you’re trying, that’s all.” he nodded at Reid. The boy slowly ate, chewing a little as he swallowed. He wiped his hands in the napkin and softly sighed. “Thanks for taking me out for my birthday, uncle.” Atticus nodded and gently clasped a hand on his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. He pulled his hand away from him and looked out at the park. "Your mum and I used to go here all the time, for the hydrangeas." Reid's eyes seemed to crawl to the floor as he ate. "She likes 'um, -"
"Baby blue ones." Atticus nodded, finishing him. Reid nodded as he finished the last bit of his cone impatiently. "When can I see her?" His uncle glanced at him as he played with the ring on his finger, a black and gold one that Reid couldn't make out from how he sat. "When you're ready to. Are you ready to?" The Derbyshire boy made a face, almost trying to suppress the frown that began to form on his face. His hand came together, running his fingers across his knuckles as he turned his head away in an almost ashamed manner. "No."
Atticus slowly leaned back and set his cup beside him, his hand rested back on his jeans as he looked ahead of him. "You'll see her, don't rush it." Reid rested his hand on his neck, gently squeezing it as if he was trying not to let his emotions get the best of him. He sharply exhaled as he used his other hand to gently pinch the bridge of his nose. [/font]
[font=PT Serif]"Yeah." he quickly replied. "Yeah." Atticus' expression softened, his hands relaxed as he reached over and firmly wrapped an arm around Reid. The boy turned and pressed his face into the jacket his uncle wore, darkening the suede material. His hands couldn't return the half hug and instead he chose to sit there, silently summoning tears that would later make his eyes sore.
His mum wouldn't greet him on his birthday, she wouldn't remember his birthday. She wouldn't remember who he was unless he reminded her, she wouldn't remember his age either. He'll grow up each year, making memories that he'll be able to cherish, but not his mother. She wouldn't have that luxury and he wouldn't be able to make any of them with her. [/font]
His mum wouldn't greet him on his birthday, she wouldn't remember his birthday. She wouldn't remember who he was unless he reminded her, she wouldn't remember his age either. He'll grow up each year, making memories that he'll be able to cherish, but not his mother. She wouldn't have that luxury and he wouldn't be able to make any of them with her. [/font]
[font=PT Serif]It was hard to come around to, remembering someone who didn't remember him, especially since it was someone who raised him from birth. "Let's get some hydrangeas to replace the ones at home when you're ready. You have something waiting back home for you as well, I think you'll be happy to see it." Reid simply nodded against his jacket. After a minute or so, he pulled back.
His green eyes were clouded, his gaze held an unnatural behind them, tumultuous and full of a silent hurt. But Reid simply got up and tried his best to not fall back into the same pit was in before. His uncle mentioned something was waiting back at home, so he tried to look forward to that. "Okay, I'm ready."
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His green eyes were clouded, his gaze held an unnatural behind them, tumultuous and full of a silent hurt. But Reid simply got up and tried his best to not fall back into the same pit was in before. His uncle mentioned something was waiting back at home, so he tried to look forward to that. "Okay, I'm ready."
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"Trouble usually finds me."