Closed And then there were two

[Cyndi Kingsley]

As the waves crashed against the shore line again and again, Cyndi Kingsley let out a content sigh. She couldn't believe how long it had been since she'd last come to the beach, but sitting here now she remembered how much she loved it. "This was such a great idea" she declared, glancing over at the person beside her, a smile on her face. It really had been.

The rest of her world felt stifling to her, and it was good to be reminded that she could feel free, that she could take some pleasure in life still. It wasn't always easily remembered, not with her divorce being finalized and her home life in shambles. Cyndi had been looking forward to 2047 for years, for the freedom it would bring from her responsibilities to the ministry as the Minister's wife. She had never expected that this would be the freedom she'd be getting.

 

[Katalina Harker]

It was rare that Katalina came back to New Zealand these days. Mattyson had decided on her own that she wanted to attend Beauxbatons with her cousin Schuyler instead of attending Hogwarts New Zealand. As much as it broke Kat's heart, she happily obliged her only child. There had been some hope that once Schuyler had graduated that maybe Matty would change her mind, but it seems she had made quite the group of friends while at school and wished to stay on. With their only child in school in France, Katalina and Chace had picked up and moved there as well. Leaving behind the home they had made together in England, finally deciding that once Mattyson had graduated in another three years that they'd pick up and move home to New Zealand. Until then, Kat settled for a week or two a couple times a year to come and visit her family and friends back here. It felt odd, coming back. So much of what had made this home was now gone and other than her parents, Cyndi was the only contact she still had with this place. Andy was gone and then suddenly, out of nowhere, Kiera was gone. The once close knit family of Dorm Room Four Girls was now down to only two. Katalina didn't take that for granted. Cyndi was the only Gryffindor family she still had left so she always wanted to cherish it, as the two of them knew just how precious and fragile life was.

It was on this particular visit, that she and her best friend decided to spend the day at the beach. It was a place that she didn't get to very often and she and Cyndi hadn't been together in Merlin only knew how many years. Lately, the only time they really saw each other was when they went to visit Kiera and Andy. And those visits usually consisted of a lot of tears, some anger, some laughs and a bunch of snotty noses between the two of them. Katalina figured that with all the goings on in her best friends life as of late, that a girls day with just the two of them relaxing on a beach was just what the healer ordered. It was nice to just relax and bask in the warm sun and feel the breeze across her skin. She glanced over as Cyndi spoke to her and grinned, "You should know by now that I'm full of grand ideas. I would think that you would have figured that out after all these years. Name one time I've ever had a bad idea!" The brunette pulled her sunglasses up slightly and chuckled before adding, "Actually, we don't have that much time so maybe lets not try to do that!" It was no secret to anyone who had known the girls back in their school days that if their was mischief to be had then either Kat or Andy were at the center of the mess that was created. Sometimes intentionally, others not so much.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi rolled her eyes, a chuckle on her lips as she opened her mouth to give Kat a reminder of some of her grand ideas only to be discouraged from doing so. It was nice to be doing this. Laughter was hard to come by when they usually saw each other, which these days seemed to always surround one or another of their friend's anniversaries. It wasn't that she didn't want to see Kat more often than that. It was just life. It so often got in the way and before she knew it another year had gone by and they were at it again, mourning and sharing tears. Cyndi was grateful that she had Kat who understood her in a way that no one else could, who knew everything that had gone down in dorm four and the bonds that had been caused as a result. They were more than just friends; they were sisters.

"I don't know about you, but I have plenty of time" she smirked, lifting her water bottle to her lips and taking a cool, refreshing sip. It was so odd to not have a child tugging on her and asking her to watch them or warning one of her sons, nearly always Jacob, to be a little more gentle with his sister. Still, she couldn't help but miss the children. "I know I say this every time, but we need to do this more often. Maybe in France next time. I've been thinking about moving to England to be closer to my parents..." she trailed off.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat smirked as her best friend said she had plenty of time. Which meant that she'd had entirely too much time to be thinking about everything that wasn't going right in her life right now. The lioness understood what her sister meant and it broke her heart. Leaning back and letting the sun glow across her face she listened as the wind blew gently and the waves crashed along the shoreline. Katalina could only imagine how torn Cyndi's life seemed right now. So much had happened in the last year from Kiera's death to Noah up and wanting to switch schools, both of which Cameron hadn't seemed to be much help with as far as Kat could tell, and now a divorce. Over the years, the forty year old had always envied how stable her eldest friends life had been. The picture of perfection, as far as she could tell, and now to see it all unraveling, made Kat question a lot of things and left her wondering if there had been signs that maybe she'd missed.

"We do always say that, but how about this time we mean it a little more," her blue eyes carried over to the former Gryffindor. "It's just the two of us against the world now. Something I never thought would happen this early in life, but here we sit." Katalina felt her voice start to crack, but today wasn't for the tears or the sadness or the anger. Today was about healing and looking forward. At least she hoped she wasn't alone in that endeavor. The absence of Andy and Kiera would always be felt, but it didn't have to be a harrowing task to move forward in life without them. Cyndi's next words hit Kat in a way that she wasn't entirely sure she liked. "You know you're more than welcome to come to France anytime you want to. It's not nearly as glamourous as they make it seem, but it is a beautiful country. I'd love to have you and the kids for a week or two in the summer there, but Cyndi, your entire world is here. Don't run from it. The life you made here might be drastically different than you remember it, but it's still your life and the better parts of it have been salvaged. You love that school. You love that damn school so much you have literally devoted a part of your heart to it for the better part of the last twenty plus years. Are you really willing to give that all up now?" Katalina was propped up on her elbows looking at her best friend. "Besides, who am I supposed to grow old with when I move back to New Zealand after Matty has graduated? I want to be like those old southern ladies in those muggle movies who wear funny looking hats and drink something called a julep. You're supposed to be that person with me!"

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

As she listened to Kat speak, Cyndi glanced off into the ocean. She knew that if she actually looked at her friend right now, that she was likely to start bawling and she'd already promised no tears for the day. The woman knew that they needed that for this day. They needed days when they didn't mourn, where they enjoyed life even when it was as trying as it was right now. Continuing to listen, Cyndi really did have to put forth effort to not cry now. She knew Kat was right, and she wasn't truly intending to run from her troubles. She just wanted some space from them. A small smile crossed her face. "I actually found out what a julep was last time I was in the States" she recalled. One of the benefits of being married to someone from the United States, a Southerner at that, was the food and drink. "I know you're right. And I don't really want to give anything up. I just need space from it all" she stated quietly. She needed space from Cameron. They still shared a home. She was in it so little during the school year that it simply made no sense for either of them to get another place. "I think the kids will enjoy coming to see you in France though. Ellie adores Matty." Cyndi's smile was more full at that. Whenever Eleanor spent time with Matty, she went on for a week about her and everything they'd done. "She thinks you're ok" she added in a teasing way.

 

[Katalina Harker]

Kat cracked a smile at her old friend. "Ah, yes. Southern Americans and their oddly named beverages. I have heard they're quite tasty, though," she chimed in happily, fondly remembering the times that the group of them had shared many years ago with Kiera. Her brow furrowed slightly as Cyndi spoke again. She understood needing space and couldn't imagine the amount of space that she'd need if her marriage with Chace ever fell apart. Katalina pushed that thought out of her mind. She couldn't bare to think of that. "I get that. And I completely agree. I think some time away would do you some good. A little time to yourself to figure out who you are outside of being a professor, a wife and a mother. There's nothing wrong with that at all, Cyndi." The brunette considered it for a moment when Cyndi said that the kids would love to come visit. "How about the next big break from school you and the kids come stay with us? Matty would be head over heels to have Ellie there and I'd love to have you to myself for a few weeks. It'll be just like old times for a while," she said excitedly at the prospect of it before adding, "Now, now...I'm sure that's a complete lie. We all know that I'm everyone's favorite!" Katalina cackled loudly.

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

Cyndi chuckled at Katalina's exclamation. It had been the exact response she expected to receive, and it was nice to have some consistency in her life. Turning so she was on her stomach so she'd hopefully end up with an even tan, Cyndi thought about what else Kat had just said. It was true that she had all of these titles and sometimes felt she could only behave in the context of those titles. She had certainly felt that way as the Minister's wife. The need to watch what she said and to whom she said it had been an immense pressure that had left her feeling withdrawn and lonely. Thankfully, she'd had Kiera to help her through most days, but without her, the last year of Cameron's term had been...miserable. She was happy she had shades on so Kat couldn't see her eyes had watered. She nodded her head. "That's a great idea" she stated. The change of scenery would be welcome and she knew the children would have fun.

Cyndi hadn't thought far enough ahead to the holiday break but she knew she needed to start. The children would expect all of the usual holiday traditions she was sure, but many of them would require her and Cameron to be there together like the late night hot chocolates and opening presents in the morning. She knew Cameron would wait to see what she wanted to do, and she simply didn't know. The woman pushed the thought away as she'd been doing for the past while, a thought for another day. She pushed up her shades, eyes wide. "Oh Merlin, did I tell you that Cameron's mother is dating Professor Styx?" Cyndi had found out through another colleague, a rather mortifying thing to think about but a truth nevertheless. It made it difficult to interact with Kalif these days. It made it difficult to interact with Jacqueline as well, though there were other reasons their interactions were awkward and painful. The brunette hoped her friend would take the bait and humor her attempt to change the subject from her life.

 

[Katalina Harker]

(So sorry it's taken me so long to get back to this. The holidays were crazy and then I've moved to night shift so that's kicking my arse)

Katalina was overjoyed at the idea of her oldest and dearest friend coming to visit for the next big holiday. It would make for an amazing few weeks. The former Gryffindor couldn't remember the last time that it had been just the two of them. In fact, once she thought more about it she couldn't remember a time when it actually was just the two of them. And that thought saddened her so much, but they'd made a pact. No tears today. Kat took a long deep breath in and then let it out feeling herself relax a bit more.

Upon hearing Cyndi's bit of news the brunette screwed her face up slightly and shuddered at the thought. "How old is he now? Like at least a hundred and sixty three years old. And I'm pretty sure that's being generous," she laughed at the prospect of it. She swore that man was older than Merlin when she herself was in school. Just as that thought crossed her mind she heard her stomach make an ungodly noise. She tipped her shades down and eyeballed Cyndi. "Are you ready for some food? Because I'm about to starve," she said laughing slightly.

(I thought maybe we could wrap this one up and then perhaps start a new one? What are your thoughts?)

 

[Cyndi Kingsley]

"At least" she repeated, a slight look of disgust on her face. She liked Kalif. They had a good working relationship and they'd had enough conversations that they had some semblance of a friendship. At least she believed so. And she liked Jacqueline. They had never seen each other overly much, but until the divorce, they'd liked each other well enough. Now, she had no idea. She hadn't spoken to Jacqueline recently. But the idea of the two of them together weirded her out just enough that it was the subject of conversation every now and then.

"I thought you'd never ask" she groaned before nodding her head. Cyndi sat up further, beginning to gather her things so they could walk off in search of food and more conversation. It was nice to be with Kat, someone who'd known her for ages and ages. Someone who would stand by her regardless of the decisions she made. It was funny that they hadn't been as close as she had been with Andromeda or Kiera. But, time and circumstance had made their bond as unbreakable as any.