Closed Single Parenthood

Graeme gave a tight expression as she mentioned that she worked two jobs. He technically worked two jobs, but since it was quidditch and most of his teammates did also play on the national team, the scottish ones at least, Graeme knew it wasn't the same. He also didn't really want to ask her, it was a loaded question for a woman who was just his server, he didn't want to put her in a bad or sad mood."Zerrin is a good kid," he told her, he knew that lots of kids wouldn't have the patience for even younger children, but Zerrin had and he knew he'd be hearing about his new friend for days to come. "I always thought about putting Fraser at some boarding school, so he'd be around kids his age and not like moving around all the time with me, but he just felt too young to leave alone like that," ​
 
Abby smiled warmly. She wasn't going to argue that Zerrin was a good boy. She nodded at his next statement, reaching for her drink. "He is a bit small, there will be plenty of time to be on his own at school." She agreed. "Is there a mother in the picture? Or another father?" She asked, curious with how Graeme had worded it. "It's just Zerrin and I," she offered, thinking it only fair she answer her own questions in return.
 
Graeme agreed lightly, "Well, he'll eventually go to boarding school, but he is just a bit small for now," he shook his head and gave a sympathetic smile to Abby as she was like him a single parent. "It's just Fraser and I, but I've a large extended family who're helpful and I play sports for a living and my teammates have been pretty sound about Fraser being around, and coming with us on trips," though he was a single parent, he didn't want to lie and say he did it alone. he knew he was very lucky to have a pretty good support network. "I'm lucky," Graeme said. ​
 
Abby chuckled at his words. "Just a little," she agreed, looking to her own son and sighing. "Zerrin is almost that age. I don't know what I'll do with myself while he's away," She sighed. She listened, eating a bit as Graeme talked. "You are," she agreed with him. "I'd say you were cute too, but unfortunately, you sir are a Quidditch player," she winked playfully, sighing dramatically and shaking her head.

"Zerrin's father is a Quidditch player. He left when I told him I was pregnant. Sixth year of school, he said it would hurt his career to worry after me and a baby. I ended up dropping out, working two jobs while he's off chasing bludgers and living in some fancy seaside mansion. Haven't heard from him in- oh, ten years," Abby laughed, shaking her head. "But we're okay. Zerrin and I have our own little apartment now. After my parents passed on, I sold their home and used the sale for a down payment, and put the rest into a little college fund for Zerrin." She spoke casually, more like she was telling a story. Abby had come to terms with her lot in life years ago. "Haven't been to a game since school, haven't had the time. Though I suppose if the boys continue to get on this well, he might go along with you one day. I suppose a little exposure to the sport can't hurt him," She mused. She personally had stopped caring for Quidditch years ago- too many bad memories. But if Zerrin showed interest in it, she wouldn't stop him.
 
Graeme raised a little eyebrow as she spoke. He thought he'd been quite careful with not mentioning magic, but he knew too, that though he wasn't a quidditch player in New Zealand that he was still somewhat known. He knew there was a figurine of him in one of the shops. He thought it was a little odd that she had such a distaste for Quidditch but as she went on to explain it he could understand why. It was a lot of information to give him, personal too, but he figured it did no harm. Certainly since she seemed interested in him and he could admit she was pretty and he did like her.

"He's always welcome, especially because it'll give Fraser someone to spend time with," he said, he would offer by the end of the meal to write to her whenever he was about to be able to take Zerrin off her hands for all the hours he could, but figured it was a bit too forward for now. "I dropped out of school to play quidditch...," he told her with a little shrug, "Fraser and I now just live in cottage on an island in scotland next to the ocean, a few miles away from where I grew up," Graeme spared a glance towards Fraser and smiled softly at the boy. "My family is complicated and messy but we stay out of it, and share a back garden with sheep," ​
 
Abby sipped on her drink, listening to him talk. "That sounds nice," she told him honestly. It did improve her opinion of him a good deal. If they had a cottage when he could have a mansion, it said a lot to his character. "I think Zerrin would like to spend more time with Fraser, they seem to be getting along well." She commented, smiling at the boys. "We've made our place a home, but it's still in the middle of the city, loud and busy. Maybe we could set up a playdate later on or something, you can take Zerrin for an hour or two?" She offered. It might be a bit bold straight off, but she didn't mind. It wasn't like anything in life was really ever guaranteed.
 
Graeme gave a little nod in agreement. "He's welcome any time, but maybe should prepare him from going from here to quite literally the middle of nowhere, and given time zones might be easier if it's for a day," he said with a little smile but he wouldn't mind, they weren't often home, but he'd be happy to take Zerrin off her hands and show him the rural scottish island. "And I can always take him off your hands here every so often, when Fraser and I are about, he can hang out with him during practices," he told her. He knew it was a bit fast and that someone might think they should wait a little get to know each other more, but Graeme knew it had to be difficult to raise a kid alone working two jobs, and he knew Abby in passing so much that he trusted her and hoped she trust him. ​
 
Abby thought about what Graeme said. "Alright, what if you have him over for a weekend next time you're free? I think he and Fraser are getting off well," She looked at the boys, smiling warmly before looking back to Graeme. "It's nice to see the boys getting along." She kept eating, before nudging Graeme. "So, tell me about yourself," she told him. "If the boys are going to be friends, we should probably know each other a little better at least." She smiled, almost tempted to flirt, but she held back. She didn't have a good track record with Quidditch players.
 
Graeme smiled and gave a little nod, "I'll let you know when we'll be free and we can arrange it," he thought it would be quite good for Fraser to be around Zerrin and if he could give Abby a bit of a break too then that would probably be good. "Well....anything that you want to know specifically?" he asked with a tentative tone. "I was born and raised in Scotland. I went to school here at Hogwarts, Hufflepuff, quidditch captain, dropped out at 6th year to be a quidditch player. I play for the Pride of Portree and for the Scottish national team," he gave the information about his most of his early life. "What about you?" ​
 
Abby smiled at the man, listening to everything he said, sipping on her drink and finishing her food. She knew she was the first to finish. She had gotten used to rushing through meals. When he asked again, she sipped her drink as she thought about her answer. "Well, I was an only child, born and raised in Auckland. I went to school in Scotland, actually, I wanted to be at the original castle. I was quite popular, actually. I had a lot of friends. Hufflepuff, with a sense of style."

Abby smiled lightly and shook her head. "I started dating Danny, Zerrin's father, when I was in third year and he in fourth. We were supposed to be in love. The perfect couple. He was captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Head boy. I was a prefect, most likely to be Head Girl. We were inseparable. But, in sixth year, I found out I was pregnant with Zerrin. I told Danny. I thought we would work it out, get a home, be a family." She sighed. "Danny wanted nothing to do with me. He twisted it around, started rumors, pushed me away. The next thing I knew, I was a social outcast. No one would speak to me, the bullying got very intense. He was able to save his reputation, at the cost of my own."

Abby picked up a napkin and reached over, wiping hot sauce from Zerrins cheek. He smiled at her. She sat back, her son turning his attention back to Fraser, and looked to Graeme. She smiled, unaffected by her retelling. "I dropped out at the end of the year. My parents did what they could to help me, but when Zerrin was almost a year old they passed away. It's been the two of us since." She took another sip of her drink. "We manage. I work days here, and nights at a hotel nearby. Zerrin is with me if he's not in school. It's not perfect, but we're alright."
 
Graeme listened along as she spoke, it was more information than he would've thought she would give, more than he had given. He felt a little bad, given that he did have things that had happened but he just didn't want to talk about it too much while Fraser was there, he was a bit young to hear about it really. Graeme just gave a little smile. "I'm glad you're doing alright," he told her, he didn't know any Danny in quidditch circles, but he hadn't heard of him. "I have more.....to say, but Fraser's a bit young to be hearing some of it," he said wanting to explain it slightly. "Maybe next time I'm in town I can get my brother to look after the kids and we could hang out, catch up in private?"​
 
Abby sipped her drink, nodding at Graeme's words. "That's fair, I suppose. Zerrin is a bit older than Fraser, isn't he?" She smiled warmly at the boys. "To be totally honest," Abby leaned in, and whispered conspiratorially to him. "Zerrin has been pestering me for years about a little brother. Maybe he'll be happy with Fraser," she teased, laughing lightly and nudging Graeme.
 
Graeme gave a little nod, he could confirm it was true and then not explain the why of it. Why he wanted to not say anything, why he believe his too young to really hear about it. But he gave a little laugh. He wasn't sure Fraser wanted a sibling, he did have plenty of cousins but he knew he lacked someone close to him in age which could very well be Zerrin. "Fraser would be happy too," He told her. "We should probably head off soon. Gotta at least pretend to teach him something school related," Graeme gave an apologetic look but he'd mostly finished his meal and it had long since passed that point that Fraser was interested in his. "Fraser, ye almost done there? Ready to go?" he asked him. ​
 
Abby was unsurprised when Graeme said they should get going. She shifted to stand, dusting her hands off on her skirt and smiling. She pulled out the check and set it on the table before she began gathering their plates and clearing the table. "Zerrin, baby, say goodbye, and thank you," She told her son with a warm smile, throwing another to Fraser and then Graeme. "If you need to find us, you know where I'll be," she winked, before turning and walking away with the plates in hand.
 
Graeme took out his wallet and put down far more money than he needed to. And then motioned to his son. "Fraser, come on, say goodbye," Graeme watched his son say goodbye and then rush over to him. He picked him up and had him on his back. "I'll see you soon Abby, take care," Graeme headed out with one last wave to Abby. ​
 
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