Healing // d.m.

| 48 |

  "WELL you look nice." Gabby commented as soon as she walked inside her house.

  It was a complete utter lie.

  "What are you doing here? Where are the kids?" Her voice was groggy and her body felt like crap.

  "I put them to bed before I got here."

  Catherine was sitting on her couch, cocooned in her huge thick amethyst knit blanket. Her face must be so hideous even Smalls looked at her with pity. Her exams are tomorrow and she's so nervous, she can't even drink water without wanting to hurl it back up.

  Her living room was a mess. Books and papers lined the floor and almost covered all her tables. She even hung some parchment on the fridge, the cabinets and the walls. Hoping that the more she sees them the faster she could memorise. There were so many things she had to learn and her brain was at full capacity.

  "A girl who could hex someone to death, beat a death eater in our seventh year, fly with bloody Hippogriffs high up in the air and is now afraid of a tiny test. Ironic isn't it?" Gabby drawled.

  She did not know what it feels like to have a test that determined her whole future. Pass the written test tomorrow and the skills test next week, she's set to take her final oral examination in the next few months. One step closer to being a real healer.

  Fail the test and retake a whole year before she gets to apply again. The pressure she placed on herself was immensely no ladder could reach. She did not want another year of torture.

  But all she could think about was him.

  He would have rubbed her feet and lay on her lap as she studied. Maybe even help her in quizzing some practice questions. Bring her snacks, remind her to eat every hour and hydrate. She would kiss her cheek when she got too upset and kiss her forehead just because he could.

  She didn't even have the right to whine. It was her fault. She pushed him away.

  It was for the best. She told her that countless times a day. It was for his best.

  "You're too kind."

  "I'm here for damage control, because you have a habit of eating like a bird before exams. So I brought you some treats." Gabby announced, placing all the things she bought on her kitchen table. It was a poor choice of words because Smalls ended up almost leaping onto the table. No bacon, much to the dog's disappointment.

  Gabby gave her a smile, showing the tubs of ice cream in her hands. Catherine saw that she bought some groceries; fruits, vegetables, potatoes and her eyes couldn't help but focus on the bottle of red wine on the far corner.

  Catherine pointed at the alcohol, "Can't really do a test tomorrow while I'm hungover."

  "Oh no, that one is for me." She prepared the array of food on the coffee table in front of her, grabbing the spoons and handing her the tub of ice cream.

  "At least you look better than Greg." Gabby dug into her spoon into the dessert and took a large spoonful for herself. "How confident are you for tomorrow? I'm so glad that I don't aspire for such greatness and nobility."

  "You had to retake your O.W.L.s Gabs, twice." Catherine deadpanned.

  "And you got outstanding for all your N.E.W.T.s. This is why we're friends, Cathy." She motioned for Catherine to take the tub of mint chip ice cream.

  Mint. His perfume always had a hint of mint.

  "I don't think I'm going to fail completely, but I just have a feeling luck is not going to be on my side." Catherine grumbled, stabbing the tub. It was frozen solid. How the hell did Gabby manage to take a spoonful of this?