The Great War

Absolutely No Chicken

Bella couldn't remember for the life of her where she heard the phrase before but the muggles have a saying about a record scratch moment. She thought it was something along the lines of everything instantly stopped the moment something else happened. Minnie had been fascinated with muggle science and told her something about some old guy's Law of Motion, the first one because apparently there were more than one. An object will remain in direction and speed until a force stops it or something like that. She couldn't remember the specifics. Bella was drenched with a bucket of cold water when she walked through that fireplace and her wife said those three little words. She was sure she had said something, anything but when Hermione spoke again, "Bella did you hear me?" It would appear that she did not. "Dad. He's gone."

Bella finally snapped out of her inner thoughts, "what? When? How? What?" The brain fog she was experiencing was ridiculous, "that was the same question twice. Are you sure?" She started pacing, "of course she's fucking sure. She's the one who told you." She caught herself slipping and put her mask back in place immediately sweeping Hermione into an embrace, "I am so sorry, Hermione. Your father was an amazing guy."

Hermione allowed herself to melt into the embrace, tears streaming down her face, "I'm sorry I called."

Bella pulled back, "why?"

The brunette worried her bottom lip between her teeth, "we aren't in the best place right now but I panicked and I needed you."

"I will always be here for you, love," she pulled her back into the hug. "What happened?"

"Mum came into my room this morning hysterical and I didn't know what to do or what was wrong so I followed her downstairs into their bedroom and dad was just lying there not breathing. We called the emergency service but I ran a magical diagnostic before they showed up. He had a heart attack sometime after 4am and never woke up. I think he at least went with very little pain."

Bella froze, her initial instinct would be to say something about weak muggles but choked that feeling back. "The girls are going to be devastated." She thought about the loss of her father in law. He truly was the closest thing to a father figure she had her whole life. She saved their memories and after one awkward conversation about her intentions, he loved Bella for her just as she was. The relationship she built with Jack Granger was a valued treasure to her, "I'm devastated," she whispered into Hermione's hair.

"Dad loved you so much, Bella," Hermione squeezed harder trying to control her sobs.

"Is he? Did they? I can't remember. What do the muggles do now?"

Hermione knew muggle death and burial procedures was a newer concept for her wife, "we are waiting on the coroner to announce his death. Then his body will be taken to a funeral home to be prepared for burial. We will have a funeral then he will be buried and we will have a wake somewhere for him." She saw her wife looking at her, "he's in their bedroom still." She nodded to the door behind them. "There are emergency services with mum. The coroner should be here shortly. Mum is refusing to leave the room."

Bella could understand that feeling. When Hermione was in her coma it took everything to get her to leave the hospital room even for a few minutes. She couldn't begin to imagine what Katherine was going through because she never lost anyone close to her on the same level. The only thing that came close was when Great Kitty died but the girls were just little then. They didn't really understand what was going on and it was Bella's first muggle death.  "I don't really know what to say. How to comfort you."

Hermione just shook her head, "it means everything that you came right now."

"I will be here for you until the day I die. Don't ever think I won't." What was she going to tell the girls when she went back home? "Let me send a message to Andy to look in on the girls. Sam and Minnie are still there until tonight. Longer I guess now at least for Minnie, she should take time off right? I don't know how to do this."