Everything We've Gone Through...

Chapter 24

The next few days passed by quickly. Again, all weren't in a very good mood. Jacob would just hide in his room the whole day and Newt and Tina spended most of the time in his basement, taking care of his creatures but they never really talked much.
In fact, they only talked every time Bunty was there too, who always tried to start a conversation with Newt.
The only thing that changed in the few days was that winter was clearly coming : It was the middle of December and it started snowing outside.
Tina always liked winter most and when she sat there in her room, staring outside at the snow that was falling she was unwillingly reminded of Queenie.
They always had had long snowball fights in winter and then they would have drank lots of hot cocoa to warm themselves up.
She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn't see an owl arriving until it was only a few meters away from her window.
She jumped in shock and tried to calm her breath when she opened the window to let in the brown, tired looking owl.
She stroke her feathers a few times before taking off a letter and a small package that were both tied to her leg.
"No wonder you look so tired. Do you want to drink something?" Tina asked but the bird just stretched its wings again, let out a howl and then flew away out of the window.
Tina sighed and then looked at the post.
First, she looked at the package but there wasn't a name on it, just a small note :

You'll know what this is as soon as you opened it.

So she looked at the envelope of the letter to see Newt's name on it.
Then, she started looking for him but she couldn't feel a bit jealous but also curious from whom this was from.
She found Newt in the kitchen and to her surprise he... was cooking something? Jacob always was the one to cook and even when he wasn't fine he always did. It made him happy.
But she never saw Newt preparing food.
She first hesitated to walk up to him, in case she would startle him but then curiosity overcame her.
"Cocoa?" she absorbed, smiling when she finally stood next to him.
To her surprise Newt didn't even notice her and nearly dropped his mug full of the steaming liquid when he noticed she was there.
"Um yes," he noted awkwardly.
"Since when do you drink cocoa? I always thought you Brits are crazy about tea," Tina wondered but regretted what she just said as Newt chuckled beside her. It made her think her question was dumb and when she thought about it - it was.
But to her surprise she saw him blushing out of the corner of her eye.
"I prefer tea, too," Newt said when he stopped chuckling, "but sometimes it um it reminds me of that night when you brought me to your apartment after you tried to arrest me."
Newt blushed even more if that was still possible and wouldn't dare to glance at Tina.
She now was the one to giggle as she thought about everything that happened in New York back then.
"I know it's rather stupid," Newt said, setting his mug down, looking hurt.
"No, no it absolutely isn't, Newt," Tina explained, "In fact, I've... When you let Frank out in New York, he lost some feathers and I um picked them up, thinking that I would keep them so I would have something that...that reminds me of you."
Her voice in the end was barely a whisper.
Newt glanced at her, to see that the colour of her face has changed into a deep red.
"I'm sorry," Tina added, feeling more embarrassed than she ever did in her whole life.
"No, it's okay," Newt assured.
She nodded and thought for a while what to say next.
"I came here because a package and a letter arrived on my window, it was addressed to you." Tina finally managed to see a curious look on Newt's face.
She walked over to the kitchen table to pick up the post and hand it to him.
He analysed it for a moment until saying :"My mother sent this."
He then opened the letter and began to read.

Newt,
How are you? I'd be better if my son had sent me a letter at least once the last year.
But his old, poor mother doesn't matter to him anymore as it seems. I'm deeply hurt Newton!
(And remind me of punishing you for this the next time we see each other).
And that takes me excactly to the point : perhaps it doesn't matter to you anymore as you forgot your mother and her traditions but as every year I'm planning a dance ball and it would be nice to see you there.
It will take place on 31st December 1927 and I'm looking forward to maybe seeing a girl you brought with you.
(Don't think of an excuse for not being able to dance as you did all the last years, this year you will!)

See you Newton.
With much love,
Your dearest mother

Newt groaned at this. He hated dancing, meeting many people and loud music, so he would be hating this ball.
"What is it?" Tina asked and Newt handed her the letter, a little shocked.
"A dance ball?" Tina frowned after reading through the letter.
"Yes, my mother had always planned these balls in December, most of the time they took place in the end of December, so we were able to celebrate New Years Eve together," Newt explained, "And this time there won't be a way to escape as my mother knows I came up with excuses the last years," he finished with another groan.
Tina chuckled amusedly before becoming serious again :"Who were you planning to bring with you?"
"Oh I haven't thought about that yet," Newt answered nervously although he already knew who he wanted to go to the ball with. He just couldn't bring up the courage to ask her, not now.
Tina nodded and there was another long silence before Newt opened the package.
"Oh no," he murmered under his breath as he saw the content. Tina already got a glimpse of what it was : thousand of photos of Newt when he was younger.
Tina couldn't help but smile, she wish she would have a mother that cares so much for her child.
"Can I look at them?" Tina asked without thinking.
Newt, his face heating up, said after thinking for a few seconds :"If you want to."
Tina nodded and they sat down on the couch in the living room.
"Would you like some cocoa, too?" Newt asked before they started looking at the pictures.
Tina smiled and breathed a "yes please" and with that Newt vanished to bring her a cup of hot cocoa, handing it to her carefully.
"Queenie and I used to drink it a lot when it was winter. After snowball fights for example," Tina smiled softly at the memory.
"You know what?"
Tina glanced at him curiously.
"Why don't we go out after we finished looking at this," he said, pointing at the box in his hands,"I know I can't replace her but maybe it will be nice?"
Tina's face lit up within a second.
"I'd like that," she then breathed, smiling even wider.
Newt nodded, also with a smile on his face. He loved it when he was able to make Tina a little happier by what he was suggesting, saying or doing.

So this is my new chapter, slightly longer than the last ones and I hope you enjoyed reading it.