August (Ricky)

August was a special month. On the one hand was Gideon's birth month and somehow he definitely thought more about his life, his past and future around that time. It was also the month before the next school year would start and the man always felt excited when he thought of getting back to Ilvermorny. The anticipation a week before the start of term was one of his favourite feelings.

He had spent the last few weeks in Italy working on new potions and had clearly enjoyed that. Now, however, he had enough of that and was eager to get back to normality. As a professor he felt that every day life was more exciting than holidays anyway. Working with students, teaching them, supporting them with whatever they needed was more than a job, it rather felt like a vocation.

To Gideon his students were more than just that, they mattered to him almost as though they were his own children. Sometimes he wished he had a family of his own but the only one who he had ever seriously considered as a life partner had been Dottie and their relationship had not ended well. There were moments when he wondered how things could have been if they hadn't had this fight and hadn't separated... it was a futile thought though. He couldn't change the past, couldn't take back the things he said.

Nonetheless this kind of thought occurred to him more frequently in August. He somehow envied his best mate Ricky even though his marriage had failed - he still had his children whom he loved and who loved him unconditionally. How wonderful that must feel. Selena was also starting school now so Gideon assumed that Ricky go shopping for school supplies with his daughter.

What an exciting time that was for a family. A child turning into a student, a teenager. He could still remember his first days at Ilvermorny. How amazing that had been and he had made a friend who was like a brother now.

On the day of their shared birthday Gideon had still been in Italy. He had sent an owl to congratulate and had also asked Ricky to meet up in Shackamaxon once he'd be back in the United States. They had decided to grab some food at Grann Sosseh's Traditional Caribbean Bakery and Dessert Cafe.

Excited to see his best friend again, Gideon had arrived early and already taken a seat at a table by the window. He placed a basket with original Tuscan foods (including olive oil, herbs and limoncello) on the table - a belated birthday present for Ricky - and waited for the other man's arrival.

@Ricky Cortes

[OOC: I know he is still in sorting but Gideon didn't want to wait...]

Ricky had intended to travel alone to Shackamaxon to meet up with Gideon , but intentions often counted for little when one had children. Particularly when one of those children was a daughter who was so intensely excited at the prospect of starting at Ilvermorny that she had created a calendar upon which she wasn't just ticking off the days, but the hours as well. Trying to explain to Selena that she didn't need to come with him today had been like trying to explain to a poltergeist that it didn't need to cause trouble today. And of course, where Selena wanted to go, Little Ricky wanted to follow, even though it would be another three years before he was old enough for the school.

Privately, Ricky worried about how his son would feel once he was the only child at home with their mother. She loved them dearly, but would never feel comfortable with magic and with only one child at home whose magic was very much at the unpredictable stage... Ricky was glad that his uncle and grandparents would be around to keep an eye on things.

Back to the present though, and thankfully his sister been able to take a day off from her own business in order for them to make a family trip to Shackamaxon. Stephanie was currently single and had no kids of her own so was happy to fulfil her Aunt-duties for an afternoon. The four of them took the floo network to the village, it being too far away for comfortable apparition, let alone with children in tow, arriving early enough that Ricky was able to see leave enough galleons at the Toad and Bone to pay for his daughter's alchemy ingredients. That would keep them occupied for an hour or so, he imagined as he bid them farewell and too the short trip walk to the Caribbean bakery.

The smell of the food brought back memories as he approached. Ricky had been here many times, but he still remembered the first time he, Dottie and Gideon had gone in there for a meal during their third year as if it had been only last week. He spotted his friend easily from outside, waving as he entered the cafe and crossing straight to the table.

“Hey man, I've missed you!” he exclaimed, pulling his friend to his feet for a quick hug, during which he spotted the basket waiting at his place at the table... “is that for me?”   Without waiting to be told Ricky sat down and started examining the contents, pulling out a brown-paper wrapped bag and opening the top to smell the freshly-dried basil inside “so how was Italy? Learn any new potions out there?”

Ricky didn't need to pull him up . As his friend approached, Gideon didn't hesitate long before getting to his feet. The brief hug might look rushed to the outsider but it was enough to make them show one another how happy they were to see each other after not having met for a few weeks.

"Missed you too, mate," Gideon was quick to respond and his face clearly showed that he meant it. They were best friends for such a long time already and Gideon could not imagine his life without having Ricky to talk to. In the best as well as worst moments of his life Ricky had been there for him and the other way around.

"Yes! Happy belated birthday," he responded cheerfully. "I thought you might need some original Italian herbs and oil and all this again." He knew that Ricky liked to cook and they had enjoyed Italian food during their stay abroad a lot. Besides, even if these items were all from a Tuscan deli, the products could as well be used for other than solely Italian food. "I thought I'd be back in the USA by our birthday but you know Ennio. We forgot time while working on Potions and drinking wine and limoncello."

He nodded as he watched Ricky examine the gift basket. "It was amazing. The weather was great and I absolutely enjoyed experimenting with Ennio. We have worked on a potion that makes you weightless. I think we'll call it 'Astronaut' or 'Space' potion. It needs some tweaks still but overall it already works well. You need a safe and secluded room for that and it will surely only be sold to those of age who have signed a form that they read and understood how it works. It's definitely something I'll sell to the joke shop and, possibly, let students try it in class when I can watch them and step in if needed." A laugh escaped him as a thought came to his mind. "Or do you think things like that are too risky now that Selena is going to attend school too? Where is she anyway? Did you bring her here today?" Gideon knew Selena from her birth on. He was looking forward to teaching her and also felt a little bit sentimental - how nice it would have been if he, too, had a child who would also start school now. Overall, though, he was content playing the role of an uncle for Selena.

Re-wrapping one bag, Ricky opened the next and repeated the process. "Oregano, right?" he asked, half to himself as he checked the label in the bag. Of course, he could have just done that in the first place, but he liked to identify ingredients by their smell or texture, making it a kind of competition with himself and making certain that he didn't forget anything. He lifted out a bottle of herb-infused oil and examined the label, kidding himself that he knew what it said when really, he could do no more than pick out a couple of words here and there, and only then because they were similar to French or Spanish. "Its perfect, thank you..." he replaced the bottle and looked directly at his friend.

"Limoncello? Is this something I've tried before..?" Ricky didn't drink much alcohol at all, the odd beer on occasion, and it was something of a joke between the two men that Gideon liked to widen and encourage his tastes in that regard. Even the mention of wine had brought back memories he would really rather forget. "I know Ennio" he agreed "and it's not a problem. I took the kids to see my parents for my birthday, and we stayed over for a couple of days. They loved seeing each other and it was good to have a break as well" Ricky would never complain about his situation, but it was tiring to watch both kids full-time. He was full of admiration for all the parents who managed to do that while they worked as well. At least his job allowed him to spend several weeks with them at a time when he didn't need to focus his attention elsewhere, other than to make sure lessons for the new semester were planned.

Ricky shook his head and grinned as his friend described the new potion. It was just the sort of thing Gideon loved - innovative, exciting...and almost entirely useless. Already Ricky could see the dangers inherent in such a potion. What if someone drank it while they were outside? "It sounds great" was what he said though, not sure how he could voice his misgivings "and the kids...well, they'll love it. Just...take care if you let them try it. The last thing you'd want is to have someone sneak in to try and take a sample to try out on their own. I guess you'll put a warning on the bottle so people don't try and take it while they're outside without proper precautions?" Ricky wasn't sure what those precautions might be...a rope tied around someone's waist? A friend standing by to grab onto their ankles when they begain floating into the air?

"Selena would love it, I'm sure. And Dottie's kid - you know she's starting this year too?' he added as an afterthought. The girls already knew each other so hopefully they would be friends in the same way that Ricky and Gideon were friends. "it's okay, I haven't abandoned her in the street" he grinned "Stephanie took the day off and came along, so she's got both kids for a couple of hours while we meet up, and..." he broke off and reached for a menu as a server aproached, quickly scanning the options. It had been a coupl of years since he'd last eaten here, after all.

Gideon laughed as his friend asked about the limoncello. “Honestly? I went into that shop in Volterra and started packing things into the basket when the owner approached me, making suggestions as to what I should add. He suggested a bottle of Chianti and, well, I explained that the person the basket is for did not like wine. Then he said that I'd have to get the Limoncello instead.” He shrugged. “I drank some with Ennio and it's really tasty. We could try it together at our first evening back at Ilvermorny,” he suggested before looking at his mate thoughtfully. “Unless you won't have time for me then now that Selena is starting at school.”

He nodded as his friend told him about how he had spent his birthday. In the past they had usually spent the special day together. This year though Gideon hadn't even been aware that it had been his birthday until an owl with birthday wishes had reached him. He had been preoccupied with the potion and had drunk so much every night while discussing more fun potion ideas with Ennio that time had only been secondary then.

“Ricky!” Gideon exclaimed, feeling both amused and slightly affronted. “They won't get to take the potion anywhere. They'll either get to try it in my classroom with me watching or they won't try it at all. As I said, only those who are of age will be allowed to buy it once it's on the market and they'll have to sign that they understood how it works and where it can be used. Wouldn't want to be held responsible for any abuse of the potion.”

At the mention of Dottie, Gideon felt somewhat strange. He knew that Ricky had kept in touch with  her but they weren't a trio anymore like in their school days. Back in their last year at Ilvermorny Dottie had been his girlfriend, they had even considered moving in together at some point after Gideon had returned from his travels. He hadn't heard a word from her since their breakup. Ricky had mentioned her having a child at some point and Selena had excitedly told him about her Canadian friend but he had always tried to avoid the topic. Although the pair had broken up a decade ago it was still hurtful and unpleasant to think about her.

“Dottie's kid is starting at Ilvermorny too?!” he still repeated, struggling to work out how he felt about that. He only half listened to Ricky stating that his sister was looking after his kids today. Selena and Dottie's child might have a friendship at school comparable to theirs and, once again, he felt that it would be nice to be a part of this.

He followed Ricky's example and took a menu himself. He couldn't properly focus on the writing on it though. Why did he feel like his school friends had ganged up on him? They were keeping in touch, they both had a child starting school this year… He felt strangely left out. “I guess, I'll take dish number 12, in old tradition,” he muttered. He didn't even check if number 12 was still the same after all these years.

Ricky grinned and shook his head as he replaced the bottle in the basket. He'd practically sworn off alcohol some thirteen years ago but still his friend seemed certain that it was just a question of finding the right drink. Usually this meant Ricky tasting a few sips and pouring the rest into the nearest plant pot and pretending he liked it, but... "Sure, it's a date" he joked, though he grew thoughtful again almost immediately. It would be wonderful and strange having Selena so close all the time. Part of him desperately wanted her to be sorted into his house, even though he knew it really didn't matter, because she would be meeting new friends and spending most of her time with them anyway. Probably he wouldn't see her much at all, except in his classes... but he would know she was there.

"She won't want to spend all her time in my office" he said, truthfully, though really he had no idea how the family dynamic would work once they were both living full time under the same roof for the first time in years. "Yours, maybe, if you're going to offer potion samples..." He left the comments on the space potion without adding anything else. Probably Gideon had already considered the implications of a student stealing a bottle, but if not...well, now he was going to be sure to take every possible precaution, It wasn't that Ricky didn't trust his friend, far from it. He just knew that on occasion Gideon tended to get a bit carried away with his ideas and forgot to think about what might happen if something went wrong.

Anyway, it seemed that the potion was the least of what they needed to talk about today, given Gideon's reaction to the news about Addie also starting at Ilvermorny. Ricky felt suddenly uncomfortable. He'd assumed that Dottie and Gideon were talking again, though he realised with a chill that he'd based that assumption purely on the fact that she had stopped asking how Gideon was in her letter quite some years earlier. Ricky had interpreted that to mean they were talking again but apparently that wasn't the case. And if that was true, then it meant he was going to have to break some other news as well.

The worry quite took his appetite away, though he managed to smile at the server. "I'll have the same, a medium butterbeer, and a side of fried plantain" he said, his mind barely on what he was saying. He was quiet as the server left to relay their order, trying to order his thoughts.

"So you and uh... you and Dottie don't write each other?" he said, though it came out more like a question as he tried to flounder his way through the next revelation "Because she told me that she's...well, she's got a job at the school too, starting next month" he looked uncomfortable, even embarrassed. "I'm sorry" he said more quietly still "I figured you were talking again by now..." he stared at the table, feeling guilty and for once at a loss for words.

Ricky agreed to meet on their first evening back at school and Gideon was rather pleased about that. While it was never boring at Ilvermorny and he'd find a different way to busy himself easily, he preferred the prospect of spending time with his best mate to celebrate their first day of term.

He nodded as Ricky said that his daughter would not want to spend all the time at his office. That was probably true and yet it felt odd to know that he did not only have his students but also his own child around. Somehow this felt odd to Gideon. It had been the same after Selena's birth and sometimes when he had seen Ricky with the girl – he felt like he was missing out on something himself, that he was inferior. He knew that his feelings were silly but he couldn't deny them despite the fact that he truly liked the little girl.

“Well, you know that I will always have my office open for students but the potions are really only for the classroom environment and I will check most carefully that nobody gets a vial of anything dangerous outside.” He grinned at that, knowing that he didn't need to tell his friend that he would have no problem to let his students get away with a vial of an entirely harmless potion.

As Ricky placed his order, Gideon nodded along. “I'll also take a butterbeer,” he added. He was not exactly a fan of butterbeer but that didn't matter. He liked it when Ricky and he were acting a little like twins, even if it was just the order that was more or less identical.

Then Ricky mentioned Dottie again and Gideon immediately felt tense again. The man looked at his friend, willing him to stop. Dottie and their former relationship were a soft spot he'd rather not talk about. However, the words were out before he could stop his mate. His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. For a moment he was speechlessly staring at Ricky. His heart was beating quickly and he even felt a little dizzy as he tried to process the information.

“What?” was the first thing he said and his voice did not sound like his at all. He shook his head in disbelief.

“Dottie is what?” He still stared at Ricky incredulously. “You… You knew and did not think of telling me at once?” The fact that Ricky had believed that Dottie would have told him herself did not really sink in.

“So you two are talking,” he stated, sounding a little bitter but at least a bit more like himself. “Good for you.” He felt anger building up inside of him but he tried to stay calm. It was not the right place or time to pick up a fight. Besides he tried to convince himself that Ricky had not meant to hurt him. Nonetheless he felt more left out than ever. His best mate and his former girlfriend both had a child starting at Ilvermorny this year, they were both teaching at the school and were talking while nobody had considered informing him as well. Suddenly the thought that they might actually be dating occurred to him. It seemed to be a logical explanation for everything.

“Are you two dating?” He blurted out, looking straight at Ricky. If he said they were he'd leave the café immediately. It would be just too much to process. While he clearly hoped to hear that they weren't dating he also hoped that his friend would not lie to him just to spare his feelings as, in the end, that would make things just more complicated.

They used to do that at school, Ricky remembered suddenly. Eat exactly the same meals to add to the claim that they were twins, order the same drink in cafes, buy the same kind of quills... it made him smile anew, though that was short-lived. They'd been friends for so long that Ricky knew his friend's moods well, and he felt sure that the rest of their meeting today wasn't going to be as relaxed as it had promised to begin with. It was only a single word, but it spoke volumes.

Ricky felt guilty, as if he'd been keeping a secret or actually been lying, when nothing could have been further form the truth. Certainly he and Dottie had kept in touch, though there had been a period of several years when his children had been very small when their contact had been limited to little more than birthday and Christmas cards. But there had never been any deception, he hadn't told Gideon because...well, honestly, he didn't think there was anything to tell. Already he was upset with himself, the familiar self-critical voice telling him that he should have said something. What though, he had no idea. "Oh, by the way, are you and Dottie talking to each other again?" or something that one couldn't exactly slip into a casual conversation.

"I didn't..." he began, and then stopped again, trying to figure out if he even could have said anything earlier. Dottie had mentioned in a letter a couple of months ago that she was thinking of applying for the position and he'd replied, saying that it would be great that all three of them would be together again. Now, he wondered whether Dottie had even known that Gideon was also a professor before receiving that letter. He felt confused, and suddenly had the uncomfortable sensation that he and his best friend weren't as close as they once had been. "She wrote and said she was considering a career change and asked whether I thought she'd make a good professor. I assumed you knew about it or I'd have said something then. And I found out that she'd got the job precisely four days ago, while you were still in Italy. I didn't realise..."

He stopped abruptly, his voice having been taking on an edge and firmness that he didn't like. "I didn't realise it was such a big deal" was what he had been on the verge of saying, and he'd stopped himself in time. Of course it was important, any new professor meant a potential change in the school dynamic, particularly if there was a clash of personalities. But this was much more, and Ricky berated himself inwardly for not realising. He should have broken the news more gradually, he should have written to Gideon as soon as Dottie had menetioned she might apply for the position....

"What? No!' he was shocked by the question, but at least his friend's reaction made a bit more sense now. Ricky wondered fleetingly if it meant that perhaps the former couple still had feeling for each other that they didn't want to admit, but the thought vanished before he had even given it conscious consideration. The server returned with their drinks, and he automatically offered his thanks, reaching for the glass and then withdrawing his hand. "I haven't even seen her since...for a long while" he amended, because he had a feeling that Gideon had assumed that there had been no contact between him and the woman since they'd graduated.

Ricky hated to lie, and he hated the feeling that he had unwittingly done exactly that. "She's like my sister. I just...never saw her in that way" he said, and then, because he couldn't think of anything else just then "I thought she'd have told you as well."

Gideon felt like in a daze, he stared at his friend, heard that he spoke but he wasn't actually listening. Dottie would start teaching at Ilvermorny. He couldn't believe it. After all these years that he had tried to forget her because, obviously, she had done the same with him, she was now intruding his sphere.

He was mad, mad at Ricky for not telling him at once, mad at Dottie for suddenly turning up again in his life messing everything up when he had just got used to having lost her. He half listened as Ricky said that Dottie had asked him if she'd make a good professor and for a moment he was focused on the here and now rather than on his feelings that he couldn't make sense of anyway.

“And you said, yes?” he asked in a strangely hoarse voice accompanied from a humourless laugh. Admittedly, if one said that Dottie would not make a good professor neither of them would. They had got along so well back at school for a reason. However, it vaguely occurred to Gideon that Ricky had almost criticised his idea of the weightless potion while he was now telling that a pyromaniac would make a good professor.

It irritated Gideon that Ricky's voice had changed as though he was just going through a challenge similar to his own. That was ridiculous. Ricky did not just hear life changing news. He didn't have to hear that his former girlfriend would soon be a co-worker and thus mess with his everyday life. He was seemingly mad at Gideon now but right now Gideon could not understand why. He had not kept vital information from his friend, after all.

He looked at Ricky with raised eyebrows, trying to figure out if he believed his friend that there was nothing between him and Dottie. As he did that he wondered if it would actually matter if they were a couple. He shook his head as if to shake off all these poisonous thoughts.

He barely noticed that the drinks had been served by now and he clearly didn't feel like drinking butterbeer any more. This situation called for something a lot stronger. Belatedly he turned to face the waiter who had already turned their back on them. “I'd like a firewhisky,” he announced. “Better make it a double,” he added bitterly.

Gideon felt hot now, he'd have liked to get out of the situation and clear his mind but escaping the scene now would hardly be helping and he knew it. He stared at some distant point in the café and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm down. “Well, she hasn't.” He stated after a while, his voice not as loud as before but still sounding bitter. “And it's all official already?!” He asked, feeling certain that the answer to this question would be yes.

“Does she know that...” he paused as the waiter served the firewhisky and offered them a forced smile. “Does she know that I'm a professor too?” He wondered if Dottie was aware of them seeing each other at Ilvermorny and, if she did, if she liked the idea of that.

Whenever he was in trouble as a little kid, Ricky had wanted to just run away from the situation. He hated it when someone was mad with him, especially when he thought he had't done anything wrong but then the other person made it clear they thought he had. he was an adult now though, and he couldn't get up and walk away even if he wanted to. Gideon was his best friend and walking away wasn't an option, besides, he would then have to spend the next hour hiding out somewhere so he didn't have to explain to Stephanie and his children why he was back with them so soon. Stephanie had known Gideon practically her whole life as well and she would hate the thought of them falling out. So he sat there as his hands grew gradually more sweaty and uncomfortable, and the back if his neck became hot and his heart raced, and he couldn't quite look his best friend in the eye.

"I said..." he hesitated. What did Gideon want to hear? But that was a pointless thought, because Ricky barely knew how to lie, and the few times he'd tried as a child he'd been caught out almost immediately. "I said that if that was what she wanted to do, I thought she should definitely give it her best shot." He'd also said that he thought she would be great, given that children loved her and she loved them right back, but omitting something from a statement wasn't lying and he didn't think he should mention that right now. "She's going to teach Charms" he added. Maybe if he volunteered as much infornation as possible now, it would make things better.

Or maybe it wouldn't. Ricky's eyes flicked up as his fellow professor ordered the strong liquor. On another occasion he would have said something, advised against drinking this early in the day, or suggested waiting until after dinner, but he said nothing today. Almost, he felt like opening that bottle of limoncello right now and sampling some straight from the bottle. Anything to make this situation more comfortable.

"She got the confirmation earlier this week...I think" he said. At least, the tone of her letter had been so exuberant that Ricky had assumed that she had received the news that day. He'd written back to congratulate her, though it had been more of a brief note. There was always so much to do in the summer when he had both Selena and Little Ricky full time. He offered his own smile to the waiter who left, doubtless to tell everyone else who worked there that there was drama going on at table number seven.

"Yeah. When I first got the job I wrote and told her we'd both be working there..." he paused, trying to remember how often he mentioned Gideon in his letters. Not that often, because he was aware of their shared past and it felt uncomfortable to be talking about one behind the other's back. So it was possible that Dottie thought Gideon was working somewhere else now...but he didn't think so. "She used to ask how you were when she wrote, but a few years back, she stopped, so I thought that meant..." he swallowed hard "I thought it meant you guys were talking again." He didn't want to think of the alternative, that Dottie just wasn't bothered any more. Lifting his glass, he took a sip without tasting the butterbeer, wanting to wet his suddenly parched throat. "I think...maybe she's working there so she can keep an eye on Addie. You know, her...daughter" he added, staring down at the table once again.

“Hmph,” Gideon didn't want to argue and tried to keep himself from lashing out again but it was hard to compose himself. He knew that it would not be fair on Ricky even though he clearly felt that his friend had not acted loyally. In Gideon's opinion Ricky should have reached out to him to ask what he thought of Dottie applying for a professor position instead of just telling her that it was a good idea. And was it even a good idea?

“Charms,” Gideon echoed. It did not matter much what Dottie would teach. She'd be at Ilvermorny, with him. He felt how his heartbeat was quickening again. He'd see her again after all this time. Had she changed a lot? Had he changed? Subconsciously he lifted his hand to run it over his head and check if his hair was still as full as it had been all these years ago.

So she knew that he, too, was teaching at Ilvermorny or so it seemed at least. Maybe Ricky was holding back more information though. Maybe she was not aware he still was a professor. Maybe she came for Ricky's sake, maybe… His head was spinning. There were too many uncertainties, too many question marks. He felt almost sick and instinctively he reached out for the glass filled with a good amount of firewhisky. He took a sip, trying to sort his feelings out some more but it was impossible.

Then Ricky mentioned that Dottie had stopped asking about him and he nodded, his expression looking a little pained again. “Well, obviously it did not mean that we are talking again,” he said, his voice trembling dangerously. “It's good to know, though, that Dottie and you are talking and making career plans.” He exhaled loudly and took a bigger sip from his whisky. Why did his formerly best friends scheme behind his back without even considering to involve him at all?

“Addie… yeah… of course,” he said, sounding more confused than angry now. The daughter. Dottie had a daughter. She might indeed be her reason for joining the staff. It could not be him because, as Ricky had just confirmed, a few years ago Dottie had stopped enquiring about him. She did not care about him anymore and he could not blame her. They had broken up about a decade again. Then again if every parent would apply as a professor there would never be a staff shortage anywhere. In fact, classes could be as small as two or three people then. He shook his head. Nothing of this made any sense to him.

“So you're happy she joins the staff then?” He asked, trying to let his voice sound casual but failing. He could not bear looking at Ricky now. He just stared at the liquid in the glass that he held in his hand, observing the slight movement in there that happened due to his hand trembling ever so slightly.

How had this all gone downhill so fast! Ten minutes ago they were greeting each other and Ricky was looking through the basket of Italian treats, and now he was wishing they were somewhere else. Or perhaps that he could just erase the whole conversation and they could start over...though what would that achieve? Ricky knew the theory of obliviation spells but had never tried one himself, nor would he want to, and not only because there wre strict penalties for using such a spell without permission or good reason. He wouldn't want to actually alter someone else's memories and anyway, what would have had done differently? There was no way to just offer such news and he supposed he might have pretended to know nothing about it and acted surprised to see Dottie there...but that wouldn't work. Selena and Addie knew each other and wouldn't understand why they neede to act like they didn't...and it was dishonest, anyway. All these thoughts flew through his mind in fractions of a second, because what matter was that Gideon was upset. Upset and angry.

"We're not making plans..." he protested, his voice sounding as if came from far away and belonged to someone else.  This scenario had never occurred to him and he had no idea how to deal with it. As Gideon raised the liquor glass to his lips he almost protested, and then fell silent again. Maybe if his friend drank something like that it would make him feel calmer...but then what?

"I was wrong. I'm sorry. I should have..." but he didn't know what he should have done. They all had their own lives, they were adults, and really, Ricky wrote to a lot of people. He was still in contact with several of the friends they'd made in Europe, much the same as Gideon worked with Ennio, and they didn't...oh. Gideon did talk about when he was going to be meeting with his Italian friend and mentor. But this was different, all three of them had been friends, and honestly, other than the fact they'd had a fight eleven or so years back, Ricky didn't know what had caused the pair to separate. And he genuinely hadn't realised that they had apparently held a grudge all these years. "I knew you guys had fought, but I didn't...I figured you'd have made up. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to interfere..."

Maybe he should have interfered. maybe he should have forced them into a room together and insisted that they talk over whatever their differences had been. Goodness knows, Ricky had had enough experience trying to sort out problems with a former partner and he felt a twinge of annoyance. Whatever Dottie and Gideon had dealt with was nothing compared with divorce from a wife who denied what you were and wanted to stop you from ever seeing your kids again. If he'd just stopped talking about the situation...well, it didn't bear thinking about. He took another drink and looked across the table to where Gideon was staring at his own glass, feeling annoyed.

"What does it matter whether I'm happy or not? She doesn't need my permission to get a job" he snapped, and then shook his head. THis wasn't going to do anyone any good. In a more controlled voice he asked "Will it be better if I just...go?"

His knuckles were almost white from clenching the glass of firewhisky so tightly. Gideon's instinct was to run for it but he figured it would not lead anywhere if he fled from the situation now. He'd just postpone the confrontation that way, he could not avoid it forever. No matter how disappointed, hurt, irritated and confused he now felt, he knew that this conflict would not resolve itself. If he didn't face it today, he'd have to face it at the beginning of term and suffer all they way till then.

He took another big sip from his drink, staring into the glass that was not offering a lot of the brown liquid any more now. He wondered if he should ask for another one but then again he figured that would not help either. One drink usually helped him to relax and clear his mind, a lot more than that had the contrary effect.

So they were not making plans. By the sound of Ricky's voice Gideon could tell that his mate was struggling with the situation as well. His sighed, why did this have to happen? Why were they in a situation that was this screwed up? Well, the answer was easy, at least to Gideon. It was all Dottie's fault and Ricky had just been thoughtless.

“...talked to me,” Gideon quietly finished the sentence. “You should just have talked to me.” He wanted to add that Ricky should have checked if his assumptions were facts rather than just wishful thinking. However, this conversation was draining and the man didn't feel like stirring up even more conflict.

“We didn't make up. I never heard a word from her since that day.” A pained expression spread across his face and he tried to hide it by putting the glass down and covering his face with his hands, rubbing his temples. Then his hands sank down on the table again and he shook his head. He didn't want to look like Dottie still had power over him after all this time. However, in the course of this conversation he realised that he had never got over her properly. No other woman had ever been this close to him, had ever understood him as well as he had always thought Dottie understood him.

He was tempted to say that Ricky should perhaps have interfered all these years ago but he didn't want to make this concession. Didn't want to admit that they might have needed the help of an outsider. Maybe things would have been different if Ricky as their close friend had tried to get them to talk after their break up. Thinking about this, Gideon wondered how different his life would have been if his friend had made this step.

“No, I suppose she doesn't need it,” Gideon said bitterly but much calmer than he had been before. He wondered though if Ricky couldn't have influenced Dottie in a way, could have talked her out of applying for this job that, in Gideon's opinion, was not really suited to her anyway.

The food was served right when Ricky had offered that he could leave, giving Gideon a few more seconds to consider this option. He thanked the waiter and turned to look at his friend again. “No, don't be ridiculous. We should probably eat...” and stop talking for a while he wanted to add but bit his tongue before he could voice this thought.

The firewhisky was almost gone now. Ricky was worried that his friend might call the waiter back, but he certainly wasn't going to comment and apparently Gideon decided that one glass was enough anyway.

"Yeah..." he said. He felt drained, and didn't want to do this anymore. He wanted to ask how Italy had been, find out if Gideon had made any new friends over there, tell about the birthday cake his kids had made that had been perfectly edible but for the chillies Little Ricky had decorated it with. Compared to Gideon, his own life was quiet, comfortable and mundane though, and perhaps he didn't have much to say after all. Oh, he was second-guessing himself now, trying to figure out what was the right thing to say rather than just relax and let the conversation flow like it usually did. He almost apologised again, but stopped himself. It wasn't going to do any good.

"I liked the idea of you guys talking again, so that's what I let myself believe, I guess" he admitted dully, not even having realised the fact until the words were out of his mouth. It was true, though. Talking to either of them aobut it would have felt like he was interfering, trying to control someone else...he couldn't do that. But...was it too late to put things right? Would they just ignore each other at school while they were supposed to be working together? It was true that there were professors at Ilvermorny who were definitely more acquaintances than friends, but Ricky was still perfectly comfortable meeting with them and discussing a student's progress. If Gideon and Dottie weren't going to be able to do even that...

And just like that, he decided he would have to get involved. Not with Gideon's side of things, it was too late for that. But when he got back he would write to Dottie, tell her what had happened so at least...what? At least she would know that she couldn't stroll in there and expect the three of them to immediately continue where they'd left off nearly fifteen years earlier.

He smelt the food before he saw it, the aroma so familiar that he had to blink hard and stare at the table for the rush of emotions that filled him for that moment. Suddenly he was much younger, and they were three instead of two, and... "Okay." he managed a tight-lipped smile and lifted the fork. He was going to say "Bon appetit", but the French words would undoubtedly be an unwelcome reminder of Dottie. Instead he said "Enjoy" in a tone that suggested they both might need convincing. Certainly he wasn't hungry any longer, but another memory surfaced and he pushed the bowl of fries to the centre of the table. "Here" he said, managing a quasi-grin this time as he began to pick at the meal.

Ricky sometimes was delusional or so Gideon thought at least. Just going along with wishful thinking without checking if his assumptions were correct did not seem like a very sensible idea to him. Then again Gideon was well aware of how different they were. They might have played twins in the past but they weren't all that similar at all. If he would have been in Ricky's place, Gideon would have interfered. He always interfered. He would never keep his nose out of other people's business and just watch. He just couldn't stay passive. When he saw that something was wrong with a friend or a student or anyone really, he usually tried to make it right. He had burned his fingers occasionally that way but he figured that if there was even a slight chance to make things better he had to try. He was also pretty good at solving other people's problems.

When it came to his own issues though, Gideon was entirely lost. The man usually ran from his own problems, feeling totally helpless. He wondered how things had developed had Ricky stepped in and forced Dottie and him to talk more than eleven years ago. They might have reconciled. Their lives might have developed entirely differently. Maybe they'd be a couple now, have children together, live a perfectly happy family life... or maybe they would have just postponed the break up for a few weeks or months and had got in an even nastier fight then, leaving both of them even more heartbroken.

Over the past few years Gideon had occasionally thought of sending an owl to Dottie, asking how she was doing. He had even started the one or other letter over the years but it would either have been a very brief note or something that showed that he was still feeling irritated because of how things had turned out for them. He had always destroyed the letters, burning them and thinking of Dottie who liked to blow up things herself. Thinking of that again now, Gideon sighed. This was all so messed up. He had no idea how it would feel to actually face Dottie again. However, now that the new information about her starting to teach at Ilvermorny sank in, he felt that, maybe, just maybe, he'd actually like to see her again. The circumstances were still infuriating though. Would she reach out to him before the start of term or turn up there and say something like 'Surprise!'. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his emotions in check.

The food had been served now and Ricky said something. Gideon merely nodded, he didn't feel able to talk just yet. He picked up fork and knife and then dropped both again to take the glass of firewhisky up to his mouth, emptying it now. The burning sensation felt somewhat soothing, but he knew that alcohol did not help to solve his problems, it did benumb him a little though and that was good enough for now.

He started to eat despite the fact that he had long lost his appetite. Nonetheless it felt good to be eating, it was a little like a timeout for their conversation and that was much needed. Gideon could tell that Ricky was about as upset as he was himself. Clearly the other man had not expected to be caught in the crossfire like this. "The food is just as good as it used to be," Gideon stated casually after a while, picking up the conversation again after a moment of silence. His voice still sounded a little strained but he tried to make up for this with a forced little smile. "Sorry mate," he added, "this has just been quite a shock." He still thought that Ricky should have told him earlier but they were friends for so long. It would be entirely stupid to ruin their friendship over this. However, he couldn't help but wonder what else Ricky had not told him.