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Mimi was a good dog, but even she left Dora alone at one point to chase off a squirrel that had run up a nearby tree. Dora called the dog to stop barking and Mimi, pleased at her work of defending the house from the vicious wildlife, trotted back onto the porch and curled herself into the crook of Dora’s legs. It had been about ten minutes since her headache subsided, fifteen since she’d calmed down enough to actually take the elixir she had been yearning for since Fin woke her. Dora was looking out over the garden but she saw Fin appear in the doorway from the corner of her eye and she jutted her chin into the air a little higher than she had been holding it before. Dora might have forgotten all about her daughter for a moment, if Fin had not mentioned her. Dora smothered the guilty feeling in her stomach with another sip of champagne before replying “okay.” And then after a moment, “thanks.” Green eyes were still fixed on the landscape but she was more than aware that Fin was still standing there and she chewed on her lip anxiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The woman pouted, obviously disappointed in missing the silver fox – or whomever she was hoping for – and Dora couldn’t help but think that she looked oddly like a fish at that moment. She was definitely not the sort of witch who could get away with a pout, not like Dora could. Dora curbed her instinct to slap the woman on the face with a roll of parchment to get her to stop making that face, and instead closed the log and tucked it back in its place. Dora shrugged as the woman asked if she could hang around waiting for Eldtritch. It didn’t bother Dora to have someone else there, she was already quite skilled at completely blocking out annoying patrons at the bar, so if this witch got on her nerves she was sure she could handle herself. Dora leaned against the counter, looking at the blonde. “You get stood up?” she asked, wondering why on earth anyone would plan to meet for a date at their office.

Shock and second-hand embarrassment faded as Pansy let out an excited squeal and drew Dora’s attention away from Jasper, if only for a moment. She had caught one of her butterflies again, which was apparently spectacular news for the nearly one year old. Leo excused himself and dashed over to where Jasper was now stationed, dragging his nephew along for some photos. Dora laughed as she watched them before the crowd moved in and cluttered her view. “Do you want to go see Jaspy and have your picture taken too, lovey?” she asked in that sort of sickly-sweet baby voice mums were known to use. Dora wasn’t sure where the voice had come from but it seemed to crop up every now and again when she wasn’t preoccupied by work, or friends, or the emotional scars that led to some very dangerous and very exciting activities that left her with real, visible scars. Sometimes she even liked being a mum, though those moments were not often, and seemed to pop up at the most unexpected times. It was easier when she had help, and sometimes just coming home from work and seeing Pans napping was all it took. Other times she felt jealous of the baby for all the attention she was given, and the leisurely lifestyle of having everyone dote on you without expectations. Those moments inevitably led to feelings of shame and disgust with herself, and often she found comfort in secret methods deemed dangerous by others, and thus too taboo to discuss. Even Fin didn’t know her darkest secrets and he knew her better than anyone else had.

Adjusting the tulle on Pansy’s dress, Dora prepared to follow suit and shower Jasper with what was most likely unwanted attention, but before she could even rise from her chair a man appeared in front of her. Her skin prickled with excitement at his presence and her throat became dry as he spoke a single word. “Come.” Dora nodded numbly, a craving rising furiously inside her that had only been a whisper until now. She stood and very nearly stepped away without another thought until Pansy’s happy squeals provided momentary clarity. Green eyes looked around frantically, an urgency welling up inside her the longer she delayed. Dora felt panicked, sick, unsure of what to do until her eyes fell on Clementine. Dora gasped a happy sigh of relieve as she pushed the pram through the crowd toward her friend, nearly smashing the wheels into Clem’s chair. “I have to go. Can you watch her? I need to leave.” The panic in her voice expressed her urgency and Dora was nearly shaking now. If this didn’t work, if Clem said no, what would Dora do? Deep down she already knew the answer and it wasn’t one a parent could say aloud without risking everything, so she ignored it. Giving her friend no real time to answer, Dora shouted apologies to Clementine as she practically ran out of the bookshop, without bothering to say goodbye to anyone, Pansy included.

Dora looked up as she was spoken to, the same plastic smile as before making her expression look stiff and lifeless. This wasn’t at all the job she thought she was signing up for. Jovi had promised handsome blokes a plenty and loads of downtime to spend with her cousin who also worked in the building, but mostly Dora just checked people in or gave them directions to the loo. She honestly believed the whole set up could have been shifted to later in the day; what was the purpose in having everyone start their days so early? Couldn’t she come in at 11:30 and do the same bloody job? Apparently not.

“Eldtritch?” Dora stood from her seat, taking her cuppa with her as she moved to the log book. The name didn’t sound familiar but unless there was a particular reason to pay attention, she was mostly moving by muscle memory. Taking a sip of her tea, Dora pulled the cover of the log book open but before her eyes could meet the paper, she cocked her head to the side and looked at the woman. “Is he the silver fox that came in about an hour ago?” she asked, remembering one of the few blokes interesting enough worth recalling. An older gentlewizard with flecks of grey in his otherwise dark hair, clean shaven face, and wearing a suit that Dora would have very much enjoyed ripping off of him. What was that man’s name? Green eyes looked to the log, but nothing even remotely resembling ‘Eldtritch’ was listed today. “Nope, must’ve been some other gent I was eye shagging.” Dora smirked at her own dirty thoughts and took another sip of her tea. "Sorry, love."

Clearly Kit was stoked about his new co-worker. He had that weird smile on which he nearly always had, at least around Dora, and he was being all awkward and adorable. Dora grinned, though his next words made the glimmer in her eyes die just a bit. Why had she left the Starlight? It wasn’t as though she had much say in the matter, and it was still a sore subject between her and Fin, but while she could hold a grudge like no other, she also knew it wasn’t an attractive look. She shrugged at Kit nonchalantly, “I was just ready for a change, you know? I mean, I really had only taken on the position to help Fin out, but how long could I be expected to be so charitable? And with Pansy needing so much attention…” It definitely wasn’t because her best friend in the entire universe had fired her. Certainly not. Dora straightened up a little more, the twinkle coming back in her green eyes. “But don’t you go getting jealous if you see me smiling at one of the many, many attractive wizards around here. I’m just doing my job.” Though if he caught her in a storage cupboard with someone, that would be a wholly different sort of job.

His words stunned her and she was frozen silent for a moment, though Pansy continued to wail on her hip. Fin snatched the baby from her arms and it shook Dora’s voice loose. “Fine then! We won’t do it anymore! As if I care!” But she clearly did care, as evident by the liquid pooling in her eyes regardless of the fact that no tears actually fell. He had left the room and Dora turned toward the sink, leaning over it and willing her stomach to settle down and for her head to stop pulsing. Will power was no match for the vampiric hangover she was wrestling with and Dora lurched forward as the meager contents of her stomach were expelled into the sink. Turning the tap on to wash away the sick, Dora stood with her head hung, cool shivers running down the length of her body. A small bark from Mimi nearly made the brunette jump but she moaned softly instead and began to sort herself out. She pulled a pain elixir from the cupboard and grabbed the bottle of champagne that Fin had brought her, then turned and headed out to the back porch, Mimi trotting along behind her.

The afternoon air was chilly but it felt good against her bare legs. Dora sat on the patio sofa and tucked her feet up under herself, pulling the cork from the champagne and taking a drink straight from the bottle. Watching the wind blow around the barren tree branches was rather soothing and with Mimi having climbed up onto her lap for a cuddle, Dora was beginning to feel better.