Absit Omen RPG
Role-Play Boards => St. Mungo's => London => First Floor: Creature-Induced Injuries => Topic started by: Samia St.James on November 08, 2009, 12:38:47 PM
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Lewis was heavy. What on earth had she been feeding him? Well, whatever it was she was going to have to stop. Before long she would no longer be able to carry him to the front door, let alone apparate with him to St.Mungo's, walk along the street and into the front door of the building. She pressed the button on the lift. Nothing happened. She pressed it again. "Come on..." She said, her voice portraying her irritation as she nursed her son, crying over her shoulder.
She pressed it a couple more times, harder and faster. Still, nothing. She huffed as she prepared to make her way up the stairs. She couldn't even bear to put her poor son down on the floor to walk - the poor kid was clearly in agony. What kind of mother would do that to her child? Instead she dealt with the fact that he was so heavy - luckily she was only going up the the first floor.
She arrived at the reception out of breath and rosy-cheeked. She leant on the counter slightly, and the pompous-looking old woman behind it narrowed her eyes at Sam. "I need to see a healer." She said quickly. The receptionist let her eyes wander along the seats in the waiting room where other people were sat. Sam followed her eyeline, knowing exactly what she was getting at.
"As do all of those."
Her haughty air caught Sam offguard, and the young mother's eyes widened as the receptionist went back to her paperwork. "I meant now." Sam spoke again, her voice a little more shrill now. The receptionist's lazy eyes wandered up the desk and found Sam's. Clearly she was not amused at this outspoken woman with a toddler in her arms.
"And I meant you have to wait your turn."
Once again, the eyes went back down to the paperwork. Sam's blood began to boil at how unsympathetic and uncaring this woman was being, regardless of the howling coming from the little boy snuggled into his mother's shoulder. "Listen, lady!" She slammed her hand down on the desk, startling the receptionist but also some of the other patients. "Do you have any kids?" She asked, her brow pinched together in fury. The receptionist didn't answer. "No, I didn't think so." She hissed at her. "Now, I said I need to see a healer. And I meant now!"
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Jason couldn’t feel much lower than he did right then. That, and he was still sore. He had at least set his nose and the swelling had gone down with a little help of a disgusting prune tasting potion. He could hardly force himself to swallow it once… and had dealt with what little was left today. All he had to deal with, really, was the bit of soreness around it, and the slight bruising. Still… he was working to keep his mind off of other things.
So when he got an exasperated receptionist in his office, Jason merely glanced up from his paperwork and frowned, listening as she went on about this moody mother who wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was worried that she might go off on the other waiting people. All his other healers were busy; today was obviously a bad day to get into a tussle with a creature. With a clipboard under his arm, Jason fixed his healer hat (he had thought it might help take the eyes off of his nose today), and walked towards the reception area.
It didn’t take very long to hear (and then see) the angry mother. Letting the door close behind him, Jason took a moment to assess the rest of the waiting room. Then he moved to the desk and put on a soft smile, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder, first winking at the little boy. Anything he could do to appear as friendly as possible. “Miss?” He turned and motioned to the door he’d come from. “I’m Healer Marren, I can see you.” Then his eyes flickered back to her and he gave her a slight searching look.
“Sa…mia?” He had got it right… right? It had been a while since he’d seen the younger woman. A small grin appeared and then he shook his head. “Here…” With his hand lightly on her shoulder, he lead her through the room; the crying would leave the waiting room and would at least make some of the other (obviously irritated) waiting public relax. Once they were through the door, he motioned to a nearby, empty, small examining room. It was the triage area, for when they were slammed (like… today! Amazing).
“And who is this with you?” He patted the exam table for her to either sit up there with the little guy or put him up there on his own. Jason recalled she was married, and that it must be her son. Names, though, escaped him right then. Setting the clipboard down on the bedside table, he set a quill on top of it. “And what’s going on exactly?”
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A receptionist sitting next to the ogre behind the desk clearly saw red and scuttled off to go find someone to help them deal with the 'irrational mother'. Sam resisted the urge to shout 'Yeah, that's right - go find someone more competent to deal with me!'. Instead, she stood and glared at the receptionist, her foot tapping impatiently against the white linoleum floor and her son still crying hysterically over her shoulder.
A few moments later [although it seemed like a lifetime to the mother], a hand was on her shoulder and a gently voice offering to see her son." She spun around, the most grateful look on her face one could ever imagine. "Thank you." She breathed. Then his expression changed slightly. He knew her? Sam's eyes narrowed as she tried to search through all of the crap in her brain to see who the man in front of her was. She recognised him as someone she had met long ago, for a fleeting few moments. But there was no name. "Yes," she said, still puzzled as to who this man was. "Samia." she spoke her name, confirming that he was in fact correct with both her name and the pronunciation. Few people found it difficult to pronounce her name, and she was always quick to correct them.
His hand stayed on her shoulder as he directed her through the waiting room towards a triage room. Some of the patients in the waiting room cast annoyed glances at her, but for the most part they seemed sympathetic to the fact that she was carrying a little boy who was quite clearly in pain.
Once in the room, the healer patted the examination table. Sam leaned against it and pulled her unwilling child away from her shoulder. The small boy was still bubbling tears, and his hands immediately lifted up to hide his face. She gave an apologetic smile to the healer.
“And who is this with you?”
"This is Lewis." She spoke loudly, hoping that talking about her son would coax her son into actually being cooperative. No such luck.
“And what’s going on exactly?”
"He's been bitten." She spoke loudly, and for the first time realised just how frantic she must have sounded. She tugged at her son's jumper, and he obediently raised his elbows slightly, allowing her room to maneuovre the jumper up to show his stomach. "There." She indicated to a row of quite large bite marks, four lying just above his belly-button. "He came in from the garden complaining of being itchy. When I checked, they were only small...and then he went feverish and just started crying. They've been getting bigger." Her brow was pinched together with worry as her son sniffled. At least he wasn't bawling now - proving that more often than not, all a child needs is attention.
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“Yes… Samia.”
He just smirked slightly; he obviously hadn’t left a very big impression. No matter; it had been a while, and they had both been married then. Though, technically, he still was… Almost done. At least he’d remembered how to say her name! That would have been slightly embarrassing. Almost as embarrassing as forgetting someone who obviously remembered you. Oh! He could forgive her. She looked like she was a little flustered right then anyway.
“This is Lewis.”
Nodding at the little boy who was now hiding his face, Jason leaned down slightly, tilting his head to look at him. “Hey there Lewis, I’m Jason.” After a moment, he stood back up and looked to Samia, raising an eyebrow. Beyond her face, name, and the relation he thought he recalled she shared with Quincy… he didn’t know or remember much about her. Better than her memory, at least.
“He’s been bitten.”
He licked his lips and bit down on his lower one to keep from responding. Well obviously something like that had to have happened. He watched, frowning slightly in thought as she started to tug his little jumper up. Then he pulled a wheeled stool over and sat down in front of Lewis, putting his hands up for the boy to see.
“There.”
“I’m just going to take a look, ok bud?” He listened as Samia kept talking, leaning in closer and pulling his wand out, flashing a soft light over the marks. Sometimes the light in these rooms was horrid.
“He came in from the garden complaining of being itchy. When I checked, they were only small… and then he went feverish and just started crying. They’ve been getting bigger.”
Turning his attention up to Lewis, Jason smiled at him, pulling a little toy out of his pocket, letting the quidditch figurine fly in front of the boy. “Does it hurt right now, Lewis?” With him distracted, Jason helped Samia lay the little boy back, letting him try and catch the little broom as it sped around in circles and figure eights in the air above him. Marking down something on his clipboard, he gently pressed around the marks, frowning to himself.
It was September, right? And in the garden… “Has he been acting different?” Though they normally took up in homes, it was possible they were doxy bites. “Do you have a shed out in the garden? Or a… fort that he plays in?” Then again, it was best to rule out runespoor, since they had caused a ruckus lately. “How long has he had these? When did his fever start?” He turned his attention to the mother, noticing how easy it was to keep looking at her.
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The healer introduced himself to Lewis. Jason! That was it. Jason Marren, right. He was married and as far as she was aware, had a kid only a year or so younger than Lewis. Sam watched as he spoke to Lewis and pulled out a small quidditch figurine. The little boy reached up to grasp for it just as it flew away again. Sam grinned; typical Lewis, intrigued by anything he couldn't have. Especially something that flies.
The light from Jason's wand shone over the bites, and Sam winced. They looked so much worse in that light than what they had at home. Maybe they had worsened on her short trip over here. The healer marked something on his clipboard and frowned slightly. Sam bit her lip - frowning wasn't good. Especially when it was the healer frowning. She told herself to stop hovering over him and trying to catch a look at his clipboard. That wasn't going to help herself or Lewis right now.
“Has he been acting different?”
"Quieter." She responded immediately, her voice raspy slightly after she had been holding her breath. She cleared her throat and continued, "He seemed a little dazed earlier. Though I couldn't really tell, as he spent most of the last hour clinging to me with his head hidden." She sighed as her son's hand moved up in the air, following the line of the little figurine.
“Do you have a shed out in the garden? Or a… fort that he plays in?”
"He has a little wooden house." She paused, her brow furrowed slightly. "Why?" That was it. He was never going in that house again. She was going to dismantle it herself when they got home!
“How long has he had these? When did his fever start?
"Ah..." she looked up at the ceiling as though trying to work it out. "he played in the garden this morning. Then...he complained of itchy bites at about eleven. So about four hours? Then his fever started up about an hour ago." She shrugged as the healer looked up at her. "I didn't keep a diary." She realised as soon as she spoke that she sounded arrogant and not all that nice. She hadn't meant to come across that way. Her lips thinned into a sheepish smile. "Sorry." She said quietly.
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Jason didn’t have to turn to know she was hovering. She was a mother, obviously one who cared greatly about her child, and it only made sense that she would watch ever. stinking. detail that he wrote down or notice every little change in his expression. Which only made him a little more self conscious, though he tried to play it off. Besides... he had plenty of mothers and fathers and husbands and wifes and whoever might be worried over their loved ones who stood by and watched everything he did; this was no different.
He just knew her. Slightly.
“Quieter... He seemed a little dazed earlier. Though I couldn’t really tell, as he spent most of the last hour clinging to me with his head hidden.”
Jason tilted his head and smiled up at the boy. The bites were obviously spreading; needed an antidote. He just needed to make sure he gave the right one. Quiet, dazed... dizzy perhaps? Though little children were prone to hide against their parents when they were hurt or shy or didn’t want to face whatever it was... So maybe not dizzy yet.
“He has a little wooden house... Why?”
A half smirk came to his lips before he quickly hid it, licking his lower lip and nodding slowly. Best she not see that, lest she get upset at him. He just liked when he was right. Jason was in charge of the creature induced injury ward, though, and he had best know his bites and marks and the like. To be of any use at least... Why, though, would take a little more. Shaking his head, he continued with his questioning first.
“Ah... he played in the garden this morning. Then...he complained of itchy bites at about eleven. So about four hours? Then his fever started up about an hour ago.”
That was good... the antidote would act quickly. Or quickly enough, though he would probably still feel a bit nauseous from it. Jason sucked in a breath, opening his mouth to explain himself, though she kept talking and he let it out slowly, raising an eyebrow at her sass. Well... An amused smirk came to his lips.
“Sorry.”
Shaking his head, he slowly stood up and waved his hand. “It’s fine. Better mannered than half our patient population.” Giving her a wink, he took a slow breath and then started to explain himself. “This time of year is when we might consider watching for doxies... the little blue fairies.” After a moment, he leaned on the table with one hand, letting a foot cross the other, toe to the ground. “They have a bite... but it’s easily fixed. If it were my home, I would consider spraying for them occasionally over the next few weeks.”
Glancing down to the little boy, he smiled warmly. “Lewis? Do you remember any blue little flying guys in your wooden house?” Best to make sure with the victim, of course. To help keep his attention, Jason reached out and gently took the quidditch guy away for a few moments.
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She didn't catch the smirk Jason offered momentarily, as she was focussed once more on her boy and how receptive he was being all of a sudden. What had changed now to make him suddenly happy? Toys. Clearly.
Jason stood up and dismissed her apology with a wave of his hand. “It’s fine. Better mannered than half our patient population.” Huh. Right. She was just another patient. "But not better mannered than the other half?" She asked, an eyebrow raised and a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips as she tilted her head to the left slghtly.
“They have a bite... but it’s easily fixed. If it were my home, I would consider spraying for them occasionally over the next few weeks.”
"Oh.." She lowered her eyes with embarassment. The way he spoke made it sound as though he thought she was stupid for not having already done so. Why hadn't she sprayed for them already? Why hadn't she known that they could pose a threat to her son? Maybe even herself. She swallowed and nodded slightly, colour rising to her cheeks. "Yes...spray."
“Lewis? Do you remember any blue little flying guys in your wooden house?”
Jason's hand reached out and grabbed the firgurine from the air. Lewis grasped after it but only just missed to Jason's larger hands. The little boy furrowed his brows in thought as though trying to think back to playing outside. "Like that!" He pointed at the figure still squirming in the healer's hand, a grin spreading across his face. "Try to catch them!" Sam's eyes widened momentarily. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she realised if her son had been a little more cooperative than he had been with her, she needn't have wasted Jason's time.
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“But not better mannered than the other half?”
He opened his mouth and then closed it, clearly caught off guard by that. A small chuckle escaped his mouth and he gave her a half shrug. “Not everyone demands to be seen right away... but I wouldn’t be quite as easy going if my son was in pain either.” Now he didn’t know what else to say, so he kept his mouth shut. She was quick and on top of it... he had to give her that. At least he didn’t give her a straight answer.
“Oh.. Yes...spray.”
Jason hadn’t realized that he’d embarrassed her. It was just something he did: telling a patient or their family member what to do to keep certain things from happening. And Jason was supposed to be an expert in the Creature Induced Anything area, so... when it came to prevention, he had to know his stuff. And in this case... doxies were easily rid of with a few doses of Doxycide. All Jason had to worry about, right then, was getting the antidote for the Doxy venom though.
“Like that! Try to catch them!”
Grinning down at the little boy, he offered the toy back to him, though it took off just before Lewis could grab on to it, once again resuming its tricks in the air. Turning his attention back to Samia, Jason stood up and picked up his clipboard, writing a few other things down. “I’ll get a dose of Doxy antidote for Lewis. It doesn’t taste very good, though, so I’ll bring a nice pumpkin juice in with it.”
And another couple markings down and he smiled at her before heading out. A few minutes later, and he had everything he wanted. Leaving the clipboard outside, he knocked and entered in again, holding the antidote in one hand, and the pumpkin juice in the other. Sitting back down next to Lewis, he set the glasses down and looked up at Samia briefly. “What is it that you do?” Jason took the next few moments helping Lewis sit up, stopping the quidditch fellow and offering it to the boy to take, tugging the jumper back down.
Then he picked up the Doxy antidote and offered it to the little boy. “And some pumpkin juice for after?”
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“Not everyone demands to be seen right away... but I wouldn’t be quite as easy going if my son was in pain either.”
She had been right. He did have a son. She shrugged. "It's a mother's prerogative to worry about her child." And so had been the situation since her son had been conceived, letalone born. She had been the most careful, caring mother from the day she found out there was life inside her. She wished she could have said the same for her ex, but not all humans were destined to be parents. Some just did the work and then packed their bags as soon as they had the opportunity.
“I’ll get a dose of Doxy antidote for Lewis. It doesn’t taste very good, though, so I’ll bring a nice pumpkin juice in with it.”
Sam smiled slightly as Jason left the room, brushing her fringe out of her eyes. He was being so nice, seeing them at such short notice - and Sam felt like a true dunce just sitting there. As soon as Jason left the room, she turned her eyes on her son who was once again trying to catch the flying figure. "Lewis." She said slowly with an eyebrow raised. "Why didn't you tell mummy about the blue fairies?" The little boy just giggled as the figure whizzed between his hands.
She rolled her eyes and scrubbed the hair on top of his head. "You need to tell me when things like this hap-" Jason was back, and Sam didn't want to be caught chastising her child. He would probably think her an awful mother for telling her son off when he was sick. She gave a sheepish grin as Jason helped Lewis to sit up on the bed.
“What is it that you do?”
Her eyes flashed up towards him. "I'm an alchemist." She said, her eyes instantly lighting up. She truly loved her job - she had always been a bit of a mad scientist, blowing things up and mixing random potions. "I work for Amortentia..." She trailled off slightly, blushing at the name of the company. Amortentia's Alchemist was the main provider of potions to St.Mungo's, so she had no doubt Jason would know who they were. And much as though they were a brilliant company to both be a customer of and work for, she could have killed the person who named it, every time she had to say their name out loud. Especially considering their slogan was 'Spreading the love'. Her nose wrinkled up slightly at just how cheesy that slogan sounded.
Lewis seemed less than impressed with the appearance of the antidote, but as soon as pumpkin juice was promised, he took the cup eagerly and downed the liquid, making a 'yuck' noise afterwards and twisting his face. His little chubby hand waited impatiently for his prize.
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“It’s a mother’s prerogative to worry about her child.”
Jason raised an eyebrow and smirked. Some mother’s, perhaps. Fiona would probably be the least worried and bothered mother ever. But it worked for her... She seemed to have compassion when she needed it. “And it’s the father’s to make sure the child gets out and explores.” Mum to worry, dad to encourage. Still... he’d worry as Aidan got older. Just... not yet. He couldn’t go very far on his own. “It’s good, though. I mean, you got the care he needed.” If Jason could toot his own horn.
When he came back in, Jason merely gave her a sheepish smile. He wouldn’t have thought differently of her if she’d been scolding her son. He’d heard worse on his ward. Mother’s cursing at their sons for going near the dragon egg nest, families who up and leave when they find out their loved one has been bitten by a werewolf... more than likely to forget that person ever existed at all. No... a little scolding for playing with doxies was nothing up to that.
“I’m an alchemist... I work for Amortentia...”
An alchemist? Jason’s surprise showed on his face. His initial reaction was to ask how long–then he realized he should keep that snooty remark to himself. He did raise an eyebrow at the name, nodding slowly. “And... you’ve worked there long?” Jason tried to keep the question as neutral as possible, though some doubt did shine through. If she had worked there a while... “Sorry... Just seems a bit of a pain to come all the way to St. Mungo’s when you could probably have... whipped up a potion yourself.”
Jason’s eyes widened as the little boy took the antidote like a pro. A moment later and he blinked. “Oh, yes...” Handing over the pumpkin juice, he chuckled and stood up, taking the empty antidote cup away, tossing it. “Took it like a champ.” Standing near Samia, Jason found his eyes turning to her, glancing over her with a slightly assessing look, more exploring and curious. Why didn’t he ask Quincy more about her cousin? Well... it might be a little odd right now. He was still nursing his nose...
Then he realized what he was doing and he felt a small blush come up, his eyes turning quickly to the little boy. “We’ll just keep an eye on him over the next thirty minutes, and then you two are free to go.” Smiling at Lewis, Jason tilted his head just slightly. “That pumpkin juice taste better?”
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“And it’s the father’s to make sure the child gets out and explores.”
"But hopefully not with doxies." she quipped back. "For your son's sake." Truth be told, she wasn't entirely sure how a father was supposed to act. Lewis' dad had bailed when he was a couple of weeks old, and since then she'd been flying solo with her son - quite literally, when it came to taking him on a broomstick which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.
“And... you’ve worked there long?”
"Since I was twenty-two." She stated, before she realised that since he didn't know how old she was now, that would be no indication of how long she'd worked there. "Nearly seven years."
“Sorry... Just seems a bit of a pain to come all the way to St. Mungo’s when you could probably have... whipped up a potion yourself.”
Her attention went from her son drinking the antidote on the exam table to the healer in front of her. Slowly. Very slowly. Perhaps he hadn't meant to sound critical, but that's exactly how it came across to Sam. "Oh, I could have, could I?" She asked, stepping into mother-mode extremely quickly. "And what if I'd diagnosed the bite wrong? It's all very well whipping up a potion," she said in a mocking repeat of what he had suggested, "But if that potion is to treat the wrong thing, then you're kind of screwed."
She paused, her eyes almost boring holes into his skull. "Would you have me hurt my son?" she asked, her voice getting higher and higher pitched the more frustrated she got. Her son was drinking his pumpkin juice and watching what was going on, but Sam was seething with anger.
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“But hopefully not with doxies... For your son’s sake.”
Laughing at that, Jason gave her a look and nodded slowly. “Yes... not with doxies. That would make more work for me. He’s allowed to explore as long as he doesn’t do that.” Amused, he rested his hands on his knees, leaning forward slightly. Plus, he checked for them. He’d been bitten once or twice as a kid, and just found it easier to spray for them than wait for them to infest.
“Since I was twenty-two... Nearly seven years.”
He found himself wondering what she had done before that, what had held her back from working... had she chosen not to work? Traveled the world? He rubbed his eye, turning his attention away. It wasn’t important to know that to treat her son. Mentally slapping himself, he nodded. Seven years... well, he hadn’t had many issues with the potions he received, so something had to be right. Maybe she was just so worked up over her son, she hadn’t thought it through.
Seven years though... It took a brief moment longer before he put it together; she was twenty nine? Giving her another look, he raised an eyebrow; she certainly didn’t look it. Now... if he’d known the reaction his statement would make, Jason would have held his tongue and bit it hard to keep from letting it out. But... such is life.
“Oh, I could have, could I?”
His smile fell just a slight bit, and he stopped thinking about how many traits she seemed to share with–Anyway. His nose had a slight painful twinge in it as if to remind himself not to even think of Quincy in any other way than his best friend’s ... ex... wife... He could do that.
“And what if I’d diagnosed the bite wrong? It’s all very well whipping up a potion... But if that potion is to treat the wrong thing, then you’re kind of screwed.”
His mouth opened slightly before he closed it, frowning just slightly. Right. He wasn’t dealing with someone who knew him and his personality. She’d only met him once or twice. He felt the blush spread slightly along his cheeks as he listened, trying to think of how to explain himself. Lewis was all but forgotten as Jason had his arms crossed over his chest, watching Samia. “Of course not, Sam. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Taking a slow breath he moved his hand slightly, unthreateningly into the air between them. “I only meant that with your vast skill, if you’d known it was a doxy bite, then you wouldn’t have had to waste your time here. This isn’t a fun place to be.” It had been a while since he’d upset a mother, otherwise he’d have reminded himself to watch what he said. What else could he say now, though? Biting his lower lip, he gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged slightly.
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“Of course not, Sam. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
He called her Sam? That caught her offguard slightly. Only her family and close friends called her Sam. Her brow furrowed slightly. She was being confrontational - the way she held her gaze upon his eyes as though trying to stare him out, it was just a reflex and a way of protecting herself. She tended not to get upset about things anymore. Staying emotionally detached was something she had trained herself to do, and she didn't like letting her guard down. But when it came to protecting her son she would stop at nothing.
She shrugged, turning her face away from his blushing cheeks. Maybe he hadn't meant to upset her. Maybe she was just being irrational and over-emotional. "Forget it." She said. Though her words seemed to be waving it off as ok, her tone of voice said something completely different.
“I only meant that with your vast skill, if you’d known it was a doxy bite, then you wouldn’t have had to waste your time here. This isn’t a fun place to be.”
His hand was up in the air between them, almost as though he was protecting himself from her. Was she seriously that much of a dragon? Her expression softened as he bit his lower lip sheepishly. He really hadn't meant to upset her. And there she was, acting as though he had been the biggest ass in the world. He was one of the good guys.
Her shoulders slumped slightly. "All I seem to be doing is apologising to you." She smiled slightly. "But that's my fault, so; I'm sorry." she shook her head at herself. Why did she have to be such an ogre? "I really am. It's just..." she looked over at Lewis who seemed quite content now lying on the table and looking up at the ceiling - there were stars stuck up there that kept changing colours. He'd always liked the night sky. "I'm on my own, and so many people have said I can't do it. So far I've managed, but I'm so scared that..." she trailled off. Jason didn't need to hear her problems and insecurities. He didn't get paid enough for that. Besides, she hadn't let her guard down and told anyone yet, so why was she suddenly feeling the urge to open up to this man that she barely knew?
Shaking her head she smiled. "Anyway, thanks for your time, Healer Marren. I understand that you're very busy and I truly appreciate you being able to see us at such short notice."
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Jason hadn’t noticed he’d used a nickname most people didn’t. He was just trying to calm her down, trying not to have her blow up at him even further in a small room with one feasible escape (jumping from an above ground window wasn’t his idea of feasible either) that was not exactly easy to get to. So he settled for shortening her name as easily as he could. Not that he could have fit through the tiny, sealed window anyway… They had to keep their patients from abandoning care somehow right?
At least it was an option.
“Forget it.”
That was as horrifying a statement to hear from a woman as ‘I’m fine.’ Or as panic inducing as ‘nothing’ in response to ‘what’s wrong.’ It’s always something, they’re never fine, and they would never let you forget it. So why lie? He was easily won over, though, even if her voice said a completely different story than her words. Forget it? Sure. Sure… he could do that. Wiped clean. Forgotten! What were they talking about? He didn’t remember! Could have been the birds outside the magically stuck window for all he recalled…
“All I seem to be doing is apologizing to you… But that’s my fault, so; I’m sorry.”
Shaking his head, he finally let his hand drop, feeling as if it was safe to do so. Her shoulders slumped in that slightly defeated way. How he’d managed to scrape out of a ‘forget it’ statement… Jason wished he’d been keeping notes for later. Though every woman was different, and also different to what mood they were in as to how they might react… it was still nice to know what had worked. Just that once. To see if it was a onetime thing. It probably helped that she didn’t know him that well…
“I really am. It’s just… I’m on my own, and so many people have said I can’t do it. So far I’ve managed, but I’m so scared that…”
His eyebrows rose slightly with sympathy and slight understanding. She was on her own? Slightly confused, he kept it under wraps as best he could. When had that transpired? Why hadn’t Quincy kept him up to date on her beautifully talented younger cousin? Oh that’s right. Because he hadn’t been ‘on his own’ for very long. And because they’d—right. Nevertheless, it was information he tucked aside for later probing. Maybe he could ask about it later…
“Anyway, thanks for your time, Healer Marren. I understand that you’re very busy and I truly appreciate you being able to see us at such short notice.”
He blinked as he noticed her throw her defense back up, kicking himself mentally for not saying something smooth, interjecting and saving the day. However, he merely smiled back, resting his hands on his hips. “From what I can see, you’re a great mum, Samia.” Taking a breath, he tilted his head slightly and looked towards Lewis. “And…” He trailed off after dragging it out a moment, he smirked. “Instead of rushing to St. Mungo’s next time-” Jason pulled out a card from his pocket, turning it over and jotting down an address. “-Why not just send me an owl with what’s going on? I mean… I’m good friends with Eddie—” He did a good job of hiding the wince, right? “—And since you’re Quincy’s cousin, it’s the least I can do.” Offering her the card, he gave her a soft smile.
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“From what I can see, you’re a great mum, Samia.”
She looked down at the floor, smiling slightly with embarassment. A lock of hair fell over her eyes, and she lifted her hand slowly to tuck it behind her ear. As if she wasn't embarassed enough, she didn't want to draw more attention to herself.
"Thanks." She breathed quietly. It wasn't very often she heard compliments like that about her mothering skills. Her own parents didn't really care about anything except the fact their young grandson was a pureblood. Her younger cousing Charlotte didn't care for kids, and her slightly elder cousin Quincy ahd her own problems. Sometimes it was nice to hear from someone that you were doing a good job; even if that person was a stranger.
“-Why not just send me an owl with what’s going on? I mean… I’m good friends with Eddie—”
Was...was this going where she thought it was going? She held her breath without realising as he pulled a card from his pocket and jotted down an address on the reverse. He handed her the card and se exhaled slightly, taking it from him cautiously.
“—And since you’re Quincy’s cousin, it’s the least I can do.”
"Right." She smiled, her cheeks feeling as though they were burning slightly. "I'll make sure I do that." She sighed and looked at Lewis. "Come on then, pipsqueek." she said brightly. Lewis grinned at hearing his pet-name and held his arms out. "Oh no," she shook her head. "You are walking, mister!" He pouted slightly as Sam helped him down from the exam table. "Now say thank you to Healer Marren."
The little boy looked up at Jason, one eye squinted as though he was shy. "Fanks!" He chirped before snuggling into his mother's leg. She rolled her eyes and grinned at Jason. "Really, thank you." She put her hand on his arm. "I really appreciate what you've done for us." With that she took her son's hand and led the way out of the room and into the hallway.
The card with Jason's address was still clasped tightly in her left hand, but as she walked down the corridor, she let her grip loosen over a bin, and looked straight ahead as the card fell into the bag. He wouldn't want an annoying mother bothering him at home. He was just being nice.