Edwin's home in Guilden Morden, Cambs. Set after With Silent Ghosts All Around Us, late evening

---

"Hello!" The back door latched shut behind her as she stepped into the kitchen of the house from apparating into the garden and ascending the slate path. The open plan ground floor was lit with low light and there was some sort of jazz or easy listening on the record player.

There was a clink of a wine glass making its way down to the coffee table beside the sofas at the far side of the room, and she identified the back of Edwin's head which didn't turn to regard her, he instead raised a hand in greeting.

"Any left?" Elixa called, spotting the bottle of red wine beside his glass. She shook out her coat and headed to the hallway to hang it up. As she stepped back into the living room, Edwin was putting down the bottle of wine.

"Sorry, its dead." The witch's eyebrows rose.
"Good day then?" Clearly it hadn't been.
"Aisling's having another baby." Edwin spoke without much further hesitation, and Elixa paused, knowing this news a day before him, she had to act surprised.

"Fantastic! That's great news. You should invite her and Tarron over for dinner, I'd love to catch up with her, and meet him properly." The truth easily slipped from her tongue, so much easier than an outright lie, to just state happiness for the event.

"It is, right?" She dropped down onto the end of the sofa and regarded him at a level height. Edwin looked round to regard her properly and sighed.
"Yes, yes it is. I just… I worry. She's worrying, when she had her twins it was wartime, and being there again is bringing back memories."

Not that he still held a sliver of hope that she'd fall in love with him and leave Tarron that had been firmly extinguished that day.
"You soft thing." Elixa spoke gently and gave him a kind smile. "Its not wartime, she'll be fine. You just need to be a good friend and boss." She leaned over and fished the bottle off the table, inspecting the label and trying not to be disappointed he really had finished it without her.

"Hopefully you'll find an answer in the bottom of this anyhow. Can't believe you drank it all." She left her spot on the sofa and returned the bottle to the kitchen, leaving Edwin to his thoughts.

Be a good friend and employer. He could do that.

After all, that was all he was.