| Details for A Wedding and a Breakdown |
| Summary: | Phil and Graham meet at the Sweetshop and talk |
| Date: | December 6, 2013 |
| Location: | Sweet Temptations |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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It's after the dinner desert crowd has left and the place has quieted down where there are not many here now, but the night isn't completely without it's inhabitants. Graham enters into the place wearing his work robes he'd sent an owl on a whim and was glad it was accepted as he moves to find a table to plop down into.
Standing at a counter is a familiar figure. Phil is looking through an order book for wedding favours. She has a few small samples in front of her for tasting. This is a preliminary look at the book, not a formal appointment with her wedding planner, mother and the owner of the candy store.
Graham pauses as he sees the one he'd come to see standing near a counter. He adjusts course to go over to her when he reaches to her side he reaches up putting his arm around her shoulder "No unicorn's? I'm disapointed." he says lightly to her as he looks over the favors each in turn.
Phil starts at first but then realising who it is she returns the side hug "No unicorns, however it does say items not found in the book can be ordered upon request." Her finger taps the notice in the order book. "So don't give up hope yet." Turning her head towards Graham she queries, "How are you?"
"Sorry to startle." he says lightly though looking to the book a moment "I'll hold onto the dream." Graham says giving her a grin at the question "Double patrols are a pain in the bum. Overall i'm good though Sorcha got back into town. What about yourself i'm sorry i've not seen you recently it's not for lack of trying."
Nodding her head, Phil looks back at the book. "Sorcha and I had tea last week. She's agreed to be one of the bridesmaids. I'm hoping my cousins will be in the wedding too. If they are that gives us another bridesmaid and an usher. Then of course there are my brothers." Phil picks up one of the samples and biting it in half offers Graham the other half. "Chocolate and rose. What do you think?"
Graham smiles at the news about sorcha being a bridesmaid "That's great, I bet she's happy about that." he says sincerely he nods listening to the planning "How many do you think will be in attendance all told?" the auror asks curiously after a moment. He accepts the sample looking it over before he eats it nodding in approval. "It's good looks nice and tastes good too." he says
"Not too many." Phil uses the napkin provided to wipe her mouth. "It will be a small ceremony. Only a few hundred." Society weddings are not your typical affair. "The reception will be much more intimate. A hundred or so."
The auror chuckles to her "I've never been to a wedding but that sounds like a fair few to me." Graham says to her though this is likely a norm he's not used to but oh well he'll make it through. "You two deserve to have as many people at your wedding as you want though." this more warmly. "Is there anything else I can help with i'm not to busy for this."
"Most of them will be my family or friends of. Obviously there will be Thomas' friends there too. His brother Mikhale." Phil nods towards another sample. "Have more if you like. I was saying to Sorcha that it saddens me how his family have disowned him. He is such a good man."
The young man nods his head he does try another nodding to it after Graham's scoped it out and then eaten it. "I don't understand it i'm sure Sorcha would be in agreeing, he's happy they should see that and be flad for him i've never seen fault with him myself maybe they will come around?"
"Sorcha comes from a family more like mine. They drive her nuts but they love and support her. The Carrows are different. Harder." Phil takes one of the candies and eats it only to wrinkle her nose. "Not one I would recommend."
Graham nods to her words "Yes, quite concerned about her family i've not met. I get along with Keenan and Niamh well but I don't think the others will like me." he gives a small shrug but it begins a chuckle at the look on her face offering a napkin. "I'll take your word on it."
"Families are nice, but they aren't her. Even so, you have plenty of time. Sorcha's obviously not interested in marriage any time soon. So enjoy things how they are." Phil picks up the glass of water they gave her for cleansing her palate and drinks deeply, washing the unpleasant ( at least to her ) taste away.
"Very true, I think she knows i'll do my best when that time comes, but as she told me i'm english so i'm screwed from the start." Graham laughs a moment but he does nod his nose scrunching a bit at the past thoughts of what happend before when he moved too fast. "I've learned my lesson not to rush forward with her so no worries there."
"Have you ever dated anyone else seriously?" Phil thinks she knows the answer to this, but poses the question anyway. "I understand she hasn't. It can be hard trying to have a mature relationship when you have overbearing older siblings." As Phil well knows.
Graham shakes his head no at the question "No, I haven't which is likely where my mistakes stem from." he says looking over to his friend a moment at her words "I dont understand what you mean Keenan?" he asks confused clearly "If that is what is wrong she's never said so not to mention she has an auror friend who personally said he'd blast me to bits if I hurt her." he says sighing his voice is lowered when he continues "I am not sure I understand Sorcha's reasoning to her hesitation but i'll not push her away because of it."
Phil leans in against the counter and turns to face Graham. "I don't know if it is any one thing. I just got the sense that while she cares about you and likes being with you, that she isn't ready for some kind of forever love. She's young and wants to be carefree and have fun. Find out who she is. With luck she can do that with you."
"I suppose its just being lame as I am. I dont understand." Graham frowns a bit pondering this a bit "I am so happy with her Phil. I love her but if I tell her she'd leave me." he shakes his head slumping the auror's one thing he cant combat is this matter. "I dont mean to stop her living her life, but why cant we both live and learn together?" it seems things have been weighing on him
"Because she's barely in her twenties. She went from a school where everybody told her what to do to an adult world where she isn't really treated like an adult but as a child still." Phil reaches over to rub his arm. "You grew up knowing how to be independent and fend for yourself. Sorcha is little lost. She needs to know who she is in herself. Not who Sorcha, Keenan and Niahm's sister is. Not who Sorcha, the O'Shea's dutiful daughter is. Not Sorcha the apothecarist's assistant or even Sorcha the girlfriend. Just Sorcha. Full stop."
"I treat her as an adult, i've never stopped her Phil." the touch to his arm loosens him up a little bit but Graham is clearly in bad shape on this topic. "I've encouraged her and will always do so." he says over to the other nodding at her words "How do I help her with that?" he asks a bit lost he shakes his head "I'm sorry Phil shouldnt drag you down like this."
"You can't help her or do it for her, Graham. All you can do is let her know that you'll wait for her - if that is what you want to do - which I think it is." She hugs him tightly. "She isn't broken and doesn't need to be fixed. She just needs to feel in charge of herself."
Graham listens to her and returns the hug linger a moment perhaps for support though "I know she's not broken she's perfect." He looks back to her his eyes are overbright and he's holding himself together but barely. "Your speaking as if she's decided to leave already Phil… did she say something?" he asks his voice failing as he gets the last bit out.
"No, no of course not." Phil is quick to reassure Graham. "She cares about you, she truly does. But you know if she does things you don't like you need to stand up for yourself, right? That you shouldn't have to change who you are to please anyone."
The young man watches his friend nodding the thought of Sorcha leaving apparently no good for Graham's he nods at her words "I don't think i've changed but we've been talking about the only thing I would change that she would love me too and that I cannot do except with time of course I will wait if she will allow me to do so." He pulls himself to his feet "I've ruined your wedding plans enough for one evening Phil I should head home." she knows him well he's not holding together long which is his reason for leaving he walks to the door and she'll hear perhaps a sob then CRACK before it's barely shut