an ordinary November's eve

Draco was making stew. It was a good night for it. He was thinking Macy should help. Maybe peel the carrots and the potatoes. But he could see when she got back from Hannah's that she was worn out.

"What were you two doing? Yoga or something?" He called to her while she was washing up. She was already in her favorite night shirt and leggings when she came out of the bathroom.

"What? Of course, not." Macy half laughed, acting as if he was being ridiculous, and she didn't see the fun in his humor.

Draco just smiled and went back to the simmering meat and broth. He added a few more onions.

"You..can eat onions, can't you?" He called to her while she was in her room.

"Yeah." She answered.

Draco nodded, remembering it was Lily who couldn't stand onion. She hated mushrooms, too. Something, she evidently got from her mother, because Draco wanted to put onions and mushrooms in everything.

He went to peel the carrots and chopped them up. Finally he tasted the broth. Something was missing. Maybe a little red pepper. He sprinkled some into the pot.

"Biscuits or cornbread?" was his next question to Macy.

"Cornbread."

Now he needed to look for a packet of cornbread mix. He didn't have any. They would have to make do with cheese and crackers.

Finally, he got to the potatoes. That was the last thing he needed for  the stew. He heard the jingle of Macy's phone with was a mixture of birds chirping and the sound of some organ jiving some old tune.

He went on with the potatoes. Chopping and pushing the chunks into the bubbling broth.

It was so quiet.

Was Macy still on the phone? He gave the stew a stir with the big metal spoon. Finally, he decided to see if Macy wanted him to make pudding, for later.

There she was standing by her bed with the phone to her ear, crying.