You Don't See Me

CHAPTER EIGHT: Journey to the Past

"Yes, I understand. But we had booked all hotels in the vicinity last March for this wedding!" I spoke patiently into the phone. My hands were full with the preparations for a high society wedding that our firm was handling and now I was having to deal with calls regarding accommodations for guests. Apparently, all hotels and inns that we'd reserved for the occasion had no more room.

"You could try calling Beachcomber Crest. They have excellent amenities and I'm sure they still have some vacant rooms. Just get back to me if that doesn't work, okay?" Thankfully, the caller agreed and I heaved a sigh of relief as I placed the phone back on its receiver. Being a wedding coordinator was never easy. But I enjoyed my job.

In my first few months in New York, I couldn't believe how crowded the streets seemed. Drivers honked, busses belched diesel fumes, and lights flashed on and off. Coming from a quiet environment like the Burrow, it was a little too much to take for me at first. Gradually though, I had adjusted. Especially once I had a good Muggle job keeping me busy. I casually looked around the room that I now called my office. Life had been very kind to me. I had found a good job and a new life in New York in a short span of time.

A knock interrupted my thoughts. "Ginny, can I come in?" Kate, my good friend and co-worker, peeked into my office. "Are you busy?" she asked.

"Not at all... have a seat! I was just thinking. What brings you here?" I asked. "I thought you were purchasing supplies for the Cartwright wedding?" Althea Cartwright was the daughter of a successful New York businessman and her wedding was one of the biggest accounts that our firm was handling. It was the very same wedding, in fact, that had been driving me nuts this morning.

Kate sighed. "You worry too much, Weasley. Relax. I asked my assistant to do it," she said nonchalantly. 'Very typical Kate attitude', I thought. "Oh, before I forget... this came in the mail just now," Kate added, handing me a white envelope.

"Thanks! Probably came from my parents." I replied. Muggle post was the only way I could communicate with my family right now since it was too risky to use an owl in a city like New York. But I had managed to orient myself to Muggle technology and for almost seven years now, Hermione and I had been keeping in touch through email.

Kate left me alone in my office. She knew I liked to read my mail in privacy. It had been my routine for seven years. "I'll see you later, okay? We're doing lunch today, remember," she added before she disappeared out the door.

It was through email that I learned Ron and Hermione were getting married. Words couldn't describe how happy I was to read that announcement... I had always known they would end up with each other eventually. But I couldn't make it to their wedding. My work schedule just wouldn't permit it. Plus I wasn't ready to face my family again, or Harry for that matter. Last time I heard, he's buried himself deep into work since Cho's death. I could imagine how hard it must have been for him. He had always loved her... and I doubted that he'd ever love somebody the same way again. But my heart went out even more to their daughter. She didn't deserve to lose a mother at such a young age! I just hoped Harry was taking good care of her. Cho would never have wanted them both to be unhappy.

Hermione had begged me to come home during that time. She figured it was when Harry needed me the most. But I refused. The very reason why I left England was to forget about him, and I wasn't going to jeopardize my goal by flinging myself back in his arms. I had told Ron and Hermione that I would come back home in time, and that will be when I'm fully prepared to face whatever I ran from in the first place.

I was happy with my life here. No one in the office knew about my family background or the fact that I was born a witch. They know me simply as Ginny Weasley, the fast-rising wedding coordinator among New York's elite social circle. Of course, my success in this chosen career wouldn't have been possible if not for Vera Dalton. She was my boss, the person who was kind enough to take me on when I didn't have a single dime in my pocket. She had become like a second mother to me.

But still I missed my family. I knew how much they suffered when I left home on such short notice. All these years I'd spent away from home were not easy for me either. But I had to do it for my own good. I needed to find my own identity, something which I found rather difficult to accomplish when I was at the Burrow because I was always caught up in my admiration for Harry Potter.

****

"Ginny dear, it's our 35^th wedding anniversary in two weeks. I hope you can make it home this time. Dad and I would very much like you to come. Ron and Hermione are hoping that I could convince you to come this time. Think about it, sweety. We love you. - Mum"

It was the last line of Mum's letter to me. All morning, I debated with myself whether I was in fact ready to go home now. Seven years had been long enough though. I felt deeply that I was now ready to confront whatever ghosts I left in my past... and what better way to do it than to surprise everyone at the Burrow. I made up my mind immediately. I'd fly to London in two days and surprise the bloody hell out of everyone there. It would be more than enough to qualify as a wedding present for my parents this time.

"Ms. Weasley, your meeting with Ms. Cartwright is at 1:30PM. Should I confirm your reservations at the Waldorf Astoria?" Janine, my secretary, inquired as I prepared to leave for lunch.

"Call her office, tell her I'm sending Kate to the meeting instead," I instructed. I need not worry enough though for Janine was a pretty efficient secretary. Now the only thing left was canceling on my lunch date with Kate. Luckily though, I met her just as I was rushing towards the elevator.

"Hey! We agreed to have lunch together, remember?" she called after me.

"Sorry, I'm bailing this time. I need to go home. I think I'm not feeling well." I lied. Fortunately, Kate bought my alibi since I feigned batting droopy eyes at her. "Oh, and before I forget, you're going to the meeting with Althea Cartwright this afternoon in my place okay?"

"What? But why?" Kate asked.

"I just said it. I'm not feeling well," I answered. "Now would you be an angel and be my savior in this meeting?"

Kate sighed. "Okay, I'll just see you tomorrow then? Vera said she wants to meet with us for the Cartwright wedding first thing in the morning." I stifled a groan as I nodded in agreement before I boarded the elevator.

****

The Chelsea Apartments had been the place I called home for the past seven years. Its owners are long-time clients of Vera's firm and they were only too happy to offer me a unit in their property when I mentioned that I was looking for a place to stay. It's only a modest studio apartment that I've decorated according to my taste but it's my home... and my sanctuary after a busy day at the office.

"Good morning, Ginny," Frank, the head of security in the building, greeted me as I went past the main lobby to the 3^rd floor where I lived. I smiled in return. Frank was the same age as Dad, and he'd been very kind to me ever since I moved into Chelsea. "Tough day at the office, huh?"

"Yeah, I figured I could use a good afternoon's rest," I answered. When I got to my door, I cursed myself silently as I realized that I had forgotten my keys at the office. But then, there was always Plan B.

"Alohamora," I said nonchalantly and the door before me opened with ease. I had brought my wand to New York and still carried it with me wherever I went. It was the only connection I had to home and somehow I couldn't bring myself to part with it.

"Home sweet home," I muttered as I entered the unit. Feeling too tired to prepare lunch, I switched on the television in my bedroom to see if any good shows were on. But my mind kept returning to Mum's letter.

The next thing I knew, I was on the phone booking my flight for London in two days. Packing my stuff was next on my agenda, but I figured it could wait until tomorrow. I traveled light, so it wouldn't be that hard to get my things together.

****

"You can't leave! Not when we're in the middle of organizing the Cartwright wedding!" Kate told me exasperatedly while we were at our coffee break. We had just come out from an exhausting staff meeting with Vera and needed to unwind. "Vera will kill you! This is your account, remember? Your success here will put you on the top of New York's social planning for life!" she babbled on. "This could make you a partner!"

"I know. But this is very important for me. I've waited seven years for a good reason to go back home. It's my parents' 35^th wedding anniversary and I have to be there."

"So this has nothing to do with that guy you left behind there?" she asked. My heart took a nosedive. Obviously she meant only one guy.

I rolled my eyes. Somehow the story of Harry had come out before. "He's not my guy, Kate. He's married, remember?" I found no reason to tell her that Harry was a widower now for it would only complicate things. If she knew that Harry was free, she'd be urging me to fight for him. Kate was the epitome of a hopeless romantic.

"Yeah, I forgot," she casually replied. "But seriously, you can't leave! The wedding is in three weeks, and you're the one in charge of this account."

"Listen. I will have my cell phone with me. You can contact me anytime while I'm in England." Hopefully this opportunity would inspire a sense of responsibility in her. Kate had so much promise. She had the ability to become a partner of the firm if only she didn't slack off whenever a huge responsibility was given to her.

"Honestly though, I'll still be able to monitor everything from there but I have faith in your abilities. Girl, this is your chance to show Vera your talents."

"I hate it when you leave me with Vera," Kate wailed. "She's a slave-driver."

"You have to stay here because I'm putting you in charge now," I firmly told her.

"Fine! Just don't blame me when your inbox is clogged. I'm going to email you everyday because of this."

"We can make this work, Kate. Trust me," I assured her. "I just need this vacation to sort things out with my family. I promise I'll be back in time for the wedding."

"You'd better be. Otherwise Vera would drag you out," she said. "You're her protégé, you know that? And she's really, really proud of you." Before I could become overwhelmed by Kate's flattery, I dragged her back to the office to prepare for another meeting with Althea Cartwright at the Astoria. If I was putting her in charge, then she needed to attend more meetings like this with me from now on.

****

I didn't inform Vera that I would be leaving for London. I merely left her a letter in her office the day before stating that I had to go somewhere to take care of official business. I knew she'd be angry, but it would pass.

Kate drove me to the airport that day. We said our good-byes and soon I was waiting for my flight to board. This would be the first time I'd fly to London. I couldn't use a portkey again since I hadn't mastered the charm that my brothers used to turn an object into one. Apparating was definitely out of the question because of the distance from New York to London. Besides, I didn't have my license because I left home before I could even take the exam.

I checked my cell phone... so far, so good. No phone calls yet from Vera. It must've taken her quite sometime to digest the fact that I was missing. 'She's definitely throwing a hissy fit right now.' I quietly laughed as I imagined the possible scenario at the office as of the moment.

Fifteen minutes later, the PA system at the lounge announced that my flight was now ready for boarding. Soon the plane bound for London took off.

I was finally returning home.

****

The plane landed at Heathrow Airport around two o'clock in the afternoon. I almost got lost picking up my stuff since I'd never been in the London airport before. Minutes after exiting customs, I was behind the wheel of a rented car from the airport and driving through the busy streets of London. Soon I was driving through the British countryside and toward home.

The Burrow still looked the same as it did when I left seven years ago. But this continuity was what made it special, and it comforted me to know that I was finally back home. I turned off the car's ignition and disembarked from the vehicle as I approached the front door. Suddenly, a little girl with bushy red hair whizzed past me, much to the chagrin of someone whose voice boomed from inside the house.

"Charlotte! You come back here this instant! I've had enough of you and your brother's mischievous streak today!" I recognized the voice distinctly as Hermione's. No wonder the kid bore a striking resemblance to her except for the hair color. She had emailed me a few years before to tell me that she and Ron were expecting twins.

The little girl, who was about three years old, noticed me standing right there and she stopped to take a good look at me. I knelt down and introduced myself. "Hello Charlotte! How are you?"

"Heewwo! You know my name?" The little girl was friendly enough to approach me.

"Yes I do. Is your mum home?" I asked her.

"Charlotte? Where are you?" Hermione called again from the inside. She obviously hadn't heard me.

"Reallyyy?" she sounded surprised. "Mummyyyy!!! There's a lady looking for you here!!!" she yelled, loud enough for anyone inside the house to hear her. I heard footsteps approaching the front door and I immediately stood up to whoever came to the door.

"Now who would be looking for me at this time of the day?" Hermione mumbled as she opened the door. However, the sight that greeted her was enough to make her stop dead on her tracks.

"Omigod!!! Ginny?!?" She stood before me, gaping in surprise.

"Hello, Hermione." Charlotte merely stood and watched as I enveloped my best friend and sister-in-law in a bear hug to assure her that I wasn't just an illusion.

(To Be Continued...)