Work Text:
1937
A few weeks before the move, Tina is interrupted at work by a very disgruntled Sophia. Apparently, upon realizing that he’d misplaced his wallet this morning, Newt decided to come bother his sister about it, and is now going certifiably insane in her office.
“How much money was in it?” Tina asks, and watches in mingled concern and amusement as her husband paces back and forth.
“None,” he says, fingers twitching agitatedly.
Tina leans up against Sophia’s desk and crosses her arms. “Okay... so why are you so upset?”
Newt only shakes his head. “Are you positive that it is not at home?”
Sophia and Tina exchange looks. “If this is about the pictures of the kids, we have extra copies —”
Newt ignores his wife and resumes pacing, now verbally retracing his steps for what is, according to an irate Sophia, the millionth time. She turns to Tina and sighs. “I told him, just calm down and we can find it after work. I’m sure it won’t be too difficult.”
He shakes his head wildly. “No, no, it is imperative — I cannot have lost it.”
“Okay, I don’t know what’s going on, but you have to calm down,” Tina tells her husband firmly. “You have stuff to do. Soph and I can help you look for it after work.”
“The longer it’s missing, the greater the chance that someone will steal it,” Newt frets.
“There’s no money in it!” both women cry exasperatedly. Then Sophia rolls her eyes and spins her chair back around.
“I’m out,” she announces, going back to her typewriter. “Just... go lose your marbles somewhere else, wouldja?”
Newt (unsurprisingly) doesn’t listen and instead continues looking more stressed than Tina has seen him in quite some time. She’s becoming legitimately worried and, if she’s being honest, rather curious. What on earth could be so important to her husband that he dropped everything and ran? It’s a cheap wallet at that, nothing inherited or gifted.
“Babe,” Tina begins determinedly — warningly, too, because they really do have important jobs to tend to if they want to do such moderately important things as make a living, feed their children, and buy a house — but just as Newt is opening his mouth again in dismay, there’s a knock on the door.
“Come in!” Sophia calls.
One of Newt’s trainees enters a bit cautiously. “Hi,” the young man says, surveying the group in momentary confusion. Sophia gives a sarcastic wave. “Um... okay. We didn’t know where you went,” he informs Newt, “but we assumed Sophia would know.”
Sophia glances up and shoots him her most intimidating glare.
“Sorry. Mrs. Ollerton.” Despite getting married, it came as no surprise that Sophia staunchly insisted on keeping her maiden name, even going so far as to deliver some sort of speech about gender equality at the wedding reception and warning anyone who dared to dictate otherwise.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Newt says loftily to Sophia.
“Look who’s talking,” she retorts.
“Anyway,” the trainee cuts in, having all too often witnessed these sorts of exchanges during Sophia’s infamous drop-in visits, “we found this.” He passes Newt the elusive beat-up leather wallet. “It must’ve fallen out in the occamy nest.”
Newt looks so grateful he could actually hug the young man, and with shaking hands hurries to open it. Everyone watches him keenly, because it appears completely empty, until he heaves a sigh of relief to discover that the contents of the wallet are still intact. Con tent, singular, that is, for there is only one item which was apparently precious enough to have a near nervous breakdown over losing.
It’s the first letter Tina ever wrote to him, almost a decade ago. She always wondered where those letters went, and assumed they were collecting dust somewhere or had perhaps gotten lost or tossed out as the years went on. This particular one is dog-eared and creased, ostensibly from being read so many times, and she feels a lot of feelings as she watches her husband scan the page in palpable relief.
“Really? That’s why you were so upset? It’s just a letter,” she points out.
He frowns. “It isn’t just a letter.”
She gestures to it. “What is it, then?”
“It’s a letter from you,” he replies, as though that makes all the difference.
“Oh my god, get out of my office, all of you,” Sophia snaps, standing up and shepherding everyone through the door. “Out. Next time, I’m not letting you in,” she informs Newt. “And I’ve given up on the two of you” — she jabs her finger in the couple’s direction — “ogling one another all the time — jeepers, you’d think after nine years you would’ve gotten sick of each other already — but I’m placing an official ban on my office.” With that, the door slams, and Tina and Newt start to laugh.
“She loves me,” Newt affirms.
“I love you,” Tina replies.
The trainee looks supremely uncomfortable. Having some semblance of mercy, Newt and Tina pull it together (it’s valid; the fact that nearing forty and two kids later they’re still goofing around like teenagers in love could be a tad unentertaining for others to behold) and part ways.
Once Newt gets back to the center, he waves the trainee off and pauses to reread the precious letter he almost lost. He has every word memorized, of course. It’s just nice to see it down on paper.
Newt,
Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I still want to see you. And yes, I’m doing my best to keep my toe in line. I intend to spend as much time with your creatures as I can, which I think will do the world an even more tremendous deed, as it will keep me from wreaking havoc in the wizarding world. Being in an enchanted wooden box does that to a person.
Don’t worry, I don’t take anything you say seriously. Kidding! But really, it will be wonderful to see you again. Queenie and Jacob are keeping it a secret, so don’t tell anyone, but they’re engaged. We still haven’t worked out the details; I suggested they marry legally in England. But for now, we’re just all very pleased that this transpired.
Fondly,
Tina
Fondly. They’ve had their trials and tribulations, that’s for sure. Marriage, for them, has been a road no easier than for any other couple. Still, Newt runs a finger delicately over her signature and smiles to himself.
It may just be a letter, but it’s a letter from Tina, and that truly does make all the difference.