Temporary [H.S. || A.U.]

Chapter 33

But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

It hurt hearing Harry tell me about all that he has been through. It also hurt watching him breakdown. Nobody deserves to be treated or belittled to the degree that Lindsey treated and belittled Harry. I hope I never meet her. I don't know what I would do. But I know that whatever I would do wouldn't be nice.

Normally, I would be sad that Harry seemed to be worried that I would react poorly to all that he told me. But I know that it's just his past spinning a web of doubt in his mind. I have the same problem with doubting that people will stick around.

What Harry told me doesn't change anything. I still want to be with him and I still really like him. If anything, him telling me that just made me view him with more respect. He is a victim of abuse and found a way to escape it. The strength it took for him to leave that relationship is incomprehensible.

I hope that one day the wounds Lindsey left on Harry won't be as deep. Later down the line, I hope that thinking about that time in his life will leave him with just a dull ache. Because, sadly, that pain she caused will never diminish fully.

I wish I had the power to rid him of that pain. I feel the urge to wrap Harry up in bubble wrap and protect him from all the evils in this world.

After our talk on the beach, we went back up to our room to take a nap together. Reliving those painful memories and talking about them all in one blow would make anyone emotionally drained. Harry looked exhausted afterwards and I don't blame him.

His ora seemed lighter as we walked back upstairs, though, compared to literally every other day that I have been around Harry. And that made me happy. He seems like he shed a weight that was resting heavily on his shoulders. And he deserves to feel that relief.

When we laid down for our nap, he did still seem like he needed some comfort, though. So I gave him another set of our Einstein kisses thing that we made up. And then I shamelessly big spooned him until we fell asleep.

We didn't bother setting an alarm to wake us up. If we missed any family activities as a result, then so be it.

When we did wake up, though, it turned out to be nearly midday. We seriously took a five hour nap.

Anyway, once we woke up, we noticed that everyone was outside swimming in the pool. Basically, having a pool party. All my aunts and my mom are drinking wine and sitting in the beach chairs getting a tan, so they're not technically swimming. But props to them for at least being near the pool. I swear, none of those women will actually get in because that means getting their hair wet. And I guess in middle age women world, that's devastating.

After seeing everyone out there having fun, Harry and I decided to put on our swimsuits and go down to join the party.

I've seen Harry in his swimsuit a few times now. But things are different this time. Now all of my feelings for him are out in the open, and I'm also not scared of my feelings for him anymore. So I have no problem shamelessly checking him out while he's wearing a pair of orange swim trunks that end around his mid thigh, just around the middle of his tiger tattoo on his thigh.