If you love me let me know

CHAPTER 12

SONG: HEART LIKE YOURS BY WILLAMETTE STONE

"Rosie you're lunch sweetheart!" Rosie ran back from the hallway at the entrance of the house back to the kitchen to her Auntie. "Juice box. Yoghurt and water. Goldfish, and I have a cereal bar for you." Hattie chucked the bar at Dylan waiting at the door. "Benjamin come one we've got to go!"

Benjamin ran down the stairs picking up a book that had been discarded on the floor by the bottom step. "Dyl did you even read this book?" Benjamin walked into the kitchen, dodging Harriet running round after the kids and herself, getting everything ready to go, holding up the book in the air placing his empty mug in the sink.

"Not now Benjamin, leave it." Harriet sighed just wanting to get out of the house.

"Man you're funny with everyone else, but never with me, which I find funny." Dylan chucked his arms up in defence arguing back with his dad.

"Guys please!" Harriet tried to intervene.

"Well, you know what I find funny? I gotta drive you 40.000 miles to school."

"Excuse me, you?! Who's been doing all the pick ups and drops offs as well as helping out here, thanks for the appreciation." Harriet sighed taking Rosie's hand, both going out into the hallway as Dylan and Benjamin continued bickering. Harriet tied Rosie's shoelaces for her and Rosie mindlessly played with Hattie's hair and tracing the stars with her finger on Hattie's top.

"And don't think I didn't notice how you changed the subject, I'm used to it with Mad Hatter here you get it from here." Benjamin followed Dylan as they entered the hallway the two girls waiting for them.

"Dylan likes Lily." Rosie spoke out randomly.

"Please, she's way younger than me. She's 12. It doesn't work like that." No it was Dylan and Rosie arguing as Benjamin ran upstairs to fetch something.

"She's about a foot taller." Rosie answered back.

"Oh come on Benjamin hurry up we're gonna be late!" Hattie sighed opening the door trying to get the kids out.

"Don't be a tiny person." Dylan and Rosie continued bickering as Hattie looked up as her eyes widened.

"Oh shit!" Dylan thankfully covered Rosie's ears knowing exactly what Harriet was about to say. "What?" Benjamin ran back down stairs to see what everyone else was seeing, basically a swarm of snakes in the drive.

"I'll text Kelly." Hattie stated sending a quick message of emergency to Kelly and before they knew it Kelly turned up with everyone else with trash pickers and empty bins to hold the snakes.

Everyone got in and started helping except from Rosie who stayed on the porch watching everyone, even Harriet helped out despite her extreme fear of snakes.

"Oh no it moved I don't like it." Harriet squealed grabbing Kelly's shoulders hiding behind her.

"Don't be such a baby they can't hurt you." Benjamin teased but Harriet continued to hide behind Kelly.

"Shut up I could say the same thing about your fear of mice."

"HEY! That was supposed to be between me and you."

"Well I guess we're both even now." She smirked at him.

"Why don't you go on the porch with Rosie?"

"Cause you're warm for the first time in forever so I'm just going to enjoy it, just protect me okay?"

"Okay I'll protect you." Kelly let out a small smile and a chuckle to herself.

"I mean, how could ths happen, man? I don't even know how you did this!" Benjamin started yelling at Dylan again, Kelly didn't miss the massive sigh of despair coming from Harriet behind her.

"Dad I'm telling you it wasn't me."

"Benjamin stop blaming him it was me okay? I said I'll go to the garage and he can go the monkeys as it's quicker and he can get his home-"

"No!" Benjamin interrupted her. "You're not going to take the blame for him he has to own up to things."

"He didn't do anything!" Harriet yelled back forgetting everyone else was there creating an awkward tension around the group as they watched the three argue.

"Dad there's nothing I'm gonna say to you that will make you believe me that I didn't do it!"

"We'll I disagree. Just talk to me man, I feel like you're not happy here."

"I'm not, I never am not even at the old house. You don't get the fact that you're so annoying! And that the only person who understands me is Hattie!! And she's got enough on her own plate at the moment and I don't want to trouble her so I want to talk to you but I can't because you don't listen!" Harriet hung her head. "Okay! So even though it wasn't my fault I'm sorry I messed up the box of snakes. Whatever!" Dylan dumped the grabber and bin on the floor and stormed off kicking a snake on the way out.

"You wanted appreciation well there you go!" Benjamin turned to Harriet looking up at him sadly now, she hated arguing. "You've got your appreciation, Auntie Harriet the favourite the one Dylan prefers than his own Dad."

"Don't you listen to yourself?!" Harriet stormed up to Benjamin getting into his face. "You are such an asshole! Wake up and realise that you're never there for him!" It was Harriet's turn to storm off not kicking any snakes this time, she was terrified of them but didn't want to hurt them.

"Where are you going?"

"To find Dylan!! Someone's got to!" Harriet glared at him whilst continuing walking off. Kelly looked at the first in sympathy as she stormed off, Kelly quickly gave her stuff to Macready who was next to her before running off after Harriet.

"Hattie! Hattie?" Kelly tried to catch up with her calling out her name. Harriet turned round with tears brimming her eyes. "Come here love!" Kelly sighed sympathetically opening her arms for the girls as she walked into them wrapping her own arms round Kelly, resting her head on her shoulder her face settling in the crook of her neck. Kelly holding the back of her head stroking her hair.

"It's okay."

"I hate seeing Dylan like that."

"I know but he's gonna be fine just like you." Kelly smiled at her softly as she pulled away from the hug, Kelly's hand resting on her cheek wiping away the fallen tears with her thumb. They both caught eye contact. Kelly's focus switched from Harriet's eyes down to her lips which didn't go unnoticed by Harriet. Kelly felt the urge to lean in.

"Um I'm sorry I've really got to go find Dylan."

"Don't worry. Text me when you find him and if he's okay. Text me when you're free yeah come down to the Jaguar for a drink, take your mind off today."

"Yeah I'll see you soon Kellogg's."

"See you later Mad Hatter." Kelly smirked as she and Harriet parted ways. Kelly the only one looking back. Little did they know both of them had the urge but also fear of leaning in.