By Chance

38 - Harry

I grabbed my fourth slice of pizza as Genevieve was on the fifth or sixth of hers. I figured she must be famished from the flight and the activities afterward. My eyes drifted to her place at the table more than usual, the conversation between us always dying out nearly the second it began. She said nothing was wrong on my end, so I trusted that she'd tell me later what was bothering her.

"I am stuffed," she announced, setting her crust on the plate, too full to finish.

"I think I'm going to go change and burn off this pizza by taking that run with Tessa," she told us, standing up and grabbing her plate. I was surprised she wasn't too tired from earlier. Part of me wasn't sure if I had done my job right. I finished my final slice and went over to where she was rinsing off her plate, wrapping my arm around her waist.

"I'm really happy you're here," I told her as she continued facing the sink, spraying the plate.

"Really now? Never would've guessed," she said sarcastically, making me laugh as she shot me a playful glance. She smiled as she drew her eyes back up, glancing behind her and then looking back at me.

"Hey, can we talk later about, you know..." I asked quietly, my voice drifting off.

"Yeah..." she answered distractedly, her awkward body language saying everything unsaid. "I'm going to go change. We'll talk when I get back."

She turned and gave me a small kiss on the cheek while shooting me a look that told me everything was going to be alright. I hoped that whatever was going on wouldn't affect my plans to propose tomorrow... or her answer when I did. I walked back to the table and sat down with my other family members who were still eating, my mind traveling to places in the opposite direction of the conversations everyone was involved in. Tom hung out in the kitchen while scrolling through his phone, not wanting to leave the conversation altogether. He eventually came back over and joined us while we were in the middle of talking about dad's next comedy tour.

"Wish I could come with. I have lots of new material," Paddy sighed, sadly looking down at his plate void of pizza while a few crusts lay left behind.

"Do you now?" Dad asked excitedly, setting down his napkin. Paddy looked up, his hopes visibly raising higher and higher. I sighed, dreading what was to come. I scrolled through my phone, my mind elsewhere. Paddy started droning on and on about an atomically-correct potato being a 'dick-tater,' and I lost interest.

"Oh- I have another one." I heard him pause but didn't lift my head to see why. I unconsciously listened. "The hairbrush decided that he was going to propose to the comb. When he finally asked, the comb turned him down. When she explained why, the hairbrush laughed and said, 'This is what you call a hairy situation.'"

I heard my dad laughing, and I looked up for a second, seeing Paddy staring right at me. I thought it was weird, but I shrugged it off and returned to my phone.

"Harry, did you hear my joke?"

I looked up, seeing an expression on my younger brother's face that couldn't be described as something other than anticipation. I nodded, loading my unfailing automatic answer.

"Yeah, Paddy. It was great," I told him, giving him a small smile before looking back at my phone.

"I had you in mind when I came up with it," he added. My eyebrows furrowed together as I tried to think back to what his joke was. I didn't want to offend him and ask him what it was again.

"Oh, that's cool, Pads," I replied, getting a curious look out of him that told me he was hoping for a different answer. My face scrunched slightly, and I tilted my head, letting out a laugh. "Why'd you think of me?"

I regretted it as soon as I asked. I remembered the joke, and now he would expose me to everyone. I didn't know how to stop this without being conspicuous.

"Oh, well, maybe because-" He started, but Tom was quicker.

"Hey, Paddy, why don't you tell that one about the otter? Hm? I love that one."

I owed him big.

My dad looked at the youngest anxiously, excited to hear yet another of his son's cruel jokes. I had no clue how anyone liked them. Maybe he was just trying to be a good father, I thought to myself.

"No, I think that Harry wants to know-"

"Paddy."

The severity in Tom's voice told everyone that the joke had meant something more. My parents knew that, but at least the actual plans weren't exposed yet.

"Tom, what's going on?" Dad asked, turning to face his eldest. I don't think I have a choice now. I turned to face my parents, hands shaking.

"Hey, Mum and Dad, could we talk in the other room?"