The Underground

Chapter 53: Mystery Guest

"What are you doing here?"

I stood there, completely perplexed by the visitor's presence on my doorstep. Our eyes locked for several uncomfortable seconds.

The visitor laughed nervously. "It's cold out here. Aren't you going to let me in?"

"You didn't answer my question," I said, shaking my head. I noticed that there were giant flakes of white drifting past his head without a sound. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize. Now can you please let me in before my fingers freeze?" He laughed.

"Fine. Come in, Harry."

"Thanks," he smiled. He came in, removing his coat and hat. Apparently, he was planning to stay for a while.

Louis wandered into the foyer with Izzy in his arms. He stopped short when he saw Harry standing there. "What are you doing here?" He asked slowly, and seeming just as confused as I was.

"Ashten's been asking the same thing," he chuckled. "I came to apologize, actually."

Louis nodded slowly, like he was impressed by the gesture. I guess that was a good sign because Louis had known him a lot longer than I had.

Harry followed us into the kitchen, which is where I'd been heading before the doorbell rang.

"I went to your house this afternoon, hoping to talk to you," Harry told me. "But your housekeeper said-"

We stepped into the kitchen and Carly looked up, saying, "The hot cocoa needs a little-"

Both she and Harry froze in place, their gaze fastened securely upon each other.

Louis and I looked at each other in amusement, then back at these two people who had either met before, or wished they had.

Louis cleared his throat. "Harry, this is Carly. And Carly, this is Harry."

Izzy wiggled out of Louis' grasp and ran to wrap his arms around Carly's legs.

Carly's face slowly fell as she repeated, "Harry? The Harry?" She bent down to pick Izzy up.

"Yes, the Harry. But he came to apologize," I offered, hoping to do some damage control.

She blinked hard, trying not to let her eyes wander back to Harry, although it was obvious she wanted to.

"Um, yeah," Harry began uncomfortably. "I did come to say I'm sorry. I was just telling Ashten that I went to her house only to find out that she lived in Boston."

I looked at Harry, incredulous. "You went to my house earlier today, and then you drove all the way to Boston? Just to talk to me?"