Serendipitous: Harry's Story

Can't Help

Switching to a white summer dress, Hope whirled back around to face Harry.  “Do not say anything,” She said absolutely mortified, putting her finger up to stop Harry from commenting on her previous state of undress.

“I was just going to say hi,” Harry couldn’t help but grin. 

“Do not smile like that either!” Hope huffed, closing her eyes to avoid looking at Harry while he laughed this time.  “Did your flight come in early?” She finally asked, though still not able to look at him.

Harry nodded.  “Yeah, I was going to call you but I knew you were taking your test so I texted Ian instead that I was just going to catch a taxi but he said he was working from home so he could pick me up with Belle.” Harry shrugged.  

“Yeah, Ian's pretty great that way... so,” Hope stared up at him since he had wandered to stand right in front of her, causing her to crane her neck to look up at him while her hands were on her hips.

“So hi Hope Matherson,” Harry grinned down at her, gods, he missed her. It seemed an eternity since the last time she stood before him.  Taking a small breathe, he couldn't help but try to take her all in.  Her hair was down now but there was a slight waves in the locks, most likely because she had her hair up during her tests.  Hair afterall was a distraction, he remembered her saying many times when he had watched her study.

Shoulders relaxed with a small sigh, Hope just gave up as Harry smiled at her without a care in the world it seemed.. “Hello Harry,” She said with a smile, rolling her eyes slightly just because  it was Harry and it seemed that nothing would change despite the ups and downs going on in her life…even if he was the cause of fifty percent of the drama going on in her life. 

“This is a little awkward isn’t it?” Harry made a face as he ran a hand through his curls because now that they were face to face, there were some things, very important things, they needed to talk about.

“Yeah? You think?” Hope let out a breath and shook her head. 

Offering  a half smile, Harry’s shoulders deflated. Eyes closed, Harry leant against her, his lips so close, his lips were almost caressing her hair.  “I’m sorry,” He whispered at last, finally saying the two words after all this time as his hands gently rested on her hips. 

“I,” Hope tried to say but ended up not knowing how to finish it so she just stayed silent and leaned into Harry, resting her ear against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. 

~~~

Ian wasn’t quite sure what was going on since he first heard Hope yell at Harry to turn around but he still figured that the two probably needed more time together, alone, so he scooped up his daughter before she could make a run for the two and the baby monitor to head towards his office.  However ten minutes in, Ian shuddered as a new episode of Dora the Explorer came on, in which Belle giggled and clapped. 

Since this morning, it had been Dora for three hours straight and Ian was about to go crazy, maybe poke his eyes out if he heard "backpack" in a sing song voice again. 

“Honey how about we watch something new, something funnier, something from Daddy’s childhood?” Ian asked his daughter as she glanced up from her beanbag chair in front of the television. 

Biting her lip with her two front teeth, Belle cocked her head to the side before getting up as Ian patted his leg.  “Ohhhkaaayyy,” She drew out the word, looking up at him. 

With that go ahead, Ian brought his Ipad closer to them and found Youtube before searching for Abbot and Costello.  As the screen went black and white, Belle couldn’t help but tap it however stopped as the comedy skit began.  At the two males speaking, a little rapidly, Belle settled in her Dad’s lap and tried to pay attention.  As the skits ended, being only six and not quite understanding everything, she would ask her Dad, interrupting his emails, to demand an explanation on what she didn’t get, before rewatching the skit with the new information.