Something I'm Not 2- History (Sequel)

Chapter 12

The next morning the doctors okay-ed my mother to return home and as reassuring as that was, there was one more obstacle we had to cover. Harry meeting my father. Mikey and mother picked up on my weariness. Harry was quiet about it but even though Harry's piercings were already taken out, I knew my father wouldn't approve. I was actually embarrassed to bring him to my old house. Not that I was embarrassed of Harry, I was embarrassed of my family. 

My dad stepped out onto the driveway and when he met eye contact with me, I tightened under Harry's arm when he helps me get out of the car and shut the door. He stopped near the car and my mother returned to his side. Harry's hand was on my lower back but I knew it was noticeable. He just stared.  He looked very rough and tired. His facial hair was a thick layer around his chin. "Caroline. What are you doing here?" he asks and I swallow. "I came to see mom. We've been here for a few days." I answer quietly and his sight turns over to Harry. I couldn't read his expression but he always looked unhappy. 

"This is Harry. He came with me." I tell him and I mentally bit my tongue when his eyes gaze over the tattoos peaking out from his shirt and then even lower to his arm around me. I look up at him nervously and swallow. "Harry, this is my dad." I tell him. I knew he felt the thick tension in the air too. "Nice to meet you." he speaks and my dad just lifted an eyebrow. This may be going better than I thought. "And what? You two are dating or something?" he asks and I didn't respond because I wouldn't consider this dating at all. "Yes, sir." Harry answered and I tensed again. But all my dad did was laugh and walk back up the driveway. My mother sighed and stepped closer to us. "Will you be okay?" I ask stepping away from Harry to approach her. 

She nods. "Yes, you should go back home and return to school. I promise I'm fine." she says but the whole two weeks to live was sounding in my head. I knew she wasn't okay. "I'll come back after Harry heads back to work." I tell her and she faintly smiles and hugs her jacket closer to her body when the breeze picks up. The only thing was, it was in the upper 70's right now. 

"I'll be alright, Caroline. You don't have to worry about me. Go home sweetie." she touches my cheek before pulling me in for a hug. I don't recall my mother hugging me very much as a kid. Only when she knew things wouldn't go well. That scared me. But what shocked me even more was when she walked up to Harry and hugged him. Harry looked just as confused and awkward as I felt. "You take care of her, okay? She needs you right now." she says quietly to him before turning and walking up the driveway. She coughed but tried to hide it. I just watched. 

I didn't realize how long I had been standing here but I had looked at the house, the bricks that were starting to fall apart and the yard that once used to be my dad's pride, was overgrown and full of weeds. Memories flickered in my head of me and my brother playing by the trees, climbing them and getting hurt several times. And when one of us got hurt, my dad would get annoyed and toss us a rag to clean ourselves up. I remember sitting in the one tree in particular, at the side of the house where there were no windows for my family to see me. I'd sit there in the rain when things didn't go right and just thinking about running away. I never did. 

I looked up at Harry when I felt his arm around my waist. "You okay?" he asks and I stare at the yard still. "She only hugs me when she knows somethings not okay." I mumble and his hand rubs my arm for comfort. "We can stay if you want to." he says and I shake my head. "Let's just go home." I tell him and turn away from him to get in the car. My brother watches and does the same, starting the car as Harry eventually followed behind me. 

On the plane, I stayed quiet. Lost in thought of what my next move is to be. Harry will be leaving soon. The sooner I start preparing for it the better I'll be. Seeing my family reminds me of how different our lives really are, and how we're not made to be with each other. Maybe in a different life we were.