She Lays Down [h.s.]

Sixteen

Mary takes Harry's hands as they walk up her parent's driveway. She's nervous because she knows that there's a high likelihood that most of her family will talk about her divorce and because she's going to see her sister for the first time in about a year.

She still doesn't know why Claire won't talk to her and she's worried that she's going to say something about her life choices again, especially since she's with Harry now.

Ember has her other hand and having the two of them there does calm her nerves tremendously, but they're still lingering. She's trying her hardest to focus on the way that Harry's holding her hand and not on how apprehensive she is to be attending the family Barbeque.

Mary's family likes to get together and throw a Barbeque near the start of the summer and talk about plans and what everyone's going to do so that they can get together again later in the summer for the Fourth of July. It's nice when everyone is getting along, but this year it's a little scary because she hasn't seen anyone but her parents for such a long time.

Ember's practically bouncing at her side because she knows that all of her cousins are there and that they have some blow ups in the back yard because she could see them when they pulled into the driveway.

They're at the front door when Mary realizes that she hasn't really thanked Harry for coming with them today. She asked him last minute the night before and it means a lot to her that he agreed to come with them and meet her family even if it was a little early. The original idea wasn't really for him to meet her family, and she told him that too because she knows that it's a big step in a relationship and she really doesn't want him to feel like she's pushing him to rush things between them, it was to have someone there that knows what happened with her marriage and won't talk about it or judge her.

"Thank you for coming with us today. I know that it's a lot and that it's a little quicker than you expected, but thank you for coming with me to make me feel more comfortable around my own family."

He feels bad that she's so worried to be around her own family by herself. Family is supposed to be there through everything, they're supposed to be the helping hand that's there when everyone else isn't and he doesn't understand why her own family has made her feel like she can't be around them by herself because they'll only return the hurt that she's been experiencing for years.

Harry squeezes her hand a little to quiet her thoughts because her eyes give her away, "You don't have to thank me for being your boyfriend, Mary. I don't mind it at all. Plus, I've already met your mother a few times and your sister far more than that. You shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable or afraid of your own family, and I'm happy to be here for you and for Ember."

He kisses her cheek and holds her hand a little tighter as she blushes and rings the doorbell to let her mother know that there's people at the door. Mary's mother is really particular about letting people in because she likes to know who's in the house and how many people are there.

Barely a minute passes before the door is opening and Mary's mother Adeline is opening the door with a mildly surprised look on her face. She's not surprised to see Ember and Mary, she's surprised to see Harry and she's even more surprised that he's holding her hand and standing so close to her.

Adeline knows her daughter but she's not sure how long it takes her to move on because she's only ever been with Alec. But she thinks that it's a little strange because it's only been about three months and a week or two since the separation started. From what she knows, Harry's a nice man, but she thinks that it's a little too soon for Mary to move on and for him to be with her.

Adeline doesn't say anything about it though and she wears an awkward smile as she greets them, hugging her daughter and Ember and shaking Harry's hand briefly. She's only met him a few times and he's nice and everything, but she's not really comfortable hugging him just yet. Harry doesn't mind though because it is a little soon for him to be over with Mary and meeting pretty much everyone for the first time.