Chapter 19 Deleted Scene
That's how it is
That's how it goes
I follow after Rae's father when he asked to speak to me. He leads me to the side of the house, away from the party and practically all of the wondering eyes. I can't help but feel intimidate, but I won't admit it. The palms of my hands sweat ever so slightly, and I wipe them against my jeans before Mr. Simmons turns around to face me.
"So, Harry, right?" He asks. The gray around his temples show his age and I idly wonder just how old he is.
I nod, "Yes, Sir." I figure it's best to be as polite as possible or else he'll get a restraining order on me, just to keep me away from his daughter, and that can't happen. So I prepare for an interrogation, questions being fired at me, and readying myself to answer properly.
"And you and my little girl are...?"
"Friends, Sir," I say without a hesitation. It's true, however, about Rae and me. We're friends, we're not together, but there's something more than just a friendship between us. We've done things that Mr. Simmons would probably incarcerate me for.
"Listen, Boy," he states. "I'm not stupid. I have a degree to prove that. I'm not ignorant. I see the way my daughter looks at you, or how her eyes open a little bit more when she talks about you. So I know there's more to you two than the 'just friends' act. Now, I'm not going to ask because you're lucky Rae turned eighteen today. She's an adult now. You're also lucky that I haven't sent you to jail because you were running around with a minor."
"Thank you, Sir."
"I'm not done yet," he snaps without raising his voice. "I can see how happy my girl is when she's with you. And I don't want to deprive her of that happiness."
I furrow my eyebrows, leaning against the house as he stands in front of me. "How would you be depriving her of happiness by not letting her around me?" I question.
He stops looking towards the way we came and snaps his attention to me. I can't decipher the look in his eyes. "She hasn't told you?" He shakes his head in disbelief.
"Told me what?" I ask more frantic and worried. She's kept something from me?
Mr. Simmons sighs, running a hand through his hair and then pinches his nose. "Rae...she isn't in her best condition, Harry."
The space between my eyebrows wrinkle. "What'd you mean?"
I can tell he's very reluctant to say what he actually is talking about, especially to someone like me, but after he plays with the cuff of his jacket, he looks me deadpan in the eyes. "Rae was diagnosed with a condition two years ago called Parkinson's disease. Although it's very, very, rare in kids her age, she one in a billion to have it. The doctor's think that it was passed down from her late grandmother who had it, but since they know little about the disease, they aren't completely sure."
The dew on the grass is all I focus on with a lump in my throat. He has to be lying, because Rae is perfectly fine. She's healthy and beautiful, and she can't be sick. I know I have expressionless features as I try to figure out why Mr. Simmons would lie about something like this, but I also know that my shock and unpreparedness is overruling my thoughts. I don't want to believe she's not this perfect girl, because I see her that way. I've never been able to find a big flaw in her, and if she does, she hides it well. Just like this. She never told me and I've never suspected something to be wrong with her.
"What are the symptoms?" I ask unintentionally cold. I just don't want to believe him.
"Sorry?"
"For Parkinson's. What are the symptoms?" I question again, finally looking up at Rae's dad.
He takes a deep breath, searching his mind for the right answer. I wonder if his head was as scattered as mine now when he found out the first time.
"The main sign for stage one is shaking and aches in her hands, and sometimes feet. But getting into later stages, all of your joints are stiff and shaking, your speech can be impaired, and eventually you lose all motor control. You can't feed yourself or walk or speak. But Rae is still young enough that she won't experience that for years."
His answer lightens the weight on my shoulders, but only fractionally. She's okay for now, but she won't be forever. I feel like I should be breaking down right now with all of this information, but I far past being numb to actually feel frustration or sadness.
"She never told you any of this? Never showed signs?" He added.
I shake my head, "She never told me, but there was once when...when her hands were shaking really bad. Rae brushed it off as nervousness or something."
I remember the time at my house. The first time we had ever done anything intimate together. She went to freshen up across the hall but took forever so I went after her. When she walked out, I noticed her hands were tense and shook almost violently. She passed it off, but I'm not going to tell her father it was because I pleasured her, now that I know it was really because her condition was acting up. He just might behead me for stripping his princess of her innocents.
"Harry, like I said before, I'm not going to interfere with Rae's happiness, but I need you to promise me and my wife something. I need to know that you'll take care of Rae. She's going to have good days, and she's going to have bad days, but I need to know that you're going to be there for her if my wife and I aren't able to. It's evident that there's something between you two, like I said earlier, but I need to hear you say that you won't leave her because things get tough. And trust me, things will be tough."
I think for a moment. He's basically telling me that I'm either in this or I should walk right now. I've heard of people leaving in rough times, not with Parkinson's particularly, but I know from my father because he does it frequently. I hate him for leaving my mother, taking me with him, and I instantly know that I can't and won't do that to anyone ever in my life. I made that promise long ago, and now it's time to put it into practice.
"I promise, Sir."
He clapped me on my back and without anymore words exchanges between us; we walk back to the party. The weight suddenly returns and I have to take a deep breath when I spot Rae in her seat. I don't know how I'm going to be alright with this new knowledge; hell, I don't know how I'm going to get through this party without spilling something.
But I won't go back on my promise.
+++++
(Note from author of Salvation)
Hello my loves! I hope you're able to read this if you're visiting from my page or whatever, but here's the Deleted Scene from Chapter 19 of Salvation. I decided to let 1dhazboo post it here so it doesn't mess up Salvation's chapter orders and such.
I would love for you to leave a comment telling me what you think about this little drabble and Harry's thoughts and/or reaction!!!
If you're wondering about the Chapter 17 smut, it'll be up soon! 1dhazboo has been just about as busy as me which is why this and that scene is very late, so sorry for the wait.
Please vote and comment because it would mean the world :)
-A xxx
(end of note)
Hey babes! A pretty much summed it up, and I'll be posting the Chapter 17 scene soon, but I haven't had much time :(
But again, we would love if you could vote and comment and even share, and remember to check out Salvation by 1D_haz_boo because if you don't read it, this probably doesn't make much sense
I'll see you very soon! x
PS. a picture of what Harry looks like during the conversation with Rae's father is on the side (or the top) along with the video for the lyrics used in the beginning!
