Still the One
L.
The next day I wake up in the bed beside a snoring Harry. As I sit up in bed he rolls over uncomfortably but doesn’t awake. I take this opportunity to slip into the shower and get dressed for the day. I put on a pair of jeans with my long sleeve black v-neck and a pair of booties.
‘You look good.’ Harry murmurs from the bed. He’s awake but he’s not sitting up.
‘Thank you.’ I reply as I proceed to rake my fingers through my wet hair.
‘Do you want to go get breakfast?’ he wonders still not moving in the bed.
‘It’s one in the afternoon. I think we missed breakfast.’ I point out hiding my smile.
‘Smartass.’ He mutters under his breath with a grin on his face, ‘and it’s one in the afternoon?’
‘Yes it is. I guess we were both worn out from yesterday. Especially with all the driving you did.’
‘Well, do you want to get lunch?’ he rephrases; finally he sits up in the bed. ‘We’ll just need to stop by my flat first.’
As Harry’s in the bathroom I use the Instyler from Danielle and Liam to both dry and straighten my hair.
‘That’s from Liam and Danielle?’ Harry wonders slipping his feet into his shiny dress shoes. I loved them but Harry wasn’t so fond of the shoes.
‘Yes.’ I turn as I turn it off, leaving it there on the dresser.
‘We really need to drop off everyone’s gifts.’ He says to me grabbing the keys from the nightstand along with his phone.
‘I am the one who kept saying we should do it again before Christmas but who’s the one who wanted to wait?’
‘Again, smartass.’ He pulls me by wrist leaving a soft kiss on my cheek. I follow Harry out the door where he trips over wrapped boxes. ‘What is this?’
‘There’s a note.’ I bend over taking a piece of paper of one of the boxes.
Libby, I feel awful about the way our Christmas turned out yesterday. I was hoping and expecting better from your mother. This institution really has been helping her. There will be bad days. Unfortunately you witnessed one. Send my apologizes to Harry. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting down and getting to know him. I think he is a great person and especially good for you. I know that’s all your mother needs. To get to know him. She’ll see how good he is too. Here are the gifts we were going to give you two during the visit yesterday. Merry Christmas to the both of you. Hope we can all sit down again.
Love Dad.
‘That was nice of him.’ Harry says once I finish reading the letter aloud. He picks up the boxes and continues to walk to the car.
‘These are from Tanner too.’ I read the small piece of paper attached to the box labeled Harry. ‘Open it?’
‘Sure.’ He shrugs looking behind his shoulder to back up.
Inside the box labeled Harry was a black watch, a pair of socks, a gift card to one of the bar’s in town and an electric razor.
Sorry, we didn’t know what to get.
‘I really should get them something. A thank you card at the very least. That was nice of them.’
‘Yes it was.’ I agree holding the watch in my hands.
‘Open yours.’
‘Okay.’
In the box was a beautiful pair of earrings with my birthstone.
‘Those are nice.’ Harry peers over into the box.
‘They’re gorgeous.’ I beam admiring the new gift.
Twenty minutes later Harry and I finally came to an agreement of where we would eat. It was a nice small Chinese restaurant neither of us ever been to. We were seated nearly as soon as we went inside.
‘Do you know what I think?’ I ask Harry as we look over the restaurant’s menu.
‘What’s that?’ he asks taking his eyes from the laminated paper.
‘Could we maybe go to my dad’s tonight? Just to spend time with them… If you didn’t have any plans or anything.’
‘The only plan I have for today is spending the day with my beautiful girlfriend. So if that’s what she’s doing, then that’s what I’m doing.’
‘Really?’
‘I’ll be able to properly thank them for the gifts. Maybe after lunch we can go to some shops and get them something too.’
‘Sounds like a plan babe.’ I smile across the table at him.
‘Definitely call me babe more often.’
‘Okay, babe.’ I giggle as Harry leans across the table to kiss my lips.
‘We’re leaving New Years Eve to go to my dad’s, when do you have to be back at your internship and school?’
‘The second.’
‘We’ll have plenty of time then.’ Harry says in return.
The waiter brings our food out to the table, carefully placing my plate in front of me.
‘Would that be everything?’ he wonders taking away the trays from the table.
‘Yep.’ Harry answers harshly eyeing the waiter.
‘Thank you.’ I politely nod. ‘What was that?’ I ask once the waiter is out of eye-view.
‘He was practically drooling over you. I actually think it got in my food.’ Harry gestures to his chicken and white rice over-dramatically.
‘Please, Harry. He was not. He was just being a nice waiter so he’ll get a good tip.’
‘I’ll give him a tip all right. If I catch you eyeing my girlfriend again and I’ll shove you into the sweet and sour sauce pot they have going in the kitchen back there, there’s a tip.’
‘Harry.’ I say again through a laugh, ‘stop.’
‘I’m not afraid or ashamed to admit that I’m border line obsessive, extremely protective over you since you have a bad habit of being too nice to everyone you meet. Especially to those who don’t deserve it.’
‘I am not.’ I defend, slightly offended, ‘I’m just polite.’
‘If that’s what you want to call it.’ He teases. ‘I love your kindness.’ He says after eyeing me. ‘So don’t look sad.’
‘I’m not.’ I lie, attempting to smile.
‘Liar.’ He leans across the table to kiss me again. ‘It’s one of the many things I love about you.’
‘Many?’ I raise an eyebrow starting to eat my food.
‘Yes, many.’ He nods smiling over at me.
‘What are a few?’
‘I love your laugh, first of all.’ He pauses briefly, ‘I love to hear it over and over. I could hear it every second of everyday. It’s one of the best sounds on Earth. I love your cute personality that makes any bad day incredible. I love that face you get when you’re concentrating on your math; I love how bright your eyes get when over the simplest of things. I love how caring you are. Those are just a few.’
….
‘Maybe we should’ve called.’ Harry says cutting the engine in front of my dad’s house.
‘I told you. I wanted it to be a surprise.’ I reply getting the gifts from the backseat handing them to Harry.
‘I hope they like surprises.’ He slightly laughs following me up the stairs leading to the front door. I press the doorbell and step back leaning against Harry. My dad answers the door with his glasses on the bridge of his nose and the newspaper in his hand.
‘Libby?’ he wonders taking his glasses off and wrapping his arm around me. ‘I didn’t know you two were coming.’
‘We just wanted to spend some time with you guys… If you didn’t mind.’ I say stepping through the doorway with Harry close behind.
‘Of course we don’t mind. We just ordered pizza.’ Dad replies happily, ‘it’s good to see you again.’ He extends his hand to Harry; Harry immediately sets down the gifts and shakes my dad’s hand.
‘Thank you for the gifts. I will definitely put them to good use.’
‘You’re quite welcome. Come on in the den, we’re watching the new Star Trek.’
‘Thank you for the earrings dad. They're beautiful.’
‘I'm quite glad you like them.’
I trail behind my dad walking towards the back of the house, I feel Harry’s large hands on both sides of my waist. Tanner is stretched out on the dark sofa while dad sits in his recliner leaving the love seat open.
‘What are you guys doing here?’ Tanner wonders walking over to slap hands with Harry.
‘Do you want us to leave?’ Harry jokes sitting down in the love seat.
‘Yes, actually. More pizza for me.’ Tanner smirks.
‘Oh if you think I’m leaving without a slice or two you’re mistaken.’ Harry fights back.
It makes me happy just how much Tanner and Harry get along with each other. Harry treats Tanner as if he was the younger brother he never had. Before we broke up they were always playing FIFA together. They went out played together on the fields a few times. Tanner always approved of Harry. My dad has grown to Harry in the last few weeks. Now if only we can win my mum over.
The pizza arrives not too long after we arrived. Harry offers to pay for the food but my dad refuses. After everyone finishes up I go to the gifts from the living room.
‘From Harry and I.’ I say placing both of the gifts in Tanner and dad’s laps.
‘You guys really didn’t have to.’ Dad says sitting up in his chair.
‘Just open it.’ I laugh sitting in the chair with Harry once again.
‘Libby told me you enjoy a bit of fishing.’ Harry says as my dad takes the lid off of the box.
‘Oh wow.’ He holds up the new fishing jacket. ‘This is really nice.’
‘Look in the pocket.’
‘The pocket?’ dad wonders curiously digging into the large front pocket, ‘what’s this?’
‘It’s a ticket for a week-long boat rental.’ I smile, ‘Harry’s idea.’
‘It’s a beautiful spot right outside the city. Me and my band mate Liam went out for a weekend. Perfect spot.’
‘It’s a week long so you have no excuse dad. You love to fish but haven’t been in so long. Ring your pal William and get back out there.’
‘Thank you.’ He responds leaning over to pat me and shake Harry’s hand once again.
‘Whoa, wicked gear.’ Tanner exclaims pulling out of all of his football gear for the season coming up.
‘We’ll be coming to a game.’ I point a finger at him, ‘those shoes better be on your feet.’
‘Definitely. Thank you.’
…
‘I enjoy your family.’ Harry smiles once we get into the car.
‘Thank you for coming along. You helped make their night.’
‘I’m pretty sure they made mine.’ Harry retorts keeping his eyes on the road. I hold his free hand in my lap between my two hands. ‘Whose car’s that outside your flat?’ Harry briefly looks over at me coming down the dark road.
‘I’m not sure. It doesn’t look familiar to me.’
‘You look good.’ Harry murmurs from the bed. He’s awake but he’s not sitting up.
‘Thank you.’ I reply as I proceed to rake my fingers through my wet hair.
‘Do you want to go get breakfast?’ he wonders still not moving in the bed.
‘It’s one in the afternoon. I think we missed breakfast.’ I point out hiding my smile.
‘Smartass.’ He mutters under his breath with a grin on his face, ‘and it’s one in the afternoon?’
‘Yes it is. I guess we were both worn out from yesterday. Especially with all the driving you did.’
‘Well, do you want to get lunch?’ he rephrases; finally he sits up in the bed. ‘We’ll just need to stop by my flat first.’
As Harry’s in the bathroom I use the Instyler from Danielle and Liam to both dry and straighten my hair.
‘That’s from Liam and Danielle?’ Harry wonders slipping his feet into his shiny dress shoes. I loved them but Harry wasn’t so fond of the shoes.
‘Yes.’ I turn as I turn it off, leaving it there on the dresser.
‘We really need to drop off everyone’s gifts.’ He says to me grabbing the keys from the nightstand along with his phone.
‘I am the one who kept saying we should do it again before Christmas but who’s the one who wanted to wait?’
‘Again, smartass.’ He pulls me by wrist leaving a soft kiss on my cheek. I follow Harry out the door where he trips over wrapped boxes. ‘What is this?’
‘There’s a note.’ I bend over taking a piece of paper of one of the boxes.
Libby, I feel awful about the way our Christmas turned out yesterday. I was hoping and expecting better from your mother. This institution really has been helping her. There will be bad days. Unfortunately you witnessed one. Send my apologizes to Harry. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting down and getting to know him. I think he is a great person and especially good for you. I know that’s all your mother needs. To get to know him. She’ll see how good he is too. Here are the gifts we were going to give you two during the visit yesterday. Merry Christmas to the both of you. Hope we can all sit down again.
Love Dad.
‘That was nice of him.’ Harry says once I finish reading the letter aloud. He picks up the boxes and continues to walk to the car.
‘These are from Tanner too.’ I read the small piece of paper attached to the box labeled Harry. ‘Open it?’
‘Sure.’ He shrugs looking behind his shoulder to back up.
Inside the box labeled Harry was a black watch, a pair of socks, a gift card to one of the bar’s in town and an electric razor.
Sorry, we didn’t know what to get.
‘I really should get them something. A thank you card at the very least. That was nice of them.’
‘Yes it was.’ I agree holding the watch in my hands.
‘Open yours.’
‘Okay.’
In the box was a beautiful pair of earrings with my birthstone.
‘Those are nice.’ Harry peers over into the box.
‘They’re gorgeous.’ I beam admiring the new gift.
Twenty minutes later Harry and I finally came to an agreement of where we would eat. It was a nice small Chinese restaurant neither of us ever been to. We were seated nearly as soon as we went inside.
‘Do you know what I think?’ I ask Harry as we look over the restaurant’s menu.
‘What’s that?’ he asks taking his eyes from the laminated paper.
‘Could we maybe go to my dad’s tonight? Just to spend time with them… If you didn’t have any plans or anything.’
‘The only plan I have for today is spending the day with my beautiful girlfriend. So if that’s what she’s doing, then that’s what I’m doing.’
‘Really?’
‘I’ll be able to properly thank them for the gifts. Maybe after lunch we can go to some shops and get them something too.’
‘Sounds like a plan babe.’ I smile across the table at him.
‘Definitely call me babe more often.’
‘Okay, babe.’ I giggle as Harry leans across the table to kiss my lips.
‘We’re leaving New Years Eve to go to my dad’s, when do you have to be back at your internship and school?’
‘The second.’
‘We’ll have plenty of time then.’ Harry says in return.
The waiter brings our food out to the table, carefully placing my plate in front of me.
‘Would that be everything?’ he wonders taking away the trays from the table.
‘Yep.’ Harry answers harshly eyeing the waiter.
‘Thank you.’ I politely nod. ‘What was that?’ I ask once the waiter is out of eye-view.
‘He was practically drooling over you. I actually think it got in my food.’ Harry gestures to his chicken and white rice over-dramatically.
‘Please, Harry. He was not. He was just being a nice waiter so he’ll get a good tip.’
‘I’ll give him a tip all right. If I catch you eyeing my girlfriend again and I’ll shove you into the sweet and sour sauce pot they have going in the kitchen back there, there’s a tip.’
‘Harry.’ I say again through a laugh, ‘stop.’
‘I’m not afraid or ashamed to admit that I’m border line obsessive, extremely protective over you since you have a bad habit of being too nice to everyone you meet. Especially to those who don’t deserve it.’
‘I am not.’ I defend, slightly offended, ‘I’m just polite.’
‘If that’s what you want to call it.’ He teases. ‘I love your kindness.’ He says after eyeing me. ‘So don’t look sad.’
‘I’m not.’ I lie, attempting to smile.
‘Liar.’ He leans across the table to kiss me again. ‘It’s one of the many things I love about you.’
‘Many?’ I raise an eyebrow starting to eat my food.
‘Yes, many.’ He nods smiling over at me.
‘What are a few?’
‘I love your laugh, first of all.’ He pauses briefly, ‘I love to hear it over and over. I could hear it every second of everyday. It’s one of the best sounds on Earth. I love your cute personality that makes any bad day incredible. I love that face you get when you’re concentrating on your math; I love how bright your eyes get when over the simplest of things. I love how caring you are. Those are just a few.’
….
‘Maybe we should’ve called.’ Harry says cutting the engine in front of my dad’s house.
‘I told you. I wanted it to be a surprise.’ I reply getting the gifts from the backseat handing them to Harry.
‘I hope they like surprises.’ He slightly laughs following me up the stairs leading to the front door. I press the doorbell and step back leaning against Harry. My dad answers the door with his glasses on the bridge of his nose and the newspaper in his hand.
‘Libby?’ he wonders taking his glasses off and wrapping his arm around me. ‘I didn’t know you two were coming.’
‘We just wanted to spend some time with you guys… If you didn’t mind.’ I say stepping through the doorway with Harry close behind.
‘Of course we don’t mind. We just ordered pizza.’ Dad replies happily, ‘it’s good to see you again.’ He extends his hand to Harry; Harry immediately sets down the gifts and shakes my dad’s hand.
‘Thank you for the gifts. I will definitely put them to good use.’
‘You’re quite welcome. Come on in the den, we’re watching the new Star Trek.’
‘Thank you for the earrings dad. They're beautiful.’
‘I'm quite glad you like them.’
I trail behind my dad walking towards the back of the house, I feel Harry’s large hands on both sides of my waist. Tanner is stretched out on the dark sofa while dad sits in his recliner leaving the love seat open.
‘What are you guys doing here?’ Tanner wonders walking over to slap hands with Harry.
‘Do you want us to leave?’ Harry jokes sitting down in the love seat.
‘Yes, actually. More pizza for me.’ Tanner smirks.
‘Oh if you think I’m leaving without a slice or two you’re mistaken.’ Harry fights back.
It makes me happy just how much Tanner and Harry get along with each other. Harry treats Tanner as if he was the younger brother he never had. Before we broke up they were always playing FIFA together. They went out played together on the fields a few times. Tanner always approved of Harry. My dad has grown to Harry in the last few weeks. Now if only we can win my mum over.
The pizza arrives not too long after we arrived. Harry offers to pay for the food but my dad refuses. After everyone finishes up I go to the gifts from the living room.
‘From Harry and I.’ I say placing both of the gifts in Tanner and dad’s laps.
‘You guys really didn’t have to.’ Dad says sitting up in his chair.
‘Just open it.’ I laugh sitting in the chair with Harry once again.
‘Libby told me you enjoy a bit of fishing.’ Harry says as my dad takes the lid off of the box.
‘Oh wow.’ He holds up the new fishing jacket. ‘This is really nice.’
‘Look in the pocket.’
‘The pocket?’ dad wonders curiously digging into the large front pocket, ‘what’s this?’
‘It’s a ticket for a week-long boat rental.’ I smile, ‘Harry’s idea.’
‘It’s a beautiful spot right outside the city. Me and my band mate Liam went out for a weekend. Perfect spot.’
‘It’s a week long so you have no excuse dad. You love to fish but haven’t been in so long. Ring your pal William and get back out there.’
‘Thank you.’ He responds leaning over to pat me and shake Harry’s hand once again.
‘Whoa, wicked gear.’ Tanner exclaims pulling out of all of his football gear for the season coming up.
‘We’ll be coming to a game.’ I point a finger at him, ‘those shoes better be on your feet.’
‘Definitely. Thank you.’
…
‘I enjoy your family.’ Harry smiles once we get into the car.
‘Thank you for coming along. You helped make their night.’
‘I’m pretty sure they made mine.’ Harry retorts keeping his eyes on the road. I hold his free hand in my lap between my two hands. ‘Whose car’s that outside your flat?’ Harry briefly looks over at me coming down the dark road.
‘I’m not sure. It doesn’t look familiar to me.’