Redemption

14 - Snow Globe

Chapter 14 - Snow Globe

I look over Harry's shoulder for any sign of Harper. Only a few cars remain in the parking lot, including my beat up Volkswagen that used to be Dad's. No headlights are on, and there is a possibility they could be sitting in the car with the headlights off, but I find that very unlikely.

I look down at my feet. I've grown to recognize the feeling of Harry's penetrating gaze on my face. It doesn't make it any easier to stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks.

He grabs my elbow, steering me to the booth Isaac and I sat in earlier. The sugar packet still lays there, making me cry even harder. Harry sits next to me, instead of across, and faces his body towards me. His fingers twitch, making me think he is about to reach out for me.

"What about Harper?" I manage to get out between breaths.

Harry's eyebrows furrow, like I just asked the most ludicrous question in the world. "What about her?"

I take a deep breath before I speak again. He doesn't know how hard it is for me to have him see me like this. Yet, at the same time, I don't feel embarrassed or ashamed. "You guys were on date."

Harry's lip twitches this time instead of his fingers, almost like he was going to smile. "Why would I bring my date to the restaurant you work at?"

The conversation from earlier flashes in my head. Harry told Harper he'd never been here before, and now I know he came here just to see me. Maybe this was his way of apologizing for last night.

Silence stretches between us for a few moments before my breathing returns to normal. Harry doesn't say anything, he just sits there with me, only offering the comfort of his presence.

"Let me get you a water," he says as he stands up, heading to the kitchen. Clearly, he doesn't want to dissect the question deeper. I watch him as he walks away, wondering why he stayed behind without his crew and what he said that made them leave without him.

He comes back with a water and glass of orange juice. I smile slightly as he sets them down and sits back down next to me. He was gone for a couple minutes, letting me know he took the extra time to search out the orange juice. Usually, I wouldn't let anyone go back there because of Candace's rules, but I have a feeling she would make an exception for tonight. "I thought you could use some juice too." He says sheepishly as he slides it towards me.

"Thank you," I whisper, taking a small sip from each glass.

Another stretch of silence takes over, causing my heart to race. Even with him just sitting next to me, my body starts to act up. I steal a quick glance of him, seeing he has taken up the sugar packet between his fingers. My heart flutters as I spot the tiny similarity between him and Isaac.

"I need to know why you were crying," Harry says quietly. I look over at him, watching him drop the sugar packet onto the table and turning his body to face me once again. I can tell it's his way of saying I have his full attention.

I suddenly become nauseous by the thought of why I was crying. It wasn't just because of Henry and Candace, it was the stress of Isaac and my mom. A part of myself I try so hard to hide. As an adult, there should be no reason to be humiliated by it, but there are some days where I feel sixteen all over again. It was hard going through high school, seeing Mother's Day posts on social media and listening to how my friends' moms helped them get ready for homecoming and prom. And it wasn't like my mom died, and I think that was the worst part to admit. My own mother would rather forget her existence than help save mine.