Deliverance [h.s.]

sixty-one | my girl*

What can make me feel this way

My girl, my girl, my girl

My Girl || The Temptations

*************

There's a lot of things I didn't anticipate in this lifetime. I never thought I would have my own house with my favorite people. I never imagined having the bike of my dreams or having a room solely dedicated to all of the plants.

But above all, I never ever would have anticipated a life where I am sitting at my kitchen counter, watching the man I love cook breakfast while softly singing out the words to My Girl by The Temptations, while my best friend sings back up as he cleans the growing pile of dirty dishes.

"I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way? My Girl," Harry sang into the spatula, pulling it away long enough for Mac to sing the follow up lines into the pretend microphone.

"My girl," Mac's voice broke with giggles, both him and Harry going back and forth on their parts.

I watched with a warm heart from my chair. My chin rested on my palm, letting my eyes drift with eased joy. We were all still riddled with sleep, having just rolled straight from bed and into the kitchen. Harry's hair was tousled with slept in curls, a simple white shirt and flannel pants, accessorized with a genuine smile.

Harry set the utensil down, floating over to wrap his arms around me, taking a deep breath in as he sank against my body.

"I've got so much honey, the bees envy me," He rocked me side to side, swaying with the tune of the soft radio playing. The melody continued to flow as they reentered the chorus with Harry loudly exclaiming the lyrics.

"My girl!" Harry shouted, pointing to Mac as a que.

"My girl!" Mac hollered back, holding a sudsy spoon to his mouth.

"My girl!" They broke out in unison followed by a string of laughter at the rosey flush hitting my cheeks.

I gently pushed Harry off of me, heat prickling my face as I watched him shake his head with a smile, returning to the stove with a quiet hum.

The cycle repeated for the entirety of breakfast, only stopping for a short bit of time to actually eat the delicious food before it resumed as we watched, dried, and put away all of the dishes.

Now, we are left with a clean kitchen, full stomachs and warm hearts of love and contentment.

I have a looming anxiety hanging inside of me but it's moments like these that give me the small, quick break I need to survive. Without this, we would never make it to the end. Eli would want nothing more than for us to be taken care of and right now, i'm doing the best I can.

The final stretch is approaching, 19 more days and we'll be a family again; just as we always have been and always will be.

I made my way to my room with Harry following close behind me, having not really left my side since we got together. I mindlessly folded the laundry from the hamper on my bed as he walked around my room, picking up photos and knick knacks; inspecting them diligently as I watched with silent adoration.

"Do you have any plans for today? Or tonight? Or just- like just in general?" Harry sputtered off, a framed photo of Elias, Mac and I held in his hand. He spoke without looking at me, staring intently at the picture.

"No, just being with you. Why?" I folded the shirt in my hand, still watching Harry across from me.

"Well-" He dragged out, drumming his fingers on the photo for a moment before setting it down with a sly smile. "The games are running again tonight and tomorrow and I was wondering if you want to go? Play me one last time? Winner takes all type of deal?"