Extended Family

Chapter 35: A Past and Present Storm

Set before the last chapter of Family

"Everything okay?"

Katie looked up.  "Hmm?  Sorry, lost in my thoughts.  What did you say?"

"That's okay.  Just wanted to make sure everything was okay," Coach Miranda said.  "You seem a bit antsy."

"I feel a little tense, you're right."  Katie rubbed her neck.  "I'm not too sure why.  Just a little unsettled."

"Hmm, do I need to do something to Harry?"

Katie smiled.  "No not at all.  We're not arguing or anything."

"Good.  I noticed he's a bit jittery too so this is me being subtle and nosy."

"He is?"  Katie frowned.  "I didn't notice anything."

"Maybe he's putting on a brave face for you.  He's been okay overall but just off enough to be noticed."  Miranda frowned lightly.  "Sure everything's okay?"

"I thought so," Katie said.  "We haven't fought or argued or anything.  Dahlia is just fine.  I haven't heard about any disagreements with any of our friends or family."

"Hmm, well maybe it's just the weather then," Miranda said soothingly.  "Storms do that to some people."

Katie shivered.  She had a better idea of what was bothering her now, and Harry too apparently.  They had played in pouring rain before but today's storm was very vibrant and boisterous, just shy of becoming violent.  She had a flash of vertigo, a sense of weightlessness before intense falling, of panic and fear.  "Yeah maybe," she said weakly.  "I'm going to go check on him."

She walked briskly down the hall.  The falling rain hammered on the stands, filling the hall with a never-ceasing drumming sound.  She pushed the door to the locker room open and walked in.  She ignored Samuel's falsetto screech and his joking attempt to cover his chest and kept walking, making him look after her questioningly.  "Hey you," she said when she found Harry.

Harry looked up, his face creasing into a smile when he saw her.  It was her smile, a smile she saw no other time except when he saw her.  It never failed to fill her with love and warmth, even if it was a little forced right now.  "Hey there," he said back.

"You okay?" she asked softly.  "Coach said you were a little jittery."

"I'm okay," he said somewhat convincingly.  A crack of lightning and a roll of thunder penetrated the thick walls of Portree Port easily and he flinched a little.  "Guess the storm is making me a bit tense."

"We've played through bad weather before though, right?" she asked.

"Yeah we have, which is why I'm a little confused why I'm feeling so tense today."  He smiled wanly.  "Maybe the sandwich I had earlier was a bit funny."

She smiled back.  "Maybe.  I told Dally to go light on the pickles."

He laughed.  "I take it back, it was delicious."

"Want me to write you a note?  Let Shelia take over?"

"No I'll be fine.  I'll push through.  She's not feeling too great right now and I'm heavier than her so the wind won't be as bad.  Maybe I'll try to end it fast today and we can go home earlier or something."