Aurelia [h.s.]

twenty-four

"Do you really think she will? It's a lot to ask from someone that she's literally just met." Aurelia asks after sitting in silence and dwelling in her thoughts for about an hour.

Harry turns to look at her with a warm smile, "Yes, I am almost ninety-five percent positive that she will be. But even if she doesn't, we'll find some way to do this for you, for us. Gemma and mum are actually super excited to finally get to see you again, you know."

The last time that they saw her, she was a little girl, playing on the playground with Harry. Since he's started this little journey with her, Harry's called and texted his mother all the details about the one that he thought got away. She's been dying to see her again since he mentioned it and he's positive that things will go well.

Aurelia picks at the sleeve of her sweater, where the fabric ends just over her knuckles. "I can't imagine anyone being thrilled to meet a blind girl who's certainly going to break their son's, or their brother's, heart."

She knows that they already know her on some level, but they don't know her now, they only know who they remember and that was a little girl who was normal. She's worried about what they'll think of her now because she's dragging Harry down a path that will only lead to heartbreak.

Harry's thumb follows its familiar motion of running over her index finger in a very comforting manner, "Sweetheart, they know that and they are still very thrilled to meet you for the second time because you've given me a new enthusiasm to live, where I was bored with reality before. If you're having a bad day, just let me know and I'll sort it out by whatever means possible. Hell, we can go back to the hotel and stay for another night if you want."

Aurelia smiles softly and stops destroying her sweater, "No, I'm not having a bad day. It's just the usual. I'm not really used to people, well, besides you anyway, and it just makes me a little nervous is all."

She's having a bad day, but she doesn't want to tell him that because he's so happy that they're going to see his family and she wants this day to be for him because so many of them are for her.

Harry kisses her cheek at the stop sign, "If you're uncomfortable or anything and I don't pick up on it, please let me know, okay? I promise that it will be okay though. They've heard a lot about you and they already like you."

Aurelia nods and mutters a soft 'okay' before resuming her bad habit of tearing apart her clothing when she's nervous. It really isn't even the fact that she's meeting his mother and his sister that have her so nervous, it's the question that they're going to ask his sister and the probability of hearing her say the same thing that everyone else already has.

Of course, she thinks that those women were being rational because they're right, she won't be there to raise her child at some point, but that doesn't mean that she can't be a good mommy for the time that she's around. And Harry can certainly take care of a child, he proves that much every day because being with her meant taking care of her and helping her with simple things like one would a child because she can't exactly do it herself because of her impairment.

Being blind doesn't make her helpless or irresponsible though. It actually makes her more conscious of her decisions and how much life should be valued, even if her time is shorter than everybody else's.

She hasn't been paying much attention to the soft song playing on the radio, or the rain that taps against the window and creates a dull hum as they drive down roads that Harry grew up around and has mapped like the back of his hand. It takes her slightly by surprise when the car stops and Harry gives her hand a light squeeze, his low and very comforting voice breaking through the slight trance that she'd put herself in. "We're here. Are you ready?"