The Beautiful Hummingbird - Part I

The Scrabble Edit

It's 11 pm when we pull up outside my house.  As soon as we left the fairground, Harry reached for my hand across the car console and I surprised myself by not resisting.  For the rest of the journey his hand has barely left mine, holding it gently in his lap, entwining our fingers together and rubbing circles over my thumb.

Something so simple as that connection of our hands again has never felt so precious to me.  The continuous movement of his soft thumb soothing as it glides over mine, comforting and sending tingles streaking through me.  We've chatted so easily and that feels so amazing.

As we edge nearer to home the 'should I invite him in?' dilemma plays over and over in my mind.  I don't know whether to or not so decide the best option is to give him the choice. He puts the car into park and turns his body to face me. 

"Would you like to come in or do you need to get back?" It sounds ok when the words are off my tongue, let him decide I keep saying to myself.

He answers without a second thought, "I'd love to, if you don't mind," he smiles reassuringly. 

He releases my hand and jumps out the car, passing across the front of the vehicle before opening my door and extending his hand to help me out.  As he turns to close the passenger door he doesn't release my hand and we walk towards my front door hand in hand.

As we approach my front door I see Albert wandering down the street towards us. Albert is my next-door neighbour. He and his wife Margaret lived in the house all their 60 married years until Margaret sadly passed away a year ago. They were inseparable and in love until the end and Albert misses her terribly. Albert and I often have chats over the garden fence, putting the world to rights - he with his mature views versus mine with my young opinions. Albert always chuckles and says "you young-uns of today!" He is like the Grandad I never had and I always look out for him, offering to get groceries from the supermarket or the weekend papers so he doesn't have to venture out too far.

"Hi Albert, is everything ok, you're out late and on such a chilly night." I remark surprised to see him. 

"Oh hello Tasha love, I ran out of milk for my morning cuppa so just popped to the corner shop."

"Albert I've always got milk you can have." I reply worried he's out and about on such a cold evening.

"You are so kind Tasha, I did knock but could see you were out," he replies looking straight at Harry. "She looks after me this one ever since my Margaret passed away, she's a good girl, make sure you treat her right lad."

I look on bemused whilst Harry responds with a serious tone but smiling towards me, "I intend to Sir!"

"Well I shall bid you both goodnight," Albert says kindly.

"It was nice to meet you Albert," Harry is still smiling.

"Yes goodnight Albert, take care." I respond fondly.

"Will do dear," and with that he goes inside.

I open the front door of my little terraced house.  It is typical style and opens straight into a long hallway with stairs that rise up to the first floor. The first door off the hallway leads into the living room at the front of the house. The room has an open fireplace and each side has recessed floor to ceiling shelves covered in books, films, CDs and ornaments. The room is quite starkly decorated as I don't spend much time in here. Although there is a sofa and a chair, my desk and PC are here as this is where I study. A door at the end of the hallway leads into a completely open plan living space at the back of the house. The Snug, as I call it, has a large cushion covered sofa, TV mounted on the wall above the open fireplace and a small four seat dining table and leads into a narrow galley kitchen.  This is where I spend the majority of my time.