Solitude Grace

Chapter Seven

Harper had left Lisa with Jamie and had her drop him off at Gladis'. He had never been confused in his life, he had always been narrow-minded, knew where he was going, fought for the outcome he foresaw. Now he knew no such thing, he was in the dark as he realised his tolerance for humans had grown.

Lisa had started chatting to him on the way home, he was content with having her speak amongst him and Chantelle, answering questions when they were directed at him, smiling to some of the things Chantelle had said, normally it had been inappropriate but Chantelle just shrugged it off like nothing.

He walked into the house he could now feel himself settling into, sighing with relief to be away from the two girls. Yes, he had accepted Lisa and her friend, but he had not yet grown accustomed to Chantelle's continuous talking and Lisa's many questions.

He needed time to think. He needed to figure out what his next move would be. He did this while fixing Gladis' roof. The sun bet at his skin, he could feel a darker tan begin to show. He had settled with an old pair of David's, Gladis' son, jeans he had left behind with a white tank top. 

He worked for a few hours, until the sunset in the horizon replaced by a warm red shade with the clouds like dark shadows against the beauty around them. Harper looked at the sky, smiling to himself. He truly missed his home, he would do anything to go back, but no. He had been banished, the knowledge beating at his heart, a clenching in his heart that physically ached.

This Earth was not his home, his home was beyond the planets, beyond the galaxies, he was not of this world and he could not pretend to be. 

Looking at the sky now, he saw a piece of his old home right before it slipped away into darkness, the clench in his heart releasing leaving emptiness in its wake. 

It was as Harper climbed down when a car stopped outside the little house. Instinctively, Harper turned around to see the visitors. Marcus appeared out of the car looking much better than when Harper had seen him this morning. 

The healing aura around Harper had seeped into the pores of this man and he had healed faster than most humans would.

Harper felt instantly good about himself, he still had a good impact in this place. Maybe he could still do good without the divine influence, maybe it was just in him to be good.

Linda exited the car next, a gentle smile placed upon her lips as her eyes soften. Harper smiled back to the woman, he had learned that he had no need for verbal communication with these humans, they accepted simply gestures like handshakes, a smile, a frown. It was easy with them.

Then Lisa stepped out of the car and Harper watched her every move. The simple tilt of her head as she inhaled the night air, the small dip of her head as she met his eyes. She seemed to examine him as well and that brought Harper out of whatever trance he had been under.

"Harper! How are you?" Marcus approached him, patting him on the back slightly, adding a small push to get Harper inside the house.

"Good, thank you, yourself?" Harper replied, noticing the kindness that escaped his lips, smiling at himself proudly.

"Much better, and whatever Gladis is cooking smells delicious." Marcus chuckled to himself. 

He left Harper alone, walking into the kitchen with Linda leaving Harper standing at the doorway with Lisa who was still making her way up the porch.

"Hey." She looked up to him, he couldn't seem to read her emotion which was highly uncommon, Harper could always see whether or not she was happy or angry or sad, not they were hidden from him.

He nodded to her, words escaping him. He wanted to ask her whether everything was all right but kept himself muted, he didn't want to intrude on business that wasn't his to intrude on.