Solitude Grace

Chapter Thirteen

The man stood towering over Lisa, probably around six foot five, looking down at her with love and concern.

A smile that Lisa had kept hidden from all her friends, even Harper, suddenly formed on her face as she jumped into the arms of the man and hugging him tighter than she had hugged Harper on that day two weeks ago.

"Dad!" She squealed in his ear, feeling happiness surround her at the realisation that her life was coming together. "I thought you said you couldn't make it!" She couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.

"Couldn't leave my baby here all alone, could I? You're probably too old to chill with your dad but you're gonna have to make an exception." The man's voice was so gruff you could barely understand him, but the love in his eyes for Lisa was enough to read.

Lisa jumped out his arms only to look behind him then disappear out of the door. Harper watched amazed at this man who had brought Lisa so much happiness, he was even smiling lightly. The man was about his height, though Harper had to admit, he was slightly taller than the man.

He could see so much of Lisa on the man's face. She had inherited his hair, his perky nose, his high cheek bones. They looked alike, but his eyes were pure blue, no hint of another shade in them.

Harper looked to Chantelle and saw a broad smile on her face. Sometimes he wondered if the two girls were part of one another, when one was unhappy, the other would be too, the same with any other emotion.

Lisa came walking in with a woman with dark brown hair and then Harper saw it. Startling violet eyes, the same shade as Lisa's in the sunlight. They were stunning but Harper knew he was being rude.

"Chantelle!" The woman, Lisa's mother, ran to the girl, bringing her into her arms hugging Chantelle tight.

"Hey Mrs Barker!" Chantelle managed to mutter out.

"And who's this?" The man looked directly at Harper a stern gaze that Harper did not back down from like he should have.

He couldn't seem to find it in himself to back down from a human he could so easily kill. But this man was Lisa's father, he should have shown respect.

"Harper, sir." Harper offered his hand to which the man looked at skeptically before taking hold of it in a death grip and shaking it. Harper didn't even flinch as he added his own strength to shake, earning a smile from the man.

The man nodded and smiled. "You picked a good one." He said, looking to Lisa.

"Dad, we're just friends." She turned a bright shade of red before walking towards the kitchen.

"Sorry, were you guys heading out?" Mrs Barker asked.

"Yeah, Mom, but I'm not going anywhere now." Lisa yelled back from the kitchen. 

Everyone had waited at the door for her, but when she was taking too long, Harper decided to go check up on her. He walked to the kitchen to find her standing at the kettle with tears streaking down her face.

"I swear, I'm not upset." Lisa mumbled to him, somehow just sensing he was there.

Harper walked around the kitchen table and stood behind her. He turned her around to look at him.

"You missed them, I understand." He did understand, every day he missed the family he had once had, knowing he would never see them again.

Lisa got on the tips of her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her into a hug. This had been the first time she had let him hug her, she had kept her distance and refused to have him so much as help her up.