Ruffled ~ H.S

Twenty-Four

I anxiously laid sprawled out on top of the sofa – hugging a cushion close to me and biting my bottom lip nervously. Both of my eyes were fixed on the TV screen in front of me – but my mind and my attention was completely absent from whatever programme was currently playing – therefore every sound coming out of the TV only sounded like muffled nonsense.

What are you doing, Harry?

Where the hell are you..?

My eyes were feeling heavy, because I was tossing and turning all night last night since my mind was swarming with thoughts about Harry's meeting today. I knew I should be trying to take a nap or something...but I didn't move and instead turned wistfully towards our front door – desperately wishing that Harry would come running through the doorway happily waving an investment contract signed by Mr Donovan around.

However, I suddenly heard the lock click from the other side – and my breath immediately hitched as I knew that Harry was outside unlocking it. I immediately scrambled into a sitting up position and dangled my arms over the back of the sofa – eagerly facing the door as I awaited the verdict of his meeting with Mr Donovan.

Harry opened the door and entered the living room silently, but I continued to stare at him hopefully – trying to catch a glimpse of any sign that Mr Donovan agreed to invest in the company. However, Harry only glanced back up at me once without saying a word – his face reading nothing but total disappointment.

Oh, no...

"What happened?" I asked him anxiously, "Harry?"

He didn't reply and instead walked past me – tossing his briefcase on the other sofa and making his way over to the window as he began undoing his necktie.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" He asked me quietly.

"What happened?" I asked again – my teeth nibbling fretfully at my bottom lip, "Why did you take so long?"

"Because I decided to take a little walk around the block after the meeting," he replied, "it did me a lot of good."

I immediately felt my heart starting to sink.

Mr Donovan said no.

Why else would he be so cranky..?

"Harry!" I flailed my arms and bounced on the sofa exasperatedly, "Please tell me what happened!"

He turned back to me and tossed his necktie on the second couch as well before checking his watch.

"Have you just been sitting here this whole time?" He asked me – sticking his hands in his trouser pockets, "You should've been thinking of more productive ways to pass the time, love. Such as taking a nap, or having some afternoon tea, or making me a list of all your favourite stones so I have an idea of what type of ring I should buy you."

"How could I do any of that?!" I said even more exasperatedly, "I've been so fucking anxious to hear how your meeting went, Harry! I couldn't sleep! I couldn't snack! I couldn't-"

I cut myself off as soon as my mind actually registered the last thing he said – and my breath hitched, and my heart stopped.

"Did you..." I looked up at him, "d-did you just say 'ring'..?"

Harry's straight face immediately grew into a broad grin, and he let out a chuckle as he reached into his blazer to pull out a folded set of stapled papers. My eyes immediately widened as he unfolded the papers and flicked to the last page – tossing it at me and urging me to immediately snatch it up and scan my eyes rapidly across the paper. And my heart instantly skipped a beat as soon as I read the last sentence at the bottom of the paper.