Minding Grace

12: Beside you I'm a loaded gun

Over the next few days, Harry hadn't seen or heard from James. He usually made an appearance a couple of times during the day, if not by the evening but he seemed to have disappeared completely.

Harry didn't have it in him to ask Grace so he decided to go with the next best source.

Rosie.

Dottie and Tilly were having an afternoon nap and Grace was out running some errands so it gave Harry the opportunity to see what he could find out from Rosie.

He could smell something delicious wafting through the house so he ventured down to the kitchen, knowing that's where she most likely was.

"Smells good Rosie," he breezed in, a smile on his face as he rubbed his hands together, "anything I can lick?" he asked.

"You're such a little boy sometimes," Rosie shook her head as Harry sat on one of the stools across the kitchen bench.

But she grinned as she placed a bowl in front of him containing some batter remnants from a cake she had baking in the oven.

"You're too good to me Rosie!" he exclaimed as he took the spoon out of the bowl and proceeded to lick the batter off.

Rosie chuckled as she cut up some slices of freshly baked focaccia and placed it on a plate in front of Harry with some butter to go with it.

"Mmmm..." Harry murmured in appreciation as he started in on the bread, "hey Rosie," he said after he swallowed a bite.

"Yes my love," Rosie replied.

"Can I ask you something?" he continued.

"You ask a lot of questions Harry love," she replied.

Maybe.

But he thought this was a pretty important one to ask.

And if anyone would know, it would be Rosie.

"When we went out for dinner the other night," Harry began, "we, well Grace and James...somebody stopped to say hello at our table..."

"They know a lot of people Harry," Rosie replied, "nothing unusual about that."

"No," Harry shook his head, "this was different."

Rosie said nothing, she continued cleaning up the mess from her cooking as Harry kept talking.

"His name was Aiden and he-" Harry was stopped midsentence as Rosie dropped the bowl she was drying onto the bench with a clang.

Rosie looked at Harry in silence while Harry held his breath.

He knew this was something, judging by the look on Rosie's face.

And now she was probably going to tell him to mind his own business.

"What happened?" she asked quietly.

Well.

He wasn't expecting that.

"He came up to the table and said hello," Harry began, "we were just finishing up dessert anyway so Grace took the girls to the car, James paid the bill and then we all came home."

"Did...did he say anything?" Rosie asked.

"Nothing exciting, seemed nice enough," Harry went on.

"Hmmm..." Rosie mused.

Harry decided to press on, spurred on by the fact that Rosie hadn't told him to shut up and was actually taking an interest in what he had to say.

"The car ride home was pretty awkward though," Harry mused.