DYING WISH ( HARRY LEWIS ) [SLOW UPDATES]

SIX

( CHAPTER SIX )
SOMEWHERE THAT ISN'T A HOSPITAL

THE BREEZE WHIPPED AT ZOE'S BARE LEGS, BUT IT WASN'T COLD. She stood outside the large double doors of the hospital as she waited for Harry patiently. She shifted her weight onto the heels of her feet and back again, rhythmically bopping back and forth. She wore a regular blue denim skirt that hemmed about an inch above her knees and a white blouse dotted with small red roses that was pulled to a knot over her stomach, exposing her soft skin beneath. Beside her feet stood a black, fashionable bag that held her oxygen tank, a clear long tube trailing out of the top and wrapping around her ears and into her nostrils. She wasn't waiting long before Harry stalked towards her, a massive grin on his face and his hair messy from the wind. She smiled back, largely and took a breath through her nose, the air feeling new and refreshing to her, she hadn't been outside in forever; she forgot what it felt like.

"I hope you weren't waiting long" Harry said kindly as he approached her and she began to close the space between them, her legs slightly tingly from standing in the same position for an extended period of time.

"Eh, not really. It was nice standing outside here" She breathed, smiling and looking around at the greenery in front of the large building "I forgot I was waiting for you"

He dramatically threw his hand over his flat chest and feigned a look of hurt, earning a roll of her eyes. He gestured for her to walk as he lead her to where he had parked his car. She reached for the stretched handle that she'd already pulled up, and Harry noticed her reach, making him genuinely offer to carry it like the gentleman he could be. But she shook her head and hand as she declined, pulling it in between them as they walked down the stone. Harry couldn't help but feel guilty as the wheels of the bag echoed on the floor, but he knew that Zoe was too stubborn and independent to let up. So they walked in a comfort quiet to Harry's car, and he opened the passenger door for her. She replied with her 'thanks' and her sweet tone made Harry grin as she placed the tank bag in the car, resting against the console before she sat inside and strapped her seatbelt on. After he closed the door he quickly jogged around the other side and climbed in, the car reversing out of the space and down the road without a second to spare.

Zoe gazed happily out the window, before turning and focusing on Harry's face who was absorbed on the busy road ahead.

"So Harold, where are you taking me?" She smiled, her eyes glued to his concentrated face, she found it adorable and endearing; she found herself lucky she wasn't driving otherwise she'd be staring at him the whole time.

"Wow, is the tube kinked, a museum remember, I asked if you liked them" He awkwardly chuckled, he was scared about how the joke would land and he felt uncomfortable slightly, as if he'd crossed a line. But when he heard the loud laugh that escaped her mouth he knew she was fine with it and he let out a sigh of relief, his eyes closing for a second longer. She was over the moon with the joke, she was happy he didn't tip toe around her and shared the same humour as her, she wondered where he'd been when she was diagnosed at fourteen.

"Hmm, I do like a museum, just don't try and admire me the whole time" She sighed, shaking her kinky hair over her shoulders.

"I'll try my hardest" He chuckled, his hands loosing on the wheel and he took a minute to glance over at the girl in his car, her face lit up as she looked out the front window.

Soon the car swiftly pulled into the car park of the museum, trailing alongside the parked, colourful cars as it searched for a free space. Once it had reached one, flanked by a red car and another empty space, Harry turned into it and after many giggles and awkward reversing before driving forward again; finally parking in a relative straight line. Before Zoe could even open her door or clamber out, Harry rushed to her side of the car and yanked open the passenger door. She shot him a thankful, kind smile as she unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out, pulling the tall bag out behind her, the wheels rested on the raised step in front of the building. He locked the car and the pair walked side by side to the illuminated, marble museum. He pushed open the glass door and allowed Zoe to slide in and allowing an elderly man to exit before entering himself. As they reached the front desk and Harry spoke in a friendly tone to the woman behind the pale counter, Zoe's bright eyes were transfixed by the white walls surrounding them, the art hanging onto the marble. She turned slowly in a circle, her mouth fallen slightly open as she was absorbed by the beauty. Harry nodded and smiled at the woman before turning around to Zoe, ready to enter the maze of artefacts but when he noticed she was completely entranced he watched her, with the same expression on his face.

Once she had snapped out of her trance, they walked together through the light museum, stopping and taking time to absorb the objects protected by clear boxes, sharing the talk and laughs that came natural to them. After staring and discussing sculptures they reached a room of paintings. All four walls were covered in colourful art, encased with silver frames, and with the same sized gaps in between them. They stood side by side, the oxygen tank in between them like the third person of the group, as they stared at a painting, completely absorbed by the precise paint strokes. It was portrait and held a thick layer of paint, the colours so vibrant that you could see every line. It was abstract as it had a yellow sky, Zoe's favourite colour, and in the foreground was a glittering, glass vase holding a tall, happy sunflower, the petals a shade lighter than the sky so it stood out, upon a wooden table. 

"This is my favourite" Zoe nodded, in a breathy voice as she was still so entranced by it, pointing at it with a unpainted nail "By far"

Harry nodded in agreement, "It's beautiful" his voice also sounded far away as he watched the painting with melted, soft blue eyes.

They gazed at the bright picture for a few minutes longer, just admiring it in a comfortable silence, before moving onto the next room.

Once they had finished looking at everything, they slowly and leisurely walked to the entrance that they stood happily in hours prior.

"I love museums" Zoe soothed, her smile huge as her fingers tingled, her left wrapped around the handle.

"Me too" Harry agreed, genuinely before this trip he never really cared for them.

They thanked the woman behind the desk, who's head perked up before smiling and holding her hand over the bottom of the telephone that she held to her ear.

Just like when they arrived Harry held open one of the double doors for Zoe and she again felt extremely thankful, she was shocked he was such a gentleman but it made her feel lightheaded. She let go of her bag as she waiting for him to exit the building too and once he noticed the black bag unprotected by Zoe's grasp, he hurriedly offered to pull it for her. It was her instinct to politely decline, like she did with everyone, but she didn't answer straight away, she watched him with soft eyes taking a second to ponder and with a small smile on her full lips. 

"Please" He pushed, but not forcefully or really even at all, he would have allowed her to pull it for herself if she wanted to but he wanted to help in anyway he could even though he didn't feel obligated to. Zoe didn't push his illness on him and sometimes he forget she even was sick, and when Zoe was with him she did too. By her hesitancy he began to think he was allowed and was sure when she nodded with her lips pulled slightly upwards. He let out a huge sigh of relief and smiled back before clutching onto the slim handle and pulling it gently at a comfortable pace.

Together they walked to where Harry had parked his car, their steps in sync and even though they were separated by an oxygen tank sandwiched between them; they were closer now, their legs brushing the bag and their hands centimetres apart.