Minding Grace

14: And I can see your head is held in shame

Harry wandered into the kitchen, his mind still focused on why James left the house so late the previous night.

Looking out the window from the kitchen, he saw his car was not where it was usually parked, signalling he had either come home and had already left for work.

Or he had not come home at all.

He made himself a cup of tea and leaned against the kitchen bench, blowing gently onto the hot liquid before sipping it.

Rosie breezed into the kitchen, instantly bringing life into the room, like someone had thrown open a closed curtain and the darkness had been lifted.

She placed a cane hamper onto the bench before looking up at Harry and gifting him with a wide smile.

"Harry amore (love)!" she sang out but suddenly stopped, "why are you looking so triste (sad)?"

Harry glanced at Rosie then down at the cup in his hand, shaking his head silently.

"Harry..." Rosie walked over to him, gently placing her hands on his face, "tell me."

"It's not my place..." he murmured, picking at an invisible thread on his shirt, "not my business but..." he trailed off.

"But you preoccupanzione (worry)?" she offered, Harry nodded silently in reply.

Rosie moved over to the fridge, opened it up and started to take various items out and placed them on the bench.

"Why does he leave?" Harry suddenly blurted out, causing Rosie to pause what she was doing before continuing.

Her lips pursed together, wondering what she should say when really, she knew she shouldn't say anything.

It wasn't her place.

Harry knew he was probably going to be pushing his luck, but he decided to continue.

"Like last night, he left after Lucy and correct me if I'm wrong, but he didn't come home did he?" he pressed on.

Rosie sighed and said nothing, her silence was all the confirmation that Harry needed that he was correct in his assumption.

"I mean, no marriage is perfect, but she's so..." Harry trailed off, embarrassed at how he was almost about to describe his boss to the housekeeper, "she seems so lovely..." he finished off with, "I don't get it."

Rosie continued to fill the hamper with food and drink items, remaining silent as she did so.

Harry knew he'd crossed a line, he should have kept his stupid mouth shut.

"I'm sorry Rosie, I shouldn't have said anything it's just..." he stopped for a moment, "she's just so nice."

Nice.

Lame Harry, real lame.

"Si (yes) Harry, she is," Rosie finally answered, closing the lid on the hamper with such finality that Harry knew it wasn't just about the hamper, but Grace as well.

Rosie turned and looked at Harry and he braced himself for the tirade he knew she was about to let loose.

"Harry, tesoro (sweetheart)," she moved over to him, a weariness to her tone, "just...be there for her...be the friend she needs..." Rosie pauses, "because that's what she needs most in the world, someone to be there for her," she patted his arm gently before moving to the bench and returning the items to the fridge, "because god knows that stronzo (asshole) isn't."

The sound of the girls coming down the stairs followed by Grace cautioning them to go slow broke the silence between them.

Rosie finished and turned her gaze to Harry, holding it, trying to silently convey her request to him, earning a tight-lipped smiled from him and a slight nod in return.