MIDNIGHT MEMORIES

Harry's House

Harry burst through the front door of his house. 

"Glenda!" He called. "Can you vacuum a bit? I've got a.....friend coming over." The old housekeeper smiled and bustled down the steps with the vacuum cleaner. "Sure dear, me and Charlie have got it." Harry was too happy to roll his eyes at the appliance's annoying nickname. He pushed past Glenda and began straightening things up before rushing into the kitchen.

"Mum?" He asked. Anne came out of the pantry and extended her arms for a hug. "Hey pumpkin. How was school?" She worried about her son because he was at a new school, but knew she shouldn't because Harry made friends easily. 

"Good! I've actually got a... a..... Louis coming over in a bit, and I need you to make cookies. But like just have them in the oven don't let him think we made them specifically for him act casual okay mum?" He breathed out. 

" A Louis eh?" She chuckled. "Chocolate chip or sugar?"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Chocolate chip. There's milk in the fridge right?" He asked frantically, picking up all the messes he had made around the house. 

"Can you have like a nice dinner ready in case he decides to stay?" Harry was panicked. 

Anne chuckled again. "I like this Louis already, if he's getting you to pick up your dirty-" She's interupted  by the doorbell. 

"I'll get it!" Harry yells. Trying to act casual, he walks to the door in his socks. Keys jiggle, and he is disapointed to find not Louis, but the UPS guy standing there with a pen and a paper to sign. Anne rushes to the door. 

"Oh lovely! My new wine glasses came! I've been waiting for these all week." She smiles, signs, and shuts the door with a wave, taking tha opackage to the kitchen. 

Harry huffed. "Dinner mum?"

"You boys can order pizza if you get hungry, and there is pop in the fridge in the basement. Now breathe. It's all going to be fine." 

"I know." Harry says and heads up to his room to wait. 

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At four fifty he comes downstairs for a snack. Anne is standing at the counter, putting the new glasses away. "Still no Louis?" She asks. 

Harry shakes his head no. "I'm just going to eat the cookies now; he'll probably want dinner as soon as he gets here." 

Anne pushes him the cookies with a sad smile before filling two glasses of milk and taking one for herself. 

"It's a bummer." Harry says. "I really thought he'd be here by now."

"I'm sure something just came up. It's not personal, Harry."

"I know." Harry looks down at the cookie in his hands. "I guess I was just really excited."

"There's always another day." Anne says, and Harry's face clouds over. He stands up. "I'm going to go finish my science so all my homework is done when he gets here and we can just chill."

Anne sighs as he trudges up the stairs. She begins making a fancy dinner of lime chicken, salad, and bread rolls. At seven, she and Harry eat in silence.