Pain 2: Him (H.S)

Chapter 37

The strong, fresh scent of wood and polished furniture lingers around the open space in Ikea. Bedroom, kitchen, closet, and living room sets are displayed in rows with perfection to showcase and sell, all neat and ordered by pattern to catch the eyes of customers. Harry seems more into it than I am. He said he bought the furniture in the apartment from here but he's so excited that it seems as if it's his first time here. We only came for kitchen supplies but he wants to check out the rest of the place and since it's only eleven, we have plenty of time to kill.

"This is nice," Harry leans to touch the fabric of the green quilt on the made bed and I follow his actions and my finger tips tickle under the furry material. "This would look nice in the room, don't you think?"

"Green? The entire room is black and white, I think it'll mess up the pattern."

"Yeah, I guess." He agrees and we walk to another cubicle and I kiss the top of his hand as we continue.

He went to the gym again this morning. I think it's a new thing with him now because he said he enjoys it and wants to go every morning to start off his day fresh. It's a nice thing to wake up to, actually. He's drenched in sweat, which isn't as gross as it sounds, and he's flushed crimson from the heat; it's a very tasteful view. He's in such a great mood today and he even picked out my outfit. While I was getting ready, he sat on the bed and played the guitar for me and even teased me with soft hums.

I don't know what it is, maybe the release of the consternation, but I feel completely engulfed in incessant happiness. My mind isn't clouded anymore, my heart isn't wired in sadness, and the sky just seems extra blue now. It's cliche, but it's like freedom. I feel free.

"I'm going to stay with you all summer." I wrap my hand around our intertwined ones and rest my head against his strapping arm. Little kids are running about, jumping on the display beds as their parents smile with satisfaction and I watch as Harry's wondering but engaged eyes shift to them. He smiles at the small girl jumping on the pink mattress, her little brother tapping the fake key board over and over looking to the blank computer waiting for the letters to pop up, but his expression looks longing. "Did you hear me?" I ask and he immediately looks down to me blinking rapidly. I wonder what he was thinking about.

"No, sorry. What did you say?"

"I said I'm going to stay with you all summer." Instantly, a smile shapes his pink lips and he leans in to kiss my forehead.

"It's what I'm looking forward to the most." He admits diverting his attention back to the kids, "they're cute." He murmurs to me and smiles to the children's father as he passes us. He's tall and slim with a buzz cut and few tattoo's but his wife has more than him.

"Yeah, they are."

"I want a whole bunch of them." We exit the bedroom section and make our way to the kitchenware. He grabs an abandoned cart beside the boxes of pot sets and we begin to look around.

"Stealing kids is illegal, Harry." I tease him as he leans over the handle of the cart. There are so many options of pots and sets to choose from I don't know which to pick. Our idea is mostly set on black and white accessories. He said he wants everything to match the house so if we're going to buy pans and plates, they have to be black or white. He's really specific about what he wants and I find it kind of sexy. He's really organized and likes to layout his reality just as he has it in his vision.

"I know that," He rolls his eyes and I bend down beside the cart to read the list on the box. "I mean of our own. You know, I was thinking about something earlier."

"Yeah?" I urge reading and paying attention to him at the same time.

"Yeah. Remember when you said when you turn eighteen you'll marry me and we'll have kids and all?"