Phoenix | hs au

2 - Mail

We drive down the wide roads to our small home in the southern part of Tempe. Tempe is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area, which is also home to Arizona State University--which is where I received multiple grants and scholarships to finish my education. Some from women's shelters, some from organizations helping abused women, and more. I guess everything Brandon ever did to me had a silver lining.

Even though our house in suburban Tempe is less than a thousand square feet, it's still homey. Harry and I each have our own bedroom and bathroom, though small, and I will admit that we often share a room rather than sleep apart.

We pull into the driveway of our little home and step out into the sunshine. The front yard is mostly dirt, with a few plants sprung up here and there. There is a large cactus beside the house, and we named it Fred Jr. as soon as we saw it. We walk inside together, not speaking.

Even though we went through so much together in such a short amount of time last winter, there's still so much I don't know about Harry and that he doesn't really know about me.

"I'm gonna check for mail." Harry announces as I set all my things down. A moment later he returns with a few envelopes and a confused expression on his face. He swipes his hair across his forehead and furrows his eyebrows.

"What is it?" I ask, seeing his confused expression.

"You got mail. From Chicago." He extends the envelope to me and watches my expression as I read the front. The concern on his face deepens as my heart sinks. I rip it open and begin reading the folded papers inside. My shoulders slump forward as my eyes reach the end of the page.

"Everything okay?"

"I'm requested to appear in court in Chicago. Against Brandon. His trial is coming up." I whisper, reading the words testimony, questioning, evidence.

"Do you have to?" He gently takes the letter from my shaking hands and skims it over.

"He'll go to prison if I do. Probably be let out if I don't. I'm the victim." I shudder, tears of frustration beginning to form at the edges of my vision. Harry sets the letter down on the stove and pulls me into his arms.

He rets his chin on the top of my head, "Katie, we've moved halfway across the United States. If you don't want to testify in Chicago, you'll be okay."

I pull away hastily, "And so what? So I can think every blond guy I see on the street is him? Don't you understand how he messes with my head?" I respond.

"It's not like they're just going to let him free. He'll still have to do time. There was enough footage of him attacking us to warrant that."

"So I can be a nervous wreck when he gets out? If I go and tell them everything, they'll have to give him life. Don't you think?" I look up into his sad green eyes.

"I just want you to be happy." He says simply, looking down at my crazed expression, "I don't want it to be about revenge."

"Why not? He ruined my life. Just about killed me. Beat the shit out of you." I turn away from him, running my hands through my hair as I think about it.

"But we're okay now. Look at the future, Katie, look at us. Everything is okay now." He touches a hand to my shoulder.

"Everything is okay? It's okay that I get crippling migraines three days a week because he busted my head? It's okay that I'm constantly sweating my ass off so no one will see all the scars on my body? It's okay that I'm constantly haunted by him, afraid that he'll just keep chasing me and finding me until he finally wins? Harry, I'm terrified." My voice is shaking badly by the time I'm finished talking and Harry's eyes get sadder and sadder with every word I speak.

"I'll support you with whatever you decide." He finally says, "I'll protect you."

He tugs me forward into his arms again and envelopes me in his warm embrace. This time I don't pull back.

---

"Katie? I think you should wake up, love, or you won't be able to sleep tonight." Harry's deep voice lulls me out of a dreamless nap. After I took a shower, I must've fallen asleep. The sun's rays shine bright through the western windows, letting me know it's later in the afternoon.

"Shit, Harry, your meeting." I sit up on my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I look at him. He looks like an angel sitting at the edge of my bed. There's a halo of light around his hair and his eyes are bright green as he watches me.

"I called and told them I wasn't coming--that I needed time to think."

"And what did they say?" I ask.

"They told me they'd replace me, and pretty much hung up on me." He responds. His English accent has started to fade from living in the United States for so long. I miss it.

"Oh, Harry..." I rub his shoulder as he stares down at his hands in his lap.

"It wasn't for me. I'd rather keep doing gigs with the mates in little places." He shrugs.

"That's not much of a career." I say.

"It's what I enjoy." He states simply, scratching at the light stubble on the side of his face. I nod, wishing I too could just do gigs for the rest of my life.

I still sing, but not near as often as I did in Chicago at Barbara's. I found a job at a cute little bookstore in Tempe, but it's not near enough to afford living in one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the United States. Chicago was different. Some weeks I'd be hungry because I had to pay the rent and couldn't afford groceries, but I scraped by with the money I earned. Now, I'm the only steady income between Harry and I. He does shows more often now that he's in a band, but it really only goes so far.

"I have to get going soon for the show tonight. It's all the way in Scottsdale." He sighs, looking at the watch on his wrist.

"Oh right, just let me get dressed and we can go-"

"I didn't think you'd come, wasn't sure if you were feeling well. Usually you sleep when you're getting a migraine." He says, trying to read any pain I might be experiencing in my eyes.

"I want to come. I don't know many shows I'll still be able to come to once classes start."

He gives me a gentle kiss on the cheek, "Okay, let me change and we can go."