“ normal is an illusion. What is normal for a spider is chaos for a fly. ”
Charles Addams.
***
Harry and Aria watched as the elder couple walked down the stairs with huge grins on their faces, they pull both their grandkids into one big hug. It had been ten years since Harry last saw his maternal grandparents, it was when he was four years old when he last met them. At that time Aria hadn't been born yet.
Harry didn't know why his parents wouldn't let him go and visit them again, but he didn't mind since his family had always seemed to be enough with just him, his dad and mom. But when Aria was born Harry had been happier knowing he was going to be a brother.
“ oh! Ben our grandkids are so adorable ” Julie their grandmother said as she pulled Aria's cheeks.
“and Harry has grown into a man now, how old are you now my boy? ” Ben asked.
“ fourteen, grandpa. ” Harry instead of his young age looked rather intimidating at a height of 5'7 almost reaching his grandpa's height while he towered over his grandma.
“ you have grown so much and your little is so lovely. ” Julie says as she moved over to pull Harry's cheeks.
“ we heard of what happened...it's all over the news. ” Ben said his face changing to a serious one, Harry nods his with a straight face. He didn't like the topic being brought up in front of his little sister, he felt the need to be extra protective now that both their parents weren't there for them.
Julie senses Harry's discomfort and offers to show Aria to her new room leaving Harry and Ben.
“ what exactly happened, I know your father is a terrible man but I don't think he would actually murder your mother. ” Ben said as they walked to his study room.
He sits on the chair behind his desk and motions for Harry to take a seat opposite him. They sat separated by the big desk, Ben leans on his hands which were on top of the desk waiting for Harry to speak up.
“ he didn't kill her, mom killed herself after finding out about dad's affair...the police had asked me if I knew anything since all other evidences indicated that it was more of a murderer than a suicide, but I couldn't bring myself to defend him...I wanted him locked up for what he made my mother go through. ” Harry's voice broke as he talked but he didn't let himself cry.
He had already promised himself that he will be strong for Aria and himself. Ben's eyes softened as he watched his grandson, he knew that at such a young age Harry had had to make a very big decision.
Ben wanted to help him in any way he could, he wanted to stop the grief and pain that Harry had but most of all he wanted to lift the heavy burden of guilt from his young shoulders.
“Harry I believe you did what was right. I don't blame you for anything that has happened but I'm rather proud of you for looking after Aria through all this time. ”
“ I still feel like things would have changed if I just had told mom about things earlier. ” Harry said still trying to stop the unshed tears from leaving his eyes.
“ your father hadn't been the best husband for my daughter. The only reason he married her in the first place was because his company was going bankrupt and the only way out at that time was to marry the daughter of a successful businessman like myself...your mother had begged me to help his company get back up and I had to do it for her sake.
Once they were married your father still had affairs with countless women, it was one of the reasons that made me fight with my daughter. She knew all about his affairs but somehow pretended not to see them, she was too blinded with her love for him that she hadn't realized she was only a get back for his company. ” Ben explained.
“ is that why they stopped keeping contact with you, because you were against their marriage? ” Harry asked remembering how every time his would get upset when he mentioned visiting his maternal grandparents.
“ it had been an unhealthy marriage especially for your mother...I just didn't know she would result to ending her own life. ” a sad look passed his eyes as he thought about his only daughter. He had lost his daughter to a man that only loved the money she could offer and not her love.
Ben looks at his grandson and a ghost of a smile rests on his lips, Harry looked exactly like his mom but with more masculine features. He had the same black hair and forest green eyes, unlike Aria who had inherited her father's features Ben noted. But he didn't love Aria even a little less for that, because he knew she was still his grandchild.
“ you are a strong kid Harry, you will get through this...I just know you will. ” Ben said getting up.
Harry stands up just as his grandpa does, Ben pulls his grandson in for a hug. It was a hug that offered comfort and support and mostly important it offered love, and after holding in his tears for a long time Harry finally lets them all out.
•••
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I wrote this chapter listening to Lewis Capaldi's ‘someone you loved ’ and it really got me into the feeling of the whole chapter
