Red String [h.s] (Completed)

Chapter 30

"What would you pick if you had to choose
Between taking a risk and playing it safe
Cause I will say I don't wanna play if I'm going to lose
I don't wanna lose because I didn't play
...
But I wanna fall in love with you
I wanna fall in love with you, with you, with you
Yeah, but I don't wanna fall in love with you
If I'm going to fall apart with you"

Harry gets back from the store with David and gets to work right away preparing dinner. He has decided to make lasagna, with salad and garlic bread. It's a simple meal but his mom taught him how to make a great sauce to make it stand out. He begins chopping vegetables and getting saucepans out of the cupboard when Amy walks in.

"Hey," she says casually, approaching him from behind. He looks over his shoulder at her and sees her smiling already at him, clearly happy with what she is witnessing.

"Hey," he says just as casually back, smirking at her, as he turns back to chopping.

"Can I help?" she asks, as she places her hand on his shoulder. And he feels that feeling that he always feels when she's close. The urge to kiss her. He wishes he could do it all the time. Kiss her whenever he wants. He's not sure what that means. He's never felt like this before. Especially after he has already kissed someone and the mystery is gone. But with her, it feels new each time.

Part of it is because he isn't sure where he stands with her. In one moment, he thinks that she would send him away in a second. And in another moment, he thinks that she is feeling the same way he is, like this is something neither of them could walk away from.

"Sure, could you make the salad?"

Harry and Amy work side by side in the kitchen. Anyone watching them would think that they've known each other for years not weeks. They are comfortable with each other. Amy trusts Harry in ways that she hasn't trusted others before him. He's supported her when it meant something and when it wasn't the easy choice. He's taken risks for her. Risks that could have gone sideways if Amy had wanted to reject him. And she hasn't been entirely receptive but she has always left the door partially open for him, knowing he will wedge his foot in. Amy is still guarded around him. Still aware that she feels like she is chasing the sun. She doesn't want to get burned.

Sandra pokes her head into the kitchen and watches the two of them work. She smiles as she does. Her greatest comfort comes from seeing her children happy and she hasn't felt like Amy has been happy in awhile. Feels like for the past three months she has been struggling. On the outside, you could barely notice but moms see things that others miss. There was some internal battle raging inside Amy. She had been more 'stuck in the clouds' than she usually was. But now, well when Sandra looks at her now, she sees that weight gone. That whatever was making her feel like that isn't affecting her anymore.

Sandra watches Harry. Watches how he looks at Amy. She can see that he seems to be trying to figure her out by the way he watches her reactions to everything. His eyes always on her. Wanting more from her. More words. More smiles. More glances. More Amy. She worries that Harry will take from Amy more than he can give back. That Amy will give so much of herself to him and be left empty. But that's the thing with love, it's a risk management game. Is the risk worth the reward? Or, perhaps the more important question, is the risk worth the loss?

When dinner is ready, they decide to eat outside on the deck. David and Sarah set the table for everyone and Sandra and Richard open some wine. When they're all finally sitting, Richard raises his glass.

"I think we all want to thank Harry for preparing this beautiful meal. It has been nice getting to know you this weekend. Hopefully we see you again here sometime soon," he says smiling at Harry. "To family and friends."