Young & Free
VII
Harry’ POV
Thanks to the advantage of a private jet, I am able to get to my mum quicker than most. But I’m not happy about the fact this means I’ll be seeing my father in less than two hours.
-
I stand in front of the familiar double doors; the doors I grew up with, the doors I dreaded coming home to everyday from school.
Louis puts his hand on my shoulder squeezing lightly showing me I have his support.
I take a deep breath and ring the bell. The door opens revealing…
“Robin?”
Robin is a close family friend; my mother met him through work. When she stopped working and my father’s ways became a bit unbearable, he was always there to help her. I haven’t seen Robin since my high school graduation, though this isn’t really that much of a shock, Robin is my mum’s best friend.
The tall older man looks at me relief washing over his tired face.
“Harry! Come in”
Louis and I step into my childhood home.
“How have you boys been?”
“Where is she?” I ask not really in the mood for causalities. I just want to see my mum and Gemma and leave as soon as possible.
Robin nods and leads me up to a spear room in the large home.
I can hear faint coughing it sounds horrible and I hope to god it’s not my mum.
The three of us stop in front of the door where the incisive coughing continues.
“Is that…her?” Louis asks quietly.
Robin looks to us and nods.
I stare at the door finally deciding to break the ice and go in.
I slowly grip the door handle. Before I walk in, I look to Robin and Louis, they understand my request without words to see my mother by myself. I need to see just how bad she really is.
-
“Mum?”
“Harry?”
I close the door behind me and look at my mum.
My heart literally speeds up. She’s not what I expected. She’s still the same; dark brown hair framing her face, eyes identical to my own and a forever present smile on her face. But it is clear she’s sick. Her usual sun kissed skin is pale and she looks tired.
I quickly gather her in my arms, the realization that I haven’t seen my mother in person for over 2 years finally hitting me.
I can’t help the quiet sobs that escape my lips and soon my mum’s rubbing my back, comforting me when I should be doing that for her.
“No more tears darling, everything is alright now”
I pull away wiping my cheeks.
“What happened?”
“Oh you know just a little bug I can’t seem to get rid of nothing serious”
I look at her in disbelief.
“Mum-“
“Enough about me what about you, I haven’t seen my baby in ages. You’ve gotten taller and good god Harold is that another tattoo?”
I smile sheepishly and nod. My mum rolls her eyes pretending it upsets her but I know she supports my creative ways.
-
About a day later my mum and I sit on the balcony talking about all the things we’ve missed from each other’s lives.
She’s rarely told me anything mostly sticking to questions that pertain to me. This ongoing interrogation reminds me of how much Via loves to ask questions.
“I thought Taylor was a sweet girl but not the one for you” She says nonchalantly.
I chuckle and put my tea down.
“What makes you say that mum?”
“Well, she’s a lovely girl but you two just weren’t in love. No matter how much your father wanted it…though that’s never stopped him before”
I narrow my eyes at her. She’s made a point to avoid eye contact with me.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing darling, anyhow, Louis tells me you’re smitten with a girl. Brianna I believe her name is?”
“Vianna mum, and I’m not smitten she’s just a friend”
“That smile on your face is telling me otherwise Harold”
She’s right and right now I can’t help but blush.
My mum smiles widely.
“Tell me about her”
My mum sure knows how to avoid a conversation because once she asks about Via; all I can do is talk about her nonstop. From the moment we met, to how awkward she can be, to how adorable she is, to her kindness and her easy going personality.
“Well, I would like to meet this girl before you get married”
I nearly choke on my tea.
“Mum!”
“What?”
I glare at her.
“Well the way you’re going on about her seems to be heading in that direction”
“We haven’t even gone on a proper date” I mumble looking down.
“Well why not?”
“Because I was with Taylor” I say rolling my eyes.
She nods.
“There’s nothing stopping you now Harry”
“I don’t know mum-“
“Harold, take it from me. You have to find someone in this world that you love. Someone that you can spend your life with because the world is shit and you’re going to need someone there for you”
I’m still stuck on the fact she just said shit
“I have you and Gemma and the guys” I say stubbornly.
“Of course you have them but what about ‘the one’ “
I think about my mother’s words. Could Via be the one? We’ve only known each other for three weeks. And in those short times I’ve managed to give her two tattoos, go to her house, party with her and spend a whole day with her. It seems a bit too soon to be braking out the baby names but I could definitely see a relationship there if I tired.
-
I avoid talking to my dad for the rest of my visit there preoccupying myself with mum or Gemma or playing pranks with Louis and Robin but today, the day I go back to LA, my father’s made a point to come and talk to me.
“I see you’re all ready to pack and leave”
I barley glance at him and continue putting my things in my carry on double checking to make sure I have everything.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you Harold”
I whirl around.
“What? What do you want from me? “
“You’re cooperation. When you go back to LA you will get back together with Taylor or soul help me, you will be cut off from the families heir”
“WHAT? You can’t do that Grandpa left that for us it’s on his will!”
“That can be changed”
I look at him in disbelief.
“Fuck off” I mutter grabbing my bag and walking past him.
He follows me down the stairs, where Louis, my mum and Gemma are waiting.
“Don’t you walk away from me Harold, remember who you belong too!”
“No one, I belong to know one and I damn as sure don’t belong to you!”
“James what is going on?” My mum asks concern on her face.
“Don’t worry about it mum”I say getting in her line of view. Gemma is standing protectively next to mum who looks like she is about to cry.
“Please don’t cry” I whisper holding her face in my hands.
“Stay out of this Anne; this is between me and my son he has to learn how to respect authority”
I can’t even tell you the amount of bull coming out of this man’s mouth right now. Father? Are you fucking kidding me?
“Don’t talk to her like that”
A few ugly words are said and I think I would have hit him if Robin didn’t walk into the house.
He see’s Anne’s distraught face and my father’s voice rising.
“James, calm down, he’s just a boy” he says taking him away to his study.
One of the maid’s takes mum to her room and the family chuffer takes Gemma back to her flat, Louis and I board the private jet back home.
-
“I’m sorry it ended that way mate”
I don’t answer. What can I say? I’m sorry my father is such a douche and embarrassing? So I stay quiet but Louis understands that I just want to sleep the rest of the flight and go home.
-
We land in LA around 9:50PM.
With my mum’s little speech back at the house, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. As soon as we touch down on American soil I tell Louis to go on to the flat without me and catch a cab to Via’s house.
I rub my hands together and knock heavily on the beige door.
“I’m coming I’m coming”
I smile; just the sound of her voice faintly through the door is making me feel better.
Via swings the door open seeming to be ready to curse at whoever knocked so obnoxiously but stops mid swing when she sees me.
“Harry? What are you doing here?”
“Um, I just got back from England. I … don’t really want to go home. Can I … stay with you?”
It’s a long shot but I figure I try.
Her soft brown eyes take in my form. Hair tucked sloppily into a beanie, shirt a hot mess and bag swung over my shoulder. She gives me a small smile enough to give me goose bumps and steps aside to let me into her unique apartment.
“I want to ask what happened but you don’t seem like you want to talk about it” she says sitting Indian style on her bed. We just went straight to her room which I wasn’t expecting but am okay with nevertheless.
I sit next to her placing my bag next to her night stand.
“I don’t really want to talk about it but I appreciate the concern”
“Is everything okay with your mom?” she asks frantically.
I look over at her and smile
“Yes, my mum’s okay it’s…other things”
“Okay, you can tell me when you’re ready”
I smile at the thought. I lay back in her bed closing my eyes. Her pillows are so soft and they smell like her: honey and something that reminds you of home.
Thanks to the advantage of a private jet, I am able to get to my mum quicker than most. But I’m not happy about the fact this means I’ll be seeing my father in less than two hours.
-
I stand in front of the familiar double doors; the doors I grew up with, the doors I dreaded coming home to everyday from school.
Louis puts his hand on my shoulder squeezing lightly showing me I have his support.
I take a deep breath and ring the bell. The door opens revealing…
“Robin?”
Robin is a close family friend; my mother met him through work. When she stopped working and my father’s ways became a bit unbearable, he was always there to help her. I haven’t seen Robin since my high school graduation, though this isn’t really that much of a shock, Robin is my mum’s best friend.
The tall older man looks at me relief washing over his tired face.
“Harry! Come in”
Louis and I step into my childhood home.
“How have you boys been?”
“Where is she?” I ask not really in the mood for causalities. I just want to see my mum and Gemma and leave as soon as possible.
Robin nods and leads me up to a spear room in the large home.
I can hear faint coughing it sounds horrible and I hope to god it’s not my mum.
The three of us stop in front of the door where the incisive coughing continues.
“Is that…her?” Louis asks quietly.
Robin looks to us and nods.
I stare at the door finally deciding to break the ice and go in.
I slowly grip the door handle. Before I walk in, I look to Robin and Louis, they understand my request without words to see my mother by myself. I need to see just how bad she really is.
-
“Mum?”
“Harry?”
I close the door behind me and look at my mum.
My heart literally speeds up. She’s not what I expected. She’s still the same; dark brown hair framing her face, eyes identical to my own and a forever present smile on her face. But it is clear she’s sick. Her usual sun kissed skin is pale and she looks tired.
I quickly gather her in my arms, the realization that I haven’t seen my mother in person for over 2 years finally hitting me.
I can’t help the quiet sobs that escape my lips and soon my mum’s rubbing my back, comforting me when I should be doing that for her.
“No more tears darling, everything is alright now”
I pull away wiping my cheeks.
“What happened?”
“Oh you know just a little bug I can’t seem to get rid of nothing serious”
I look at her in disbelief.
“Mum-“
“Enough about me what about you, I haven’t seen my baby in ages. You’ve gotten taller and good god Harold is that another tattoo?”
I smile sheepishly and nod. My mum rolls her eyes pretending it upsets her but I know she supports my creative ways.
-
About a day later my mum and I sit on the balcony talking about all the things we’ve missed from each other’s lives.
She’s rarely told me anything mostly sticking to questions that pertain to me. This ongoing interrogation reminds me of how much Via loves to ask questions.
“I thought Taylor was a sweet girl but not the one for you” She says nonchalantly.
I chuckle and put my tea down.
“What makes you say that mum?”
“Well, she’s a lovely girl but you two just weren’t in love. No matter how much your father wanted it…though that’s never stopped him before”
I narrow my eyes at her. She’s made a point to avoid eye contact with me.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing darling, anyhow, Louis tells me you’re smitten with a girl. Brianna I believe her name is?”
“Vianna mum, and I’m not smitten she’s just a friend”
“That smile on your face is telling me otherwise Harold”
She’s right and right now I can’t help but blush.
My mum smiles widely.
“Tell me about her”
My mum sure knows how to avoid a conversation because once she asks about Via; all I can do is talk about her nonstop. From the moment we met, to how awkward she can be, to how adorable she is, to her kindness and her easy going personality.
“Well, I would like to meet this girl before you get married”
I nearly choke on my tea.
“Mum!”
“What?”
I glare at her.
“Well the way you’re going on about her seems to be heading in that direction”
“We haven’t even gone on a proper date” I mumble looking down.
“Well why not?”
“Because I was with Taylor” I say rolling my eyes.
She nods.
“There’s nothing stopping you now Harry”
“I don’t know mum-“
“Harold, take it from me. You have to find someone in this world that you love. Someone that you can spend your life with because the world is shit and you’re going to need someone there for you”
I’m still stuck on the fact she just said shit
“I have you and Gemma and the guys” I say stubbornly.
“Of course you have them but what about ‘the one’ “
I think about my mother’s words. Could Via be the one? We’ve only known each other for three weeks. And in those short times I’ve managed to give her two tattoos, go to her house, party with her and spend a whole day with her. It seems a bit too soon to be braking out the baby names but I could definitely see a relationship there if I tired.
-
I avoid talking to my dad for the rest of my visit there preoccupying myself with mum or Gemma or playing pranks with Louis and Robin but today, the day I go back to LA, my father’s made a point to come and talk to me.
“I see you’re all ready to pack and leave”
I barley glance at him and continue putting my things in my carry on double checking to make sure I have everything.
“Look at me when I’m speaking to you Harold”
I whirl around.
“What? What do you want from me? “
“You’re cooperation. When you go back to LA you will get back together with Taylor or soul help me, you will be cut off from the families heir”
“WHAT? You can’t do that Grandpa left that for us it’s on his will!”
“That can be changed”
I look at him in disbelief.
“Fuck off” I mutter grabbing my bag and walking past him.
He follows me down the stairs, where Louis, my mum and Gemma are waiting.
“Don’t you walk away from me Harold, remember who you belong too!”
“No one, I belong to know one and I damn as sure don’t belong to you!”
“James what is going on?” My mum asks concern on her face.
“Don’t worry about it mum”I say getting in her line of view. Gemma is standing protectively next to mum who looks like she is about to cry.
“Please don’t cry” I whisper holding her face in my hands.
“Stay out of this Anne; this is between me and my son he has to learn how to respect authority”
I can’t even tell you the amount of bull coming out of this man’s mouth right now. Father? Are you fucking kidding me?
“Don’t talk to her like that”
A few ugly words are said and I think I would have hit him if Robin didn’t walk into the house.
He see’s Anne’s distraught face and my father’s voice rising.
“James, calm down, he’s just a boy” he says taking him away to his study.
One of the maid’s takes mum to her room and the family chuffer takes Gemma back to her flat, Louis and I board the private jet back home.
-
“I’m sorry it ended that way mate”
I don’t answer. What can I say? I’m sorry my father is such a douche and embarrassing? So I stay quiet but Louis understands that I just want to sleep the rest of the flight and go home.
-
We land in LA around 9:50PM.
With my mum’s little speech back at the house, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. As soon as we touch down on American soil I tell Louis to go on to the flat without me and catch a cab to Via’s house.
I rub my hands together and knock heavily on the beige door.
“I’m coming I’m coming”
I smile; just the sound of her voice faintly through the door is making me feel better.
Via swings the door open seeming to be ready to curse at whoever knocked so obnoxiously but stops mid swing when she sees me.
“Harry? What are you doing here?”
“Um, I just got back from England. I … don’t really want to go home. Can I … stay with you?”
It’s a long shot but I figure I try.
Her soft brown eyes take in my form. Hair tucked sloppily into a beanie, shirt a hot mess and bag swung over my shoulder. She gives me a small smile enough to give me goose bumps and steps aside to let me into her unique apartment.
“I want to ask what happened but you don’t seem like you want to talk about it” she says sitting Indian style on her bed. We just went straight to her room which I wasn’t expecting but am okay with nevertheless.
I sit next to her placing my bag next to her night stand.
“I don’t really want to talk about it but I appreciate the concern”
“Is everything okay with your mom?” she asks frantically.
I look over at her and smile
“Yes, my mum’s okay it’s…other things”
“Okay, you can tell me when you’re ready”
I smile at the thought. I lay back in her bed closing my eyes. Her pillows are so soft and they smell like her: honey and something that reminds you of home.
Notes
Just got a glimps into what Harry' life was like at home. Why do you think his dad want's him to be with Taylor so much?Via's outfit when Harry came to see her
9/8/13