Over the Garden Wall

Chapter 1

"It was just an invite, Curly, no need to get hostile," he smirks. "Sure, we'll keep it down. Goodnight," he finishes, blowing smoke into Harry's face and turning away.

Harry coughs and turns around, seething. He balls his fists and walks back into his house, ignoring every urge to slam the door on his way in. He doesn't want to bother his children any more than they already have been.

Fuck Louis. Fuck him for being loud and bothering his family. Fuck him and his stupid perfect lawn and stupid nice car and stupid house that's bigger than his and stupid fucking face that he has to see every stupid fucking day.

He tiptoes up the stairs, opens the first door on the left (a huge dinosaur painted on it by Harry himself) and peeks into Finn's room. He's asleep in his racecar bed with a lava lamp on his nightstand emitting a soft glow. His fish tank filter making a small bubbling noise and the fish are bouncing back and forth around the tank. Harry smiles as he sees his son's dark curly hair, almost a rival to his own, sticking out of the blanket. His heart swells as the anger dissipates and is slowly replaced with unconditional love.

He closes the door softly and moves to the next one over, this one the color of the ocean (all of the blues and greens touched subtly with white as if the sun was lighting the waves) and covered with dragon and mermaid stickers, opening just as softly, but a small head pops up.

"Avery, baby, what are you doing awake?" Harry asks, voice light, walking in and sitting on the edge of her bed. "Was it the yelling?"

"No, I didn't hear any yelling. I- Daddy, I'm scared," she says, green eyes wide, light brown hair shining from the Rapunzel night light next to the canopy bed.

"Aww, love, why are you scared?" he asks, sitting her in his lap to face her.

"I dunno. Just," she sighs, "I'm scared because new people and you won't be there."

"Yeah, I understand. But don't worry, everyone gets scared before their first day of everything. I was scared before my first day of work. It's okay, though, I'll be right across the street at the secondary school, and your brother will be on the bus with you," he reassures.

He hates that they have to take the bus, but it's either they take the bus or get to school so early that no one will be there.

Avery sighs. "I know. I just... I wish Mummy could take me to school like she took Finn to school so I didn't have to take the big scary bus."

Harry feels like he's been punched in the gut. This isn't the first time they've had this conversation, but it hurts all the same. Tears prickle at his eyes. He bows his head and fills his lungs so he can get through what he needs to say.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry she's not here anymore," He raises his head again, looking Avery in the eyes, "but she would be so proud of you, and how-how big you've gotten, and how smart you are, and how kind you are. And I'm proud of you, too. You are so strong. And I know Mummy is looking over you always. And Finn, too."

Harry pulls Avery into a hug and they both sniffle, letting the tears fall over their faces. They stay like that for a long while until their breathing is evened out and the sniffles are less frequent.

"Daddy?" Avery asks, still over his shoulder.

"Yes, lovey?"

"How long has it been without Mummy now?"

Harry sighs, checking his watch. 22:56. Not midnight yet. "330 days."

Harry counts every single day. He knows it's not healthy. He knows he needs to let go. And he knows that she wanted him to do those things and find someone else. But that doesn't mean he's going to do those things. He is perfectly content with his life right now, minus the neighbors and the overwhelming sadness that rears its head sometimes.