When Love Arrives (H.S.)

Chapter 39

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," I muttered to myself as Harry weaved his way through the chairs filled with my relatives and friends of the family.

"What the hell?" Gabe said through his teeth so only I could hear.

I shrugged, making eye contact with Erica who looked just as horrified as I did. The room was alive with murmurs and confusion.

It was really weird seeing Harry stand in front of my family fireplace, facing nearly everyone who has ever known me. It was like past and future combining in the most disturbing way. 

Honestly, I kind of wanted to stop whatever he was doing, because I had no idea what he was going to say, but I didn't... Because I knew that Gramps would want him to speak, for sure.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, the room falling silent at the noise. My family was a nosy bunch and they were ready to hang onto Harry's every word. 

He looked nervous and, sensing this, his best friend yelled out, "ALRIGHT, HARRY!" raising two fists in the air.

Harry smiled a little bit. "Thank you, Niall... Um, hello everyone," he addressed the impatient ears. "I know that you all probably wondering who I am..."

Silence.

He laughed nervously. "I'm the, uh, boyfriend of Sal's granddaughter..." 

The room shifted then, all of my uncles looking at their own children to see if they were dating the strange British man in the front of the room. 

"Erm, Melissa, I mean," he elaborated. 

The entire room shifted once more to look at me in one fluid motion. I was suddenly feeling very uncomfortable as each pair of eyes looked me up and down, probably wondering why someone like Harry was with someone like me. Literally same. 

"So... yeah," Harry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. That man could do so many great and wonderful things, but public speaking is not one of them. "I've been dating Melissa for a few months now, and it's been... absolutely the best time of my life. Melissa is absolutely the most amazingly beautiful person inside and out, and she has improved my life immensely."

I looked down at my hands, wildly smiling as the crowd emitted an eruption of aw's. 

"I know. She's adorable, right?" Harry said, causing the crowd to cheer once more. 

I looked up then, my cheeks flushed. It was pretty embarrassing, but it made me so happy to see everyone laughing. Even my mother was smiling just a little bit. 

"This, unfortunately, is not about Melissa, though... Today is all about, ah, that cheeky bastard right there," Harry gestured towards the framed picture of Gramps that was on our mantle. I was worried about the vulgarity of his language, but my family actually clapped in agreement. 

"I didn't know Sal very long, unfortunately, but I do feel like him and Melissa are a lot alike... Maybe more than you all realize," he continued, seeming a bit more comfortable in front of his audience now. "And in that way I feel like I do know him." 

I made eye contact with Erica again, who was now absolutely gushing. All three of them were, actually. The whole freaking room was, actually. 

"I feel like it might be nice if I share a story about Sal that I feel speaks to, um, who is his, yeah? If that's alright?" 

He looks at me for a moment before continuing, and I raise an eyebrow, having no idea what story he was referring to. 

"Right, so I first met Gramps this Christmas when my father and I were invited here to spend the holidays here at Casa del Knight... I remember I was just wandering the house, since I had nobody to talk to... I had met Melissa already, at Central Park, but I thought she hated me at the time... So, I wasn't particularly upset that she wasn't there..."