Because of You

Chapter 6

I stood beside of the washing machine, pulling out the warm, newly cleaned clothes from the dryer. Piling them all into the basket, I began taking them out one by one and folding them accordingly. 

"Having fun?" I didn't need to look up from the shirt in my hands to see who was standing there.

"Of course I'm having fun, Harry. Doing laundry is exactly what I love to do in my free time."

It had been two weeks since Harry arrived. Two very long, long weeks. Every day was the same; I honestly had no idea why he hadn't left yet to go back home due to boredom. Josh and him hadn't even spent time together since the night they went to the bar. The only bonding they did was sit on the couch and watch whatever sports game was on tv.

Every day for the past two weeks, Josh went to work, I did the house chores like always and Harry either bugged the living daylights out of me as if he was a child trying to annoy his mother or he spent time with Gracie.

He actually was spending a lot of time with her which I never would have expected. A twenty-two year old man who lets a little girl poke him in the eye with mascara while demanding to dress him in a dress is a rare thing to find. Not even Josh would put up with that. But I knew why Harry had a easy connection with Gracie. There was no denying the invisible rope that pulled them togehther; like fate.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Harry's tall figure leaning against the wash room doorway, his eyes on me. "Awesome. Anyway, your kid wants to actually get out of the house since you haven't taken her anywhere in the past two days."

I rolled my eyes. "I've been busy if you haven't noticed." Setting down the shirt I had folded, I turned to look at him. "I'm Betty Crocker, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"Can't you go bug Josh about this? "

He scoffed. "I don't know if you have noticed lately, but the guy isn't really a talker." Harry shifted his weight to look back down the hall way and into the living room. My gaze followed his and set on a bored looking Josh, staring down at his phone and tapping away at the screen.

"Well, if you guys don't hang out, much less even talk, then why are you still here?" I turned back to the rest of the clothes that needed to be folded and put away.

I heard Harry's jacket material rub together as he shrugged. "I have my reasons." A silence fell over the two of us but my small hands still worked away at the clothes, trying my best to ignore the slightly awkward situation. "But like I was saying. The kid needs to get out of the house for a while."

For some reason, my ears only heard one thing that came out of his mouth. Glancing at him, I said, "Her name is Gracie. Not 'kid'. It's Gracie."

He gave me an annoyed look then corrected himself. "Gracie."

"Thank you." I shot him an annoyed look right back.

"So...since youre busy, as always, let me take her to get some ice cream or something. She really needs this thing called fresh air."

"Okay." I felt my cheeks heat up with a slightly tinge of anger. "Can you please stop acting like I neglect my child. She isn't locked in this house 24/7. I just don't have time to take her to the park or go get ice cream. I'm too busy cleaning up after your messes!"

His hands shot up in surrender. "Okay, calm down there, Al." A small tingle hit me as I heard my nickname come from his lips.

"Fine, take her. Just don't corrupt her, please. She's only three."

"Corrupt her? What kinda person do you think I am?"

I bent down and picked up the basket of folded, clean clothes then stood up to glare at him. "Do you really want me to answer that? I can think of many reasons why I shouldn't actually trust you with her."