Forever You - Evening the Score // Book Two

Chapter 34

Harry felt the awkward tension in the room when he and Elena went to put Joey to bed. Frank was sitting on the couch with a glass of wine a few feet away from him while he thumbed through an online news site on his iPad. Carolyn was in the guest suite in the basement unpacking and making herself at home. Eric had gone to bed. The only words exiting his mouth as he left the room were,

"Jet lag..."

So Harry and Elena were left to put their little boy to sleep. Harry folded up some of Joey's laundry while Elena rocked Joey to sleep. He put away a few odds and ends, wanting nothing more than to turn around and ask her if she was alright. He hated feeling so nervous around her.

Harry got Joey's crib ready. His mind raced with all the things he wanted to say. He turned around, ready to start talking when Elena stood up with a very asleep Joey in her arms.

She walked towards him, laying their son in his crib gently.

Harry watched as she rested her arm on the crib, her other arm stretched over the side while she slowly caressed Joey's back.

Harry felt shame wave over him for how he'd treated her again. She was such an amazing mother. Her priority was Joey at all times. So much so that she was ready to give up her dream to make sure he was always the number one thing on her list.

"You alright?" Harry heard himself say before he could think better of it.

Elena looked up, rather surprised he was asking. She turned her head to look at him. She knew she should've said she was fine and ended it there, but he was trying. And if she was being honest she really did need to talk,

"I don't want to be second guessed about this." She answered.

Harry leaned his arm against the crib and gave a slight nod of his head,

"Sounds fair."

"I'm doing what I think is right." Harry nodded again. Elena looked back down at Joey, "I wanna do this."

Harry felt himself relax. After a year of being at odds, Elena had opened up to him. It felt like a small return to how they used to be. He knocked his shoulder into hers,

"We could sneak out. Leave until they're gone? Then you wouldn't have to worry about it."

The smallest hint of a smile played on Elena's lips as she shot him a look,

"Harry..." She warned.

"What? Something tells me Frank wouldn't even realize we were gone until his wine glass was empty."

Elena was full on giggling now. She shook her head,

"Stop." She said, playfully knocking back into his shoulder.

Elena looked back down at Joey. He was still so fragile and so dependent on his parents. Elena couldn't fathom anything happening to him. How was she supposed to get on a field and focus on the game when her mind was always preoccupied with his safety. Even when Elena knew he was safely with Harry, she worried.

"I don't want him to feel like he wasn't the most important thing in the world."

"Len," Harry started, "I think you should do whatever you feel you need to. You're an adult and you can make this decision in your own."

Elena looked up at him. She blinked as she studied his face. Was he just saying what she wanted to hear? It didn't feel like it. Harry may have hated soccer, but he knew what it meant for her to play. And he knew what it meant to reach the heights of a dream,