Cliché || H.S.

Chapter 25

I wake up early with a feeling of anticipation. My family will show up today, and I'm equal parts excited and anxious. I'm sure they'll like Harry, but I'm more worried about how unfiltered they are and what might come out of their mouths. As much as I'd like to lay around, I know that I need to get up and move before I get lost in my mind.

Not wanting to wake up the sleeping beauty beside me, I sneak out of the room and make my way downstairs. I open the windows to let fresh air infiltrate the house before making all the beds with the sheets I threw in the wash the night before. I spent so much time getting the house ready yesterday that there isn't much I can do now, so I settled on brewing a pot of coffee.

I'm standing with my elbows resting on the counter watching the steady stream of brown liquid pour into the pot when I feel a pair of strong arms wrap around me from behind. Harry nuzzles his face in the crook of my neck, pressing kisses to the soft spot where neck meets shoulder, before letting go and pulling down two mugs from the cabinet.

"What's bothering you?" he asks, grabbing the pot and pouring coffee in both mugs.

"What do you mean?"

"You woke up and immediately started cleaning even though we did everything last night. You clean when you're stressed," he explains. I didn't even realize that I did that, but now that he says it I realize he's right. The morning of finals when I was younger, the night before a big shoot now, I always scrub my entire place.

"My family doesn't know... boundaries. No topic is off limits, so I know they're going to say something vulgar, offensive, or embarrassing right off the bat," I inform him. I'm positive that my family will like him, but I'm more worried that Harry won't like them.

"Then I'll be sure not to take it to heart," he reassures, planting a kiss on my cheek.

After breakfast we sit in the white wooden rocking chairs on the front porch. The weather is perfect, not hot or cold, and the birds make music all around us. Harry strums his guitar, humming, but never singing words. I know the album is coming together but he still refuses to sing any of his new stuff to me. I don't push him either. I thumb through a book that Harry lent me, Love is a Mix Tape. For a romance it's a bit depressing, but it's also raw and honest. I understand why he likes it so much.

The sound of tires crushing pine needles brings me back, and I see Kelly's familiar silver SUV coming down the path. Harry hears it too and sets his guitar down, leaning it against the side of the house. When the car parks Scott is the first out, and he goes straight for the back door. As I stand from my chair a dirty blonde little girl bolts straight for me.

I intercept Harper and spin her around, her joyous giggle filling my ears. "Auntie Lil! Look! I'm wearing big girl panties! They have Peppa Pig," Harper lifts her dress to show me the animated pig that patterns her underwear. I pull the hem of her dress down but laugh at the innocence.

"Look at you! You're so big! In big girl panties and everything. What's next? Going to school?" I praise Harper, and she flashes me a big smile.

"Mommy says I go to school soon. But not big kid school, just preschool."

"Preschool is pretty cool too you know," I tell her, "Hey Harper, I have someone for you to meet." I adjust her on my hip so she can see Harry, who I'm pretty sure she's noticing for the first time.

"This is my friend Harry," I gesture to Harry who has a bright smile on his face.

"It's nice to meet you Harper," he waves. Harper instantly becomes shy and throws her arms around my neck, burying her face in the crook. She glances at him quickly but tries to hide it by shoving her thumb in her mouth and laying her head on my shoulder.