Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 1

Faye sat across the dining table from him and Harry did his best to avoid making eye contact. Unfortunately for him, it didn't seem that she appreciated the way he was acting. It became a bit obvious when she traced her toe against his shin with a huffy exhale. Harry had shifted his leg to the side, but it kept happening. Multiple times. Three times, to be exact.

It wasn't that Harry was a rude person, he was just uninterested.

Proudly placed in the foyer of the plantation, was a grandfather clock. Anne had gotten it from her mother as a wedding gift and it was arguably her favorite possession. Harry was busy counting the peach painted flowers on the wall behind Faye's head when the clock rung out nine chimes. He bit the inside of his cheek at the realization that the Masons had been there for three hours.

Mr. Mason was wrapping up a story about a brothel and a poltergeist when Harry leaned forward and cleared his throat. All eyes were immediately on him, each watching him as if he was about to say his first profound thought of the evening.

"Sorry to be rude," Harry's eyes darted between his parents and then pointed glanced at the clock, "I actually need to be headed out now."

Anne turned around and craned her neck to see the face of the clock. Her eyes squinted to read the time and Harry's leg started to jiggle underneath the table from impatience.

"Is that really the time?" She chuckled with a hand over her heart. "Harry here," Anne proudly gestured towards him as if they were all meeting for the first time, "Is playing at The Cotton Club tonight. We're very proud of him. He took lessons and all that for years!"

"Good for you, Son," Mr. Mason approvingly nodded. He held up his hands, "Never played an instrument myself, Mamma always said it was a waste of time." Mr. Mason lowered his hands with a shake of his head, "Whad'ya play?".

"Piano, Sir," Harry replied. When his mother subtly widened her eyes, Harry awkwardly cleared his throat and continued, "Been taking lessons since I was tall enough to reach the keys."

"Well, isn't that just lovely," Faye purred as she nudged Harry's shin again.

"On that note," Harry mumbled and pushed his chair away from the table. "Dinner was lovely," He stood up and gave a tight nod to everyone, "Company even lovelier."

He slipped on a fake smile and started to back out of the room with his hands folded in front of him. Just before he passed the doorway, Robin quickly whistled. Harry bit back a groan and turned to look at his father.

"Harry, how about you bring Faye with you to the club?" Robin mused, looking incredibly proud of himself for the idea.

Actually, everybody aside from Harry looked pleased with the idea.

"Oh, uh..." Harry gaped. He tried to stutter out a laugh, "I don't think she would want to. I mean, I'm gonna to be on stage and barely dancin'."

Harry's palms started to go clammy and his throat was closing up. He hoped that he didn't look as panicked as he felt, trying to keep a practiced smile stretched across his face.

"Nonsense, I'd love to," Faye chirped with a flick of her wrist, already pushing her chair back.

His mouth open and closed a few times as if he were a beached flounder, trying to find any words that would make her stay. With one look at his father, he knew that it would be useless. Harry could probably say the club had been set on fire and his father would suggest that Faye accompany him to get a bucket of water to douse the flames.

Faye stepped by his side and urged, "We leavin'?"

Doing his best not to sound put out, Harry mumbled, "Yeah."