Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 2

Martha walked back into the room with a steaming cup of coffee and set it down in front of Harry. He stared at the cup with his jaw hung loose, eyes unseeing as his mother's words rolled through his head. Harry felt his throat constrict and every bit of him wanted to run out of the estate.

"I - I don't even like her," Harry looked back at his mother.

Anne set her fork and knife down, "What's that got to do with it?"

"What's that - Are you serious, Mama?" Harry blanched. He slightly raised his voice as he continued, "That's not what you told Gemma when she started seeing Jimmy!"

"It was different for your sister."

Harry clenched his jaw, "It shouldn't be."

Anne cocked her eyebrow, "She's not the one inheriting the firm."

He pushed his chair back, "I'm not gonna marry Faye if that's what you're intending on happening."

"Don't be selfish," Anne straightened her spine, shoulders pulling back.

Harry humorlessly laughed, "I'm being selfish?!"

"Yes," She stood from her own chair. Anne gripped the lip of the table and lifted an eyebrow, "Your father and I have given you everythin'. This home, a place at the company - "

"I never asked for that!" Harry cut off his mother and stood from his seat. He shook his head, "I didn't ask for the business."

Anne's expression darkened, "You better not breathe a word of that nonsense to your father."

"But -"

"Not a word, Harry," Anne gritted out. She stood upright and folded her hands over her chest, "You are going to dinner at Blossoms tonight, you will be the perfect gentlemen, and you will thank your father for going through the trouble of arrangin' it."

"I -"

Anne started towards the doorway, "You'll be pickin' Faye up at five, not a minute after."

Just before she was gone, Harry quietly exhaled, "Do you really hate me so much that you'd force me into this?"

His mother faltered in her step and stopped to turn around. She sadly shook her head, "I wish you'd see this is what's best for your future, Harry."

Not even waiting for a response that Harry probably couldn't give, Anne walked away. Harry felt frozen in his spot, eyes locked on the place where she previously stood. Within twenty-four hours, his life had been completely altered and he felt untethered to everything around him. He didn't move for about ten minutes, not until the sound of a returning pair of heels sprung him to action.

Harry darted out of the dining room and quickly yanked his keys from their hook. He disappeared out of the front, hearing a faint call from his mother before the door slammed into its frame. The Georgian sun bathed him in an irritable light as he jogged over to his truck. Harry hauled the driver's door open and slipped onto the leather seat. Slotting a key into the ignition, Harry quickly drove away from the estate.

His heart was pounding inside his chest and his bottom lip was nearly raw from being worried between his teeth. There wasn't even a destination in mind as he drove underneath a canopy of lush trees that lined both sides of his street. Harry turned onto the main road and drove in the direction of town, his eyes wildly flitting over the view. He jerkily stopped an intersection and thrummed his fingers over the steering wheel.

Looking from left to right, Harry tried to decide which direction to go. When he looked back towards his right, his eyes caught onto something that was discarded onto the passenger seat. Harry reached over and grabbed the folded red bandana. After a moment of just blankly staring at it, he fisted the material in his hand and took a quick left onto East Cherry Street.