Chasing Empty Spaces

Chapter 4

Harry's fingers dawdled over ivory keys as the inscription along page sixty-two plagued his thoughts. A melody echoed throughout the estate and bluebirds accompanied every note with inflections of their own calls. His hands expertly danced along the piano, but his heart was anchored to the piece of cardstock that heavily rested inside the breast pocket of his blazer.

"Aren't you s'posed to be headed to the club, son?"

Faltering for a split second, Harry's eyes darted towards his father's looming figure. Robin had a meaty cigar teetering between his fingers and a slight frown tugging at the edges of his mouth.

Harry nodded and halted his ministrations, "Just wanted to iron out a few bars."

"That's my boy, always looking for perfection," Robin winked and started towards the direction of his study.

"Dad," Harry called after him in a rush, pushing himself from the piano bench.

Robin stopped at the mouth of the study, looking over his shoulder with a hum in acknowledgement.

"On Friday," He carefully started, knotting his fingers behind his back, "Can I go to Atlanta? I was thinkin' about spending the weekend there."

"Atlanta?" Robin's brows pulled together and his mustache twitched. He rested his weight against the doorframe, "What would you go down there for?"

Harry took a step closer to his father and straightened his spine, "We have a few stores in the city, yeah?" When Robin slowly nodded, Harry continued, "Well, you're always tellin' me that making connections is the most important part of being a businessman." He fixed what he hoped was a confident countenance, "I think it'd be good for me to meet distributors and make connections for, um, the future."

It was absolute nonsense and Harry hoped that Robin couldn't immediately see sense that. He pinched the skin along the back of his hand while Robin surveyed him with calculated eyes. Robin minutely nodded his head and a flicker of pride crossed over his face.

"Finally thinkin' like a business man," Robin approved with a jaunted smile. He closed the distance between them and firmly clasped Harry on the shoulder, "M' proud of you for takin' initiative, son." Robin squeezed him before dropping his hand, "This is exactly the behavior I've been waitin' to see from you."

Harry fought of the slight sting that it took a weakly constructed lie for his father to feel proud of him.

"Thanks," Harry feebly answered, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket.

"Are you drivin' up alone?" Robin folded his arms over his chest. He cocked and eyebrow, "You don't know the area and could wind up 'round all the poofers and other bangers down there." Robin lowered his voice as if it was a secret, "Especially in North East, son. Unnatural bit of town that is."

"I'll be careful," Harry's cheeks flushed and he diverted his gaze, feeling uncomfortably jolted by his father's statement. "M' going with Louis Tomlinson," Harry tacked on, his voice slightly wavering.

Robin squinted and looked over Harry's shoulder, "Don't think I recognize the family name."

"They're from Savanah," Harry rushed out, minutely relieved that his father didn't recognize the name. If he did, Harry doubted that he would be allowed to go. He rolled his hand through the air, "Upright family. They're, um...Tomlinson's own the lumber mill over there. Wealthy sort of folks, y'know?"

Another lie.

"Oh, that Tomlinson," Robin nodded and shook his head, "Course. It's coming back to me." He shoved a hand in his pocket and shifted his weight, "Real respectable family."