Anna and Harry were sat next to each other on one side of her families dining table at the orchard, with Anna's parents opposite them and Anna's sister sat to the left of her on the side of the table. The energy in the air was interesting to say the least.
Harry was sat stiffly on one of the wooden chairs, incredibly nervous to be in the company of Anna's family unexpectedly - he didn't want to do anything to embarrass himself or her. Anna was trying to stay calm, despite the fact she was freaking out internally and had a hand on Harry's thigh to try and ease his nerves as she could see he looked uncomfortable.
Anna's sister, Sophie looked bored as she scrolled through her phone aimlessly - but every now and again lifting her eyes to squint at Harry. She was curious as he looked familiar, but she didn't know why. Sophie had never left Italy before so how would she have ever met an English man. Luckily for her, Harry hadn't noticed the strange looks from Sophie.
Anna's mother and father both had differing expressions, her fathers was soft and welcoming as he made small talk with them all and served the food he had prepared. However, her mother had a similar expression to Sophie as she eyed the couple up. She was a bit peeved at Anna for not informing her about Harry, she felt disconnected. But more than anything; she was curious about who the handsome man was that had swept her daughter off her feet.
"So Harry," Anna's mother, Isabelle began, with pursed lips which made Anna shoot her a death glare. She lowered her teacup to the table with a fake smile plastered on her face.
"How did you meet our Angelica?" She asked, clasping her hands together - eyes brimmed with pure curiosity. This question had gained everyone's attention as they all stared at Harry, waiting for him to talk. But he was more confused about Anna being named Angelica. He made a mental note to ask her when they were alone.
"Uh, I mean... I actually bumped into her while I was running, sent all her fabrics flying by accident. Not the best way to meet, I suppose." He explained, linking his hand with Anna's to squeeze nervously under the table.
"Wow! What an impression." Anna's father, Arnold laughed, which everyone joined in with but Anna's mother was still on edge.
"When did that happen? Was it fabric from Ambrose's?" Sophie now piped up, looking up from her phone in interest.
"Probably almost a month ago now. Yes it was fabric from Ambrose, you'll have to go and visit him while you are here. He misses you guys." Anna explains, and she realises that she has known Harry for almost a month, which wasn't long. But her feelings toward him were undeniable and she didn't want their summer to end.
"Cazzo! Not the fabric from Ambrose's!" Sophie exclaimed, looking at Harry in shock with wide eyes.
"Don't worry, Soph. I called him a stronzo at the time." Anna chuckled, Harry just sat with a small smile on his face.
"Language, girls." Anna's mother snapped her fingers once which made both of the girls exchange a look and try to suppress their laughter. It had been a while since they had been around each other and although they bickered, they really had soft spots for each other.
"Let's stop grilling the poor couple and eat our food before it goes cold." Anna's father suggests, which they very are very thankful for. The conversations seemed a little lighter since then, each of them holding little conversations with each other and getting to know Harry well - so by the time the evening was over he felt very comfortable with her family and had heard many a story about Anna.
He had learned that she once had an extremely rebellious phase when she was Sophie's age, where she cut her once long hair into a short choppy lob and bleached it in the bathroom at school. She listened to only metal music and was a self proclaimed 'strana-regazza' (strange girl) who didn't want to fit in and was convinced it wasn't a phase. Which, spoiler - it was. Anna was very embarrassed by some of the tales her family had told but also felt very warm inside as she looked at Harry laughing with her family, included in the jokes, fitting in perfectly.
Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. It was a dangerous feeling, one she had been familiar with once but it hadn't ended well. Just like she knew this wouldn't. But she didn't mind this time.
"Are you headed home now?" Anna's dad asked her in the kitchen when they were cleaning dishes after the meal, Harry was in the dining room giving the table a wipe.
"I think so." She replied softly, scrubbing a fork of the pasta sauce which adorned it.
"We're here for a few days, figlia. Mind if we visit tomorrow, amore?" (daughter, love). He told her and she nodded.
"That would be great. I've missed you all so much, I'm not back at work until next week either so that's ideal." She told him, to which he grinned widely.
"Perfetto, mi amore. Ignore your mother, she's in a foul mood. You and Harry seem very happy. He seems very innamorto di te. And likewise with yourself." (Perfect, my love. He seems very in love with you.) Anna's eyes widened in shock, it made her feel a bit sick that it was said aloud. That was the feeling she felt earlier, that feeling of love and adoration for him. It was clawing its way out and was apparently obvious to her father.
"No, no." She half-heartedly tried to argue which just earned a shrug and a chuckle from her father.
"Remember, amore. Papa always knows." He teased her as he handed her a bowl.
"No, not this time," she was trying to convince herself more than him at this point. "We haven't known each other long at all." She argued.
"So what?" He asked, arms raised.
"Me and your mother met when we were kids you know. We got engaged as soon as we turned eighteen and were married within the month, as you know. Now, I am not endorsing that, but it is possible. I see us within you, it makes me feel - what is it? Soft and fuzzy? That's it. I love it." Her father was now off on a tangent - which Anna found endearing and the soft and fuzzy feeling was what she was feeling now during this conversation. He saw them in her, their timeless love.
"Ti amo, papà." She told her father, and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly - she had missed this. He copied the motion, even though their hands were still damp.
"And I love you." He replied.
"Sorry to, um, interrupt, but Isabelle is asking for everyone to gather by the cherry tree." Harry appeared in the doorway, with a sheepish look on his face.
"Ah, excellent. Thank you, Harry." Arnold said and released his eldest daughter from the embrace. She walked over to Harry with a wide smile, beaming from the conversation she had just had.
"Let's not keep Izzy waiting." Arnold laughed and he walked out of the patio doors, with the pair trailing slowly behind him.
"You look happy." Harry noted, returning her infectious smile while intertwining their fingers so they swung as one between them.
"I am." She grinned and stopped to look up at him and just look into his eyes for a moment. She didn't say a word as she did so which made him confused.
"What?" He asked, using his spare hand to feel around his face incase there was something there but she just chuckled and leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him passionately which caught him off guard.
"In front of your family, how bold..." he commented when he caught his breath from the kiss.
"What's gotten into you?" He asked her, his cheeks now a permanent gorgeous shade of coral.
"I've just realised some things." She replied vaguely, but before she could elaborate, Sophie appeared from behind a hedge and ushered them over to the tree.
"Harry, Anna. I thought we could get a nice photo by the cherry tree," Anna's mother said enthusiastically when they appeared.
"Why?" Anna asked, but her mother just shrugged.
"We've not seen you in a while. We need a new family photograph." Isabelle brushed it off.
They all posed beneath the tree while Sophie's phone took the photo from where it was balanced on a ladder. She ran over and reviewed the photo before instructing them all to do a candid.
"What do I do?" Harry whispered.
"Just act natural." She told him but he couldn't relax so she gave him a peck on the lips before whispering three words in his ear which sent his heart hammering in his chest and made his face brighten with happiness.
"My turn to say cazzo." He whispered back with a laugh, standing behind her with his arms slung loosely around her neck.
"I love you too." He whispered back as the camera flashed which made her heart beat out of her chest, and she looked at him with pure adoration.
"Aww, these pictures are great." Sophie said and immediately sent them to the family. Anna showed Harry and they looked at the photo which captured the moment they admitted their feelings for each other. It was a moment they wanted to frame and keep forever.
"I think we are going to head off now." Anna told her family after they had finished some cherries and champagne.
"Okay, loves. See you tomorrow?" Arnold questioned to which Anna nodded with a smile, which he returned.
"It was nice to meet you all." Harry said, giving each member of her family a hug before they left.
"It was lovely to meet you," they returned and the two lovers headed off back to Anna's house.
~~~
guys ngl I got a bit emosh writing this wtf lol.
hope you liked the chapter!! please leave comments/votes if you did ❤️
also nearly at 200 reads already??? two chapters ago we were on 100, thank you so much !! x
ps. Let's imagine this is H on his and Anna's wine date in Rome okay
-c x