Chapter 27 – Harry’s P.O.V.

            Anger is already bubbling inside me at the possibility of Mike being behind that door. But when I swing it open, prepared to beat the hell out of him, I don’t find anything. Nothing but a single envelope placed in front of my apartment door. We have mailboxes downstairs, so I can’t imagine why someone would leave it at my door. But when I looked at the label, it said “URGENT” with an address from London.

            Chloe has peeked around my shoulder from when I put her behind me in case it was Mike, but her curious eyes scanned the letter as mine did the same. I stepped back into the apartment, closing the door with my eyebrows pinched together. Chloe rose an eyebrow at me, her speckled-blue cheeks adding to her adorableness. But all I could do was shrug and sit on the couch.

            Peeling the envelope open, I came face to face with handwriting utterly easy to recognize. None other than Anne Styles herself. But it wasn’t directed to me in particular. It was an invitation.

Save the Date!

Anne and Robin are happy to announce their wedding date has been placed for May 1st, 2014. You are invited to join and celebrate with us on this beautiful evening at Formby Beach. The ceremony begins at 5 pm, followed by the reception straight afterwards for the newly wedded couple to watch the sunset.

RSVP by April 20th, 2014.

We hope to see you there to celebrate this beautiful couple!

            It felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs, compressing each and every time I tried to inhale. This didn’t seem real, yet the invitation was still in my now shaking hands. I couldn’t describe my emotions at the moment, but one thing was very obvious; I was livid.

            “Harry?” Chloe said softly, placing her hand on my shoulder.

            My hands were still shaking from the frustration growing inside me. Not meaning to, I shrugged Chloe off of me and shot up from the couch, crumbling the paper in my hands. I clutched it, heaving my free hand through my hair and furiously tugging at the roots. God, this couldn’t be happening.

            “Harry, what’s wrong?” Chloe whispered, the fear evident in her tone.

            Calm down, dammit. You’re scaring her.

            Chewing my bottom lip, I inhale and exhaled slowly, trying to pace my breathing so Chloe wouldn’t be frightened of me. Her paled skin and wide eyes was already making me feel like a monster.

            Not trusting my voice, I tossed the crumbled invitation onto the couch beside her for her to read. It took her merely a few seconds before she looked up at me, completely baffled. “I don’t get it,” she mumbled.

            “It’s an invitation,” I managed to grumble under my breath. Rubbing my face vigorously, I clenched my hands down by my sides. “An invitation for my mother.”

            Chloe frowned. “Shouldn’t you be happy for her?”

            The idea made me want to smash every glass item in this apartment. I was flaming, so damn mad that I’d normally go out and get drunk with Elizabeth or some stupid shit. But I had Chloe now and I needed to be better for her. I needed to prove to her that she’s safe with me. I can’t do that if I’m sloshed.

            “She doesn’t deserve to have my congratulations,” I spat. I loved my mother to death, but what she did was unforgivable through my eyes. I knew Chloe well enough to know she’d think differently. It’d be foolish to hold this grudge from her perspective.

            “Harry, what are you not telling me?” she asked as she stood, placing her hands on her hips.

            My nails were indenting my palms with my curled fists, but I didn’t care. I tried to pace my breathing, forcing myself to meet Chloe’s gaze. Her eyes always mesmerized me enough to calm me down. It was like looking into the golden brown eyes gave me a sense of tranquility no one has been able to radiate in my direction before.

            Chloe, in one word, was magical.

            “Remember when I told you the story of my sister?” I murmured, my jaw tightening and unclenching, my teeth growing sore.

            Chloe nodded slowly, her eyes dulling some as if the story depressed her, too. As if she could feel my pain. Hell, maybe she could.

            “Well, my mum…” I rubbed my face again, a huff leaving my lips as I composed myself. “My mum blamed it on me,” I blurted in a quick tone, trying to get this over with as sooner as possible. It was too agonizing to even think about.

            “After Gemma’s funeral, I was only sixteen and eligible for the foster care system… So, she put me in and left. I don’t know why she didn’t want me, but I ran away from my foster parents when I turned eighteen. I’ve been here ever since,” I said quickly, still trying to keep my serenity. “They didn’t care about me anyways, so it was easy to come here...”

            Chloe stood completely still, as if trying to orient her thoughts running through her mind. I know it’s a lot to take in, and I didn’t even meet Elizabeth at high school like she’s been telling everyone. We met in a fucking bar one night, the second night I was here. I was too pissed, I don’t even remember what happened. But I know she came home with me and clearly, one thing led to another.

            It took a year and a half for me to gain enough money to catch a plane ticket, and even then, I hardly had enough for food. Working for the neighbors barely got me by, and my foster parents didn’t seem to care where I went or what I did. But they were far too stern to be titled as parents. More like dictators. Alcoholics was another word I commonly used to describe them.

            “I…” Chloe stumbled on her words, her mouth agape. “Harry, I’m so sorry.”

            I shook my head some, shrugging. “It’s not your fault, love. But I’ve tried to make something better of myself, you know? It’s just hard sometimes to keep going…”

            Chloe walked over to me, circling her arms around my waist and laying her head on my shoulder. “I think you’re pretty amazing,” she whispered.

            That sentence alone leaving her lips was enough to make me grin like a fool, my arms tightening around her. But I still had many unanswered questions rolling through my head. How does mum even know where I am? Why would she even want me there? Or maybe she sent it to the wrong person. Another possibility, one I’d like to believe.

            “Are you going?” Chloe asked quietly.

            “Of course not,” I muttered. “I don’t even think she wants me there. This is probably a sick joke.”

            Chloe looked up at me, her eyes sincere and twinkling. “I think you should go, Harry. She clearly wants to tie loose ends if she sent you an invitation.

            Frowning, I shook my head. “Chloe, that’s ridiculous. I’m not going to her stupid wedding. I never even knew she was dating, nonetheless getting married.”

            “You should take advantage of having a mother around,” she whispered, her eyes glossing over. “You should try to make up with her, Harry. I mean, look at my father. Do you want a relationship like that with her?”

            Biting my bottom lip, I knew she had a point.

            I shook my head.

            “Exactly,” she said, “this could be good for both of you.”

            Swallowing the lump in my throat, my arms wrapped around Chloe a little tighter. “Will… will you go with me?”

            “Only if you want me to.” Chloe smiled.

            “It’s your idea, so I’m not going without you,” I stated matter-of-factly.

            Chloe grinned sheepishly. “I’ve never been to England before. Or even on a plane, for that matter.”

            “Oh.” I smiled. “Then we should do some touring while we’re there, yeah?”

            Chloe nodded and I stole a quick peck on her lips.

            I seemed totally confident on the outside, but inside I’m crumbling. I have no idea what to expect. Does my mother actually want to apologize for giving me up? For leaving me abandoned and clueless? Does she actually want me there? I know where to go; I’d know the route blindfolded.

            Formby Beach, the precise place Gemma had ended her life.

            It seems accurate to say that she wants in there to remind me that I’m the reason Gemma had killed herself. If I would’ve been watching her more closely, she’d still be here and I’d still have my mother.

            But then again, I wouldn’t have Chloe.

            People say things happen for a reason, and I truly believe that. I’d love to have Gemma and Chloe and my mother in my life all at once, but God has his own plans for me. Whether it’s testing my strength or he has some grudge against me, I have to go with the flow. I have no control over anything that happens.

            But seeing my mother again after five years?

            It sounds too risky to be pleasant.

            And this so-called fiancé of hers?

            He better not be a piece of shit.

            I’d do anything to make up loss time with my mother, and maybe Chloe is right about going. But what if mum doesn’t care to put any effort in? I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that she may want me back in her life.

            If she does, why’d she give me up in the first place?

   I knew the only way to find out was to fly to London and confront her myself.

-

-

A/N: OH MY JESUS, OH MY JESUS, GUYS. This update would've been sooner this afternoon, but my mother... my blessed, beautiful mother, FINALLY agreed to get me 1D tickets! Oh my shit. We couldn't afford it before (and we still really can't) but I told her it could be my Easter & birthday present, and SHE AGREED. I'M STILL CRYING AND THIS HAPPENED THIS MORNING, OMG. I love you all sooo much & I'm sorry for the delay! Pray for me so I don't faint and go to the hospital xx

*VOTE. COMMENT. SHARE.* ;)