by Elaine May
“What do you want, Harry?” If I come across all devil-may-care maybe he’ll get the hint because I think I need a real big one.
“I want to see you again.” I roll my eyes.
“And what if I don’t want to see you again? Did you think of that?”
“Hey now, I’m Harry Bryant, they always want to see me again and tell me if I’m wrong but you enjoyed our weekend just as much as I did. You’re just lucky that I’m the one who’s phoning you. I never phone but for you I’d be different.” He’s just like me, over-confident and knows what he has to offer. Am I really meant to melt at this cheesy line, can’t he come up with anything better?
“Oh baby, you should take it as a compliment that I’m even giving you the time of day.” Ha, take that.
“You and me both, darling. Now does that mean yes?” I’ve had enough of this, I should just tell him what would happen if he got too close to me.
I have to remember all the things that would happen and how much I would like it.
“You know what Harry, you should really think about the consequences of getting too close to me baby.” I try and sound as serious as I can because this is no laughing matter. I almost sent my grandfather to hospital because of what I did to one guy. It’s not my fault these idiots have no sense of humour. “You can read, can’t you? You know who I am, don’t you?”
I can hear his huffing and puffing through the line and I can only assume he doesn’t believe all the headlines about me.
“I am sure that most of them are all rumours, just like the rumours they blast about me.”
I highly doubt that, big boy.
“I’m the Ice Princess, Harry. If you’ve read the newspaper you should already know what I’m like. How I like to treat my men.”
“Oh yeah, I do, and I find it as hot as fuck.”Hot as fuck?
“I’m not hot, Harry Bryant. I’m your worst nightmare.”
“I don’t give a flying fuck, I just want you again.”
“How do you want me again Harry?”
“Oh God.” He says around another groan and I can only guess where his hand is right now, naughty little boy that I know he is.
“Why did you phone, Harry? I would have thought me not phoning you would give you a hint.”
“I don’t think you meant not to phone me.”
“Really? You want to bet?” He’s worse than I thought. I can hear him take in a huge breath of air as if he’s preparing to say something he’s not used to.
“My parents wanted to invite you to one of their Sunday barbecues.”He takes a breath.
“I don’t really like going, but I could for you.” How can he say that about his own family? I find it makes me want to find out more.
Oh God I really do hate this guy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AYRIA
I said yes.
I must be an idiot to put myself in direct contact with the fire but I did it anyway.
I said I would go with him to his parents’ home and now I’m getting into his little boy toy car which would probably feed a small country. The roof is down and he has the music blaring and he’s just looking like he’s won the fight. Hell no, there’s still a war coming Harry.
“How much is this car worth?” I ask and he looks a bit worried, as so he should be.
“Enough.” Is his only reply, a normal reply to someone in his position, and I just roll my eyes.
“You could have done so much more with that money, you know.”He turns to look at me and he just raises his eyebrows. He knows what I’m getting at, maybe he needs more of a lesson.
“I should say my family is a nightmare. I should warn you that they are a bit of a nightmare. They always want more but I thought I would just tell you that. Warn you?”He says, trying to change the subject as he tries to concentrate on pulling away from the underground parking of my complex.
“So. Is this where you live?” Where is he going with this one? I find I only nod in response, I still can’t believe I fell for this after being so good all week.
“I was just wondering why we didn’t come here last weekend. Not that I didn’t like your grandfather’s.”
“It was easier to go there.”
“Really?” He doesn’t sound impressed with my answer.
“Because where we went was out of the city and your apartment, I’m assuming, is in the heart of it.” I don’t look at him, I just look straight ahead. How can I explain that he wasn’t going to be the first guy to see my real home and that the need to piss off my grandfather’s memory out shone everything else? I turn to look at him, hoping this will work.
“You were talking about your family.”
“Oh yeah. They’re a nightmare.” He sounds so serious and my next words come out before I can even stop them.
“At least you have your family.”
“I guess.” What the..?
“You guess.” Is he for real, I’d give anything to be with my parents again.
“Look, we’re here, let’s not talk about my family now.” We come up to a large gate that’s surrounded by trees, it looks protected and enclosed and not like the open estate my grandfather built. I watch as Harry pushes a button and his window comes down and then that same long finger that has been inside my pussy slowly pushes numbers on a small screen. Where the hell did that come from? Don’t think about sexual Harry, don’t think of sexual Harry, I try to remind myself. The gates open and we’re greeted by greenery. Harry puts the car in gear and then we are slowly driving up the road. In the distance. I can see four big houses, the larger is situated in the middle and seems to be the one Harry is driving towards.
“My two brothers and sister have their own properties here. Me, I wanted to be as far away as I could.”
“Why? It’s beautiful here.”I say, taking in all the beauty around me.
“Oh yeah, it looks beautiful.” He stops the car and his childhood home is just stunning, welcoming and friendly. I watch silently as he gets out of the car, comes to open my door and takes my hand.
“Let’s get this over with.”I follow him as he leads me to the front door, his whole body turns stiff as if he’s waiting to start a battle of wills.He opens the front door and I’m greeted bywalls that are painted in a beige paint and large family photos surrounded by dark wood grace the walls I’m staring at. The floors are covered with dark tiles and it all looks so clean but lived-in, with smiling handsome faces greeting me in happiness and togetherness.
This feels like a home, so unlike what I grew up in. I feel the sudden flush of jealousy rush through my blood as I look at each picture, each happy face looking down at me, and all I want is to be in pictures like these, to have had a family that loved me and wanted to show me off to anyone who entered our home. Wouldn’t that be an amazing thing?
A woman walks in holding hands with Joshua who looks as handsome as his son but with his greying hair and beautiful blue eyes looking down at his wife with so much love it should be sickening.
“Aryia, it’s so nice to see you again.” Joshua says as he holds out his hand to me and I take it as I look at the woman next to him. She’s beautiful and she just keeps looking at me with a smile on her face. She wouldn’t be doing that if she really knew me, what I have planned for her son.
“Thank you Joshua, Mrs Bryant.”
“Harry you actually came this time.” She engulfs him in a motherly cuddle and looks back at me as she lets him go.
“And this must be the Ayria I have heard so much about.” She takes my hands in hers and her eyes are so kind asshelooksatme with hope and gratefulness but I can’t think why. This woman has let me into her home, it should be me who’s grateful to her, letting me have a glimpse of a normal.
“I hope it’s all good Mrs Bryant.” I really hope it is because the thought that she could know anything else about me is horrendous. For some strange reason I don’t want Harry’s mom to think badly of me. I look over at Harry and then to Joshua. Neither
of them are willing to give anything away but Mrs Bryant just squeezes my hand. Warmth spreads through me and I can only imagine it’s the feel of a true friend, someone that doesn’t have any ulteriormotives. That’s all my life has ever been to anyone I have wanted to be close to. The sadness wants to creep up, crippling my current mood but I try to fight it away.
“It’s all good Ayria, don’t you worry.”Isla looks at us both and her smile grows with so much love I don’t know what to make of it.
“I just can’t believe you’re here.”
“Mom.” Harry says like she’s just said the worse thing in the world. I look over at Isla and her happy face has been replaced by a sad one, as if Harry has just slapped her in the face. I feel sorry for her as I see tears pooling in the corners of her eyes. As if he knows what the tone has done to his wife Joshua takes her hand and gives it a squeeze before he turns back to his son with a frown.
“Come on, the food is nearly ready and everyone is already here.” Isla says as she gestures to the large kitchen and as we step through I can see the open doors.
“I’m really sorry about this.” Harry leans in and says in my ear so only I can hear him but why he thinks he should be sorry is beyond me. We follow behind his parents and the closer we get to the doors the moreI can hear the chaos of a large family in the back yard. The first thing I see as we step through the kitchen doors is a massive pool that takes centre stage with loads of green grass behind it and trees lining the border of the property. To the left is a massive barbecue with two men fighting it outin front of it, both trying to cook.
“Boys, we have company.” Joshua booms from infront of us and it’s as if the whole world just stops dead as the family stop to look at me. I suddenly feel like an animal in a cage being prodded and poked to see if I’m safe or not. There’s a light breeze bringing with it Harry’s smell and his scent consumes my senses as a loud roar of his name rips through the air.
“HARRY.”
“Uncle Harry.” I giggle at the sudden tight expression on his face. An explosion of little people in all sorts of sizes, dripping wet from the pool, come pouring straight into Harry, wrapping their small arms around his legs or just jumping around him trying to be the one to get his undivided attention.
“Alright guys, hold on a minute.” He says, his face lighting up even though he’s trying to hide it. He looks over to the men at the barbecue.
“You can’t control your kids.” He says but I can tell he doesn’t mean it, there’s no sneer and no one takes any notice.
“Unciearry don’t forget me.” A little girl who can only be about two and a half/ three years old says as she struggles to get out of the pool and comes running over to him, trying not to slip in the process. She’s quite cute.
“I couldn’t forget you.” He says as he picks her up and holds her on his hips and she rests her little head on his chest.
“Come on guys, leave Uncle Harry alone as he comes in. He will be here all afternoon.” One of the younger men says and he has black hair and ice blue eyes but they have so much warmth in them. The kids pull away with a groan and jump back into the pool but the little one holds on to Harry’s neck, not letting him go. I don’t blame her I wouldn’t want to let him go either if I didn’t have to. Wow, where did that thought come from? Isla walks over to the table where three other women sit with one man.
“So is this the famous Ayria who got my brother to feed the homeless?” I turn to look at the other man walking towards me with his hand out in greeting and I can’t believe how much he looks like Harry and their father, except he has the same eye colour and hair as Isla. One of the women at the table looks like Isla tooand I can only assume she is Harry’s sister. Wow this is confusing, I’m not used to big families.
“Shut up, Jackson.”
“My kids are over there, do you mind?”The man says on a laugh and Harry just rolls his eyes at his brother and then his father steps closer to the three of us.
“Boys, please.” He looks at both his sons and I have to try and stop myself from laughing, they all look so much like each other it’s scary. Joshua comes over to me and wraps an arm around my shoulder.
“As my son won’t introduce you to my family Ayria then I will.” He gives another look at Harry and then points to the man standing next to him.
“This is Harry’s twin brother Jackson, his wife Kitty is sat next to Isla.” His point moves to the lady with dark blond hair and blue eyes who seems to be heavily pregnant and then shifts to the pool.
“Their children. My oldest grandson William and little Cassie.” He starts tickling the little girl who thrashes in Harry’s arms.
“Ganadnooo.” She squeaks with laughter, she’s so adorable. Joshua then points to the man with black hair that has walked back to the barbecue.
“That’s Jacob, our oldest son, his wife Isabelle and their daughter Katie and their son Oscar.” He points to the woman who sits next to Kitty and then the two other children who are playing in the pool without a care in the world.
“The other beautiful lady you see is my daughter Hope and her new husband Zac.” He then points over to the couple who sit the other side of Isla. Each couple looks as handsome as the next, the children just the same. They all look over at me as if I’m the messiah, the golden child but I have no idea why.
“Everyone, this is Ayria Jonas.” They all say their hellos to me and Isla welcomes me to sit at the table as if I’m one of them. It feels strange but nice and I can’t help but smile.
“Do you need some help boys?” Joshua asks and both Harry and his brothers step back to the “We’re all right, old man.” I can see Isla roll her eyes out of the corner of mine at Jackson’s retort.
“How’s the food going, Jackson?” Joshua asks and it’s Jackson’s turn to roll his eyes at his father this time.
“It’s fine, Dad. Go sit down old man. Jacob and I have it all under control.”
“Why do they always call me old?” Joshua asks as he walks away from his sons and towards his wife who is walking towards him.
“Am I really that old now Isla?” Everyone erupts into giggles and the head of their family just looks like he’s been given a life sentence. Isla steps up towards him and places her hands on his face.
“No you’re not. You’re still as handsome as the day I found you again.” She places a loving kiss on his lips and Joshua responds as he leans her forward slightly and their kiss becomes harder and full of the love they must share for one another. I can only imagine that’s how my parents would have been if they hadn’t died. Maybe we would have had a big family like this? My heart doubles in size at just the thought.
“Ewwww. Here we go again. Cut it out, guys. You can’t keep doing this to us.” Jacob says as he looks back at his siblings, tapping Harry’s shoulder. Everyone else just laughs with glee and I notice how handsome a familythey all look when they are together, they’re all one. You can see it in the way they all interact together, adding everyone in on what’s going on. I can only see what they are allowing me to but I can tell it’s all natural.
This isn’t staged like I’m used to. Isla and Joshua come back to the table and sit down.
“You know, if I’m that old I should have some stories to tell.” It’s as if the world stops turning and everyone stays silent as they all turn to their father. Harry straightens himself in his chair.
“Don’t do it, Dad.” He sneers and his siblings follow suit.
“But that’s my right as your father.” There’s an uproar and I have to hold my laugh as all his children look on with panic in their eyes.
“You know what I’m like.” Joshua says as he puts his arms over both Harry and Jacob’s arms as he sits down and places a plate full of meat on the table. The meal goes by with gentle laughter and some wine, stories are told of when Harry was younger, what he and his twin were like as they grew up and one thing’s for sure, Harry was a little shit.
“You didn’t.” I say as I turn to him as
his father finishes telling me the story of how he smoked at school and then almost told a little Hope that Santa wasn’t real.The children happily out of earshot as they play in the pool again.
“Oh he did alright. I had nightmares of black coal in my stocking for nights after that.”
“She screamed the house down.” Isla responds as she takes her daughter’s hand in hers. I listen for hours as the whole family tell stories of one another and I laugh along with them all. I feel so much apart ofit and that feels strange and complete all at the same time. The sun is still hot as it hits my back, warming my soul as I watch Harry and his family. He seems different, not so arrogant and more natural. They are all so comfortable with each other it makes me wonder why Harry thinks so little of them. You can just see all the love they hold for each other, even Harry, so why does he think the way he does about them? I can only imagine how much of a spoilt little rich boy he is, they all are in some way. I can imagine their whole livesthey’ve had everything they ever needed, the love of their parents, and Harry doesn’t even seem to see it. He doesn’t see how lucky he is and it makes me mad. He has everything I have ever wanted, still want to this day. If only I could make him see. I look up and see him jump into the pool with his brothers and the children, trying to get us all wet in the process. They all seem happy, even Harry, the stresses of running a business long gone, my grandfather could never master that. The way he’s messing around in the water with everyone it’s as if he belongs right here in the middle of it. It’s as if I’m seeing him in a new light, my chest feels full of something I have never felt before.
I want him so much more than I did before.
I want him to touch me again.
I want to feel his lips caress my lips again.
Oh God, this was only meant to be a game.
When did this turn into something... something else?
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
HARRY
I can feel her watching me and every time I dare to look up I confirm it. She stares at me, at my family with the biggest smile I have ever seen her wear and she looks beautiful.
