Chapter Text
Five months later
Harry loves mornings!
He believed there was nothing better than waking up to a fresh start, the birds chirping, sun shining. It was cliche but it was the best part of his day and he couldn't imagine spending his mornings any other way.
He wonders if things would be different if he was living on his own—but, he didn't like to think about it too much. He loved living with his parents, and Gemma, and her daughter, and his Grandma. He couldn't help but think about what life would look like if he had his own place.
He was up early each day, making his breakfast—as well as everybody else's, then eating it and finishing his strawberry smoothie before getting dressed then going for a long walk in the park right by his house. Never alone of course, he liked giving Gemma a little break each morning and taking Amelia with him. His sister always appreciated it.
"Good morning, beautiful girl!" Harry cheered as he walked into the kitchen, seeing his niece and sister sitting at the island eating pancakes, "How did you sleep?" He asked, lightly pinching Amelia's cheek and kissing the top of her head.
"I slept great, Harry, thank you!" Gemma smiled, flipping through her magazine and taking a sip of her tea.
Harry scrunched his nose up teasingly towards his sister before tucking a loose hair behind Amelia's ear, making his way over to the fridge to find something to eat.
"Where's mom and dad?" He asked, humming when he found some bacon, thinking to fry some up and make a few pancakes for himself.
"Store!" Amelia shouted, her mouth full of pancakes as Gemma clapped, proud of her little girl.
Harry smiled. Amelia had recently been talking a lot more than she normally did, constantly joining in on conversations around her to make sure everybody knew she was listening, and answering questions. She was only two and mostly babbled but overtime her words were coming out much clearer.
"Good girl! Look at you go! Smarty pants." Harry beamed.
Amelia just giggled and reached out for her milk cup, letting her mom and uncle continue to talk but listening closely.
"Have you got work today?" Gemma asked, setting her magazine down and taking a glance at her phone to see the time—Harry normally left at around nine for his shift, it was nine-thirty now and...he was still home.
"I do but...I think I might just go in a bit late, not really feeling it today, ya'know?"
Gemma just laughed since she'd been telling Harry to quit for the past two months now and he still hasn't listened.
Harry was a waiter, and when he first got hired, he loved it. It was great and paid pretty well since he was a great person and got good tips with each table. The money was all Harry really cared for at first, but as time went on, he realized waiting on tables wasn't something he wanted to do for the rest of his life. If he wanted to change his path and do something meaningful, then he thought he should probably do it now.
"I'm gonna do it, Gem. I don't know when but...It'll be soon." He promised, scrounging around in the fridge for the ingredients to make pancakes.
Gemma just scoffed, rolling her eyes, "You said that last month. C'mon Harry! Rip the band-aid off already! You march into that office and give Lorraine your day's notice."
Harry wanted to argue but he really did say that last month, and he still hadn't made any move to quit. Honestly he was thinking about dropping a tray of food on a customers lap in hopes of getting fired, but he didn't have the heart.
"I know, I know, Gem...It's just...what am I gonna do afterwards?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe find another job?"
It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes, "There aren't a lot of places hiring at the moment, smart ass."
Harry flinched slightly when the back door opened and closed, in walking their Grandma with a look on her face that told Harry that she'd heard him curse and wasn't too happy with his potty mouth.
"Goodmorning Nan!" He smiled sheepishly.
Gemma snorted before Nan just pushed past Harry to get to the sink and wash her hands, dirty from gardening in the backyard.
"Y-y'know, I think I'm just gonna get breakfast at the diner...I'll see you all later!" Harry said, giving a quick kiss goodbye to Amelia before slipping his shoes on and grabbing his keys, running out the front door as fast as possible.
-
Harry always kept an extra change of clothes in his car, but today was really the only time it's ever come in handy since working a shift in his pajamas was probably a bad idea.
Although...it could have gotten him fired.
Harry mentally scolded himself for changing, before tying his apron on and grabbing his notepad from his locker.
Next time, Harry. Next time.
He said a few happy good morning's to customers he recognized as he made his way to his section of tables he'd be taking orders from, clicking the top of his pen once he got to his first one.
The entirety of his shift, Harry was just waiting for the perfect time to pull his boss Lorraine aside and tell her this would be his last day.
Gemma put it into pretty simple terms, but it was easier said than done. Harry was far too much of a people pleaser to just demand stuff.
It was after the morning rush that Harry finally thought it was good enough time to step into Lorraine's office and have a talk with her. He just hoped she'd be understanding.
He approached her door nervously, raising a hand to knock then stepping back a few inches to wait.
"Who is it?"
"Uhm, it's Harry! I was just hoping to talk to you for a quick minute...hopefully." Harry whispered the last part under his breath, pulling at his fingers anxiously.
He was never good with confrontation. The thought of Lorraine yelling at him for even daring to ask if he could leave was haunting and nearly made him say a quick nevermind! a go back to work.
"Come in, dear!"
Harry took a deep breath before turning the knob and pushing the door open slowly, peaking his head inside and smiling once his eyes landed on Lorraine.
"Hi!"
"Hi Harry, come on in."
Harry stepped inside and shut the door behind himself, taking a seat infront of Lorraine's desk when she gestured for him to, and beginning to pick at his nails.
"What's up?" She asked, reaching behind her for an elastic and tying her short blonde hair up in a pony tail.
Harry cleared his throat, "Erm...so...I've just been kind of...thinking lately and I think that...I—sorry, it's a bit stuffy in here."
Lorraine just smiled and waited for the man to go on.
God, Harry was really hoping this whole thing would go easier. By the looks of it, this was going to be a long conversation.
-
By the end of it, Lorraine looked like she wanted to cry—or scream in frustration. Harry couldn't tell. Not to mention her eye beginning to twitch when the words "quit" left Harry's mouth, which prompted the man to apologize profusely before excusing himself.
He finished his shift and hoped it was safe to go back to Lorraine's office and make sure they were both on the same page about him leaving.
She told him it was fine and swore she'd be okay with finding a replacement. Harry really wanted to believe her but her eye seemed to be twitching more since he'd last seen her and thought he'd better leave before she reigned hell on him and his entire bloodline.
He was quick to unpack his small locker in the employees back room, carrying his things to his car and saying a quick goodbye to the few people he actually liked working with, before spinning on his heels and hightailing it out of there.
Harry felt like he was on cloud nine the entire drive home. He even considered stopping somewhere to get some ice cream or a sweet treat of some sort to celebrate.
He texted Gemma as he walked into a nearby bakery, going inside and asking his sister what she and Amelia would like—on him.
He sat in his car, smiling happily as he took a bite out of his strawberry frosted donut with rainbow sprinkles, humming along to You're Still The One by Shania Twain.
His mood quickly deflated when he realized all he needed to do now, was find a new job. And fast.