“Listen, if I’m getting married, the poor fellow would’ve already seen those baby photos. There’s very little you can do to embarrass me, Harry, not when I’m a professional at doing it myself,” she laughed and took a sip of her mimosa, rather enjoying this vacation home Harry now had by way of Cecelia. “They are? That’s actually incredible. Are you okay with that, though?” she asked as an after thought, “not that you weren’t already but ….that’ll take what little anonymity you have left, wouldn’t it?” It was a genuine question without a clear cut answer so she let it go.
When he kept on about Cecelia’s brother and wrinkled her nose, “a warning without reason isn’t really a good warning. I’m not about to bloody jump Elliot Windsor’s bones, though, you don’t have to worry about that. It was rather shit that he started a brawl in the middle of your big day so, really –– put your mind at ease, Har.” The though twas almost laughable. “Oh, you know my mum, very little good to say about anything.
“She thought it was a nice reception space but left it at that. I think the fact I’d had about fifteen doughnuts made her like the wall a little less but,” she shrugged, “Victoria would’ve made a stink after if she’d really disliked anything. I think she was just happy dad was happy. He was practically beaming, you should’ve seen him whilst you did your vows. I know you were focused on Cece but I definitely saw a little wee glimmer in his eyes.”
“you think so? i don’t know why, but i simply cannot picture victoria or dad showing your suitors any of your baby pictures. not to mention i have a good stash myself, including some incredibly hilarious pictures from grade school. you sure those wouldn’t be embarrassing? because you definitely had a look.” although emma hadn’t changed much, which was something the older brother truly appreciated. there was something almost nostalgic about his sister’s personality: it was warmth, it was his old bedroom, it was the park near dad and her mum’s house. emma reminded him of good times. one of the many reasons harry simply had the urge to protect her.
“can’t blame me for asking — or rather, warning you. but it’s good to know you’re smarter than you look,” he teased, scrunching his nose back at her, in a completely different manner, though.
hearing her speak about her mother made harry want to roll his eyes, but he didn’t. he simply sighed and shook his head — something their father did often. he guessed having the old man around sparked up all the mannerisms harry’d caught from him throughout the years. “well i’m glad you liked the doughnut wall. if it weren’t for you, we’d have a tonne of stale ones hiding under the rug,” he teased again, but in a more reassuring way. “you think? that’s... sweet, actually. never thought i’d say that — no offense.” a pause to raise his hand, to emphasize his words. “he was? good ole’ lars, yeah? he’s a punk. he did seem happy though, from what i saw. penny keeps asking me about her grandad now, and i don’t have the heart to tell her the truth. but i should tell dad, i’m sure he’d love to hear he’s missed on this side of the pond.”
