Etching Our Way (Broken Tracks 1)

Gavin James—Nervous

Sam Smith, John Legend—Lay Me Down

My eyes flutter open and I immediately slam them closed against the brightness in the room. Moving slightly to try and rid my back of the ache it emanates, I feel a weight on my chest and when I move my hands, I realize that it’s Harmony.

The smile spreads across my face at the feel of her in my arms and I pull her closer, relishing in having her in my arms again. Yesterday was emotional, in fact, the last few weeks have been emotional beyond belief.

“Wakey, wakey.” My head snaps up and my eyes open wide at the sound of her mom’s voice.

Harmony stirs, moaning my name and sending thoughts into my head that really shouldn’t be there when I have her mom giving me the death stare.

“Morning, Tilly.”

She huffs, narrowing her eyes at me and planting her hands on her hips. “What is it exactly that you think you’re doing?”

“I…” My eyes drop from hers as I cringe, feeling like a teenage boy being caught with his girlfriend when they were both meant to be at home. “Sleeping?”

Harmony’s eyes open, a soft smile spreading across her face as she looks up at me. “Did we honestly sleep on my office floor all night?” Tilly clears her throat and Harm’s head snaps toward her. “Mom?”

Tilly raises her brows. “I was wondering why you didn’t come home last night.” Her eyes meet mine. “Now I can see why.”

I shuffle awkwardly before turning my gaze back toward Harmony, seeing her roll her eyes and stretch out her arms above her head. “I’m a grown woman. I think I can stay out for a night without you questioning me.”

“Erm…” I sit up, starting to feel uncomfortable with Tilly watching her daughter still lying on my chest. Harmony moves to the side, patting her hair down and straightening her clothes. “Nothing happened,” I blurt out, my voice sounding too high to remotely come across as normal.

Both Harmony and Tilly snap their eyes to me and I feel like I wilt under their gazes until Tilly bursts out laughing, losing control of her body as she slaps my bicep.

“You’re your own people. What you choose to do is your business, but next time, lock the door.” She winks and walks out of the room, still chuckling to herself.

I slowly swing my gaze back to Harmony, unsure on how to act before I pick up my phone from beside me, seeing that I have a couple of messages. “I better go,” I tell her as I stand up.

She clears her throat. “Yeah, I… I guess I should go have a shower and change before my art class.”

I nod my head and clear my throat, shuffling awkwardly before walking out of the office door.

I was meant to tell her everything last night, but I didn’t, and I don’t know if I did it on purpose or not. What I do know is that for us to be able to start afresh, I need to lay it all out on the table for her.

My stomach dips as I hear Tilly singing in the main room, and I walk toward her, clearing my throat before saying, “Could you spare Harmony today?” She stops what she’s doing and narrows her eyes at me, probably trying to work out what I want Harmony for. “I want—no, need to take her somewhere.”

She looks around me toward Harmony’s office and then back at me. “I’ll do it this one time, but this is her work. Remember that.”

You’d think she was being deadly serious but the smirk on her face tells me that she’s teasing me.

“I get it. It’s only this once,” I tell her, my eyes showing her that I know how important this studio is to her. “Thanks,” I say, spotting Harmony as she comes out of her office door, leaning against it and watching us.

She narrows her eyes. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Plotting to take you away,” I reply, a smirk on my face. “Be ready in an hour.”

She scrunches up her face in confusion, her cute nose wrinkling. “Someone want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Go home and shower, hon. I’ve got it from here,” Tilly replies.

I chuckle as her mom walks away, apparently done with the conversation. I flick my eyes over Harmony’s face, trying to decipher if she’s okay with me taking her away from her Saturday classes.

She must see what I’m searching for because she gives me a small nod which has me spinning around and walking toward the door. Her voice calling my name has me stopping me in my tracks and I turn back around, the self-doubt and insecurity in her eyes flooring me. “Yeah?”

She looks down at the floor, biting her bottom lip before bringing her gaze back up to mine. “The kids… you are still bringing them, aren’t you?”