Chapter 9
Harry could clearly see his parent's hesitation in answering his question and in response his guard raised up. Maybe they didn't want to tell him where they were. Maybe they were just pretending in the end. His father wiped his mouth and extended his hand to his mother. To Harry, it seemed as if they were bracing themselves to tell something bad.
Jameson replies "No Harry, we weren't together these past 11 years." Both Layla and Jameson could see a frown appearing on Harry's face seeing his confusion and his gaze coming upon their hands. They could see Harry opens his mouth but the question that came out was not what expected. Harry asked "Is it too painful to talk about?" Seeing his parent's surprise on their face, he said "you both are clutching hands tightly. If you don't want me to know, its okay. I don't have to know everything about you." Layla immediately left Jameson's hand and extended her hands to Harry. Harry put his hands in her and she said "No Harry, it is not that we don't want to tell you. Its just we don't know how to tell you." Harry looked at her patiently.
Layla continued "your father and I met each other only 7 years ago. Before that we were in some company which most people would say be harmful to anyone. During that time, we had to do things to ensure our survival, things which weigh on your father and mine conscience even now. But when we met each other, we were at a place to make something better for us. Till now we are still doing that." Harry nodded his head and asked the question that has been plaguing his mind "Am I a painful reminder of your past?"
Jameson immediately got up from the chair and kneeled down in front of Harry. Placing his hand on top of Layla, he said "No, Harry, you were our hope. You were the person who used to be in our dreams and we love you even then. Now you are real and you are in front of us and if it was up to us we would never let you out of our sight again."
Harry smiles and said "Okay can I stay with you then here? I don't want to go for class." A watery chuckle escapes from Layla and Jameson smiles and hugs Harry. Layla placed her hand around both of them and for the first time Harry felt safe. He could feel that he could breath and no one can stop him from breathing. Reluctant to do so, even then all 3 of them broke the hug and finished their breakfast. After shifting to the couch, Layla took Harry's hand in her and she looks at Jameson who gave a slight nod. She said "We do have something to tell you Harry."
Harry looks on at her as she said "We met someone and he is a part of our life now." Harry slips his hand from Layla and her expression becomes one of hurt. Hoping that his tone does not convey his sadness he asked "you are separated?". Jameson sat beside him and said "No, Harry your mother and I are together and we also love another person who is with us." Harry expression becomes confused and he asks "So there is a third person in this relationship? You both are in a three-person relationship?". Both his mother and father nodded their consent.
Harry said "Oh… Okay. So, have you had any children?" From Harry's side it was purely a rhetorical question but seeing their expression on their face, Harry's heart broke knowing that it is true, they did have. Jameson pulled his wallet from his back pocket and opening it removed a photo and showed it to Harry. Harry could see that it was taken in a park setting. There was a man between his mother and father with the man holding his mother by the waist with one hand and his father holding the man with one hand and looking up at him with an expression Harry had only seen on his uncle given to his aunt. The man also had an adoring expression directed towards his mother. Harry could see a girl hugging on his father's back with his father holding her securely with other hand and the girl placing a kiss on his father's cheek. The man was holding a boy about 2 yrs. with the other hand and his mother was holding a girl with both hands. He could see clear resemblance between the 2 yrs. boy and his father and the small girl and his mother. The girl on his fathers back looked more like the man's child.
Harry felt happy and nauseous at the same time. This was supposed to be his life. He was supposed to be a part of this moment. Yet right now looking at this picture Harry felt nothing but an outsider intruding at this moment. Feeling like suffocating in that moment, he gave the picture back to his father and ran out of there ignoring the calls of his mother and his father.
Jameson and Layla looked heartbroken as Remus entered when he heard the door open and saw Harry run out of the room. He was in the room next door, reading a book and since his charms on Harry showed no signs of distress, he breathed easily. As soon as Harry's charms showed distress he immediately went to the room but by then Harry is already gone. He looked at both of them for an explanation but Layla just looked at Jameson and said "you shouldn't have told him."
Jameson looked at Layla with sad but a firm expression and said "He deserved to know Layla. We are going to be family and we cannot hide things from him. Many people have already done that to him. Not us also." Layla looked agitated and Remus could literally feel the air in the room get heavier. Jameson approached Layla and rubbing her arms he said "As much as we want to ignore the fact that we have had a life, but we cannot ignore. I cannot forget nor regret the fact that we have those moments. Do you?" Layla shook her head. Jameson continued "We have to be there for Harry Layla but we cannot be there for him if we keep secrets. And if we want our husband and our children to be a part of Harry's life also then we cannot keep them a secret, we have to tell about our family to our son if we want our son to be our family."
Layla asks the question that has been dreading the both of them since they heard about Harry "What if he doesn't accept them? What do we do then?". Jameson could not give an answer to that question just hugged her silently as Layla's tears flowed without any noise from her.
So, this chapter is just a small glimpse into the past of Layla and Jameson. If you want to know what has actually happened then their past is more likely to appear as a separate story. But this separate story will not come without your likes and comments.
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