Always.

“So Ry, what do you want to watch tonight?” I was squat down in the kitchen so I was level with her, and Harry poured some popcorn from the bag into the bowl.
“Um, The Lorax!” she answers smiling at me, and holding on to my arm. I sent her a smile back when Harry’s voice was heard through the kitchen.
“Again? Ryleigh, we watch that movie all the time!” he complains, acting like he’s the seven year old.
I looked up at him, and Ryleigh turned around to repeat my actions. “Uncle Harry, it’s her favorite movie!” I smile and then turn my attention toward Harry again. “Say ‘pleeeeeeeease Uncle Harry’ and he’ll cave.” I whisper in her ear, but loud enough for Harry to hear.
“What?” he exclaims.
“Please Uncle Harry?” he smiled at Ryleigh but didn’t give in.
“Say, pretty please and give him the puppy dog eyes.” I whisper this time, making sure he couldn’t hear what was being said.
“Pretty please with gum drops?” she sticks out her bottom lip and makes her eyes as big as she possibly could.
Harry rolls his eyes, “Alright, Alright!” and he dramatically throws his hands up into the air, “stupid puppy dog eyes.” He muttered while walking into the living room with the bowl of popcorn in his hand.
Ryleigh speaks up when he’s not in sight and says “Thanks Uncle Harry!” And a huge smile spread across my face, Ryleigh look and me and giggles. “That was too easy.” I couldn’t contain my laughter. I felt like I could have fallen over at any moment. And I would definitely be reminding Harry of this later.
“I heard that!” he yelled to us, which only makes me laugh harder.
Ryleigh squeaks an “Oops,” before covering her mouth with her hand and laughing along with me.
“Alright it’s on.” He informs us when our laughter finally dies down.
Ryleigh and I walk into the living room, and she runs and plops down next to Harry on the couch. She wraps her little arms, or tries, around his torso. “Boo!” she giggles.
“God, don’t do that again!” he hits his chest with his hand pretending Ry really scared him. “I nearly had a heart attack!”
“Harry, always so dramatic.” I roll my eyes and walk to sit on the opposite side of Ryleigh. I look at his feet that are on the coffee table and push them off. “Get your feet off the table!” they land on the ground with a thud. “Were you raised in a barn?!” I add, moving my feet so that they were on the table, and I looked up to smirk at Harry.
“Oh, ha ha.”
“Just joking!” I beam, hitting his leg with my hand.
“SHHHHHH! The movie!” Ryleigh whispers with a small finger over her lips.
I actually love this movie, the first song is my favorite, and when it came on I couldn’t stop myself from singing along. When I began, Ryleigh shrieked and crawled over Harry to sit between us. We began swaying back and forth to the rhythm of the song. I knew Ry’s favorite part of the song came up when she was bouncing in her seat. “I JUST WENT SWIMMING, AND NOW I GLOW!” she shouts, and then she giggles into Harry’s arm.
I smile at her, and then look up to Harry who has the same smile spread across his face. Then he returns his attention back toward the television. To be honest, we really have seen this movie a lot. Every time we babysit Ry, she wants to watch the movie. Of course I star mindlessly at the television screen, but I am not sure If I am really paying attention. Am I ever really paying attention though? No. But usually when I babysit I can be free. It’s like when Harry and I watch her I don’t have any other cares in the world. I can just sit here and watch TV and not even feel bad about it, or like I should be getting real stuff done.
I look at Ryleigh, who is completely lost in the movie, and them I look at Harry, who has his jaw clenched as if he’s thinking unhappy thoughts. I was about to say something, but someone beats me to it.
“Is he in love?” Ryleigh holds on to the pants legs of her hot pink pajama bottoms and she switches her gaze between Harry and I.
“I think so, or he just really really likes her.” I answer.
“Mommy and Daddy are in love.” She states
“They are.” Harry answers.
Ryleigh looks at me, “You and Uncle Har are in love.”
The room was suddenly silent, besides the movie playing. I look and Harry, and open my mouth to respond to her, but nothing trying to leave my mouth is making sense.
“No, Ry.” Is all he manages to get out. I knew I still looked shock from her words, so I just looked down at my hands.
“Yes, you are!” she laughs. “You look like Mommy and Daddy!” she rolls her eyes in complete confidence.
“Ryleigh, Uncle Harry and I aren’t in love.” I finally can speak, “we’re friends. It’s a uhm, a different kind of love.” I feel like my throat is dry, why is this so hard to talk about?
“Well. I think you two are in love.” She slouches down in her seat and says nothing more about it.
I try to send Harry and smile, but it was weak. So he looked me and stuck his tongue out while his eyes were crossed, causing me to laugh. “Still got it.” He stretches his arms out and put his feet back on the table.
“So full of yourself.” I mutter trying to get more comfortable on this couch.
The movie was a blur, and I struggled to keep open my eyes. The last thing I remember was laying my head down on Ryleigh’s lap.
--
“Kelly.” Harry’s deep voice was whispering into my ear.
“Hmmm?” I tried to respond with words, but too tired.
“Ry’s parents will be home in a couple of minutes.” He explains.
I nod and begin to stretch so I can get up. “You tuck her in?” he nodded. “Cleaned everything up?” he nodded.
“And I even took your stuff out to the car already.” He grins at me.
I stand from the couch as soon as Riley’s parents walk through their door.
“Thank you guys again so much. It’s nice to have a night out once in a while.”
I was standing next to Harry with my head resting on his arm. My eyes fluttered closed, though I struggled to keep them open.
“Of course it’s never a problem.” And after that, I assume that they were talking about me because Harry said, “she’s had a long day.”
I’m still tired. We left the house, and Harry did all the talking while we were there.
When we were in his car, I was already dozing. “You can sleep.” He told me, and I did.
I woke up, squinting my eyes and then recognized Harry standing up in front of me. “Harry?” I mumble sleepily.
“Yea?” he whispers.
“Where am I?”
“Home.”
I hummed in in response, and sunk further into the sheets. Before I fell asleep again, Harry’s lips were on my forehead before a faint “Goodnight, love.” fell from his lips.

Notes