Chapter 1

“Damn it,” Harvey growled as he attempted to fish his cell-phone out of his pockets. He’d just pulled up in front of his parent’s home and was about to get out the car. He glanced at the number calling him, it was vaguely familiar and still he couldn’t be sure who it was.

“Harvey Regal speaking,” he spoke into the receiver expecting it to be a business call. Those never went unanswered.

“Hi there,” a high-pitched squeal came forth and he knew this had nothing to do with business. “It’s Clara.” She said as if the name was able to ring a bell. It didn’t but guessing from her familiarity in addressing him, Harvey was almost certain that he’d slept with this woman.

“Clara…” he breathed her name with an air of uncertainty that was obvious because there was a notable silence.

“We met at that that birthday party a few days ago and I spent the night…” He could tell that she was growing a bit annoyed and he would care more if she was someone he wished to see again. Judging from the fact that he couldn’t even remember her by name, Harvey was certain the interaction was less than memorable.

“Yes, I remember." he didn't. "Is there something you wanted?” He raked his free hand through his hair reminding himself to stop giving out his personal number. Funny that he didn’t recall doing it at all.

“I-uh,” she stammered, not certain if she would continue the conversation. His lack of interest palpable. “You didn’t call, so I thought I would be proactive and…”

“Listen, Clara.” Harvey interrupted her. He knew where this was going but he couldn’t allow it to move forward. “I had a great time with you the other night but I am not looking for anything serious right now. I believe I mentioned that.”

“You did,” she answered quickly, “I just thought…”

“Great. I am glad you recall that bit. It was nice hearing from you Clara.” He needed to end the conversation.

“Yeah,” she seemed stunned. “You too.” That he took as his cue to end the conversation. He exited his car and made his way inside. Immediately, he slumped down onto his parent’s sofa. He pulled the TV remote off the ottoman and began surfacing through the channels. “Don’t you have your own house to sulk in?”

Harvey turned his head to see his sister walking down the stairs. “Yes, but there isn’t anyone there that finds my presence annoying.” He responded. The corner of his lips pulling upwards into a half smile. Eva rolled her eyes in response.

“I thought you’d be excited to see your brother, Evangeline.” He teased as she made her way around the sofa, flopping down next to him.

“I hate it when you call me that.” She groaned, pulling the TV remote away from his grasp. Harvey didn’t struggle.

“I know.” He shrugged and turned his attention to whatever she had decided to settle on.

“It’s been two weeks since you visited home.” She turned her attention to him after a few minutes of silence passed between them.

“I am aware.” He’d closed his eyes and laid his head against the back of the sofa.

“Is two weeks your new standard now?” she enquired.

“Excuse me?” His eyes opened. He shifted so that he could see his sister’s face.

“You just started seeing someone and seeing that now you are here on your parents sofa instead of at home with your girlfriend I sense that relationship is now over.” She gazed at him for clarification. The last thing Harvey wanted for his younger sister to know of his ‘relationships’.

“First off, how do you know my personal life? Secondly, it was not a relationship per se.” he tried to choose his words carefully.

“Our parents talk about our lives to each other. This you should be fully aware of.”

“thirty years and my parents are yet to get their nose out of my business.” He mused, wondering how they even found out about his latest rendezvous.

“My concern is that you’re thirty and you still can’t seem to hold a relationship past two weeks. Even I’ve had longer relationships.” She flipped her perfect ponytail and slouched into the sofa.

“Wait, a Goddamn second.” Every nerve in Harvey’s body roared to life. “That relationship you are talking about better be with an imaginary friend.”

“Very funny.” She responded. “Maybe I exaggerated. I only had…well have one relationship.” She explained.

“Continue.” He prompted her.

“He’s in my class and we have been together for a year now.” A small smile spread itself across her face.

“Have our parents met him?” Harvey resisted the urge to hit her in the face with a pillow.

“Are you mental?” she shot up, eyes wide and unfocused. “They don’t even know he exists.” She whispered looking around to ensure no one else was around.

“Well, I hope you can remedy that before the week is over or else I am telling them.” It was Harvey’s turn to smile.

“You wouldn’t!” her voice echoed throughout the house.

“Wouldn’t what?” Angela came walking in. “I see you finally remembered to visit us.” She turned her attention to Harvey.

“I always remember, mom.” He responded as she placed a kiss on his cheeks.

“What were guys talking about?” her eyes passed between them. Eva stared at Harvey, her eyes sending him silent signals.

“Nothing important.” He responded. Angela squinted her eyes at them, but no one said anything further.

“Alright. I’m gonna finish up some laundry. You staying for dinner, Harvey?” she asked as she was walking away.

“Yep!” he responded and she was gone.

“Thanks for not saying anything.” Eva whispered.

“I gave you terms. Tell mom and dad by the end of the week or else I will.” He repeated each word carefully. Eva rolled her eyes.

“I don’t believe you.” She shrugged.

“Try me.” His voice barely audible. “Better yet, why don’t I pop into your school one of these days and meet the guy?” he offered.

“I hate you.” She responded, crossing her arms across her chest. Her gaze fixated once again to the TV screen.

“I know.” Harvey was satisfied. “So what do you youngsters do in relationships these days?” He eyed her intently. He swore if so much as a blush coloured her cheeks he would lose his mind. Eva was only 13 years old. She had no right entertaining any relationship with anyone. He knew children matured a lot faster recently but 13 was just too young.

“Normal stuff. We see each other in school, have lunch together and we video chat at night, although secretly.” She responded. “Honestly, it isn’t that hard. I don’t know why you can’t do it.”

Harvey scoffed. “At your age, any communication with the member of the opposite sex is called a friendship. You are too young for a boyfriend.” He features hardened, although he was no fool. Him attempting to tell a teenager what to do would backfire. “Any way, as I said, it wasn’t a relationship. It was a getting to know each other phase and we grew bored of each other.” Truth was he got bored having sex with the same female. There was nothing else to keep him interested. It was just time to move on.

“How can you get bored of someone in just two weeks?” Eva shot him a dirty look. “You can’t know someone in just two weeks of conversations.”

Harvey shrugged. She had a point, however, he wasn’t interested in conversations. He just knew it wasn’t going to work out.

“Adult relationships are more complicated than you think.” This was the only thing he was willing to tell his sister.

“Sounds like a dumb reason just to say you don’t want to commit to one woman.” She shoved him with her foot.

“Who says I don’t” he grabbed her ankle and moved it away from him, brushing away any dust that may have ended up on his T-shirt.

“You. You refuse to see someone past two weeks.” She saw it fit to remind him of his own telling behaviour.

“No, I refused to see this one person for past two weeks.” He clarified. “It’s an isolated event.”

“Men.” She groaned unable to continue the conversation. She was too young to argue with her brother. He never took her seriously.

“Isolated my foot.” They hadn’t noticed their father coming around to join them.

“Of course you’d have an opinion.” Harvey growled playfully.

“I really don’t think you are in a position to judge, Brad.” Angela was back holding a basket of laundry.

Harvey raised his brows and nodded in appreciated. Eva snickered. She wasn’t privy to all of her parent’s history but she gathered the bare minimum over the years. Probably only to the effect of Brad being somewhat of a playboy. As for the true reality, she was utterly unaware. She didn’t even know that Harvey was adopted.

“What do you mean, love?” his entire body stilled. His features offended. Brad knew his past had cause tremendous hurt to Angela and while their relationship had grown, he’d grown, a lot of the trauma he put her through could never fully disappear. Over the years they found ways to laugh about it and he would let her. It was her way of trying to change the situation they were in to something bearable.

“Do you really want me to bring it up?” she questioned and even now he focused on the love he saw in her eyes. He pretended to contemplate the question. In response Angela threw a sock at him from the laundry basket wishing she hadn’t just cleaned them.

“Yeah, Brad. Do you want her to bring up your less than favourable youth?” Harvey mocked. All eyes moved to him.

“Bold.” Eva commented waiting for Harvey to be attacked.

“Don’t even try to shift the attention to your father.” Angela responded and the smile faltered from Harvey’s face.

“Eva can you take your laundry up to your room?” Eva gazed around the living room and groaned.

“No one ever lets me stay for the good part.” She whined. Brad pulled her closer and gave her a kiss on the forehead before she got up, took the basket from her mother’s hands and disappeared.

Angela turned her attention to her son. She stared at him for a few moments. Brad patted Harvey on the back, a silent signal of his father’s pity.

“What’s going on with you lately?” Angela asked, coming around to sit next to Harvey.

“I wasn’t aware something was going on.” He deflected and Angela rolled her eyes. He really took the time to look at her. It had been fifteen years since he’d been welcomed into their family and he hadn’t noticed the small creases on her forehead or around her mouth before.

“She just wasn’t the one.” He caved. Yes, he loved his father but his mother was the one person to think he was worth something and he could never repay her for her love and encouragement.

“And you decided this on the basis of a two week fling?” Brad snickered, crossing his legs to get more comfortable.

“Ugh.” Harvey felt shivers throughout his body. “This is an awkward conversation to be having with my parents, you do understand that, right?”

“Why? We had flings in our days. Hell, how do you think your mother and I started?” Brad interjected.

“Brad!” Angela exclaimed, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks.

“UGH.” Harvey covered his face in the palm of his hands. “I do not want to know that.” He wondered if he would ever be able to get the image out of his head.

“Anyway, back on track.” Angela attempted to salvage the conversation. “You’ve been having these short,” she paused, “relationships, lately. I am just wondering if it’s that you aren’t serious yet.”

“If I am being honest, I just haven’t met someone who I am willing to be in a relationship with.” He bit his lower lip in thought. “I watch the two of you and see a perfect relationship, I haven’t found someone I could have that with.” He said.

“Perfect relationship?” Brad and Angela repeated the words in unison. They locked eyes with each other.

“Harvey, there is no such thing as a perfect relationship.” Angela took his hands in hers.

“Your mother is right. Don’t forget that we fought tooth and nail to reach where we are.” Brad added.

“Everything you want needs to be nurtured with hard work and commitment and that includes relationships.” Angela ran her fingers through Harvey’s hair. Her son had grown up and for a second she wondered how different life would have been if the events that happened didn’t.