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Michael, Charity, and their gaggle of children, as their eldest daughter lovingly calls them, had finished helping at a church function. Well Michael and Charity did, the children tried to help, but with varying ages in the group it was difficult to assign them one task together and had to be separated. But it was fun, it was relaxing and enjoyable seeing smiles on everybody’s faces, young and old.
Lately Michael has been busy. Not running around sending demons back to where they came from and collecting their coins, but busy doing knight and husband/father things. Recently, he felt he would be gone for a while and wanted to say his goodbyes to his friends, so they didn’t worry about him disappearing. But after the cookout, after they won, he was cleaning up and wanted to find Harry. To thank him because while he loves Charity, Michael thinks she can be a bit too harsh on the young man. It’s not like Michael isn’t able to tell him ‘No’, but he feels the same way Harry does when people are in danger. Maybe that’s why they get along so well despite coming come opposite backgrounds and butting religious viewpoints. Justice knows no bounds when people need help.
Michael hasn’t seen Harry for almost half a year. He’s spoken to the man over the phone, somehow being able to understand him with the static. But that was all their interactions consisted of. Any time Michael invited him over for dinner, despite Charity’s displeasure, or to just meet up for a coffee or lunch, the wizard would make an excuse. He’s not saying Harry is avoiding him, but it feels like something is wrong and Harry is trying everything to avoid bringing trouble to Michael (because of course he would get involved if he could help Harry) and enacting Charity’s wrath when he gets hurt. And something always told him ‘Not yet’ whenever he was about to go to Harry’s apartment.
The Carpenter family got home, and everybody dispersed to their own devices. Some of the kids went inside, to the backyard, and the baby snuggled in Charity’s arms asleep was carted inside for a well-deserved nap. Michael offered to wash the car, it was getting dirty from the fall winds kicking gup dirt and pollen and they already decided on grilling burgers, but it was too early for grilling and something told him to stay outside. It wasn’t a ‘there’s danger’ feeling but just a ‘be patient’. And He always followed that feeling, so he continued to put faith in it.
He grabbed the hose, a bucket with car soap, a sponge and scrub brush, and laid dry towels to the side to dry off the windows, those water spots are hard to see out of sometimes. His thoughts cycled through his family and each child getting a moment of thought, his Wife and everything they’ve made it through, the church function and the other events coming up due to the Christmas season that would be upon them sooner than you think and his knightly responsibilities, and then they landed on Harry. And what caused him to leave the cookout early. Charity was fuming about how he left Little Harry by himself when she found out he left, but Molly said Harry came to get her to watch her baby brother. Saying something had come up, unfinished business, and he just left.
Thinking back, Michael should have grabbed his sword and gone after Nicodemus, but it happened so quick by the time he was able to prosses the event, the car was driving away and was out of sight. The damage was done. And now Harry is avoiding him. That’s what it was, Michael can’t lie to himself anymore, Harry was avoiding Michael and Michael is worried. Because Harry has a horrible habit of taking on more than he should, then he needs to and suffers quietly all while trying to figure it out with the least number of people knowing.
The body of the car was washed and rinsed, and now he was on to the tires and hubcaps. His thoughts wandered further on to what he can do when he heard soft footsteps. Thinking it was one of his children, he looked up with a smile reaching his eyes. Maybe they wanted to help dad clean. Michael remembers always asking his father if he could help with the car, his latest project, anything really. He would hate to break it to whoever came over that he was done. Maybe helping to clean up would suffice.
He looked up and that wasn’t one of his children. Unless Charity decided to get a black cat without telling him. The cat just stared and he stared back. It flicked its tail and twitched its noise. Michael’s finger twitched and his eyes narrowed. It wiggled its ears (further inspection showed it was male) and then padded off to wherever he came from. He can almost hear Harry in the back on his head, whispering something about bad omens.
Michael wasn’t superstitious by any means. He walked on sidewalk cracks and his mother was fine and when he spilled the salt when reaching for it too fast, he would just sweep it into the trash. Harry would have a heart attack; he’s seen the young man put horseshoes over his doorway and avoided going out on Friday the 13th. But he never judged him too harshly, just light teasing. Getting Harry riled up only for him to look at the grin on your face is entertaining.
But this feeling felt like a bad omen. And with his thoughts consumed by Harry and his wellbeing for the last few hours, he knew what it meant. His mind decided his next move, he quickly cleaned up his mess outside, and he went to get Amoracchius in his bag, but when he got inside Charity was consoling two of the kids. Apparently, they were playing, and one threw a ball at the other, but it smacked into their face. And the baby was crying, and Charity was asking him to get baby Harry and to start grilling please.
He was conflicted, he wanted to check on Harry, wanted to tell Charity that he may be in danger, and he must go help his friend. Amongst the panic that was growing there was a cool relaxing feeling in his head soothing the burning desire to run to the wizard. “Not yet. Be patient for a little longer.” It said.
He had faith. He trusted in his faith and his Lord to guide him. Michael held onto his Crucifix on his chain and put his trust in it.
“Sure Charity. I’ll change him and bring him out with me. He’ll be safe with me.”
And on his way to baby Harry’s room, neither adult commented on the tight hold on his chain, the prayer forming on his lips, and the crossed fingers on his right hand.