Burning Passion

CHAPTER 267: TALKING IN HIS SLEEP

* * * 

WINTER, SOMETIMES in the 1980s

Setting the last barbecues on the grill rack, Harry clears his throat. On his right side is Kristina putting hotdogs and sausages. He looks at her sideways. After a moment of swallowing, he attempts to open his mouth only to close it again. 

'Dammit. What's wrong with me?' He muttered to himself. 

Almost done, Harry flips the meat while the hotdogs, Kristina, collects it from the rack and places it on the platter. Frustrated, Harry gathered his courage to talk to Kristina about his plan for this coming New Year's Eve. 

"Ahem. Do you guys have a plan this coming New Year's Eve?" he asked. There, finally, he opened up about it. 

Remaining her attention to the grill rack, Kristina pretended like she was thinking about it. "I guessed they all go to New York." 

"I see. Would you like to go?" Harry casually asked her.

"I would love to. But they are all in pairs. I don't want to be the third wheel in someone's date," she giggled in a low voice. 

Agreeing about it, Harry nodded. He said, "You are right. Well, I'm asking you if you would like to go with me." 

Harry felt relieved that he didn't stammer his words. As for Kristina's part… She already knows about Harry's plan of inviting her after she accidentally eavesdrops on his conversation with Sam. But still, it brought overly fluttering in her heart. 

After a half-minute of silence, Kristina nodded. In a low voice, she replied, "Sure. I would love to go." 

Harry sighs with relief in silence. He tears a timid smile and says, "I will pick you up by then." 

Shyly, she partly turned her head toward Harry's direction. Kristina replied, "Okay." 

After they finished grilling everything Harry prepared for this party, they joined everyone in front of the bonfire. Lee and Ash asked Harry's permission to call more of their friends to come over. 

They have so much food they won't be able to eat everything. And by then, they're not only ten people but double the numbers. 

The boys were too happy when Harry brought out the expensive liquor his father has been storing in the Bar Room. Their mansion also has a cellar where his father kept the wines. He took five of them for the girls to have a drink. 

The barbecue party lasted till midnight. Sam, Lee, and Harry drank too much. The rest went home, including Ash, who is a heavy drinker among them but still could drive to send Vanessa home. 

The girls who limit themselves to drink more were speechless peering at the three men on the floor. Thank goodness Seth was there to help them bring Sam and Lee into the guest room. And Kristina, with Seth's help, they carry Harry to his bedroom he shared with Steven.

Gladly, she watched Seth not drink anything tonight. He was still a minor. Besides, he was shy to lose his head in front of Lucy. All he does all night is to entertain the girl.

Since it's late at night, Emily and Mary help Kristina clean the mess when their boyfriends haven't sober up. Seth and Lucy also help them by picking up all the bottles and placing them in garbage plastic. After they cleaned enough, they called it a night. 

Since the mansion has three guest rooms on the first floor. Sam and Lee shared a room while Marry and Lucy took the other room, and Kristina and Emily had the third room. 

And Seth sleeps with Harry, taking Steven's bed. 

Now that everyone has a comfortable sleep. Seth feels like he owns the house. He took a shower and borrowed Harry's clothes. Before he went to bed, Seth was looking at the photo frames hanging on the left corner, Steven's area in that room.

Seth already met Steven several times, so he already heard about his girlfriend. And it was the reason Harry's twin brother wasn't there because he visited Nina, the woman in the picture. 

~ ~ ~

"Whoa. She was so pretty!" It is his reaction upon seeing the pictures for the first time.

The other night, Harry struck him in the back when his eyes glued on the photos. It mesmerized him how pretty Steven's girlfriend was. He even phrases, "She was like an angel, brother Harry!" 

"She's pretty, yes." 

Seth looks at Harry sideways, an idea pops up in his head after he senses the soft tone in Harry's voice. "You had a crush on her, aren't you?" 

Seth just wanted to mess up with him. He only takes it as a joke, but Harry throws a pillow at him and shouted, "Go to sleep!" 

Shrugged a shoulder and didn't put a different meaning; he resigned in bed with a big smile. 

"Brother Harry, I'm so happy that you adopt me." He mumbled between his droopy eyes. 

Harry, who is falling asleep, glances at Seth, disapproving of what he stated, "And who says I want you like my brother?" 

Seth only laughs ridiculously. "We were brothers now!" 

"In your dreams! You better sleep!" 

"Heh." Seth twitches the corners of his mouth. The guy gives him a cold shoulder. He is somehow moody, but Harry actually is a good person. He always mouthed at him, but he remained at his side. "Brother Harry? Are you still awake?"

Groaning, Harry murmured, "Can you let a person have a peaceful sleep!?" 

"Teehee..." 

"Stop that laugh of yours!" 

"Sheesh. I just wanted to tell you that..." 

Harry snapped it. "Just save it tomorrow!" 

"Fine... Whatever..." Seth muttered sleepily. "I just wanted to ask you that... Let our children get married in the future." 

"Huh? What did you say?" Harry heard Seth mumbling, but it didn't register to his sleepy head.

"Nothing..." 

"Then stop mumbling!" 

"Yeah... Good night." 

~ ~ ~

Upon recalling the other night's sleep talk, Seth couldn't stop to grin. 

"I already found someone to marry, brother Harry. She will be the mother of my children in the future." Seth was gaping at drunken Harry while muttering this. Even though he wouldn't hear him mumbling, he still said it.

Seth climbs on the bed and comfortably hugs a pillow. "Ah, so warm." Seth had a sweet smile on his face when he heard Harry mumbling in his drunken state. 

"Nina... I missed you..." 

Seth opens his mouth with awe. Despite the inexperience about love, it's easy to understand. Harry also likes Nina, his twin brother's girlfriend. 

"Poor, brother Harry."