I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 250

"You drive. I'll take care of your dad in the back," Gavin said, managing to free one hand to toss the car keys to Sophie.

"Sarah, I want to eat the noodles you make..."

"Sarah, knit me a scarf..."

Sophie glanced in the rearview mirror. Harold's head was resting on Gavin's shoulder, his hands tightly gripping Gavin's as he continued to mumble.

Their eyes met in the mirror. Gavin flashed a helpless smile and mouthed, "I deserve a medal for this."

Sophie could only offer a sympathetic, amused smile.

The two of them hauled Harold back to his hotel room, pulled off his shoes and jacket, and tucked him into bed. Only when he seemed deeply asleep did Sophie finally turn to leave.

Before heading out the door, she placed a bottle of water on the nightstand. She knew that when someone woke up after drinking heavily, their throat would be unbearably dry.

In the elevator down, Gavin grabbed Sophie's hand and asked, "What was I like the last time I got drunk?"

"Exactly like that. You clung to my hand and absolutely refused to shut up," Sophie laughed.

"If I'm ever out without you, you are strictly forbidden from drinking," Gavin said, squeezing her hand a little tighter.

"I'm basically Ethan's personal dairy farm right now. Where on earth would I get alcohol?"

Speaking of dairy farms, Sophie suddenly felt her chest start to ache. She pointed to herself, and Gavin immediately understood, grabbing her hand and speed-walking to the car.

Harold finally woke up at eight o'clock that evening. Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling of his hotel room, he scrambled to piece together his final memories before passing out.

Hearing her phone buzz, Sophie picked it up.

"Sophie, I had way too much to drink today. I didn't completely embarrass myself, did I?"

It was Harold. He vividly remembered grabbing Sarah's hand, but he couldn't remember a single word he had said.

"You were fine," Sophie whispered softly, stepping out of the nursery.

"Is your mother... is she mad at me? Did she ask about me?"

"Uh... she isn't mad." That was a brutally tough question to answer.

When she and Gavin had gotten home, Sarah was cradling a fiercely wailing, hungry Ethan, trying to soothe him.

After Sophie fed Ethan and carried him back out, Sarah had been sitting quietly on the couch reading a book, her expression completely serene. When she saw Ethan, she clapped her hands and took him into her arms, showing zero signs of anger. But she hadn't mentioned Harold once.

Harold rubbed his fiercely growling stomach. He desperately wanted to ask Sophie if he could come over and grab a bite to eat, but he forced himself to hold back.

He miraculously held out until early the next morning before showing up at their door. The moment he walked in, he blurted out, "I missed Ethan so much. He's the first thing I thought about when I opened my eyes."

"Ethan woke up at six this morning, but he's already back asleep," Sophie said, inviting him into the living room.

"Did Gavin go to work?"

Noticing only Sarah and Sophie in the room, Harold scrambled to make small talk.

"Yeah, he left a little while ago."

"Then I'll leave you to it." Sarah turned on her heel, walked straight to her bedroom, and shut the door.

Staring at the sink piled high with dirty dishes, Harold had no choice but to roll up his sleeves and get to work. It was a chore he hadn't done in thirty-three years.

By the time he finally finished scrubbing the kitchen, Sophie and her family were still hiding upstairs, and Sarah's door remained firmly shut. Harold sat awkwardly in the living room for a while, the loud holiday specials blaring on the TV, but he was entirely alone.

Even with skin as thick as his, he couldn't handle the awkwardness any longer.

He walked over and knocked on Sarah's door. "Sarah, I'm heading out."

"Drive safely," came Sarah's muffled voice, entirely unwilling to open the door.

"Sophie!" Harold called up the staircase.

"Ethan's trying to sleep. Keep your voice down," Sarah reprimanded from inside her room.

"Oh, right. Sorry. Just tell Sophie I'm heading out. Happy Holidays."

Harold lingered outside Sarah's closed door for another minute before finally letting himself out.

Hearing the front door click shut, Sophie and Gavin crept downstairs, finding the living room completely empty.

"Mom, did my dad leave?" Sophie asked.

"He left. He said Happy Holidays."

Sophie just shrugged helplessly at Gavin.