One Step (standard:drama, 1773 words)
Author: Nathan K	Added: Nov 22 2000	Views/Reads: 4159/2568	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The hardest job two ex-robbers had ever done. One step to happiness.

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

now. I think he needed it. Harry opened the door, slowly got out of the 
car and closed the door behind him. He just stood there, just outside 
the car, it was raining but he didn't care. He was with his own 
thoughts, only he could decide now. I felt as if I should stay in the 
car. He just stood there. The rain dripped from his hair. His coat had 
now changed colour from beige to brown, because it was wet. He looked 
untidy now. I knew that if she wanted to see him as much as he wanted 
to see her, it wouldn't matter. I couldn't imagine how scared he was. I 
didn't know whether to get out of the car or not. If I did he might 
have got back in. I just didn't know what to do. 

He hadn't moved for a few minutes. I had to get out , to see what he was
thinking, I thought he might need some encouragement. I walked around 
the car, and the puddle that had formed near the pavement to stand by 
my friend. " Come on Harry, you have come this far." I said. I could 
see now that he was crying. I couldn't see this from the car. He had 
been crying for a few minutes, his eyes were red. Harry was the hardest 
man I had ever been in contact with, and he was crying. It was the most 
moving sight I had ever seen. Harry wiped away a tear, it could have 
been a rain drop, but by the way he wiped it, I knew it was a tear. 

He started to talk " You know, I've thought about this moment for most
of my life. I just want to take it in while I'm here. I'm so scared. 
Now that I have actually found her I don't know whether this is as far 
as I should go, What if she doesn't accept me? What if she doesn't even 
know who I am? I'm not going to go in there". There was part of me that 
wanted to shout at Harry, but I think I could understand how he was 
feeling. This quest had occupied his life for at least two years. The 
chase was over. " It's up to you Harry, only you can make this decision 
now." I couldn't say anything else, I wanted it to be his decision. The 
rain had stopped now. The only sound was the water still running 
vigorously off the road into the drains. Birds were calling again. I 
walked back around the car and got in. 

Harry was still in the same place, stood the same way. Why was he not
getting back in? Then he went. He started to move towards the gate. He 
moved so slowly. Harry never took his gaze away from his destination, 
his mothers front door. It was apparent to me how nervous he was when I 
saw his hands were shaking as he negotiated the latch on the iron gate. 
I really hoped he would be alright, god knows he deserved it. The walk 
he took up the cobbled path seemed to take forever, one step at a time. 
Then he reached the door, all he now had to do was press the button. 
That's all he needed to do. But he didn't, he just stood there. I could 
tell he wasn't going to do it. He stood there for a minute, turned 
around and started to walk back towards the car. His expression looked 
different. As if he had made a major decision in his head. He had found 
his happiness. It was all over. 

Then the front door opened behind him. Stood there was a frail looking
woman, this was his mother. Through the open car window I heard her say 
" Can I help you sir?" . I looked Harry straight in the eyes. He could 
go two ways now. Harry turned to see his mother for the first time 
since he was 15. He could tell it was her.  " Yes, I think you might be 
able to help me" said Harry. The women looked puzzled because Harry had 
not identified himself in the first instance. " What can I do for you?" 
asked his mother. Harry prepared himself for anything " I believe you 
are my mother, I have waited 35 years to see you". Harry's mother just 
burst into tears. I think she had known it was him. Maybe she had seen 
him in many others too, but this was actually him. Harry's mother found 
it hard to walk. She stumbled down the few small steps to where he was 
standing. I knew everything would be ok when she threw her arms around 
him and mouthed the words " I have been looking for you son."  This was 
the start of something new. It's up to them what would happen now, but 
this was the start. 


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