It's Just A Photo

Chapter 16

A 1930's classic, Miracle on 34th Street was being projected on to the back wall of the dining room so Pheobe, Daisy, Jay, and Harry could watch while making Santa's cookies. Based on a group's decision it was decided that sugar cookies with royal frosting would be made.

While pulling out the cookie pans and mixing bowls Harry kept his eye on the entrance of the kitchen waiting for Louis to walk through, but he never did.

Harry picked up both Pheobe and Daisy and placed them on the counter so they could reach the two stand mixers they planned on using to mix the dough together. Both Jay and Harry measured out the flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder before handing it to the girls who added the ingredients into the separate mixers.

The buzzing sound of the mixers filled the room as the comments started to form a thick beige dough. Soon enough the dough was ready to be rolled out and cut into shapes. Harry took the liberty of smoothing the dough with the large granite rolling pin as he had the muscles to do so. While handing a box of cookie cutters to the twin's Jay noticed that Louis still hadn't come back.

"Harry do you know where Louis went?"
"He said he was going to go put the ball away in a safe place."

"Do you mind going on checking on him its been a while."

"Sure."

Harry went to the sink and washed the flour and sugar remanence from his hands before heading out of the kitchen. Walking up the large spiral staircase the sounds of giggles and music slowly morphed into stilled silence only the sound of Harry's footsteps could be heard. That was until he came upon closed-door belonging to Louis's room.

Coming to a halt outside the door Harry heard the faint voice of Louis. Harry placed his ear close up to the door to try and listen to what was being said but Louis was too far into his room only allowing a faint echo to travel into Harry's ear.

Harry only made out a few words like Christmas, I hope you like it, forever, among other seemingly random words. To Harry it sounded as if Louis was on a phone call, perhaps with Ronnie wishing her a Merry Christmas or maybe she had called to wish him a happy birthday so instead of interrupting Harry just turned back around and go back downstairs figuring that once he was done with the call he would come down.

"Is he coming down?"

"He was on a phone call so I'm sure he'll be down soon."

Harry passed after the words left his mouth, now that he was thinking about it it seemed kinda strange. Louis had been like his old goofy self just an hour earlier, he seemed happy to be with his family but now he just disappeared from everything, not to mention that his door was closed when the only time that Louis's ever closed his room was when he was sleeping when Ronnie complained about the noise level. So why was his door closed when he was clearly still awake?

"Harry!"
"Hm- what?"
"How long do we bake these for!"

"Oh! uh start with twelve minutes then we can check them."

"Gotcha. I thought you turned into a ghost for a second there."

The three girls laughed as Harry's cheeks began to take on a hint of color from the mix of embarrassment of his knowledge of Louis's life and the thought that he might have just lied to Jay. He also had a burning feeling of guilt from not really checking up on Louis.

Since the cookies had already been in the oven for nearly seven minutes Harry decided to start making the frosting while Pheobe and Daisy still sat on the counter with their eyes glued to the black and white outline of little Natalie Wood who was moving across there dining room wall.