The Story of Me part 39

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March 30, 1997

Leo and Harmony were out of school for spring break and he had spent everyday with her at the Harrison’s house. Together they had dyed Easter eggs, watched TV, eaten ice cream and played outside until Leo had to return to the group home for the night. Today, Leo was going to church with the Harrison’s for Easter services.

Leo wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole church thing, but it was important to the Harrison’s and they were important to Harmony. That made it important to him. He had walked to the Harrison’s and sat on the porch until he heard them up and moving around in the house. As always, Leo had arrived early. Mary knew that he would be waiting outside for them so she opened the door and while offering him breakfst she let him into the house.

Leo rarely spent time at the group home. He was required to check in after school on week days, but other then being in house before dark at night his days were his to spend as he wanted. Many of the boys at the house used the free time to get into trouble. They hung out on the streets, stole things from stores and people that weren’t careful with their wallets or purses. Many of the boys even joined gangs and set themselves up for a life of crime, a prison sentence or even an early death.

Until the day Leo met Harmony, he had been heading down that path. He was following the example of the boys he had surrounding him, because it was the only example he had. Harmony, had shown him a different path and she didn’t even realize it. The beautiful but scared little girl had walked into class on the first day of school and Leo had fallen in love with her right away.

He saw her sad green eyes and wondered how and why anyone could ever hurt her. He watched her blonde hair as it fell across her shoulders and it looked so soft he wanted to touch it. Then he saw her tears as the other kids had teased her and more than he had ever wanted anything he wanted to protect her.

Leo decided that day he would become someone worthy of Harmony. He would stay
out of trouble, do his school work, protect her from the playground bullies and grow into the kind of man who would make someone like her proud.

On the ride home from churh Leo asked the Harrison’s one question after the other. He was fascinated by the sermon and wanted to know everything there was to know about church, God and Jesus and what Easter meant. He wasn’t able to make the connection between church and the colored eggs he and Harmony were heading home to hide. The Harrisons indulged Leo’s questions and gave the best answers they could give. They were pleased when they offered to take Leo to church again and he agreed to go before sitting back in his seat and smiling as he watched the world go by through his window.