Harry didn't always get it right, but the smile from Murphy told him he'd been on the money this time. Good. There were too few people in his life that he actively cared about and fewer still that he loved and right here, holding his hand, was the one he valued the most. He knew Maggie was safe with the Carpenters and the day Thomas couldn't take care of himself was a long way off, so maybe this was time for them. He couldn't help but break into a goofy grin when he thought about that; she was holding his hand and for reasons!
When he'd turned up here Harry had thought that the chance the two of them had was blown. Again. Then Karrin had shown up and he'd been scared they'd be on different pages, if not different libraries entirely. But here they were. He was a lucky guy, all things considered! And to show that he knew it, he laced his fingers through hers and drew her hand to his lips, like the gentleman he occasionally was.
"See, that's just code for 'I'm hungry, Harry, feed me before I hulk-out on you'," Harry teased gently, "but added mities aren't out of the question either. Just putting it out there," he told her with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Harry shook his head, "so not my secret. You wouldn't believe the looks I used to get going into thrift stores looking for that stuff," he said with a shudder. "I'm sure half the neighbourhood has opinions on my reading matter! Thanks, Bob! Appreciate you, buddy," wherever he was right now.
It was almost as though he'd been waiting to hear his name and Mouse stuck his head through the open trap-door and chuffed happily. "I think maybe he's hungry too," Harry said happy to let Murphy lead the way out of the lab and back into a world of civilised reading material.