Texting Louis Tomlinson

Bonus #6: Anna's Dad (Part 2)

Bonus #6: Anna's Dad  (Part 2)

After calming Anna down a bit, I took her down to the kitchen, where I made her a cup of hot chocolate.

Since Claire and Eric weren't going to be spending the night here, thanks to the boys, who had insisted on taking them out so Anna and I could have some time alone, she was only wearing one of my t-shirts, which reached down to the middle of her thighs. She looked so cuddly with the sleeves pulled up over her hands and her hair done in a messy bun atop her head.

"Lou?" she whispered softly after a few minutes of silence, her mug sitting untouched in front of her.

"Yes?"

"My dad...he's not a bad man," she said in the same soft tone. "I get it, maybe we weren't good enough, maybe we weren't worth it, and - "

"Hey, hey, it's not your fault, A," I assured her rubbing her back gently. "There is no excuse to leave your kids."

"He walked out on us when we were so young, and I blamed him for such a long time," she sighed, running her hand over her face.

"That's normal. You just felt - "

"Like a failure," she finished for me, looking me right in the eye. "But I know I'm not. I know I shouldn't feel that way."

I nodded, pressing a kiss to the side of her forehead.

"I just wished he'd call sometimes, or text, or, heck, even email me. I want to have a connection with him, but he doesn't reach out to me," she wiped at her eyes before any tears could spill over.

"Maybe you should take the first step?" I suggested lightly, not wanting to step over the line and send her over the edge.

"He's the one who walked out on us, Lou, I shouldn't be the one to make the first move," she replied.

I nodded again, not really knowing what else to say.

I pulled her into my open arms, whispering reassurances into her ear.