Forced Reconciliation

41.

a/n: song above is mentioned later in the story! you don't have to listen but i think it's cute for the moment so i attached it if you didn't know what it sounded like <3 enjoy!

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Andi Rhoades

The entire drive back to Max and Lila's house is spent in near silence beside the quiet whimpers from Ellie. I could hear Harry shushing her and whispering words to try to add comfort.

I was trying to hold myself together, the emotions building within me were becoming too much, and on a few different occasions, I had to refrain from pulling the car over to just break down. I had been feeling sick to my stomach since the moment I heard Ellie's screaming cries after she fell. It was like my entire world stopped right at that moment, and it just hasn't picked up again.

Not even once I saw Harry.

All day I had been looking forward to this exciting reunion where I would run into his arms and we'd kiss and all would we right in the world again. There'd be permanent smiles plastered on our faces from the pure love and joy filling us.

But it wasn't like that at all.

He hasn't even kissed me.

He's hardly said a word to me.

As soon as we arrive back at Max and Lila's, Harry's quick to unbuckle Ellie and pull her out of her car seat. I take a deep breath before making it to the backseat to do the same for Rome. I know both him and Ellie have got to be hungry. Neither of them has eaten since lunch, and it's well past their bedtime by now.

Harry enters the code to the front door, letting himself in where I find his bag sitting by the front door. I watch with a lump in my throat as he moves through the house, Ellie still clinging to his body as he holds her. I follow them into the kitchen, a certain nervousness flowing through my body that makes me unsure of how to act right now.

"El, are you hungry? What do you want to eat before bed?" Ellie just shakes her head against Harry in response. "Is your tummy not hungry for food?" Another shake of her head.

Harry tucks his chin to his chest to glance at her, "Why don't you eat something, babe? Even just some toast or a peanut butter sandwich?"

"Peanut butter honey," Ellie's small voice whispers out in a rasp. Her throat must be so sore after all that crying.

I nod, heading to the pantry to get started on her sandwich. It's then that I see the still knocked-over stool on the ground. It causes a hitch in my breath as I stare down at it, but I instead bend down to pick it up and move it to its original spot without saying a word.

The silence is deadly as I begin making sandwiches for all of us, even Rome isn't giggling or babbling in his high chair like normal. The only sound is Ellie's heavy breathing and the scraping of the knife against the side of the peanut butter jar.

After passing out everyone's sorry excuse for dinner, I make my way to Rome to start feeding him some yogurt. He's so unaware of the situation yet perceptive that we're obviously in a tense environment.

"Eat, A. I'll finish feeding him." I glance up to Harry, Ellie still attached to him.

"I- I got it. It's okay."

I watch Harry's chest rise in a deep breath. "Andi," his tone is that of warning. "For the love of God, please just eat so I don't have to worry about you too."

I swallow, standing up from my chair to trade him so he can finish feeding Rome. While I eat my own sandwich, I watch Harry with tears in my eyes as he sits on the stool with Ellie sitting on his lap, slowly nibbling at her own sandwich while he spoon feeds Rome with a baby spoon.