You're An Asshole (But I Love You)

Chapter 9

He gets a call two days before Christmas. It's Gemma, and it's like ten in the morning in Florida, which means it's evening in England.

"Hello?"

"Hi Harry!" she excitedly answers, which makes Harry immediately know that something is up and she's about to deliver some new he's not going to like. "How are you?"

"'m good, just about to go fetch lunch. You?"

"I was wondering whether you'd like to come home for Christmas and New Year's Eve this year?"

"As in, get on the first plane to Manchester?"

"Yes, that would be great."

"Why would I do that? I mean, not that I don't want to, but did something happen?"

"Well, we haven't spent Christmas together in so long as a family."

"Wait. Does that mean-"

"I answered a call from the rehab facility and...she's so desperate, Harry. She really wants to see us and apologize for everything. The visit doesn't have to be longer than ten minutes, I promise."

Harry isn't too impressed, but it's either spending Christmas alone in Florida, or spending Christmas with his sister in Manchester.

"Alright. I'll get the next flight to Manchester as soon as possible. I'll call you before I board the plane, okay?"

"Sure, bye Haz."

There's something about the way she says it that gets Harry smiling, before it sounds so familiar, he's actually missed it.

"Bye Gem."

He sits down on his bed after hanging up, smiling to himself.

-

Harry packs his bag that evening, and books a plane ticket to Manchester that's supposed to leave in two hours, which means he'll land in England around six in the afternoon, and will get to sleep off the jetlag in his sister's apartment until Christmas Morning.

The airport is buzzing with people who are last minute rushing to their families. Harry's got his suitcase in one hand, and his passport and ticket in the other.

He sends Zayn a text, reminding him to feed Blue and make sure she doesn't disappear while he's gone, and then presses on Gemma's contact.

After he calls Gemma from the plane, he's actually contemplating whether this was a good idea; coming home to visit his mother after not seeing or talking to her in the past four years. He doesn't know what she'll say, or how she'll react.

The flight takes ten hours, and it's half past five when he lands in Manchester. And of course; it's snowing. Just when Harry decided to wear jeans and a tank top to match the weather in Florida.

He spots Gemma in the arrival section, with a big smile on her face and an even bigger baby bump. Harry is shocked, but at the same time extremely happy to see her.

"Oh my God." Is the first thing he says to her as she hugs her, careful not to squish her belly too hard.

"Hiiii." She smiles and kisses both his cheeks.

"How far along are you? Boy or girl?"

"Twenty eight weeks, so I'm almost there now. And it's a boy."

"Whoa. And why did I not know about this?" Harry asks, trying to seem mad but failing because his smile is too big.

"It just never came up."

"Oh, mentioning that I'm going to be an uncle soon never came up in our weekly conversations?"

"No."