Pleasing (H.S)

ten

"You are so in love with him, Iris." She tells me while she eats a little of her breakfast. 

"I am." I agree with her. "Now, eat please. We have so much to do today." 

"Okay, mum." She tells me and we laugh. "I am so excited about you, Iris. Really. I love you so much and I know how you didn't think of falling in love ever after you had Emma." 

"Emma loves him, Tonya. He loves her as well. It's like they've known each other since forever." 

"I know. She talks about him. She always tells us about the time he sang with her Canyon Moon." 

"It was such a great time. They both loved it."

"Did you? How do you feel about it?" 

"At first, it was weird but now I love it. It's so good seeing them together. They have such a great chemistry and Harry is so good with her." 

"You are whipped from the first month, Iris."

"I know. Now are you ready to leave?" She says yes and we leave. 

We go home after we pick Emma up. Emma is so excited to see us together. Tonya gets to know William too. She tells me that he flirts with me, without succeeding. Chris is going to be so happy after telling him about Tonya's thoughts. 

"Emma, do you wanna see what I got you from the store today?" My sister asks Emma when we enter her house. Florence comes by the door and she smiles when she sees us all together finally.

"Hey, aunt Flo. How are you?" My daughter asks her favorite person in the world. I'm afraid that Harry is going to take Florence's place one day. And that day is going to come sooner that expected.

"I'm fine, monkey. How was school?" Florence asks her while giving her a kiss. She and Tonya are going to be such great mothers one day.

"It was okay. The kids are being mean to us three and that makes me sad." She tells us and we all pout. I have to speak to the damn principal.

"Why darling?" I ask her.

"Because we don't have the same family. They were mean to me for not having a daddy and to Millie for having two. They were mean to Ethan for being friends with us and for not having a Mummy."

"Darling, you three have a family." Florence says to her and I know that her heart is as broken as mine. "Every family is different. You can choose your family. Look at me. I don't have a mommy and a daddy but I have you. And that makes me happy. You don't need a dad to be happy and normal darling."

I hear my daughter sniff and my heart breaks into a million pieces all at once. Little kids are so mean. We have this conversation with Emma a couple of times every month because the parents can't teach their kids how to be kind. I wish one day this conversations will stop. I can't hear my daughter pay for my mistakes, for my faults.

"I know, aunt Flo. I have you and granny and Harry. I don't need a dad."

"Yes darling. Now, hop." Florence opens her arms and Emma hops into her. "We are going to eat such a yummy food. I made some veggies, the ones you like them."

"Beans." My daughter's eyes are shining. She has to be the only kid in the world who enjoys her veggies.

When Florence and Emma are in the kitchen, I hear Tonya's voice. "You know that it's not your fault. I will personally have a talk with the little shits if they hurt my Emma's feelings again."

I simply nod. I know that deep down it's not my fault by I feel like I'm the problem.

"Iris, you have to believe that you are not the problem. Do you want to talk to an expert about your feelings? I can't help you because I'm your sister but I have great colleagues."

Tonya is a psychologist. She works in a hospital and her knowledge helped me so much to deal with my feelings over the year. But now I know that it is time to speak to a real therapist, not someone that I know. I nod and she smiles.

"Come on now little shit, we have to eat the veggies Flo cooked." She makes a disgusting face and moves to the kitchen where the love of her life and my kid are sitting and wait for us so we can eat all together.

The night comes by faster than I wanted. Through the afternoon I made a plan for tomorrow. I do that everyday so I will be ready for work without stressing too much.

William called me too. He asked me if I wanted Emma to have a play date with Ethan at their house. I was invited as well. I declined as politely as I could. Tomorrow morning Harry is going to be here and I want to spend all of my afternoon with him. He don't have to work tomorrow at all and he invited me to have a dinner at his house. It's so nice to be that close to somebody.

"Mummy. We have to call Harry before I go to sleep." My daughter tells me after waking up stressed from her little nap on the couch. She is very sleepy but she wants to talk to Harry.

"Let's call him." I say and I take my phone from the table. We let it ring a few times and I know that he is going to miss the call.

"Come on Harry, we want to say goodnight to you." I hear my daughter speak and I smile.

"Yes Harry, we wanna say goodnight." I say and I end the missed call.

"Darling, Harry's busy. We will see him in a few days. I'm sorry that he didn't pick up."

"I'm going to tell him I'm mad tomorrow. Now I'm sleepy. Can you read me something?"

"Of course, darling." We go to her room and she picks the book that is called In every house, on every street. I have read it again and again and I'm going to read it a million more if my daughter finds comfort in it.

"Goodnight, Emma. Sweet dreams, darling."

I exit the room and I go to the living room where my phone is. When I see my lockscreen, I see that I have three missed calls from Harry. I call him back, this time on FaceTime and he picks up immediately.

"Hello, darling. I'm so sorry for not answering. I was in taking a shower. I have to live in a couple of hours."

"Don't apologise to me. Your bestie is a little mad."

"I'm going to pay for it, right?" He asks me smiling and I know that he will do whatever Emma wants.

"Of course you do. She missed you. She's excited to see you."

"Only Emma missed me?" He asks playfully.

"I miss you too, H."

"Me too, sweet darling. Tomorrow I will be home. We are going to spend all evening cuddling." He announces.

"Uh, I don't know about that. William asked me to to to his house so our kids will have a play date."

"Absolutely no. I'm not the jealous type but I hate this man." I didn't expect this response. 

I laugh at his sentence. "Harry, you are the jealous type." I refer to his own song making him giggle but not for much time. 

"This guy wants you, Iris. He is terrible at flirting, though, I can see that."

"He is." I agree and I see him changing expression.

"What do you mean?" He asks me this time.

"He flirts with me. I wanted to tell you when I see you tomorrow." I admit and I hear him laugh.

"I trust you. He isn't that good huh? I don't have competition?"

"Do you want to have competition?" I ask him and I hear laugh once more

"No, I don't. Now I don't want to talk about him anymore, I heard the voice message. I think that I have an idea. I will play you a song tomorrow."