Honest Illusions [niall horan]

Chapter 43

Niall's P.O.V.

A month and a half later

"Yes, mum, I promise I'm takin' great care 'f Aubrey an' the baby," I chuckled as I stepped out of the driver's side of my car. I placed my phone between my ear and shoulder, trying my best to secure it there, as I made my way around to the trunk.

"Well I know I raised two caring, gentleman so I sure hope so," she coached me, just as she had been doing since the day she found out Aubrey was pregnant. Our dinner announcement a lot better than both Aubrey and I expected. To be honest, I thought everyone would react more shocked than anything. Turns out, we received quite the opposite reaction- nothing but pure excitement and happiness on everyone's part. I think it was safe to say that my mum seemed to be the most delighted with the news. As soon as she processed what Aubrey and I just revealed, she immediately stood up from her chair and engulfed the two of us in her arms. She was crying, laughing, and congratulating us all at the same time. Definitely one of the last reactions I expected, especially out of my mum.

"Wasn't Aubrey's constant reassurance t' ya enough?" I questioned, grabbing the cold brown box I had stores in the back seat. On my way back home from the studio, I decided to stop by the bakery and pick up a cheesecake since Aubrey had been craving nothing but sweets. Again, I found this as a shock since I always imagined cravings to be some strange combination of the most random and unrelated foods like pickles and chocolate chips. Weird, yes, and that's something I could see Aubrey asking to eat. We still had seven more months to go which meant Aubrey and I had a long list of things to learn about pregnancy and raising a child.

"Niall, I'm yer mother," mum sighed into the phone. Three weeks since she flew back home to Mullingar, and that must have felt like three days for her since we were still having this conversation. I knew mum was more than happy for me that I was finally entering this new and amaze filled chapter in my life, but I also knew that she was worried about me. She may not show it directly or tell anyone else about her concern, but I could sense the doubt and nervousness in her voice and, even, in her eyes before she left. "Ya know how happy I am t'at yer finally gettin' the life ya've always dreamed of, an' I jus' want t' make sure yer comfortable, okay?" Her soothing voice took me several years back, all the way to my primary school days. Mum always used that voice to relax me about the first day of school or a really important match of footy coming up. Hell, she even used that voice the day that I auditioned for the X-Factor. I must admit, though, I loved it.

"I'm fine mum, swear," I reassured her once again. "I know Grace was pregnant, with what might have been my child, but the two 'f them ar' gone an' as much as it pains me t' say it, maybe I never found out fer a reason?" I trailed off, lightly biting my lip. Sometimes I thought back to the day I found out that Grace was pregnant. Aubrey found the ultra sound hidden deep between my old clothes, and the memory itself sends shards of pain throughout me.

Aside from the memory itself, I think about what's happened since, and well I truly understand the saying "everything happens for a reason." Maybe Grace and I weren't meant to have a child together, but maybe I was supposed to have one with Aubrey, be it years later. It really pained me to think about it in those terms, and I tried so hard to steer away from that thinking. I really did, but somehow, someway, I found myself back there. I guess that's why I've been so insistent on keeping that thought stuck up in my mind. 

"Well you know I think Aubrey is a lovely girl," mum began, bringing a smile to my face. That was another thing that's been keeping my spirits so highly lifted lately. During my mum's entire trip here, I noticed how fond she was of Aubrey. Usually, I would worry leaving one of my friends with my mum, especially a girl, afraid that she would embarrass the hell out of me or even worse scare them off. Mum did tend to have that affect on some, since she was extremely protective of me. Nonetheless, she adores Aubrey beyond comprehension. Mum probably talked to Aubrey more than she did with me her entire stay here. They were always in the kitchen cooking while laughing away at something the other said. I can't even explain how relieved I am that they get along so well.