Eucatastrophe ~ h.s.

✗ fifty-four ✗

SHAY

13 September

After five of the longest days in my entire life, Harry is coming home to us.

We've kept in touch over the phone and even "FaceTimed" a few times before I went to sleep and as Harry got ready for work.

He hasn't had the best business trip over in Sydney this time as his last. He had to deal with a few incompetent workers, fire a couple staff members that apparently didn't know what they were doing, and after many long board meetings and sleepless nights the company figured out the problems with the expansion and set a date for the unveiling. 29 November 2016.

But now he's coming home and all stress from the days before can be forgotten, or so we thought.

"Louis, I can handle scrubbing the counters clean, it's an easy job."

"Yes, for a normal twenty-two year old woman, not a woman who is five months pregnant."

I groan loudly and stomp my foot childishly against the hardwood floor. I've been acting like this since Louis has been staying here. He literally will not let me do anything.

Go outside and read? Nope, not without Louis' accompanying me after applying a hefty layer of sunscreen.

Take a relaxing bath? Not without Louis checking up on me every five minutes to make sure I haven't drowned in my bath bombed water.

Do the laundry? Nada, Louis is handling the washing.

Now cleaning the kitchen to look spotless for Harry's arrival? Apparently no as well.

"Louis' you're suffocating me. I'm pregnant not crippled alright! I can, and will, scrub the counters." I say, snatching the scrubbing brush from Louis' hands. He stares back at me with his jaw dropped and I know he's getting ready to begin an argument with me. "Can you unload the dishwasher? I don't think I can handle carrying glass plates." I try to reason with him, knowing that he won't even let me near the dishwasher.

"Fine, but if you pull a muscle scrubbing, I'm not taking the blame for it."

"Noted."

Whilst I do not appreciate the tight leash Louis has had me on since Harry's departure, I do appreciate the company he's been. We've gotten to know each other on a more personal level and now I feel as if he's my friend, not just Harry's.

I've learned that his mother is very close with Harry's; the two work well together at Harry and Louis' foundation and even play tennis together some weekends in the spring. I also learned that Louis is the proud big brother of six sisters and one brother, the youngest being a set of twins age two. That news has me glad to have him around, hopefully he'll be able to help with the baby if Harry and I have troubles. I also learned that Louis has a talent in music as Harry does. I found him playing the piano one night after my bath. To say I was impressed would be an understatement.

"What time does Harry land?" Louis asks. I check over my shoulder at the clock and sigh.

"Like three hours from now."

"Are we meeting him at Heathrow or just meeting here?" I shrug.

The initial plan was to surprise Harry at the airport where he will be expecting his driver, but with the weather delay because of our drowsy rain that might not be the case. He'll already be landing late, eleven in the evening, if the flight gets pushed back any further I may not be awake enough to go to Heathrow.

"If the rain seizes and his flight doesn't get pushed back we'll go to the airport to surprise him." I promise, continuing to scrub the counters clean.