Pretty Please Don't Pinch Me

47. One Night Stand

I run through the countless scenarios of how I'm going to break to them the news that I'm going to London throughout the rest of the drive there, and nothing seems sufficient enough.

Hey Mum. Hey Dad. In just a mere matter of days, I'm jet setting off to Europe to be with my celebrity boyfriend. How's work by the way?

Or how about, Hey fam, I'm just going to the shops to grab some milk. Need anything? Oh yeah, and after that I'm going to London to be with Harry indefinitely.

Ugh, nothing seems to work!

We pull up to the house and Marnie opens the door as the car comes to a halt, though she stays seated as she watches me, unmoving.

"Ava, it's going to be okay. Mum and Dad are reasonable people. Just breathe," she assures me.

"I know," I try to say firmly, yet my voice is wavering. I don't want them to feel like they're losing me, and I don't know if I'm quite ready to leave them.

Getting out of the car, I walk purposely towards the front door. I walk as slowly as I can without drawing attention, but it doesn't seem to be slow enough as eventually, I reach the door.

"Is that you girls?" I hear my dad call out. I find him in his study and he wraps me in for one of his big hugs.

"Hey Dad," I greet, my voice muffled into his shirt, and he kisses the top of my head.

"Hey Kiddo, glad to have you home. You're always out and about these days!" he says light heartedly.

"Says you!" I return.

"Is that the girls?" I hear my mother call out from the kitchen.

She pops her head around the corner to check, and joins us in the study area. She greets us both, and now that both of my parents are in the same room, Marnie takes it as her cue to exit.

Taking a deep breath in, I speak up.

"Mum... Dad, can I have a word with you real quick?" I ask, a little hurried.

Mum raises her eyebrows in concern, "Of course honey, is everything okay?"

How do I even word this?

"Well... Harry and I. Harry and I are becoming quite serious," I state.

My parents both look mildly bewildered at my rambling and I continue.

"He's going on tour again quite soon, and he wants... we want to not be apart for the entire time. He's asked me to stay with him for a bit. To be with him for part of their tour. He wants-"

My mother interrupts my abysmal attempt at a speech, "Ava, it's okay, there's only a certain number of ways you can phrase that sentence, and I think you've got it. When are you planning on visiting him?"

"Friday," I meekly whisper.

"Friday!" my father exclaims. "That's only three days away, honey!"

"Darling," she says, holding my father's arm to calm him. "Ava, this is all pretty sudden. Have you considered this through properly?"

I don't even have to think about my answer because the thought of me not going is not even an option in my mind. I want this relationship to work, and this is the only way I ever see this happening.

"I know this seems sudden, but I have thought about it. A lot. I want to do it Mum. You know how I feel about him. I want to make this work, and this is what I need to do."

She almost looks a little uncertain, but I can tell that she's slowly coming around to the idea.

This time, my dad speaks up, surprising us both, "Look Ava, I love you kids very much, but I think I need to accept the fact that you're not my little girl anymore, and instead you've blossomed into a beautiful, responsible young lady. We trust that you're making the right decision based on your judgement, and we support you in whatever you decide to do."