Zoo // Louis Tomlinson

//50//

            Sunglasses blocked their eyes from view, the burly figures not matching up to recognizable faces, and the idea to even attempt to wiggle me way outside the entrance to check if Markus, Victor or even Alberto were on the outside was sheer idiocy unless I wanted to get a restraining order.

            “Momma! Mommy! When is Louis getting here!” A small voice shouted, her little brown waves dancing about her as Kylie pulled at the bottom of Cindy’s dress almost as impatiently as I was feeling.

            “I swear to god. Lucas. Lucas get your daughter-“

            “She’s always my daughter. Did you maybe wonder if she got that from your side of the family.” It took me a minute to match up the voices, but the second I placed Cindy’s voice with Lucas and baby Kylie’s I spun on my heel and almost immediately locked eyes with one of the largest influences in my life.

            “Oh Lydia.” Cindy immediately lost the tone of scorn, her caramel hair curled into beautiful ringlets and shaping over her young face until she almost looked like Kylie’s older sister –if it weren’t for the princess sticker pasted on her leg she would have pulled it off.

            “I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to see you since I got back to the States. It’s been crazy and did you hear I’m going to Australia? Oh my god how’s Tommy and Kylie? Where is Tommy? Lucas oh my god I’m so sorry I haven’t stopped by. Have you guys see-“

            “Oh sweet lord child, stop talking. I’ve been worrying about you for the past two weeks and you show up looking like a damn goddess.” Cindy seemed to be smiling and crying at the same time, her petite frame covered in a gorgeous lilac dress that reached just far enough for Kylie’s little hands to grab on and wrinkle the very bottom. Lucas’s friendly face lined with the laughter that I hoped one day Louis’ would posses, happiness seeming to radiate from the family that took care of me most of my life.

            “Been in London and at home and filling out applications and going to organize the fund for Nora-“

            “Momma!” Kylie started to swing wildly in her father’s arms, Lucas struggling to keep her to him while Cindy seemed to be confused about a multitude of items.

            “Cin- Cin could you get Kyl-“ Lucas started to grunt, his daughter nearly crashing out of his arms as she pulled at the roots of his sandy blonde hair in an effort to reach whatever had her losing her shit.

            “I’m going to need you to all take a few steps back.” One of the previously silent bodyguards approached me, his large hand coming towards me to signal that I was supposed to back as far away from the entrance as possible. The reason slipping my mind as everything else circled around in a tornado of thoughts.

            “Louis!” Kylie finally screamed in her little toddler voice, the purple dress she was wearing flipped completely over her diaper as she was now nearly upside down in Lucas’s arms, the chaos running high in my mind as I attempted to sort the pieces.

            As usual though, I was beat to the punchline by a familiar mop of dark brown hair and painfully taunting lips.

            “I think I forgot me watch.” Louis spoke to someone behind him, his accent growing impossibly thicker as he grinned at something the man behind him had said. Not an ounce of recognition swooping past his sharp features as his eyes flew across the crowd, never once looking nearer to him because Louis was and would forever remain; oblivious.

His tux was much crisper than I had imagined him wearing, no subtle patterns or Louis accents anywhere to be found. Just a solid black coat over a white button up, the lines of his chest tattoo just vaguely outlined in a beautiful script.