Lovers

Where The Heart Is

KIDS I've been watching the A Christmas Prince movies on Netflix and WOW I've watched the first two and they're SO GOOD. I'm watching the third one tomorrow lol. This week is going to be a bit crazy for me, so I don't know when I'll be back with another update, but this one is cute, so it should hold you all over, haha! I hope you like it, and leave a comment and/or vote if you wish xx
-ab

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September 19, 2027

Patrick

Harper and I wake up next to each other on the morning of her final show on Broadway, and it just feel so good. Holding her in my arms, with our bodies pressed up against each other, is something that I've longed for recently. Her touch, her heart, her words... I've missed them all so much.

Now, I have her back.

"How are you feeling, lovie?" I ask her, squeezing a bit tighter as she snuggles into me.

"Tired," she replies. "Sad. A little bit yucky. I can't wait for today to be over. I'm going to cry so much. I'm too hormonal for this. God, I vowed to never do this again with Anastasia."

"And you weren't even pregnant then," I mutter to her.

"I know, that's my point. I'm going to be a mess."

"I don't think that you're far enough along to be that bad," I try to tell her. I run my fingers down her back. "You've got this, honey."

"I think I was more attached to Anya than I am Natasha. I spent a lot more time in Anya's shoes, you know?"

"Yeah," I tell her, "I do. I think that today is going to be a celebratory time for you, more than anything."

"Patrick," she says to me suddenly, "I want to tell people today."

"What?"

"Like, my cast, I guess. I don't know. It's stupid, and I know that we aren't supposed to tell people until the end of the first trimester, but-"

"No, I think that it's great news, and they deserve to know. These people have been your family for the last few months. You should tell them."

"We can do it together. At the closing party, I've been invited to make a speech. I've not written anything, and I'm probably just going to make it up on the spot, but I think we should share the news then."

"I think that sounds perfect," I tell her. I mean it, too. "Of course, we still have to tell our parents as well. My parents have invited us over for dinner in a few days, to celebrate your coming back to London. We can tell them then. What about your mum?"

"Oh god," she groans. "That's not going to be fun."

"She's going to be so excited."

"She's going to be too excited," Harper insists, biting her lip. "She's going to freak out, and start asking all sorts of questions, and give me a hard time about... well, doing what one must do to get pregnant, because for some reason, she thinks I'm not going to be mortified by that, and it's going to be so awkward, and-"

"Sweetie," I say, cutting her off, "calm down. We have to tell her at some point."

"Are you sure that we can't just, like, pop out a baby and tell her after the fact? So that she's freaking out over the baby and not me?"

"I don't think that would go over well. Plus, think of all of the presents that she's going to buy us."

That causes my wife to let out a giggle. "You've got me there."

"She's going to completely spoil this child. My parents will, too, don't worry. Or at least, they'd better. Audrie is about the most spoiled little girl that I've ever seen."

"Part of that is because Taylor and Joe can afford to buy her every toy on the planet and then some."

"Well, that is true," I admit, "but my parents fancy shopping for babies. Every old person does. We have to tell our parents, okay?"

"Okay," Harper reluctantly admits. I know that she doesn't want to, but I'm glad that she understands the need to tell our parents. Of course, it goes beyond just presents. They are the grandparents of this baby, and are going to want to be in his or her life from the very beginning.

"On one condition," Harper says after a moment.

"What's that?" I ask, slightly worried to hear what she says next, if I'm being entirely honest.

"I want that woman as far away from the hospital as possible while I'm giving birth to this thing."

"Done," I say. "You and me in that hospital room, and nobody else, okay? I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I'm glad, because I wouldn't either," she tells me. I plant a little kiss on the top of her head.

We spend a bit more time cuddling, as that's our favourite way to start out a weekend day. After a little bit, I suggest to her that I make some breakfast. I want to spoil her today, since it's her last day in her show, and I know that she's sad about that, no matter how much she might not want to admit it. I know that she's scared it'll hurt my feelings if she shows how truly sad she is. Of course, she understands that I know she'll be sad, but she thinks that, if she shows just how sad, then I'll think that she's not excited to come home with me. That's not true, but I've known my wife for long enough now to know what she's thinking, and how her mind works.

After I cook and the two of us share a nice breakfast, we watch some telly. Harper is practically clinging to me, wanting for our bodies to have the most contact as humanly possible while we sit on the sofa. I'm not complaining- I missed her just as much as she missed me.

When the time rolls around that Harper has to go to the theatre for her final show, she begs for me to go with her. Of course, I tell her that I will, so we make quick sandwiches and hop on the subway to Times Square.

"Last time, how does it feel?" I ask her, squeezing her hand.

"I don't know..." she says with a small laugh. "It's weird, I guess, more than anything."

"I think New York is going to miss you. It's going to be a little bit less of a happy place without you here."

She shrugs. "Some other little wide-eyed dreamer will come in soon enough and replace me."

"But for every one of those, there are a hundred that come and... well, turn into New Yorkers."

She laughs. "I guess you're right. Some people here are really quite friendly, though, I promise."

"I know," I tell her, "but you know the stereotypes, and they exist for a reason."

"That's true," she giggles.

"Thanks for not turning into a New Yorker."

She rests her head on my shoulder and takes a breath. "Home is where the heart is. My heart is in London, and it always will be. You know that."