chapter seventeen
I've been practicing
Tuesday 13th February 2018
"Oh god, Liv, isn't this so adorable?" Lizzy gushed as they sat on the older sisters sofa. Eric was playing with the kids in Lyras room, and Olivia was almost certain in loved them more than even Lizzy herself. "A surprise trip to Australia." She sighed whimsically and finished her cup of tea.
"It'll be gorgeous. Send me loads of pictures." Olivia asked hopefully. She'd never been to Australia, not even to meet Eric's family. She had often scolded herself for not taking time out to visit with Eric and her sister, but travelling with children was quite difficult.
"And then when we come home we only have a couple days til we fly out to see mom and dad." The younger sister grinned. They didn't see their parents often as they lived in a different country, but they were lucky enough to have a high paid actress and screen-writer for daughters to pay for flights.
"We won't be able to get out there until April for the Easter holidays." Olivia pouted. She missed her parents, and they missed their grandchildren a lot more.
"Do you think you'll ask Tom?"
"I'll ask him, but I don't think it'll happen. He's got South Korea events and Paris events and the LA Premiere for Infinity war all throughout April. I'll be lucky if we even have a day with him." Olivia sighed. It was easy at the moment, Tom had a little break and press remained only in London for Early Man as it was a British production. But with the upcoming Avengers films and a couple unspoken projects coming up? She wondered how it would work. Especially with the children quickly warming to having him in their life.
"I'm sure you'll make it work, sis." Lizzy encouraged with a slight foot nudge. Olivia could only hope.
"Anyway, when do you start work on Aladdin?" The older sister had been beyond excited when it was announced Lizzy would star in the new Aladdin film along with Will Smith. She was incredibly proud of her baby sister, and the kids were happy they'd get to brag that their Auntie was in a Disney movie.
"April. I can't wait for it." Lizzy tapped her fingers against her empty mug. "Eric has to fly to the US at the same sort of time to shoot Stranger Things 3, so it's not like ones away and the others at home. So that's a relief."
"Even if that was the case, you guys are used to it. You'd be completely fine." Olivia shrugged because Lizzy and Eric had always got through whatever came their way.
"Babe? We should get going or we'll be late for our flight." Eric comes out of Lyra's room, holding Asher by the feet and dangling upside down. "I found this surf board that really wants to come to Australia with us, do you think he'll fit in the suitcase?" Asher remained dead still, like a plank of wood.
"It! Not he!" Asher hissed quietly.
"Shh man, play it cool." Eric mumbled to Asher with an amused look in his eyes. Lyra came out giggling and watched the scene with a grin. "So honey, what do you think?"
"I think it looks an awful lot like Asher." Lizzy is amused. "If it looked like Lyra, I'd take it, but it would just remind me of how much Asher smells." At this, Lyra howled and fell to the floor.
"How dare you!" Asher screamed with a giggle and started flailing his arms to get down. "I do not smell! You smell like poo poo Auntie Lizzy!" Olivia face palmed at her silly, yet adorable children, that began to giggle even more when Eric dropped Asher to the floor.
"You're right, Asher! She does smell of poo poo!" The proud Uncle pinched his nose and shook his head. "Oh man, now I have to stay with her for a whole week."
"Boo hoo," Lizzy grinned and stood up from her seat. "We should get going now anyway. As Eric said."
"Auntie Poo Poo!" Lyra was still rolling on the floor howling with laughter at her Auntie apparently smelling of poo poo. Yes, the innocent and sweet little 7 year old was getting worked up by poo. Raised right, Olivia thought with a role of her eyes.
"If you call me that one more time, I'll make you smell too!" Auntie Lizzy managed to shut Lyra up who pouted innocently at her Aunt. "I'll miss you all lots, we'll see you when we're back?"
"Of course, have an amazing time guys." They all say goodbye with hugs and kisses, and Olivia is sure to whisper good luck to Eric before they leave.
"Byeeee!" The kids sung as the door shuts. When it closed, the kids burst back into laughter and kept saying poo over and over.
***
A few days later, Tom came over again to see Asher and Lyra. He had come prepared with microphones to sing and dance with Lyra, as he had promised.
"Hey, darling." Tom greeted as he stepped through the front door. As usual, he placed a kiss on her cheek and pulled her into a hug. "You look incredibly pretty today." He complimented and Olivia blushed.
"Thank you, Tom." Before Olivia could continue, Asher and Lyra came up to Tom screaming with excitement. The last time they'd seen him was nearly a week ago, when they celebrated Asher's football game at Harry's ice-cream parlour. It looked as if they'd been missing him for months.
"Tom, look at my new Loki shirt! I wanted to get one because of you. Do you like it?" Asher bombarded him, and Tom had to admit, it was really cool. It didn't have his face on, but instead, Loki's silhouette was splashed on with different shades of green paint on a black shirt.
"Asher, that is so cool. I need to get myself one of those!" Tom gushed as he crouched to their eye-level to get a better look at the shirt. He noticed Lyra had a new one on too, the exact same design as her brother but Harry Style's silhouette. "And you have one too? Aren't you guys lucky?"
"We are! Mummy treated us because we'd been so well behaved when we met you." The younger girl admitted with a small smile. She started to play with her long ginger pigtails and curled her ringlets around her fingers.
"Well mummy did a very good job of choosing didn't she?" He looked up to Olivia with a cute smile and she ruffled his hair slightly absentmindedly.
"Tom what are we doing today?" Asher bounced on his feet, ready to have a day full of all things Tom.
"Well I promised Lyra we'd have a mini One Direction Karaoke party. I was hoping you and mum could join?" At this suggestion Olivia burst into laughter.
"Me? Sing and dance? Unless it's High School Musical, I'll pass." The mother deadpanned which made her children scold.
"But mum! You always told us not to say no unless we try." Lyra pleaded. Olivia had brought this one on herself as she leaned against the wall with an exasperated look.
"Yeah mum! You don't want us to always say no, do you?" Asher chimed in. And as if that wasn't enough, Tom teased her further.
"You'd deprive your children of such happy times?" He giggled slightly after he caused the children to stifle their own laughs.
"Fine, but only for you two." Olivia smiled sweetly at her children, then shot Tom a glare he was lucky he didn't see. He was too preoccupied celebrating their victory with high fives and fist bumps.
Lyra squealed and ran towards the CD player, pressing it open and putting the 'Four' CD in. She had never looked so happy. Olivia knew that secretly, she had always wanted to do this with Asher and her mum. And now, she had someone that would do it with her without question.
"Four!?" Tom screeched as he came up to Lyra. "But I didn't learn the songs to this CD!" He pouted at the young girl, in hopes she'll give in and change the album, but Olivia knew she would never.
"Haha, loser." Lyra poked her tongue out at him and basked in her inevitable win.
"Even I know all of these songs!" Asher laughed as he took one of the fake microphones from Tom. "Here you go mummy." Asher trotted over and passed one to his mum, who smirked at the site of Tom's terrified face.
"Bet you regret your little comment now. You're going down Hiddleston." Olivia sniggered as she kissed his nose swiftly. He grabbed her waist as Lyra told everyone to get ready, and kissed her. He confidentially moved his lips against hers and mumbled in her ear just before Harry started singing.
"Am I now, Via? I've been practicing." His voice sent chills through her body and she gasped as he began to belt out the lyrics to "Change your Ticket".
"You trickster!" Asher yelled as he was unable to sing all the lyrics. He was incredibly disappointed he had let Tom trick him into thinking he was bad. But he continued to sing just to outshine Tom. One Direction were incredibly high, meaning Tom was atrocious at singing his take in his low and gravely singing voice.
As the chorus hit, Olivia couldn't contain herself and burst into laughter as the man began to follow Lyra's dancing. Asher was already ahead of his mother when he found the camera and started to record the unusual display. As the second verse rolled around, Tom turned to Olivia and sung an embarrassing rendition of the lyrics. He pulled her up and she reluctantly resumed singing as Tom span her in circles. Asher left the camera in a good position and ran over to take over Tom's dancing.
As Asher and Olivia danced quickly by shaking each other's arms, Tom lifted up Lyra onto his hip as they belted out the end of the song. He swayed his hips and rotated his body in the rhythm of the music. And Lyra squealed with excitement until the song ended.
The rest of the hour continued in this way, Olivia and Asher alternating in taking pictures and videos. It was safe to say Tom and Lyra were a much better duo than they were. Clearly there had been some behind the scenes practicing on both of their parts.
When the One Direction album finished, Tom heaved a sigh as he collapsed on the sofa next to Olivia. His forehead glistened with sweat and he pulled his hoodie off to cool off in his t-shirt. The woman looked him up and down with a bemused smile.
"So you're actually the secret One Direction fan." The statement makes the man laugh.
"Lyra told me she wanted to do this with me. So I've spent all week listening and learning their songs." He admitted with a small smile as he watched the young girl take the CD out the player. "I know that might be a bit much...I just didn't want to disappoint her."
"A bit much? Maybe," Olivia smiled softly at her boyfriend and took his hand. She ran her thumb across the top of it as she finished. "But perfect? Definitely. That was exactly what Lyra needed. Thank you."
"Please don't thank me. I adore them both so much already, I just want to make sure they like me too." Tom mumbled as he let Olivia lean against him.
"Tom, they love you." She whispered into his ear as the kids walked towards them. At this comment, he beamed from ear to ear. So far, it was the brightest smile Olivia had seen bless his lips.
"Tom! Come on!" Lyra grabbed his hand and started tugging it with all her strength.
"Guys, let Tom rest for a bit. He nearly out-shon Lyra." Olivia chuckled as she thought back to it. However, this comment did not go down well with the pair.
"But mummy! We wanted to make cookies." Asher pouted at his mother. Before he could be scolded, however, Tom jumped up.
"Cookies!?" His face lit up like a child's on Christmas. "Say no more! Let's get baking."
word count: 2065
note: I actually love this family with all my heart. Who's attending their wedding??