This is a trigger warning for talk of domestic abuse. This chapter is not explicit, but if this is a difficult topic for you, please know your limits and skip what is triggering. I love and care about you all so please, please take care of yourselves <3
Harry's P.O.V. September 19th, Charlie 9 months
"Are you excited to go to Grandma's today?" I talk to Charlie while I dress her for the day.
"Mason and Jamie will be there! You're going to have so much fun," I push some shorts up her little legs to cover her nappy. Today I dressed Charlie in a light green dress patterned with daisies that really makes her darker green eyes pop.
"Your eyes are so pretty. You're so pretty, my little sunflower!" Charlie smiles and babbles while trying to crawl away.
"Come back here, little stinker. I'm trying to put socks on your tiny toes!" I scoop her up and sit her between my knees so I can finish putting her socks and shoes on. She squirms a little because she doesn't like the feeling of the shoes on her feet, but I leave them on because she can't crawl around as fast when she wears them. Em and I still have some more chores to do like packing Charlie's bag and making a grocery list before leaving for Jillian's, so it will be really helpful if we don't have to chase this one around the house.
Charlie and the boys are having a playdate with their grandma tonight, so Jared and Em and I are going out for dinner. Originally it was just going to be a date for the two of us, but Jillian suggested inviting the boys over so we figured we would invite Jared as well. We don't get to spend a lot of time with just Jared because the kids are always around, so I'm really looking forward to this.
"Chaaaarlie-bean. Charlie!" I get her attention, "Can you say, dada? Da-da-da-da-da-da," I sit on the floor with her for a bit longer, procrastinating finding her bag and finishing the load of laundry.
"Aahhh, pbpbpbff, pbpbpbff," She babbles a bit and then blows raspberries in my face.
"Dada, dada," I try again.
"Mmmmuh, mmm, mmm," she gets excited and starts clapping her hands together while bouncing on her bum.
"No! Don't say mummy!" I gasp and stop her before her first word is Mama and not Dada.
"Alright, Bean. I think it's time to get packing. If I let you play in your room, will you be a good girl?" Yesterday when we were playing in here, Charlie crawled over to the changing table when I wasn't looking and pulled all the diapers off the shelve underneath the table. She made quite a mess, and then began chewing on one which made it soggy and gross.
"Say, 'Yes Dada. I will be a good girl.'" I pick her up by the armpits and kiss her chubby, and slightly slobbery, cheeks, then place her back on the ground to play with some of her toys.
Charlie, like the good girl she is, stays out of trouble while Em and I finish our errands. When it's time to go, she only fusses a little, but when I put her in the car, I also hand her a few of her favorite toys to keep her busy.
"You look lovely," I glance over to Em on the drive to her mum's.
"Thank you," she hides a smile and then twists in her seat to watch Charlie for a second. Charlie's been very vocal lately, squealing when excited and mimicking our sounds when we play or talk with her. I also like to think she sings along to the music I play her.
Jared is already here with the boys when we arrive. They come running out to the driveway as soon as I open my door, yelling "Uncle Harryyyy!" and "Aunt Emmaaa!"
"Hi boys!" Em hugs them as I work on getting Charlie and her bag out of the car.
Jared walks over and I hand Charlie to him as we all go inside where Jillian is cooking dinner for the kids.
We have reservations so we don't stay long, just long enough to tell Jillian what all we brought and what time we'll be back. Then it's time for hugs and kisses from all the children and we're headed to the restaurant.
***
"Hey, so I wanted to talk to you about something," Jared talks in a hushed tone once Em leaves the table for the restroom.
"What's up?"
"I don't mean to leave Emma out of this, but I'd like your opinion first. It's about Jillian," he starts, and I don't get a good feeling about where this is going.
"Is this about the bruises?" I ask, remembering the conversation I had with my mum a few weeks ago. I saw Jillian shortly after my mum left, but I didn't notice any marks on her arms. If anything, they were very faint, but I could have just been imaging it.
"You've seen them too?" he hunches over the table more to get closer.
"No, I don't think so. My mum just brought it up a few weeks ago," I explain.
"Does she know anything about them?" he asks next.
"Um, no. Why, is it something to worry about?"
"I was around when he was abusing her, you know," he sighs, "And I don't know how he would be in contact with her again or why she'd see him, but I know those markings."
"Wait, I'm confused. What are you talking about?" I stop him and set down my fork, giving him my full attention.
"David," he says like it's obvious.
"Your dad?" I clarify.
"Yeah, did you not know that he used to hurt her?" My mouth drops at his words. I had no idea David was physically abusive. Verbally, yeah. Emotionally, yes. But physically? God, I hope he never touched Em. She would have told me if he did though, right?
"Harry,"
"No, I had no idea," I shake my head in disbelief.
"Oh," he looks taken back, "Oh. Shit, I don't think Emma knows then."
"She doesn't know? How does she not know? I'm confused,"
"What don't I know?" Em slides into the seat next to me and places her hand on my shoulder.
"That I'm seeing someone," Jared reacts fast. "I completely forgot to tell you. I met her at work, and we've been on a few dates."
"That's so exciting! But I can't believe I wasn't the first to know, you jackass," Em pretends to be offended and rolls her eyes.
"Sorry," he laughs.
"What's her name?" Em asks.
"Uh, W- Willow. Her name is Willow."
For the rest of dinner, the conversation is mostly focused on Jared's fake date, but I'm finding it difficult to follow along and be engaged.
"Baby, are you alright?" Em places her hand on my thigh and whispers in my ear calmly.
"I'm okay," I tell her, but she doesn't believe me.
"You haven't said a word in ten minutes, and you don't even look like you're paying attention. What's wrong?" Em presses.
"Just a bit of a headache, but it's fine," I take a drink of my water as she digs through her purse.
"I don't have anything but there might be Advil in the car. Want me to go get it?" Her face shows genuine concern, so I feel bad for lying but I don't know what else to say. I'm just so shocked at what Jared told me and the fact that Em doesn't even know about it.
"You don't have to, Em," I tell her.
"Yes, I do," she states firmly, "I'll be back," and gets up from her seat again.
"Sorry if I ruined the night," Jared speaks up once we see Em exit the restaurant.
"No, please don't be sorry. I'm glad you told me."
"What should we do?" he asks after a bit of silence.
"Em deserves to know. It's not fair that she doesn't, and even more so that I found out before she did. As for confronting Jillian, I don't know. I mean, how could she be in contact with him? And why? I-I just don't understand," I start to choke up but calm myself so there's no evidence when Em comes back.
"Hey, it's going to be okay. I'll talk to her if it makes things easier. You just worry about comforting Emma when she finds out, she'll be devastated."
"Fuck," I hang my head in my hands, "she will be. God, why can't we get a break? Why can't she get a fucking break!"
"She's back," Jared says, and I twist around to see Em walking back to us.
"I think we're actually going to get going," Jared tells Em before she has a chance to even hand me the Advil, which I do end up needing.
"Oh, that's fine," Em says, and I can tell she knows something is up. She puts on this oddly content face, but I can see it in her eyes, the gears turning in her head.
"I'm sorry you don't feel well," she kisses the side of my head and then we get going.
The drive back to Jillian's is quiet. It gives me too much time to think, and that's never a good thing.
Part of me thinks Jillian should be the one to tell Em, but I don't know when or if she will, so maybe I should tell her. But again, it's not my place so perhaps Jared should. He was there, after all. But also, where is David? How is Jillian letting him close to her? Is he forcing it? I have to stop thinking about this right now.
"Are you going to get out?" I realize we're parked in her driveway and Jared is already at the front door.
"Yeah, sorry," I unbuckle to follow Em inside. She puts an arm around my waist as we walk up to the door, so I rest mine on her shoulder, keeping her warm body close to me.
The first thing I notice once the door opens is Jillian's sweater. Fall is coming, but we're in LA so it's still way too warm to wear a sweater. The second thing I notice is her makeup. Jillian has never been one to wear much makeup, but she's wearing an awful lot just to watch her grandkids for a night.
"You're back early," Jillian says in a chipper tone.
"Yeah, Harry doesn't feel too well," Em looks up to me instead of her mum as she talks. She's not wrong though. Since leaving the restaurant I have begun to feel sick.
"I'm so sorry to hear that," she frowns, "Can I get you anything?"
"No thank you. I'll be alright, it's just a headache really," I tell her and excuse myself to get a drink of water from the kitchen.
I hear Em talking with the boys and Charlie, then the front door opens and shuts making me believe Em has taken Charlie to the car. Then the boys' voices grow quieter, and the door sounds again. Now it's just me, standing awkwardly in Jillian's kitchen, until she walks in and it startles me.
"Are you sure you're okay? You look pale, honey," she places her hands on my cheeks and I try to give her a small smile.
"The water and Advil are helping a bit. How are you?"
"Same old, same old," she shrugs and turns on the faucet to wash the kids' dishes. In doing so, she pushes up her sleeves and I notice her wrists are slightly red like the skin is irritated.
"What happened to your wrists?" I ask ignorantly.
"Where?" she asks, never looking away from the plate she soaks in the sink.
"Your wrists, they look red," I point out.
"Oh, they always look like that. I think I'm just getting old," she brushes it off.
"Oh," I say quietly.
"That man has still stayed away, right? He's not giving you problems anymore?" she asks randomly.
"I haven't seen him in a while," I respond, "but I hear I'm supposed to thank you for that."
"What?" Jillian spins around, practically throwing the sponge into the full sink.
"Didn't you talk to him that night? My mum said after you asked him to stay off the property that he hasn't come back," I explain the conversation I had with my mum a while back.
"Oh! Oh yes, I remember now. I just asked him to stay somewhere else and he was very understanding," Jillian assures me.
"Well, thank you. It's relieving to know we don't have to worry about him anymore."
"I wouldn't say you don't have to worry about him at all," she says plainly.
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"You never know," she shrugs and goes back to distracting herself by the dishes, "he may come back."
"Of course, he could, but I'd like to think he won't."
"Oh Harry, I wish I was as optimistic as you," she dries her hands on a towel and walks past me to the front door.
"Have a good night, Harry," she goes to open the door for me.
"Wait—" I gently place my hand on her arm to stop her and she flinches.
"I'm so sorry. You scared me," she covers her arm with her opposite hand.
"I scared you? Jillian, you winced in pain. Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"
"No, I'm fine!" she smiles.
"Are you sure?" I ask again since she's still holding her arm where I touched her.
"I just fell the other day and I guess there's still a bruise that you bumped. It's alright, Harry. I'm okay, I promise. Don't worry about me."
"Okay, Jillian. Have a good night, and thanks for watching the kids."
Shit, I need to talk to Jared.
*
*
*
A/N: Hi sorry it's been a bit longer than usual. I just moved and I've been hella busy and stressed with school starting next week.
Just as a warning, there are 4 chapters left but I am going to post the entire sequel a few days after this is finished : )
For all of those starting school soon I wish you the best! I know this still a crazy time and school is a lot harder online, but I believe in every one of you that you can get through it!
<3 <3 <3