Harry's P.O.V. September 23rd, Charlie 9 months
"Let's sit down," I pull two chairs out from the dining table where Charlie's still in the highchair from her snack.
"You know about our past with David," she swallows, "but there's more that you haven't heard because Emma doesn't even know."
Here we go...
"He wasn't always a bad father or a bad husband. He was wonderful at first, really, he was. He had just split from Jared's mother when we started dating and we got married very quickly. He was let go from his job when Emma was starting school, and it was really hard on us financially. His mental health was declining, and he thought drugs and alcohol would make it better. It didn't take long for the physical abuse to start, but once Emma started catching on, I finally kicked him out. I never told her, but Jared knows everything. He was there for it all, and for some reason he's never told her either. Not to my knowledge, anyway."
"I am so sorry, Jillian," I take her hands in mine, hoping to convey my sincerity. "I can't imagine how difficult that was, but I am so proud of you for how you handled it. And thank you for confiding in me, but Em deserves to know too, and she needs to hear it from you."
"I know, I know. I just hoped that I never had a reason to tell her, but I promise I'll tell her soon."
"Okay, thank you. But um, what's going on now?"
"The night of the party, I thought I recognized him when your mom and I got home. I thought for sure I was hallucinating, but I waited until Charlie was asleep and your mom was distracted so I didn't make a scene. He recognized me right away and told me he was looking for Emma, that he just wanted to talk to her. He wouldn't tell me why, he wouldn't explain anything, he just kept repeating over and over again "I want to see my daughter, I want to see my daughter." It was very apparent that he was high, but I didn't want to call the police because like I said, I didn't want to cause a scene. I thought if I just asked him to leave, he wouldn't come back. That was stupid of me-"
"You weren't stupid, you did what you thought was right."
"Thank you. Anyway, I've seen him around the neighborhood since, and whenever he's noticed me as well, he's tried to talk to me. He's grabbed me and hit me a few times, but it's nothing I can't handle."
"But you shouldn't have to handle any of it," I interrupt her again. "Sorry, continue."
"I haven't seen him in a while, but you're right, I shouldn't have to deal with him, and neither should you guys. So, if you see him again, please call the police."
"You don't want to call them now? We have evidence," I suggest, knowing that even if there isn't enough evidence, I could pull some strings.
"No. If he comes back then we have to call them, but I don't want to if we don't have to."
"I guess that's your decision to make... You know, I really admire how protective you are over your family, and how hard you work to keep people safe and happy. From what I've observed, you always put everyone else before yourself, but I think it's about time you put yourself first. I promise we'll get this taken care of one way or another, so please let me take care of it. I don't want you to hurt anymore."
"Thank you. I really appreciate you, Harry. I honestly couldn't ask for a better person love my daughter and grandchildren."
"We'll get through this together."
8 missed calls from Em <3
3 missed calls from Emma Styles
***
Emma's P.O.V.
"You need to leave," I begin taking steps backwards to distance myself. I'm not sure if I should go in the house, but I don't feel safe out here alone.
"Come on, I'm not going to do anything. I just want to talk," he says, but I don't trust him. I'll never be able to trust a word that comes out of his mouth. He's high off his ass anyway, he doesn't know what he's saying.
"No, you need to leave. I'll call the police if you don't," I stay stern.
"That won't be necessary," he walks closer to the fence until he's right up against it, "I just want to catch up. It's been a while, I feel like I don't even know you anymore," he references to the giant house behind me, probably wondering how I turned out so successful despite the shit upbringing I had, no thanks to him.
"You missed out on your chance to make things better a long time ago, so I have no interest in 'catching up' with you."
"Who's the guy I always see around here?" he ignores me.
"He's my husband and he'll be here soon, so for your own sake I suggest leaving right now," I tell him, not even wanting to imagine what Harry would do if he saw David here. Of course, I'll tell him about the situation, but if I can avoid it, I'd rather not clean up bloody knuckles.
I discretely pull my phone out of my pocket and blindly call Harry. He has to be on his way by now, but I don't want him coming home until David is gone.
"My daughter's married and I didn't even know!" he throws his arms in air and shakes his head, clearly getting worked up. "You don't have kids yet do you? You're still young, like 22 or 23?"
Try 26, you dumb piece of shit.
I debate lying to him, but in case he does find out about Charlie, I don't want him even more upset that I lied to him.
"I do, she's almost ten months old," I tell him.
"Wow. I can't believe it," he shakes his fists, "Didn't think to tell me?! It didn't cross your mind that maybe I'd want to know about my granddaughter?!"
"She is not your granddaughter. You lost all rights to being a part of my family and you know it. Now I don't know what you think you're doing here, but whatever it is, it's over. You need to go, right now," I glance at my phone and realize I've been calling my mom instead of Harry. Great, now she's going to worry about why I called her three times.
"I'm sorry, is that what you want to hear?" he yells, "give me a chance, I didn't fuck up that bad."
"You're not sorry, you just want my sympathy. And you're high on who knows what! You probably won't even remember this conversation tomorrow!"
"I'm trying to get better! I just don't have the money to go to rehab." He's lying, but now I know why he's here. He's not trying to get better; he's trying to guilt me into giving him cash but it's not going to work this time.
"David, you need to leave right now or I'm calling the police, I mean it."
"Don't call me that," he shakes his head and starts walking in circles, repeating the line over and over.
He really is a sick man. Sometimes I'd like to think he'd be an okay person without the drugs, and maybe I don't have enough hope in him, but at this point I couldn't care less.
Harry's P.O.V.
"Em's called me ten times," I read from my phone.
"She's called me three," Jillian and I both look up at each other, coming to the same realization.
"Stay here with Charlie. Do not go anywhere," I tell her and quickly pull my keys out of my pocket and sprint out of the house to the car.
I try calling Em on the drive home, but she doesn't answer.
"Damnit, Emma! Answer your phone!" I yell at myself while stopping at the longest fucking red light ever. I probably look insane to the drivers around me.
I don't even know for sure that she's in danger, but why else would she call us so many times? Since I can't get a hold of her, I call Jared to update him on everything.
"Hello?"
"Can you get to Jillian's? Like right now. Or maybe my house, I don't fucking know," Jesus, why am I talking so fast? I feel like I'm running a marathon, I need to calm down.
"Woah, slow down. What's wrong?"
"Jillian's, I was at Jillian's house. She told me David is-is the guy at our house. I think he's there now. I don't know for sure, but I think he is. Em called me like eight times, Jillian too, but I can't get a hold of her now. I don't know what to do."
"Okay, I'm calling the police to go to your house. Just try to relax, okay? If he is there, you can't lash out, you need to act calm—for your sake and for Emma."
"Okay, okay, okay. Thank you. Um, fuck can you go to Jillian's? I just kind of left her and Charlie, but I need to know they're okay-"
"I'll leave in just a second, alright? It's going to be okay. I've gotta hang up so I can call the police though. You'll be okay."
"Thank you, keep me updated."
"I will. Take care of yourself."
Jared ends the call, and I don't even remember the rest of the drive home. I start calming down a little when I enter the neighborhood, but my heart rate picks up again when they come into view.
Thank god Em is on the other side of the fence because as I get closer I see David holding on to the fence, shaking it as hard as his frail body can. It doesn't seem like he's trying to get through, maybe he's just mad? Either way, there's no chance I can open the gate to park at the house because I'm afraid he'll book it. I have to think fast though, I'm wasting too much time and Em needs me.
I slow down and pull up to the curb, but still far enough away that he hasn't noticed the car yet. That is until I shut the car door too loudly, and his head whips around to face me. Even from 20 feet away I can see how dead and cold his eyes are. He has a permanent frown that I haven't seen so clearly before. Usually he doesn't show much emotion, or he's super giddy, but I guess he's been set off and I have no idea what may come next.
"Harry, don't!" Em yells at me when I try walking towards David, who's also taking steps in my direction.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Harry," a creepy grin spreads across his face.
"What's going on here?" I ask and take a few steps back.
"Is your daughter in there?" He walks closer to the car.
"I'm going to have to ask you to step back," I tell him.
"Come on, it's okay. Are you scared of me? I just think she should be given a chance to meet her grandfather, don't you think?" Fucking hell, I feel so stupid for suggesting we contact him about Charlie when we found out Em was pregnant. This guy is a monster—scarier than fucking George.
"She's not in there," I tell him, hoping that will get him to back off. When I look past him, Em is on the phone with someone, probably the police since she doesn't know they've been called already.
"Where is she? I want to meet her, maybe I can be a part of her life," he keeps walking closer.
"I don't think that's a good idea-"
"What can I do? Help me out, man. I have no money," he holds one hand out, his other still stuffed in his pocket. I debate giving him some cash to satisfy him, but then I see Em running in our direction.
"HARRY RUN!" she screams, and I don't know what for, but I fucking run.
Emma's P.O.V.
David is shouting incoherent words and violently shaking the fence when a black Range Rover comes into my peripheral. I don't think David sees until Harry gets out and slams the fucking car door like an idiot, but when David does notice, he's not happy.
I yell at Harry to stop walking closer. He doesn't know what David is capable and neither of us know if he has something on him.
I have trouble hearing their conversation, but at one point David's hands go to his pockets and I know what's coming. I choke though, and I worry that I can't tell Harry in time. As they get closer, I find myself running towards the street, screaming for Harry to run.
"KNIFE! HE HAS A KNIFE!" I think I yell, just as I see the flashing red and blue lights making their way down the street, heading right towards Harry and David.
"WATCH OUT HARRY!" I cry, terrified that he'll get hit by one of the vehicles.
Harry runs in a zig zag around one of the cop cars, causing it to swerve and hit the curb, blocking my sight of the action. Next thing I know, the screeching of breaks fills the streets, and a deep voice yells out in pain.
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A/N: hehehehe
Two chapters left!!!!