Harry looked at the clock on his phone and sighed heavily as he adjusted his dark grey sweater over his black skinny jeans. He was supposed to meet Louis at a small cafe a short ways from the bakery at 7 because Louis had gotten off work after him.
Sophia and Liam had agreed to watch Scarlet and wished him luck talking to the person that shattered his heart nearly nine years ago. He had gone home after work and shower, getting rid of all the flour that might have gotten on him during the day, before pulling on what he was currently wearing. After brushing his hair up off his forehead into the makings of a quiff he bushed his phone into his back pocket and grabbed his keys.
He pulled up to the cafe at 6:50 and saw Louis' new SUV already there. With a deep breath he pushed himself forward, getting out of his car and walking up to the entrance.
Inside the smell of fresh bread and meat filled his senses and he looked around, spotting Louis sitting at one of the booths sipping what appeared to be tea while looking at his cell phone. Harry walked over to the booth and slid in wordlessly earning Louis' attention.
"Hi." Louis greeted quietly putting his phone down immediately.
"Hey." Harry replied giving him a pursed lip smile as the waitress came walking over.
She took his drink order then walked off. Harry didn't even have to glance at the menu to know what he wanted, he had been in here with Scarlet a couple times as well as his mum and the lads.
"So um... how long have you worked at the bakery?" Louis questioned breaking the silence.
"Since it opened so six years." Harry answered accepting the glass of water the waitress held out to him with a quiet thank you.
They ordered their food and were once again left alone.
"I had never been in until my mum brought me some cookies from there. Really glad she did though, they're excellent just like they were..." Louis trailed off as Harry's eyes shifted away from him and the younger lad bit his lip.
"Right. Well. What do you do?" Harry questioned looking back over at Louis.
"I own a record label, London Sound." Louis responded and Harry's eyebrows rose.
"Have anybody good signed?" He asked trying to keep the conversation simple.
"Yeah um a girl band called Little Mix and I just signed a new one called 5 Seconds of Summer." Louis answered smiling proudly.
Harry nearly choked on his water. He recognized the name Little Mix, he had seen their videos online and they were amazing. They were also a multi-million dollar band, selling out all their concerts worldwide. That meant Louis was very successful and undoubtedly rich.
"That's nice." Harry said shifting back so the waitress could set the plate with his turkey BLT down.
"Yeah, it's nice being my own boss." Louis commented picking up a fork to get a bite of his salad.
They ate in silence. Harry occasionally glanced over at Louis to find him staring intently at his salad, seeming to want to say something but not sure how to go about it.
"Why did you want to talk?" Harry finally questioned as he felt himself getting impatient and somewhat annoyed by Louis' silence.
He wanted to talk so he needed to spit out whatever it was he wanted to talk about.
"I um... I wanted to apologize." Louis stammered looking up from his salad. "I'm sorry for ending us the way I did... it was... it was horrible of me."
Harry blinked at him with a tense jaw.
"Yeah well, you apparently found somebody better. I mean clearly you didn't feel the same about me considering I never once laid eyes on another person while you on the other hand had no problem doing it. Couldn't expect you to stick around." Harry replied coldly.
"That's not it..." Louis started but Harry scoffed, cutting him off.
"Really? So I just imagined you saying you found somebody else then actually getting up and leaving with that person, right? I noticed you don't have a ring on your finger. Do tell me Louis, where is your wonderful boyfriend now? I mean, he was just so wonderful I thought for sure you would be all married and happy nearly nine years later." Harry sneered and Louis shrunk back some.
He'd never seen or heard Harry so cold, even the first time he went to the bakery.
"No, no we're not t-together anymore at all. W-We ended five years ago." Louis stuttered in reply trying not to remember anything.
"What, he wasn't good enough for you either?" Harry questioned lowly. "Got bored with him like you did me?"
"No. Harry I never got bored with you, I loved you so much." Louis protested feeling his eyes burn a little as he thought back to the nearly three years he spent with Harry.
Unfortunately with that came the memories of the three years he spent with Chad.
"So much you decided ripping my heart out and breaking it into a million pieces was an excellent way of showing your love." Harry snapped glaring at Louis. "Well thanks for that." he continued as he pulled enough money to cover his meal, slapped it down on the table, then got up and walked out.
Louis scrambled to pay for his meal then dashed after Harry who was about to get into his car.
"Harry! Harry wait!" Louis called running over to him.
"What!?" Harry exclaimed turning around, his features were cold but his eyes were glassy with unshed tears.
"Please, I'm sorry Harry. I'm so sorry for hurting you! I never should have broken up with you. I was in love with you but I was stupid and I didn't even realize what I had until I gave it up. I wanted to go back to you but I couldn't." Louis pleaded looking at the younger lad with wide eyes.
"And why couldn't you?" Harry yelled earning some looks from people walking by.
"I-I-I can't tell you." Louis stuttered, ashamed of his past and not wanting to relive it.
Harry scoffed, "I tried for months - MONTHS Louis - to get a hold of you, begging you to come back but you never answered my calls. You never text me back and at school you never gave me a second glance! You made it clear that you didn't want anything to do with me! Now you say you wanted to come back but you couldn't and you won't even give me a reason!"
"I wanted everything to do with you!" Louis exclaimed throwing his arms out then letting them move as he talked. "I wanted tea in the morning with you even though you drink yours with sugar. I wanted cuddles when it rained and kisses in the dark. I wanted to hold your hand and just be with you! Please believe me, I wanted it all with you! You were my world even though I was with someone else, it was always you! It was always going to be you except now it's always going to be you and Scarlet! I fucked everything up and missed eight years of her life!" he cried out then slapped his hands over his mouth.
Harry's eyes widened in horror. Louis knew.
"How did you find out!?" He hissed stepping towards Louis.
"I-I was watching v-videos on the net and I s-saw one that s-somebody had posted of her and I h-heard you talking and I just k-knew." Louis stumbled over his words as he explained.
Niall. He was going to give his Irish friend a swift kick for this.
"I'm going to ask you one more time..." Harry stated lowly leaning closer to Louis with simmering eyes. "Why couldn't you come back to me?"
"I... I can't say." Louis replied in a choked off voice.
Harry's mouth was set in a thin line as he nodded his head and withdrew.
"Don't expect to ever know her if you can't even answer me." He stated as he opened his car door. "You say you loved me but you didn't come back. You could have told me something - anything - but you never did so I find that hard to believe. I don't want her around liars."
He started climbing into his car ignoring Louis' watery gaze. Louis went to say something but Harry cut him off, pausing as he got into the car.
"Oh.. and by the way... all those times that I called you, text you, and tried to talk to you... I was trying to tell you I was pregnant." and with that Harry dropped into the driver seat of his car and closed the door.
He backed out of the space and drove away leaving Louis crying on the sidewalk while he himself had tears rolling down his cheeks. Of all the bullshit he had heard in his life... hearing Louis tell him that he never stopped loving him had to be the biggest load of it. If he had loved him he would have stayed or at least listened when Harry had desperately tried to talk to him from the time he found out he was pregnant all the way to when he had Scarlet lying on his chest wrapped in a pretty pink blanket with little flowers around the edges not long after giving birth. After that though, he had given up. Louis had made it crystal clear that he didn't want anything to do with him.
Harry pulled up to Liam and Sophia's apartment shortly after eight and found Scarlet sitting on the sofa with Sophia watching Beauty and the Beast.
"Daddy!" Scarlet exclaimed happily, getting up carefully from the sofa and hurrying over to Harry.
"Hi sweetheart." Harry smiled picking her up and hugging her close. "Guess she was no problem for you guys?"
"She never is." Liam answered walking into the room with two cups of tea.
"Seriously Harry, I think you've raised the most well behaved child in the UK." Sophia commented accepting the cup of tea from Liam.
"Yeah, until she really wants something." Harry chuckled swaying back and forth as Scarlet tucked her face into his neck, cuddling into his chest with a small yawn.
"Even then, I've never seen her start screaming about something, unlike other kids. She just pouts at you or glares until you cave or she realizes it's not happening." Liam chuckled.
"Yeah well... guess that's her genetics." Harry shrugged slightly.
"Definitely. I remember him being that way." Liam stated quietly and Harry pursed his lips. "How did it go tonight with him?"
"He knows about her." Harry answered leaning his head against Scarlet's slightly.
"What?" Liam questioned in disbelief.
"Yeah, apparently he saw one of the videos Niall posted... said he heard my voice and just knew." He replied.
"He didn't like threaten to try and take her did he?" Liam asked cautiously, ready to find Louis and beat him to a pulp if he did.
"No. No he didn't but I'm pretty sure he wants to meet her. You know he actually stood there and told me I was his whole world and always would be and that he had wanted to come back to me but he couldn't. I asked him why, twice, and he refused to tell me." Harry responded shifting Scarlet in his arms a little.
"Are you going to let him meet her?" Sophia questioned sipping on her tea.
"Not unless he tells me why he couldn't come back to me. I want to know that he actually meant it." Harry said as Scarlet pressed into his neck even more in her sleep.
"That's understandable Haz. I would probably do the same thing. I would want to know that he wasn't lying before letting him around her." Liam nodded his head in understanding.
"Yeah, I don't want her around liars. I know I can't always prevent that but I can dang sure try. I just want what's best for her. Besides, she told me before she didn't like him - said he made me cry so she didn't like him." Harry chuckled rubbing Scarlet's back gently.
Liam and Sophia chuckled as they stared fondly at the father and daughter.
"I'm sure everything will work out. Just ya know, keep an open mind when it comes to Louis right now. See if he really means what he's saying and that he doesn't quit trying. If he does mean it... you know as well as I do that Scarlet deserves to know him." Liam said giving Harry a pointed look.
"Yeah, I know." Harry sighed not the biggest fan of actually letting Louis meet Scarlet, but he knew it was the right thing to do if Louis meant everything he said. "Well, I better get her home, she's a dead weight right now."
"Alright, call us if you need anything." Liam said as Harry walked to the door, following behind him.
"Bye Haz!" Sophia called out.
"Later mate." Liam stated opening the door for Harry to leave.
"Bye Li, bye Soph." Harry responded then walked out to his car.
He placed Scarlet in the backseat and buckled her up before climbing into the driver seat and heading to their flat. At home, he carried her inside, shaking her awake gently so she could go shower and get ready for bed.
With Scarlet tucked into her twin bed, her white teddy bear held tight in her arms, Harry kissed her forehead and they exchanged their nightly 'I love you's before he headed back to the living room. He made himself a cup of tea then sat down on the sofa just as it began to rain outside. It reminded him a lot of the day Louis broke up with him.
_*Flashback*_
_Louis dropped him off at his house like he did every day after college let out. Harry turned in his seat and leaned over the centre console just as Louis did the same. Louis' hand cupped his jaw gently as he pressed their lips together._
_"I'll talk to you later Haz." Louis promised as he withdrew and stroked his fingers over Harry's cheeks._
_"Okay, I love you." Harry smiled leaning into the touch._
_"I love you too baby, always." Louis replied leaning in for one more sweet kiss before Harry climbed out of the SUV._
_Harry glanced over his shoulder as he walked up to his house, watching Louis' Range Rover drive away. Taking a deep breath he unlocked the front door and stepped into the house. Nobody was home at the moment, but he knew that would change soon so it was now or never._
_He hurried up to the hall bathroom and sat his bag on the counter. He searched through it until he found the small brown paper bag at the bottom. Dropping the his bag onto the floor he opened the brown bag and pulled out the box._
_He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he opened the box and pulled out the small stick, never in a million years did he think he'd be taking a pregnancy test._
_He took the test then sat the stick on the edge of the bathtub. After looking at his phone to check the time he sat it down on the counter top and began tapping his fingers against the top nervously. Honestly, he doesn't know why he's taking the test... he already knows. It's just confirmation he supposes._
_Looking down at his phone again he sees it's been the proper amount of time. He walked over to the tub and looked down and it's confirmed._
_Pregnant._
_It's almost immediate that he collapses on the ground - sobbing. He doesn't know what to do. He knows he's going to have to tell Louis but he can't convince himself to get his phone and ask Louis to come back to the house. He never meant for this to happen; he hadn't even known it could happen until more cases of male pregnancy began popping up in the news, but it was still very rare. Of course, it's just his luck he'd be one of the few that could get pregnant._
_He doesn't want this to be the end of him and Louis. He's already given the older lad nearly three years of his life and he's so completely in love with him and he knows Louis' it, he's the one. Harry knows Louis loves him too, he's been saying it for two and a half years now._
_But he's terrified. He's afraid this will be too much for Louis and Louis will dump him. The thought only makes him cry harder, completely missing the sound of the garage opening and his mum hurrying down the hall to the bathroom where he is._
_"Harry!?" Anne questioned in an anxious voice. "Harry are you okay sweetheart!? Let me in!"_
_Reaching up he unlocked the door then moved back against the tub. Anne opened the door and gasped at the sight of her son; face tear stained and eyes puffy and wet._
_"What's wrong!? What happened!?" She questioned desperately._
_He pointed weakly over at the edge of the tub where the test still sat. Anne looked at the test._
_"Oh sweetie..." She cooed softly dropping down to pull him into a tight hug._
_"I'm sorry. I'm sorry... we should've used protection, I'm sorry mum." Harry cried into her shoulder and Anne held him tighter._
_"It's okay love, I'm not mad at you. Everything will be okay." Anne soothed him quietly. "Have you told Louis?"_
_Harry shook his head 'no'._
_"You need to tell him love, I'm sure he'll be thrilled... he's always talked about having kids." Anne said kissing his forehead. "The sooner the better, Harry. Don't put it off too long."_
_So the very next day Harry asked Louis to meet him at their cafe. It was the place Louis had taken Harry to on their first date, where they shared their first kiss, and where they said I love you for the first time. It was their spot._
_Normally it's sunny this time of year, but today it's raining. He should have taken it as a sign._
_Harry sat in the booth they always sat in by the window and ran his fingers around the edge of his cup of tea. Soon Louis slid into the booth. It was odd, normally Louis would greet him with a hug and a kiss but today he just sat down in the booth._
_"So um I need to tell you something..." Harry started as Louis looked down at his phone when it buzzed with a new text message._
_"Oh, me too. I've been debating about it like all night and I want to break up." Louis responded setting his phone back down._
_Harry felt the world crumble from underneath his feet._
_"W-What?" He stuttered feeling his eyes burn._
_"Yeah... it's just... I met this guy a few weeks ago and he's really amazing. We've been hanging out a bit and have gotten really close. I know we've been dating for a long time but honestly who stays with their high school sweetheart I mean, we had a really good run but Chad just... he's just something else." Louis had rambled while Harry was fighting back tears._
_"I've actually got to get going, Chad's waiting outside, we were heading to a movie." Harry heard Louis saying. "Oh, was there something you wanted to tell me?" He questioned as he stood up from the table._
_Harry looked up at him with watery eyes. He could still tell him... but what's the point if Louis' fallen for someone else..._
_"N-No." Harry choked out._
_"Okay, well I'll see you around, bye." Louis responded then walked away._
_Harry watched with blurry vision as Louis walked out of the cafe and over to a silver Range Rover. He climbed inside and Harry could see a dark haired lad sitting in the driver seat. He watched as the man leaned over the seat and pressed a kiss to Louis' temple._
_Harry couldn't hold back any longer. Tears fell from his eyes like a waterfall in Hawaii after the rain. As soon as the SUV was gone Harry pulled out his phone and sent a text to Niall asking him to come get him._
_Niall arrived ten minutes later and tucked Harry under his arm even though he was taller and led him out to his SUV. He didn't say a word as he drove to the Styles' house, he knew just looking at Harry the curly haired lad wouldn't be able to get anything out._
_When they pulled up to the house Niall led Harry up to the door and grabbed Harry's keys from his pocket to open it._
_"Anne?" Niall called out as Harry pressed himself into Niall's side, still sobbing._
_"Living room!" Anne called out in reply._
_Niall took Harry to the living room and Anne was on her feet in an instant._
_"Harry!" She gasped taking her broken son into her arms. "What happened? What's wrong?"_
_Harry just shook his head and buried his face into her, choking on his sobs._
_"Love, I need you to try and calm down, you need to tell me what happened." Anne encouraged as she sat them down on the sofa while Niall sat in the rocking chair with a worried expression._
_"B-Broke up w-with m-me." Harry choked out._
_"What!?" Anne exclaimed quietly in disbelief. "You told him and he ended it?"_
_"D-Didn't get t-the c-chance to. H-He ended it b-before I c-could." Harry responded._
_"Oh sweetheart..." Anne cooed holding him tight._
_"I'm sorry... what was Harry going to tell Louis?" Niall questioned in confusion looking at Anne._
_"He's pregnant." Anne answered with pursed lips._
_"Oh gosh... Haz... why didn't you tell me?" Niall responded moving over to sit next to Harry and rub his back. "I'm here for you mate, if you need me just tell me and I'll be there."_
_*End Flashback*_
Harry didn't even realize he was crying until a warm drop of water landed on his hand. It just wasn't fair. He had given everything he had to give to Louis for two years and eleven months. They had spent so many nights snuggled together in one of their beds, whispering to each other... telling each other I love you and even making plans for the future because they always said they were forever. So many nights they had fallen into bed, Louis pressing Harry gently into the mattress as he made love to him - because that's what Louis always called it and Harry always believed him.
Then it was like those nights never happened. It was like Louis never meant it when he would whisper that Harry was his forever, that he couldn't imagine ever loving someone else. He had just left Harry in their booth, in their cafe with tear filled eyes that he didn't seem to notice. That was not love but of course now Louis is claiming he never stopped loving Harry, that it's always been Harry and it always will be. But he never came back.
He'd waited so long for Louis to come back. He waited months and months for the blue eyed lad to come back and tell him he loved him and that he was sorry. For weeks he thought it was just a bad dream and that he'd wake up from it, but he never did. But it's been nearly nine years since the break up and if Louis was only with Chad for three why didn't he try to come back the other six?
*~*
Louis, unbeknownst to him, sat in a similar position as Harry, on the sofa with a cup of tea in his hands and quiet tears slipping down his cheeks. He was pretty sure he'd officially lost the love of his life today. But he's got nobody to blame but himself.
He left.
He was stupid.
And now he's paying the price for it.
He's got a daughter that he doesn't know anything about hardly. He doesn't know her favourite colour, favourite movie, or favourite princess. He doesn't know how she sounds when she laughs or how she looks when she's asleep. And she doesn't know him. And it's his fault. If he had just let Harry speak first... there's absolutely no doubt in his mind that he would've told Chad to leave that day. He would have stayed.
But he didn't do that.
And now he knows Harry works at the bakery and he knows he's just as gorgeous as he had been the last time he saw him nearly nine years ago. He knows Harry hates him, despite what Anne says, which kills him inside but he's got no one to thank but himself. If he had just let Harry speak first that day he would've cuddled him close and told him everything was going to be okay, that they would be okay. And without a doubt he would've put a ring on Harry's finger as soon as Scarlet had been born or he finished college.
But he didn't do that.
And this is where his stupidity has gotten him. He's alone in a flat that's too big for him with no one to spend his money on but himself and his mum and his sisters. He sleeps alone every night in a bed that's too big and he eats alone unless Zayn comes over or his family, but that's rare because they have lives.
He's never regretted anything more in life than leaving Harry. Now, he just wants a chance to make it right. He can't take back what he did but he can try and make up for it. He'd give anything just for a chance and he's not going to give up. The thing is, he doesn't want to talk about Chad or anything related to Chad with Harry (or with anybody for that matter) because he's ashamed and it's just not something he wants to relive because it's taken him forever to get his life back on track and he hates remembering.
But, if he ever wants to meet Scarlet and get Harry back... what choice does he have?