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Harry
We only stayed in London for a night after the one night only concert. Right now, I am driving to Manchester. I am stressed because it is the first time that I'll stay at one of my partner's parents' house. I get to meet her mother and it is, also, the first time I am this stressed. I want this woman to like me because I'm going to marry her daughter. It is important to me that her mother has a good opinion about me. I want her to see me as Harry, as H, and not as the celebrity Harry Styles or her daughter's boss, who is dating her and it is inappropriate.
My mother loved Iris. She called me after the first meeting and she told me how much she liked my girlfriend and she told me that she could see how much we love each other. Two days after that phone call, she came to my house when Iris and Emma were at a walk around the city, which obviously I couldn't go. My mother and I discussed about my relationship with Iris. I told her my intentions of marrying that woman. She was so happy and she told me to do it in the next few months.
The truth is, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that the woman I love so much, will say No. And I can't lose her. I can't lose her and I can't lose Emma. They both mean so much to me. My mother loved Emma as well. She asked me if I see Emma as my daughter. It was the first time that I answered yes straightaway, without thinking too much beforehand. She teared up a little but she reserved when the door opened and Emma and Iris came back home.
"Harry, sing." Emma demands and I stop thinking of how the future will be. A Taylor Swift song is playing on the radio. Emma doesn't know the words but she is shaking to the rhythm.
I chuckle and I look at her for one second through the rare view mirror. "Little honey, you don't know the words but you demand me to sing it, that's not right." And Iris laughs.
"I like your voice." Emma admits and her words warm my heart.
"Thank you, little honey but I don't know the words too." I tell her and she tells me that I had to know them. She continues to dance a little and Iris tells her that in a few minutes we are going to be at Nanna Sophie's home. Emma begins to talk about her grandmother and she is telling me that Nanna Sophie is the best and she loves her so much. They play together, they dance and they eat the best things. Her last words are going to be in my mind forever and I'm going to text them to my mother "Annie reminds me of her."
Iris looks at me and she smiles. She puts her hand on top of mine in the steering wheel and she hold my hand tight so I can understand that she wants her daughter to think of my mother as her grandma.
"Okay, turn right and we are home." She tells me and I do as she says.
"I'm a little anxious." I admit whispering. She looks at me.
"You don't have to be. She's a great woman. She already likes you. Now, let's park the car here real quick so we can carry the things to the house." She tells me and I nod. Her mother already likes me.
I am the first to walk out of the car and I open Iris's door and then Emma's. While I help my best friend to get free of her seat belt the door of the house in front of us opens and a woman with black hair on the length of her shoulder comes out.
"Ton, Flor, They are here." She yells and I'm sure that the whole neighborhood knows that we are here.
"Mum, don't scream. We don't want anyone to know." Iris tells her as she hugs her. They look alike a lot. They are both brunettes and they have the same face shape.
"Oh my God, Emma Louise. You are such a big girl. Come give Nanna a hug." Emma runs to her grandmother and I hear her telling her how much she has missed her. Emma radiates love, she loves everyone and I wish we can protect that. She is so precious.
"And you must be Harry." She tells me and I smile. "I'm Sophie." She continues and I try to give her my hand for a handshake. But she had other plans. She gives me a hug and with that gesture she takes all of my anxiety away.
"I'm so happy to meet you Mrs Williams." I try to be as polite as possible.
"Don't call me that, I'm just Sophie. Now let me help you with your things. Tonya, darling, come here to help us." She tells her daughter once again and Tonya comes out. She gives a hug to both Iris and Emma, and tells Emma to go find her other aunt. Then, she comes to my side and she gives me a hug too.
"I missed you too, Harry, not only your girls. Welcome to our humble home." Tonya says and Iris shakes her head.
"I missed you too, Ton. Thank you again for the invitation to your wedding."
She laughs. "I wouldn't forgive myself if you weren't invited. You mean so much to two of my favorite people so I want you there." She tells me once again.
We all walk inside, each one of us carry something on our hands. Emma is sitting on the couch with Florence and they are talking about my concert. Emma tells her that she has met my sister and my mother and tells her that Gemma has longer hair than even Florence. When they see us, Florence stands up and hugs both Iris and I. In this house, I feel loved and appreciated.
We carry our things to Iris' childhood bedroom. The room is lavender and now I see that Emma got this obsession with this color from her mother. There are a lot of awards on the wall as well as her degree from the university. She has a few photos still on one shelf and I walk there to look at them. Childhood photos, school pictures and even a picture of Alex Turner.
"Your obsession with Alex Turner is showing, baby honey." I look at her while se unfolds some of the clothes. She is already unpacking her things.
She looks at me and I see her blush. "Stop making fun of me. I've told you that I love this man."
"Should we go to an Arctic Monkeys concert then?" I ask her as I sit on her bed.
"We should. Now, help me unpack. We have to do the same thing on Emma's room as well."
"Emma has a room here?" I ask her curiously.
She nods. "My mother wanted to change the guest room when my father died. So she made it into a room for Emma."
"It's a lovely house." I compliment her mother's place. It's really big and it has a big backyard as well.
"It really is. Now, cut the chit-chat and help me."
"I like when you are being like that." I tell her and try to kiss her.
"None of that. I'm tired and I want to eat and then sleep. Oh, and also none of that sexual innuendo in this home."
I laugh and I don't answer. On the other hand, I begin to help her with our clothes. She gives me instructions of how she organises the wardrobe. Then we move to Emma's room. It is painted white, with the wall besides her bed being painted the color lavender. It has a lot of things that Emma can keep herself occupied and I smile at the thought of her sitting on this big desk and coloring the princess book I'm looking at. I'm quick to help Iris unpack Emma's stuff too. Then, we go downstairs where Emma and Tonya tell Sophie everything she has to know about the performance Emma had a few days ago.
"What are we having for dinner?" Iris asks, making her mother laugh.
"You always act like a little girl when you are here darling. Food isn't ready yet. I have to go get some things from the market. And I want you and your sister to come help me." She says and then looks to both of her daughters. They sigh but they do as their mother says.
"Florence is working. Can you keep Emma on her room so she doesn't distract her too much?" Iris asks me, kissing my cheek.
"You didn't have to ask. Come one, little honey. We are going to your room." I hold out my hand and Emma grabs it. "I was thinking of drawing." I tell her my idea as we walk up the stairs. She nods trying not to talk much, so Florence can work. She is such an angel.
We sit together on the floor of the bedroom and each one of us has a paper in front of us. There are a lot of colors, in all the shades in front of us too.
We don't talk much, he just draw. I am drawing a house and a lot of trees. It's the only thing I can do. "What are you drawing, Em?"
"A house." she tells me. "And inside it's me, mumma, you and Oliver."
"I'm drawing a house too." I tell her excitedly and she looks over at my painting.
She giggles. "You aren't a good painter, Harry."
I laugh and I nod. "I know, I can't paint anything."
She looks over me and then to my hands. I am watching closely so I can understand why she looks at me that way. She is thinking something but for some unknown reason, she is very stressed and doesn't ask me the thing she wants.
"What are you thinking, little honey?"
"Can I draw your tattoos?" She asks me eventually and I smile even wider. I've been waiting for this moment since the day she asked me about the drawings I have on my body.
"Of course you can. You can sit on my legs, if you want." She does as I say and she places her fingers in my arm. "Where do you want to start?"
"The mermaid and then the rose." She tells me and I nod. She takes the colors she wants to use and she begins to color the mermaid in my hand.
She is so dedicated in her art that she doesn't even talk. She tries to make it look as good as possible and she sticks her tongue between her lips in order to concentrate better. She is adorable.
"Why do you have so many of these?" She asks me when she starts to color the rose.
"I don't know. I liked them and I wanted them to be on my body forever."
"Can I get one when I grow up?" She asks me and I smile.
"You can, when you turn 18 we will go and get one together."
"That a lot of years." She sounds sad and I laugh.
"It is. I was 18 when I had my first tattoo."
"How old are you, Harry?" She asks me and I smile.
"I'm 28."
She stops coloring and she looks at me shocked. "You are old."
I laugh out loud. "Thank you, Ems. It's not that old."
"Oh it is. Have you ever seen a..?"
"What is going on in here?" Iris opens the door smiling at the two of us. She looks a little shocked when she sees her daughter drawing my body.
"I'm colouring Harry's drawings." she tells her mother and begins to color the heart I have on my arm.
"Oh, he let you do that, didn't he?" She asks as she sits on the floor next to me.
"He did. He said that we are going to get one together when I'm old. Mumma, did you know that Harry is ancient?" She asks Iris and we can't help but laugh at her statement.
"I'm Harry's age darling." Her mother informs her and Emma stops once again.
"Wow, you are ancient too." Emma answers and goes back to her art.
"Auntie Tonya is older than us. I haven't heard you call her ancient."
She looks at her but she decides to not answer. By the time Emma finishes my arm is a colorful mess. I love it. I'll make sure Iris will snap a few photos so I will remember it forever.
The door opens as soon as Emma tells us that she has finished. Tonya enters the room without knocking, telling us that dinner is ready. When she sees my arm, she starts laughing but her laughter cut short when Emma decides to speak.
"Auntie Tonya, Mumma and Harry said that you are ancient." She tells her and Tonya's mouth drops.
"What?"
"You are very older." Emma makes a grammatical error that only adds to her cuteness.
"Who said that darling?"
Emma points at her mother and then me.
"You little monkey." Iris tells her daughter, who begins to laugh at her.
My life seems complete right now. I want to spend all of my days like that. I want to move in with Iris, I want to start a family with her and I want to be a father figure to Emma. I have to plan at least one of those things.
....
It's been a few days since we came to Manchester and I'm feeling so normal. Everyone here is treating me like I'm just Harry and not a celebrity. There are a few looks from the people on the street but no picture of me has made it to Twitter yet.
Emma is happier than she was when we were in America. She told me yesterday that a lot of people have her accent and that made me a bit sad to be honest. It's the only place she feels included and it shouldn't be that way.
Right now, Emma, Iris and I are on a walk. We decided that it is the best time of the day to walk around the neighborhood. It's so hot all day but at that time of the day, the temperature is perfect. Emma loves Manchester. She looks at every corner with so much excitement.
"Iris?" We stop walking when we hear the man's voice. Iris becomes pale and I know that this voice belongs to someone I wish I've never met.
"Robert, hello." My girlfriend puts on a fake smile and she gives a hug to the unknown man. He was unknown but when I heard his name I knew instantly who he was. He is Emma's father.
"How are you? I haven't seen you since 2020 I think." If I could help it, you wouldn't see her ever again.
"Yes, I live in Los Angeles now."
"Oh, it was always your dream. This is my wife, Alice and our son Peter." He points to the blonde woman and the blonde little boy. The boy looks like Emma a lot but he doesn't have the cuteness Emma has.
I look at Iris, who is even more paler that before. I decide to take the matter into my own hands." Hi, I'm Harry. Iris' fiancé." I tell them a little white lie. I watch his face drop at my statement but he is such a good liar. He smiles affectedly again and she looks at Emma.
"So, you are Emma." Robert says and I feel anxious about what his next sentence might be.
"Hello." Emma tells and she hides behind my legs. She can feel the tension.
"I'm a big fan of yours, Harry." His wife tells me and I smile genuinely. "Congrats on the new album, as well."
"Thank you Alice. I appreciate it. Now if you don't mind, I think that it is time for dinner. Little honey, you are hungry, aren't you?"
Emma nods and then she tells us that she wants to go home.
"Little honey has spoken, so we must leave you. Have a great night." Iris tells and Robert just looks at us.
"Goodnight. But first, Iris. Can I talk to you for a second?" Robert tells and Iris looks over at me before she nods.
I crouch down to take Emma into my arms because I want a hug right now and she whispers to my ear. "I don't like him."
I nod as she put her head in my shoulder. "Neither do I, little honey."
..
Iris
"What do you want?" I ask him without minding that my daughter or his son might hear us.
"You are engaged."
"So what? You are married. You only care because he is rich and famous, Rob." I tell him whispering.
I watch at Harry who talks to Emma. He doesn't even look at Alice and her little boy.
"I care about you though, and even my daughter."
"Stop that bad performance, right now. You aren't her father. Emma doesn't have a father." I remind him. "You left us before you even get a chance to get to know that precious little girl. So please, do not refer as she is yours. She's only mine."
He looks at me and I know that he understands me. "I know. I'm sorry about this reaction. It was unexplainable. But, you were a part of me once and I just don't want you to get hurt. I still care about you, I have you in my prayers."
"If you care about me, please don't contact me again. I can't do all of that." I tell him and he looks at me once again.
"I won't I promise. I still think about you from time to time and who strong you are. I was such a coward." He stops for a moment and then he comments something that I wish he didn't. "Emma looks lovely." He admits and looks at my daughter once again.
"She does, yes. She has the most precious soul."
"She got it from you." He compliments me again.
"Thank you, your boy looks lovely as well."
His eyes shine. "He is. I'm so sorry that I couldn't be a father to Emma. I was a coward and I wanted to be independent. I missed the opportunity to be a father figure to her." He says eventually. He is exactly how I left him, a good boy but a bad boyfriend for me.
I look at him without completely understanding what he is on about. "What?" I ask him.
He looks over at Emma and Harry." I can see that the two of them are close, Iris. They love each other so much and I can tell that he is her father."
I nod. I can see that too. "He really is."
"I'm sorry once again. I didn't want to hurt you that much. I hope you and your family have a great day." He hugs me and I hug him back.
"Thank you, you too."
We both walk towards our families and I grab Harry's hand. "It was nice seeing you. Goodnight Alice, goodnight Peter." I tell them. When I receive a reply, we start walking towards my childhood home.
"Is everything okay?" Harry asks me. He has Emma on his lap. She has fallen asleep.
"I got the closure I needed." I whisper and he holds my hand a little tighter.
.....
HELLO HELLO
THANK YOU SO MUCH OF READING THIS CHAPTER. AREN'T THEY THE CUTEST?
Next update on Monday, maybe