It was two months before the wedding and even though they had just about everything planned out, they still felt as though they were running out of time. Of course things don't always work out the way you planned and changes have to be made.
With Anne helping out planning the wedding whenever she could, Harry decided it was best to get another bakery to make their cake. Of course Louis had one to recommend that was one of the top bakeries in the United Kingdom and their prices reflected that. The owner had been thrilled when Harry and Louis had walked into the bakery, telling them she had had her fingers crossed that they would come to her for their cake ever since Louis announced they were engaged.
"We've already planned out some samples for you if you'd like to sit down." Bethany, the owner, smiled as she gestured to the small table with three chairs, two on one side and one on the other.
"Sure." Louis responded, pulling out Harry's chair for him.
Bethany hurried off and a few minutes later returned with one of her workers who was carrying a tray of cake samples.
"Okay so the first cake we have is a classic white cake with a touch of almond with a buttercream frosting." Bethany explained as the worker handed Louis and Harry forks to use.
The cake is delicious and traditional. The actual cake is moist and fresh while the icing is creamy and rich.
"The next one is our rich dark chocolate cake and it can be done with any of our frosting's but I've gone ahead with the white vanilla cream since it's a wedding." Bethany smiled, moving the slice towards them.
Harry typically loves chocolate but the chocolate really is rich just as Bethany stated and immediately he just can't see having a dark cake for an event that's supposed to be light and happy. While Bethany isn't looking Harry shook his head at Louis and Louis agreed, it's just not the right one.
"So this is our light and tangy lemon cake with our buttercream frosting." Bethany handed them the next slice.
Louis tried and failed not to make a face as he took a bite.
"You don't like it?" Bethany chuckled lightly.
"Um, no sorry, bit to tangy for me I'm afraid." Louis replied, reaching out to take a sip of the wine the worker had given them.
The last one they try is a strawberry swirl cake and it's simply scrumptious. However at the end of it all they go with the classic.
"Do you think you know which one you would like?" Bethany questioned after all the cake was cleared away.
"Yeah, I think we're gonna go with the classic white with a touch of almond." Louis answered, looking over at Harry for confirmation and received it by way of a nod and smile.
"Excellent!" Bethany smiled. "When will you need it?"
"November sixth. The reception begins at seven PM." Louis responded, reaching out for Harry's hand and giving it a squeeze.
"Alright, I just need you to fill out this card for me and there's also a down payment." Bethany explained as she handed Harry the card.
He set to work on the card while Louis went up and paid the down payment. Once they were all back at the table they discussed the design of the cake and whether or not they'd like to put anything on it. In the end they decide on a very simple, elegant design along with a very soft blue running around each tier of the cake.
"How about lunch?" Louis suggested as they left the bakery hand in hand.
"Sounds good." Harry nodded.
The next thing on their list of things to do is their suits. Yet again they find themselves in an upscale shop in London that Louis knows and recommends to anyone that can afford it.
"Hello Mr. Tomlinson." Antonio greeted as they walked in.
"Hello Antonio." Louis smiled reaching out to shake the man's hand. "This is my fiancé, Harry Styles."
"Mr. Styles, pleasure to meet you." Antonio greeted him the same as they shook hands as well. "What can I do for you today?"
"We're in need of tuxedos for our wedding." Louis responded.
"I see and when is the wedding?" Antonio questioned, motioning for them to follow him.
"November sixth." Harry answered as the older man pulled out a piece of paper, a pencil, and measuring tape.
Antonio nodded as he wrote down Louis and Harry's information on the card.
"How many groomsmen will there be?" Antonio asked after a brief silence.
"One each." Louis replied, snaking an arm around Harry's waist and rubbing his hip when Harry leaned into him.
"And when will they be in for fittings?"
"Tomorrow." Harry stated, having already informed Niall and Zayn of their appointment.
"Alright then, let's get you two into some suits." Antonio said, standing up and gesturing for them to follow him over to the tuxedos all set up on mannequins.
They both select a rather classic looking suit and Antonio writes down the information from the tag before he takes their measurements. Louis settled the down payment on the suits and then they headed over to pick up Scarlet from school and Skylar from Jay's.
As soon as Skylar saw Louis walk into the living room her face lit up and she held out her arms.
"Papa!" She said happily.
Louis smiled and went over to pick her up. Hoisting her into his arms and cuddling her close.
"Hello little bunny." He cooed at her, tickling her tummy. "How's my baby?"
Skylar giggled and pushed his hand away. She had started talking a couple of week ago. They had all been sitting in the living room watching a cartoon and too their disappointment, only slightly, she opened her mouth and pointed at Sugar and then Scooby on screen.
"Dog!" She had exclaimed, crawling over to Sugar and sat back on her tiny bum. "Dog!" she repeated as she placed a small hand on Sugar's back.
"Lou..." Harry had whimpered, sniffling. "She just said her first word... and I didn't get it on camera."
Louis chuckled and kissed his temple before getting up.
"That's right baby! She is a dog and so is Scooby Doo!" Louis spoke excitedly. "Such a big girl now!"
Harry had come over and praised her too before setting her back down next to the dog. It's a thing with Skylar. She loves leaning up against Sugar and patting the dogs soft white fur. Sugar doesn't seem to mind it, she typically falls asleep so Harry lets them be.
Once they get home, Harry heads off to the kitchen to fix dinner while Scarlet went upstairs to shower and Louis went to the living room with Skylar to do some work he needed to get done.
Harry had been extremely grateful to Jay since they had gotten back from Spain. She had come over just like she had promised and explained to Scarlet everything she needed to know in order to deal with her special time of month. Jay had simply chuckled when Harry answered the door and gave her a relieved smile.
Now, two months later it wasn't an issue. They kept the bathroom stocked with what she needed and let her be when it started and she took to the couch to lay down and watch cartoons if she wasn't in school.
"What should we do for Skylar's birthday?" Louis questioned, walking into the kitchen a while later with Skylar crawling after him and then pulling herself up using his pants leg.
She had been trying to walk as of a few days ago but it always resulted in her falling on her bum.
"I don't know. I guess just have our families over." Harry shrugged, not really sure what do.
"What about a smash cake? Didn't you do that for Scarlet?" Louis asked, bending down to pick up Skylar when she gave his pants a rather hard yank and called out a frustrated 'papa'.
"Oh yeah! I did, we should definitely do that." Harry agreed immediately, remembering how adorable it had been to watch Scarlet do the smash cake.
"Maybe we can do some family pictures too, before she does the cake." Louis suggested, pressing his nose against Skylar's cheek and cooing at her as she slapped his face lightly. "My precious baby, you are growing up too fast."
"You know what Uncle Niall said would freak you out?" Scarlet walked into the kitchen with her hair wrapped in a towel.
"What?" Harry questioned turning to look at her.
"In a year and like five months I'll be a teenager." Scarlet smiled, going over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
"Don't even say that word to me." Louis whined earning a snort from his older daughter and a giggle from his younger one.
"TEENAGERRRR." Scarlet exclaimed in a sing-song voice.
"Stop." Louis pouted childishly, moving over to get an arm around her shoulders and pull her in to kiss her forehead. "You're not allowed to become a teenager, I forbid it."
"But I want to drive!" Scarlet exclaimed, backing away from him. "Daddy says you can drive when you get older and I want to drive."
"Well... well daddy lied." Louis tossed out and Harry's jaw dropped.
Scarlet quirked her eyebrow and scoffed, "Daddy doesn't lie."
And it's true pretty much. Harry never really got the point in lying, you always get found out in the end and you always have to cover one lie with another lie. He's not perfect, he's lied to Scarlet before but it had beat explaining the noises she had heard coming from her parents' bedroom. Other than that though, he doesn't lie to her. He figures if he sets the example she'll follow because that's how she was when she was little, always wanting to be like her daddy.
"It doesn't matter what daddy says, I say you're not allowed to grow up." Louis sighed dramatically, "I'll take you away to Neverland and we'll never grow up!"
"Dad.." Scarlet laughed, "Neverland doesn't exist."
"Well." Louis gasped, placing a hand over his heart in mock horror. "I have nothing more to say to you."
And with that he marched out of the kitchen, still holding Skylar on his hip. Scarlet looked over at Harry who was barely containing the laughter bubbling inside of him.
"Was he always like this?" Scarlet questioned with both eyebrows arched.
"Yes. He's always been dramatic." Harry nodded and went back to making dinner. "Should have been an actor or drama teacher."
"Papa always says you should have been a singer." Scarlet commented, earning Harry's attention, "Why didn't you become a singer?"
"Wasn't my calling." Harry answered shrugging his shoulders some.
"What's that mean?" She inquired, tilting her head.
"It means that that wasn't what I was supposed to do. Like your calling is apparently football and your dad's was owning his record label. Mine was taking care of you and now you and your sister." Harry explained as he spooned some potatoes, roast, and carrots onto plates.
"Oh. So I guess dad's doing what he's supposed to be doing then?" She confirmed.
"Yes." Harry nodded with a smile. "Now go get your dramatic father and tell him dinner is ready."
Scarlet smiled and hurried off to get Louis who was just coming downstairs from putting Skylar in a clean diaper.
-*-
On the day of Skylar's birthday Harry and Louis kept Scarlet out of school and headed over to a photography studios to have family pictures done as well as do Skylar's smash cake. Later on, their families would come over to the house for a small party to celebrate her turning one.
"Hello!" The lady sitting at the receptionist desk in the photography studio greeted them. "Are you the Tomlinson's?"
"We are." Louis responded, going up to the desk.
"He's just about ready for you guys so you can go ahead back." The woman gestured to a door on the right.
"Thanks." Louis replied, taking Harry's hand and leading him over along with Skylar and Scarlet.
The door they grow through opens up into a large room with lights and photography equipment scattered about.
"Ah Louis Tomlinson!" A man appeared from the other side of the room.
"Johnathan Carter!" Louis greeted, reaching out to shake the man's hand. "This is my family. Harry, my fiancé. Scarlet, our oldest, and Skylar, our youngest."
"Pleasure to meet you!" Johnathan smiled at them. "I'm ready to get started whenever you are."
"Awesome, we'd like to do the smash cake last of course." Louis responded and they followed Johnathan over to a station done in white.
Scarlet brushed down her ivory lace skater style dress with sleeves that came to her elbows. She adjusted the matching colour headband placed in hair curly brown hair and then moved to follow posing instructions.
The first pose Johnathan put them in was with Harry sitting on the ground, one leg propped up and the other tucked under it with Louis squatting partly behind him, Skylar in his lap, and Scarlet sitting beside him with her legs tucked back and in front of Louis.
"Perfect!" Johnathan exclaimed as he took the picture.
He moved them around numerous times, snapping pictures even when they weren't posed claiming they would be perfect pictures as well.
"Alright, so you have the smash cake?" Johnathan finally questioned a while later.
"We do." Harry smiled, getting up to retrieve the box he had placed on the table in the room when they arrived. "Could you take some pictures of just her before we change her? I know we did pictures of just her and Scarlet but I'd like some of them individually if that's okay?"
"Of course!" Johnathan answered, picking up his camera. "I have a few spots set up for baby pictures over here, see if any of them tickle your fancy."
He snapped a number of pictures of Skylar in her little green capri pants with pink accents and white tank top with the same green colour all over as well as the pink accents. Once he was done, Harry took her and changed her into a pretty baby blue dress and put a pretty flower headband on her head. Louis placed the smash cake down where Johnathan told him to.
Harry placed Scarlet down in behind the cake and Johnathan began snapping pictures when the little girl smiled up at her parents who were making funny faces. Once her attention went to the cake, she tentatively reached out and touched it. Withdrawing her finger she brought it to her lips and sucked, smacking as she tasted the frosting.
The cake was one Anne had made, done with pink and white frosting with "1ST BIRTHDAY" written on the top.
It doesn't take too long before Skylar is reaching out again, this time grabbing a handful of the cake. When she gets it to her mouth it smears over her face and some drops onto her dress. Once the cake was basically destroyed Skylar was still on the floor madly giggling with cake all over her face and tiny hands while the rest looked at her with bright faces. She stopped and looked at Harry, furrowing her brow and sticking the tip of her tiny tongue out before she slowly pushed herself up from the floor leaving her parents holding their breaths.
As soon as she was bent over, still with her palms on the floor, she began to slowly let go and stand up straight - looking at Harry then back at her feet as if measuring the distance between them. She slowly lifted up her tiny right leg when Harry crouched down and held open his arms to her.
Louis asked Johnathan to capture it all on camera as soon as Skylar had lifted her leg up in hopes that she was about to take her first steps. When she did so it was all tears from Louis and a few from Harry as she slowly walked up to them. With every step she paused and wavered slightly, looking down at her feet before shifting her gaze back to Harry and taking another step.
When she finally got to Harry he caught her in his arms, ignoring the mess all over her and got up, holding her tight as she giggled from all the attention.
"Good job baby!" Harry praised, kissing her chubby cheeks.
"Our little bunny is growing up too fast, Haz." Louis cried before leaning in to kiss Skylar's forehead and cheeks, "My little bunny, you're so cute." he cooed, reaching out to pull Scarlet into their little hug.
That evening Anne, Robin, Jay, Dan, Lottie, and Phoebe came over to celebrate with them. Fizzy and Daisy had been behind in their college work after both being sick and the boys just didn't have an interest in coming and Gemma just hadn't been able to make the drive that evening.
She's showered with new toys and clothes and to the one year old life can't get much better.
-*-
Before they knew it November had arrived and the wedding was in one week. Harry had gone out while Louis was at work and picked up his suit as well as Scarlet's and Skylar's dresses. He checked them at the store and they're perfect and he knows his girls are going to look stunning in them.
After dropping them off at home, he met up with Gemma who had Skylar for the day.
"Are you excited?" Gemma questioned after they had ordered their food.
"Very." Harry smiled before adding, "And nervous. I mean, this is finally happening. I've been waiting since high school basically and now I'm nearly thirty and this is happening."
Gemma laughed softly and reached out to pat his hand.
"I'm glad we all forgave Louis... he makes you really happy. Honestly Harry are you sure you're not pregnant again?" Gemma teased. "Because you're glowing."
Harry blushed and shook his head, "No definitely not, we haven't... um not since we got into that fight back in May."
"You haven't... wow." Gemma responded in surprise. "You really cut him off didn't you little brother."
"Yeah well... I just wanted to be sure he wasn't going to just keep doing that and it really hurt when he was yelling at me. So I decided to just cut him off. We could do anything except that." Harry explained, cheeks still red as he glanced around to make sure no one had heard them.
"Not sure if that's punishment or torture." Gemma chuckled making him blush even more. "Or maybe just plain smart. Lesson learned, he hasn't done it again I bet."
"He's gotten stressed and started but we haven't had another fight and he hasn't yelled at the girls so that's a definite plus. That was my main worry was that he'd yell at Scarlet and we'd go right back to her hating him." Harry responded, reaching for his glass of water.
"You did the right thing I'm sure. He's probably been super cuddly." Gemma said, leaning back for the waitress to set down their plates.
"Yeah, he has, not complaining about that though." Harry laughed and took a piece of avocado off his sandwich to feed to Skylar.
"I don't understand her... Actually I don't understand anyone who eats that stuff." Gemma scrunched up her nose before biting into her Cuban style sandwich.
"Unlike you sometimes, she actually enjoys healthy food." Harry smiled proudly as Skylar smacked on the avocado bite he gave her.
-*-
The day of the wedding Harry was up and gone before Louis even considered getting up. Harry had left and gone over to his mum's with the girls to get ready while Zayn was supposed to go to the house with Niall and get ready with Louis with the help of Liam.
"What do you think daddy?" Scarlet questioned coming out of the bedroom that she had been in with Gemma getting dressed.
Harry turned around from where he was standing in the living room already in his tux and smiled. Scarlet had on a white tiered dress that came just below her knees along with a pair of white small heeled shoes. Her hair was done in perfect curls thanks to the hairstylist, Lou, that Louis had hired and that was a white headband sitting behind her bangs with a small cluster of white flowers.
"You look beautiful baby girl." Harry beamed, coming over to hug her.
"Thanks daddy." Scarlet responded, hugging him back. "I think Aunt Gem was having problems getting Sky's shoes on."
"Are we surprised?" Harry questioned with a laugh. "Come on, let's go get those shoes on her."
Scarlet took Harry's hand and they walked back to the bedroom where Gemma was looking rather frazzled.
"Honestly Gem... it's like you've never put shoes on a child." Harry scoffed playfully and walked over, talking the shoes. "Hi baby." he cooed at Skylar.
Skylar giggled and patted Harry's face as he made kissy lips at her. While she's distracted, he quickly slipped the shoes on her feet while Scarlet reached out to button them on.
"See?" Harry turned to Gemma. "It's not hard."
"Caden never did that." Gemma pouted but nevertheless picked Skylar up.
She had on the same style dress as Scarlet, tiered, only her dress was white, pastel green, and soft pink. On her head she had a little pastel green headband with a soft pink rose on it.
"Harry, we need to wrap it up here so we can get going." Anne spoke, sticking her head in the room.
Harry kissed Scarlet and Skylar's foreheads before following after his mum into her bedroom. She picked up the flowers to pin onto his tuxedo jacket and gave him a watery smile.
"Doesn't seem possible does it?" She questioned quietly.
"No, not really." Harry murmured, watching her carefully.
"Can't believe you're getting married today. I'm glad you never settled for anyone else, you've shown great dedication to Louis even when he broke your heart. I know you two are going to be together forever, there's no doubt in my mind." Anne spoke softly, smiling up at him.
"Thanks mum." Harry smiled and moved to hug her once she had the flowers pinned on.
When they pulled away, Anne dusted all the invisible lint off of Harry's suit and then looked at her watch before taking a deep breath.
"It's time to head to the hotel love, time to get you married."