Chapter 14
Wednesday August 24th
Lennon's POV
Instantly, it felt like my nurse persona was shut off and right or wrong, I wasn't worried about whether or not Harry was here for a valid reason. I was just fully shocked to open the door to a familiar face, particularly one who I didn't want to see, that remaining professional flew out the window against my better judgement.
"Why are you here?" I used my hand to close the door behind me, and leaned against it staring at the man sitting right in front of me.
"Because I'm hurt" He responded.
I looked him over, not seeing any cuts or bruises on what was visible of his body, all his limbs looked intact, and there was no obvious damage to that head of his besides idioticy. "You look fine"
"It's my heart" He placed a hand over it dramatically, gasping out in pain like a performance.
"Harry if there isn't something actually wrong with you, then you need to leave. This is my job, it was enough that you won't stop coming to my home, but you can't show up at my place of work with your antics. Your chart notes stomach pain, so is there something actually wrong?" I crossed my arms over my chest, just wanting to be done with Harry all together.
He sighed, and looked around the room before spitting out what he wanted to say. "I need to talk to you, and you won't let me"
Exasperated, I let out "Oh my god"
"Just give me-"
"Harry, no!" I groaned. "You cannot show up here faking an injury so you can talk to me. I know that you disappeared off the face of the Earth for years and you're famous, but rules still apply to you. Boundaries apply, I don't want to speak to you!" I raised my voice, but only slightly, not wanting any of my co workers to pass by and hear me yelling at a "patient" out of context. The last thing I need would be to get in trouble with my boss.
"Lennon, please" He pressed the palms of his hands against his forehead, his way of letting me know that he was growing frustrated. Even years later, he hasn't changed the little things about himself.
"I truly can not grasp why you are feeling like I owe you a conversation, and maybe that's selfish of me, but it's just baffling to me that you think you can show up out of nowhere after leaving a stupid note and think you're entitled to talk to me, and I just need to give that to you" I stared at him.
"I truly want to fix things, I-I honestly thought that I would be helping you. It was a dumb mistake, I was young, and I clearly didn't think it through, but I've always regretted it" He spoke faster than normal, I'm assuming to get the words out before I cut him off.
"I was young too Harry, that's not an excuse" I bit the inside of my cheek. "Maybe I just don't get it because I would've never thought to do that to you, despite everything that was going on, I never would have done what you did, and that's why it makes me sick to sit here and speak to you"
"If you'd just let me, I can explain Lennon" He twirled his thumbs that were placed in his lap.
"What if it's too late for that Harry? Are you just going to show up at my house every night and harass me until the end of time? I can't do that Harry, I need to protect my f-myself. If you would've shown up earlier, we might've wrote a different story, but it's been years! If this is about you just wanting your money, then I will give all of it back to you"
"This isn't about money!" He groaned, rubbing his forehead again.
"Then what?"
"I want to be a father"
And that's when I lost it, and I just laughed in his face.
"You? You want to be a father?" I buried my face into my hands in shock. "Oh my goodness"
"I'm serious Lennon...trust me, I know I messed everything up and if I could change it, I would. But I can't go back in time and undo it, but if you would let me, I would spend every day making it up to you. I'm not and will never expect any sort of relationship from you, that's not why I'm here, I truly just wish to have a relationship with our son...I did the wrong thing, I made the biggest mistake of my life, I was so incredibly stupid"
"How am I ever supposed to believe you're here for the right reasons and not just to rebuild your reputation?" I asked, truly still in disbelief over the perfect timing he decided to squeeze himself back into my life in. His big debut back into the acting world wouldn't be complete unless he can say he's in contact with his family during interviews.
Harry got up from the bed and for a moment I thought he was coming closer to me. That was until he got down on his knees and stared up at me with those green eyes. Those stupid green eyes that I've looked into so many times through out my life, and way too many in the last few weeks.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm begging you"
"Harry"
"Just one conversation. I just need you to listen"
He was down on his knees begging to talk to me.
"We're talking right now" I looked down at him.
"One that I didn't force you into" He corrected.
"You can get up from the ground" I rolled my eyes, but he just ignored me and continued to speak.
"I can't make you believe me, but I'm here because I truly want to be. There is no doubt in my mind that you have provided Theo with the most loving and happy childhood, and if I have to wait until he's 18 and decides on his own if he wants to speak to me, I will, but I would give anything to make back lost time now"
His voice softened, and immediately the image from earlier of the college boy begging for more time with his father etched it's way into the forefront of my mind. There is nothing he can do to get another day with his dad, but it's me who is standing in the way of Theo ever having any sort of relationship with his biological father. I just don't know how I'm supposed to trust Harry, not even for my sake, but for Theo's.
How can I trust that what Harry is saying is true, and Theo won't get hurt again? How Theo won't feel loss again? Theo is obviously too little to make big decisions like this, and his feelings and pain are in my hands. If I make the wrong decision, and cause him anymore emotional damage, I would never stop blaming myself.
The boys cries as he begged for more time with his dad circled through my brain.
Would Theo resent me in the future if he built a relationship with Harry after I would've continued to keep them apart? Would Theo be more mad at me for keeping distance for 15 more years when he could've had that time with him?
Great, now you're second guessing yourself Lennon.
And by the look on Harry's face right now, I know he knows I'm debating giving in.
If Hudson was around, there would be no way I'd give in. Theo would have his dad in his life that loves him and is there for him, and that would be the end of it. But now with Hudson's absence and Theo's declining social skills and trust, I'm going back on something I never thought I would.
It took a lot of hesitation and a bit of me swallowing my pride before I allowed myself to speak again. "Can I think about it?"
Within seconds, Harry was back up on his feet and a relieved smile was across his face. "I'll take it!"
Before he could continue on with his little celebration, I stopped him by holding up my palm. "But if I say no, I really need you to respect it. No more showing up uninvited. I have... a lot to think over and I think it's only fair if you give me the time to do that. Give me a week, and I'll have an answer"
He nods along to every word that's coming out of my mouth, and gives a simple "Understood"
"And" I add. "If I do agree to talk to you and hear what you have to say, it doesn't mean you're getting back into his life so easily. I'll want time to process what was said, and decide how I feel about you being in Theo's life. Can you agree that's fair?" I asked, knowing that I ultimately want to be in charge of the decision, but trying to at least respect Harry in some aspect.
For all I know he could take me to court and try and get custody that way if I'm not upfront with him about my boundaries and timeline of how this is going to work.
"Okay" He responded.
"Now, can you please get out of the hospital?" I raised my eyebrows and picked up the Ipad.
"Fine by me" He clapped his hands together, and made his way towards me and the door. "Thanks for healing my stomach pain"
"You're annoying" I rolled my eyes, more in a playful manner this time. "The exit is to your left"
He opened up the door and walked his way out, but then backtracked. "No seriously, thank you"
"Yeah yeah..." I shrugged, and typed in notes that the patient was fine and has no further treatment plan, so he'd be able to check out easily at the discharge desk. I didn't watch as he walked away, I just went ahead to the next patient that needed treatment to distract myself from the potential mess I just got myself in.
Why did I do this?
Sorry this chapter is so short, but things are starting to change 😋