(A/N - 2nd and last update for the day. Hope you like it!! Thank you so much again!!)
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Ava was indeed excited at the fact that she would get to see Auntie GiGi, as she calls Gemma. She also calls Harry’s mum Mama Anne, which Anne just loves. She too has heard that only really important people get special Ava names.
Saturday morning came and Ava and I were eating breakfast. She was pondering something.
“What’s up, Ladybug?” I ask.
“Um..I don’t know what to wear to meet Rachel. Should I dress up nice?”
“You can dress however you want to sweetheart.” I say.
“Good. Jeans and a tee shirt it is. I can’t be bothered to dress nice today. I don’t feel like it” She says with a smile and we both chuckle.
We got to the park just before 11 and played on the swings while we waited. I saw the taxi pull up and Rachel getting out. What the hell was she wearing? She had on a mini skirt and a low cut tank top with a too small for her cardigan and heels. I rolled my eyes at her appearance. It’s April, in London.
She notices us and makes her way over. Ava sees the woman walking our way and looks up to me, silently asking if that is her. I nod and Ava moves herself in behind me. I find this strange because Ava is the least shy girl in the world. Rachel finally reaches us and stands there just staring at me for a few moments before finally speaking.
“Hi Niall.” She says and bats her eyes. “And hello Ava Belle. I’m your mommy.” She says as she leans down a bit to meet Ava’s eyes while also knowingly exposing her chest to me.
Ava steps around from behind me and puts her hand out for Rachel to shake.
“It’s nice to meet you Rachel.” Ava states.
“Oh Ava Belle, you can call my mommy.”
“Um…I’d rather not if you don’t mind. May I call you Rachel?”
“Sure.” She said and Ava grabbed my hand and just stood there observing this woman in front of her that left all those years ago.
“Can we go see the ducks, Daddy” Ava asked as she tugged on my arm.
“Of course Ladybug.” She pulled me along and we walked over the grass to the pond. I looked behind me to see where Rachel was and I silently laughed because her heels were sinking into the soft grass with every step she took.
Ava ran over to the pond and sat very still, like always, and let the ducks come to her. I took my usual seat on the bench and after a few minutes, Rachel finally made it. She took a seat right next to me on the bench.
“Your outfit is a little inappropriate for an afternoon in the park, don’t you think?” I commented.
“But baby, I wanted to look sexy for you. I saw you looking.” She said seductively while placing her hand on my leg and rubbing back and forth.
I immediately removed her hand and put some distance between us.
“Do not do that. Ava is right there. And honestly I think what you are wearing is a little much especially when there is an impressionable seven year old girl around.” I whisper matter of factly.
“She can’t hear us. Her back is to us. I want another kiss, Niall.” She said rubbing one of her hands in my hair on the back of my head.
“No Rachel that was a mistake. It won’t happen again.”
Just then Ava got up and ran over to me. Jumped into my lap and whispered into my ear.
“I don’t think I like her very much Daddy.” She said and then looked at me with sad eyes.
I saw Rachel perk up a bit and at first I thought she heard what Ava said, but then I realized that we were being watched by paps. Snapping pictures from behind some trees. Rachel took this opportunity to rest her head on my shoulder. I immediately stood up, picking Ava Belle up in my arms with me. I wasn’t in the mood for this.
“Can we go home, Daddy?”
“We just got here, Ladybug” Rachel said while lifting her arms to caress down Ava’s shoulder. Ha, I thought, she is in for it now.
“Don’t call me Ladybug!” Ava says frankly looking directly in Rachel’s eyes and I smile knowingly.
“Only Daddy and My Hazza are allowed to call me that, thank you.” She finishes and buries her head into my neck.
Rachel, still showing off for the cameras, smiled and nodded and then put her hand on the small of my back. I tried changing my pace to get her hand off of me but she kept up.
“You know Ava, you are a very beautiful girl. You look just like me.”
“Huh…” Ava replies. “Everyone has always told me I look exactly like Daddy. I have his beautiful blue eyes.” I am smiling at the fact that Ava is making it so hard for Rachel.
I use my phone and call Rachel a cab and wait with her until it arrives.
She opens the taxi door and leans over to give Ava a hug. “I’ll see you soon, Ava” Ava gives her a one arm hug and says goodbye and then makes her way in behind me.
Rachel pulls my in for a tight hug, likely for the cameras that are still there, and presses her lips to my ear.
“You should come by later tonight. I’ll make it worth your while.” She whispers and then runs her tongue along my ear. Eww gross, I think.
“Bye, Rachel.” I say as she gets in the taxi and I shut the door.
Ava and I have lunch at the café before we make our way home so she can get ready for her ballet, drama and piano classes. As we approach the house, my stomach drops. I see an all too familiar black Range Rover in my drive way.
“My Hazza is here Daddy!” Ava yelled
“I see that Ladybug.”
Before I can even turn off the car she is jumping out and running towards the front door.
“Ava wait” I call after her but her excitement drowns out my voice.
I enter my house to see Ava in Harry’s arms. Her head is resting on his shoulder and his head in resting on her hair. He is swaying them back and forth, slowly.
“Harry” I say looking at the man I love and it’s taking everything in me not to run over to him.
“I’m sorry just to show up like this but I am getting on the jet in about three hours; leaving tonight for America and wanted to say goodbye to Ava Belle.”
“It’s fine Harry. But where are Anne and Gemma? I thought they were spending the day with you.”
“They are going to be to my place in about an hour.” He says and then furrows his eyebrows like something just came to him. “Wait, how did you know they were coming?” He asks. His head still cuddling onto Ava’s
“Anne called me at the beginning of the week and said she and Gemma would be here and they wanted to see Ava and me. We are meeting for lunch tomorrow.” I replied.
“Oh” was all he said.
“Ladybug” I called to her. She lifter her head and looked at me.
“Didn’t you have something you wanted to give Harry?” I said to her knowing that she made him a painting in art class and it would take her at least ten minutes to go up to her room and wrap it.
She looks Harry in the eyes and grabs both of his cheeks. “Stay here. I’ll be right back!” and then gave him a kiss on his nose. “Ok, Ladybug. I’ll wait right here.”
I waited until I heard her bedroom door close and I think he heard it too because we both started talking at the same time.
“Sorry. You go first.” He said. I sat at the kitchen table and he took the seat across from me.
“No, it’s fine. You go” I say completely forgetting what I was going to say in the first place.
“So, I guess you have moved on. The pictures from the park are already up. The paps are quick to post that stuff.” He says with his head hung down.
“Jesus Harry. Look at me.” I say and he raises his head and slowly meets my gaze. “Why don’t you trust when I say that I am not with her? It’s certainly not for a lack of her trying. Because she is laying it on very thick. But that is what I have realized. She is here for me, the publicity and the money. She isn’t here for Ava Belle.”
“That doesn’t make me feel very good going away for four months, leaving you here with a woman throwing herself at you. You’ll give in eventually.” He replies.
“I’m not gonna lie to you Harry. We already had an intimate moment. We didn’t have sex. I had to stop, but we were close.” I say truthfully and a look of hurt and jealousy flashed in his eyes along with a few tears.
“You can’t get mad at that Harry. We aren’t together. You were all over some girl, cheating on me while we still were together.” I tried not to throw it back in his face, but I was getting so frustrated at his attitude right now.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight. I just wanted to say goodbye.” He says and places his hand on mine.
Ava came running back in the room with the painted canvas wrapped in blue paper with a white bow in the corner. She sat on Harry’s lap and watched as he opened it.
“I love this so much Ladybug. You painted this yourself?” He asked and hugged her tight.
“Yup.” She smiled.
He examined the painting a little longer. It was a painting of the three of us at the park. Harry and I were sat on the bench and Ava was just a few feet away sat on the ground near the pond with a few ducks around her. It was actually quite good for having a seven year old paint it.
“I have to say, Ava Belle, you are quite talented!” He said and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Thank you” she replied and rested her head on his chest.
A few minutes of silence passed. Ava resting on Harry, while he didn’t take his eyes off of mine.
“Ok, Ladybug. We have to get you ready for ballet and Harry has a flight to catch.” I say to her and her smiles drops to a frown. We all stand up from the table and Harry hugs Ava tight and gives her kisses all over her face. She giggles a little but small tears begin to form in her eyes.
Harry kneels down to her level.
“Shhhh, don’t cry Ladybug” he says and wipes away her tears. “I’ll be back at the end of July. The time will fly by.”
“I’m going to miss you so much” she whimpers to him. “I’m going to miss you too, sweetheart.”
With one last hug and kisses on the cheek she runs upstairs to get her things together.
I walk Harry to the door. He turns to face me when we get in front of the door. He pulls me in for a hug. His arms are wrapped tightly around my neck. I hesitate before hugging him back. We stand there not loosening our grips on each other for what seemed like forever, but was actually only a couple minutes. I felt his head dip and his breath on my neck. It sent chills down my spine. I felt lips gently graze my neck and then kiss in the spot he knows make me weak. I couldn’t help but let a small moan escape my mouth.
“Harry” I breathe.
He pulls his head from the crook of my neck and places his forehead on mine. I am trying to keep my emotions in check right now, but I want his lips on mine. In a moment of weakness, I cave and place my lips on his.
The kiss is gentle and soft. There is nothing in the world that can compare to kissing Harry and I know that. We both miss each other. That much can be felt in the kiss, but I’m still not ready. I’m still not over being hurt. I pull away first and lean my head into his neck.
“I really miss you, babe.” He whispers. “No matter what happens over the next few months, know that I am waiting for you.”
“I miss you too, Harry.” I pull out of the hug and open the door.
He steps one foot out the door then places his hand on my waist and pulls me in for one last kiss.
“I love you, Niall”
“I love you too, Harry. Have a safe trip. Good luck with the tour.” I watch him walk to his car and drive away.
(Last note......So I have a few new story ideas rolling around in the ol' head of mine and just wanted to get an opinion. I am thinking a sequel...maybe...in Ava's perspective...but I don't want to over do this story...sometimes having sequel after sequel can get a little monotonous. I was also thinking about doing a Prequel. In Niall's perspective...but since it's a prequel, it wouldn't the other boys in it because he hasn't met them yet...except for Liam and maybe he hears Harry on the radio....I don't know. Lastly...I could do a brand new plot.....I have something in the works....Narry, of course! Ok...enough rambling)