A/N: On February 1st our precious little cupcake turned 23 (*sobs violently*) and my baby The Easy Way Out turned 1!
🎉🎉🎉🎂🎂🎂
I want to say a humongous "thank you" to my readers, commenters and voters. You mean the world to me and I still can't believe y'all read my work. It honestly boggles my teeny tiny mind (and humbles me.)
I love you all! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Okay, on a serious note: a touchy subject is mentioned in this chapter. I spent time wording it so I don't offend anyone.
That is all. Enjoy!
***Harry's POV
I honestly have the best wife in the entire world.
Not only did she take care of me when I was sick this past week, but she looked after our kids by herself. Ferris and Seb are under three and still in diapers and Bea was basically a single mother since Monday.
It is now Saturday.
Needless to say, I'm convinced that my Sweet Bea is Superwoman.
While my wife fed, changed and entertained the kids all week, I stayed locked away in our room. It honestly felt like solitary confinement with no bloody hope of a conjugal visit.
Even though Bea and I texted throughout the day and had FaceTime so I could see her and the kids, it wasn't the same.
It felt like we were worlds apart and I was just upstairs.
In between sleeping off my fever and coughing up a lung, I laid in bed watching movies on my iPad, drawing in my sketchbook and planning a surprise for my superheroine of a wife.
Realizing that she'd be exhausted after this week, I made plans for my in-law's to take the kids for the weekend.
After a restless week, Bea and I need a good night's sleep.
And there's no reason for Harold Junior to get excited because I still don't want to get too close to Bea. Even though I haven't had a fever since yesterday, I don't want to risk anything.
I'm not a risk taker.
I don't even like the board game.
As I finish dressing in my warm and comfortable sweatpants and jumper, I laugh with a snort at my dumb joke and I immediately groan in pain. My throat is raw from all the coughing I've done and a soothing cuppa sounds pretty damn good right now.
While today is the first day that I haven't felt like the Grim Reaper is holding my hand, I'm reminded that I need to take it easy when I have to steady my balance against the countertop in the loo.
A few seconds pass and the dizzying feeling subsides. I let out a slow breath, opening my eyes to the mirror that is fogged with steam from the hot shower that I've just taken a few minutes before. I grab the hand towel from the counter and wipe down the mirror, looking at my reflection in shock.
Good God, I'm going to scare Bea and my poor kids with these sunken eyes and somewhat hollow cheeks.
The same with my energy, my appetite was almost non-existent this week and I have undoubtedly lost a few pounds. It's been since Monday morning that I've had something other than soup and orange juice and if I see another bowl full of noodles again, I think I'll cry.
I've had chicken noodle soup up to my ears, bless my wonderful wife's heart.
I find myself smiling at the thought of Bea as I take her hair dryer and turn it on high. While I dry my hair, I run my left hand through my curls and I'm shocked at how long it's getting. I know Bea prefers it short, so I make a mental note to ask her to trim it later.
After my hair is dried, I hang the hairdryer back on the hook and style my hair.
At least I don't look like death.
I shrug a shoulder at my reflection and turn out the light before walking out of the loo. Letting out a few coughs, I walk over to my side of the bed. I grab a few lozenges from my nightstand and put them in my pocket for later, taking one now. As I pop the menthol drop in my mouth, the sunlight coming through the window catches my attention.
It's a beautiful Saturday morning and I wish I could take my lovely family on a picnic, but I don't feel one-hundred percent.
Huffing out a breath, I unplug my phone from the charger and put it in my pocket before stripping our bed of its, as my wife so lovingly called them, infested sheets.
Bundling them in my arms, I make my way out of our bedroom and as soon as I open the door, I hear my family. Instead of giggles I hear cries and I sigh heavily, knowing that Bea will love my kid-free weekend plan.
I walk down the hall to the laundry closet and as I drop the sheets in the washing machine, I listen to Bea kindly tell Ferris not to hit. By the time I add detergent, Ferris is screaming at the top of her lungs and I hear Bea mention Time Out.
I close the lid and sigh, imagining how frustrated Bea is right now. While I love my daughter and want her to stay little forever, I could live without the temper tantrums.
She gets that from her mum.
I smirk and turn the dial to Hot and start the cycle before walking towards Ferris' room. I stop just before I get to the door because I don't want to distract Ferris while she's being punished. Her cries break my heart, and nearly my eardrums, while Bea calmly explains, again, that we don't hit.
"Okay, Ferris, are you going to be a good girl and listen to Mommy from now on?" Bea kindly asks and Ferris lets out a shaky 'yeah.'
I smile to myself as an image of my daughter pops in my head. She's probably still in her pajamas, her curls are probably all over the place and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she's sucking her thumb right now.
"Alright, sweet girl, let's go get Baby Brother," Bea says and I stand up from leaning against the wall just as the light turns off and my girls walk out of the room. "Oh my God!" Bea exclaims, placing her hand on her heart. "You scared the crap out of me, Harry."
"I'm sorry, Love. I didn't mean to," I apologize and my smile fades when I notice how tired she looks.
Bea is still in her pink bathrobe and her hair is basically piled on top of her head, but she's still the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.
"Dadda!" Ferris hugs my leg and I lean down to pat her back. She looks up at me with her big blue eyes, lifting her arms. "Hold you, Dadda."
"I'm sorry, Love, but I'm still sick," I kindly explain but my excuse doesn't work.
Ferris starts whining just as Seb's cries come through the baby monitor that Bea is holding.
Then it hits me.
"Why are you girls up here anyway?" I ask, still soothing Ferris' back. "I thought you slept downstairs."
"We did," Bea sighs, glancing down with a sad smile, "but we had a little accident this morning."
I follow Bea's eyes and look down at our daughter who is clinging to my leg. With that and Time Out, my little girl has had a rough morning.
"I have to get Sebastian's bottle ready," Bea unenthusiastically says and I look up as she starts walking down the hall.
"Let me," I offer and she waves her hand behind her.
"Germs," she says, already making her way downstairs.
"Alright, I'll get the sheets from the guest room and put them in the wash now," I call out to Bea and she thanks me. I look down at Ferris and smile, "C'mon, Princess, follow Dadda."
I start to walk but she's making it difficult by hanging on. I reach down and gently brush her curls while I think for a second and a brill idea pops in my head.
She'll love this.
"Step on Dadda's foot, Love," I kindly tell her and she smiles at me before stepping her feet on my left foot. "Okay, now hold on tight."
Ferris wraps her arms around my leg and I start walking over to the laundry closet. Listening to her giggle, I lift the lid so it stops the cycle until I can get the sheets from downstairs.
As I walk down the hall, I can't stop smiling because her giggles warm my heart and she just makes me happy to be her father.
Once I reach the first step, I suddenly feel dizzy and I grab onto the railing. The thought of falling down the stairs with Ferris holding onto my leg scares the shit out of me, so I stop before I take the first step.
"Ferris, Love, can you walk like a big girl?" I ask, patting her back and she tells me no. I take in a calming breath and let it out before I try one more time. "Don't tell Dadda no, Ferris. I need you to walk like a big girl, please."
She tells me no again, followed by her reason in her jibber jabber and I would laugh except for the fact that she finishes her monologue by hitting my leg.
I have to put a stop to this before it gets worse. Time Out didn't work earlier with Bea. Okay, Harold. Take a deep breath.
With loving hands, I turn her to the side and I give her bum a little tap with my non-dominant hand. She immediately starts crying and to be honest, I feel like crying also.
I know she's not physically in pain because there is enough padding through her pull-ups and pajamas and I did not use any force.
Her feelings are hurt.
Wiping away my tear, I kneel down and hug her, turning my head so I don't breathe my germs on her. It pains me that I have to correct her this way, but I love her enough to do so in a caring manner.
"I love you, Ferris Emelia Styles, with all my heart," I tell her, soothing her back and I hear Bea call my name. Still comforting my crying little girl, I turn to face the landing. "Yes, Love?"
"What's the matter? Did she fall?"
"No, Mummy, we just had a lesson on how it's not nice to tell you or I 'no' and that it's not nice to hit people when we're angry," I explain in my 'Dadda voice' and I look at Ferris. "Right, Love?"
She nods, looking up at me with her teary blue eyes and I gently wipe her glistening cheeks with my thumbs.
"That's my big girl," I smile and lean in to kiss her forehead but I stop myself.
Damn these germs.
"Okay, well, her breakfast is ready," Bea says and I give Ferris a big smile.
"Let's go see what Mummy made," I say in a fun voice and she nods, sticking her thumb in her mouth.
I stand up and feel the blood rush to my head, causing everything to go black for a split second. I quickly reach for the handrail and hold on as I lean against the wall to steady myself. Closing my eyes, I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly and stay there until the dizziness subsides.
The house has stopped spinning, so I open my eyes and look down at Ferris with a smile.
"Okay, let's go eat," I say, earning a nod and we make our way downstairs.
As we approach the kitchen, I hear Bea talking to herself and I can't help but smile. At times I think she talks to herself more than she does me. I've caught her several times and she's been embarrassed, but I just tell her that I don't mind and I won't start worrying until she starts arguing with herself.
With a smile, I pick Ferris up and gently place her in the highchair, resisting the urge to kiss her head only because of my germs. As I loosely fit the bib around her neck, I tell her that I love her and all she does is look at me.
You'll understand when you have kids one day, Love.
"What took you guys so long?" Bea asks from behind me and I turn to face her as she sets a pink plastic bowl filled with oatmeal on the tray.
"I felt a bit dizzy and didn't want to fall down the stairs, so I took my time," I say, trying to hold back my irritation and she looks at me with wide eyes.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't even ask how you were feeling," she places her hand on my arm and even through my thick jumper, her touch sends electricity through my body. "It was a crazy morning. How are you feeling?"
"It's okay, Love, I understand," I honestly say and her facial expression softens. "I'm much better, thank you. I don't have a fever anymore and I feel like a thousand bucks."
"I thought the saying was a million bucks?"
"I feel good, not great," I smirk and she giggles at my dumb joke.
"Good one, Babe," she rolls her eyes as she sits down next to Ferris who is chowing down on her oatmeal and my smile widens.
I'm glad I put the bib on her. My messy girl.
"I'll go put the sheets in the wash and then I have a surprise for you," I smile smugly and Bea looks up at me.
"Harry, can you please just tell me what it is," she sighs. "I've been 'surprised' several times this week by the kids, if you know what I mean."
"Oh alright, fine," I playfully roll my eyes and cross my arms. "I've arranged for your parents to take the kids for the weekend."
She loves it.
"No way."
"Yes way."
"Oh my God, Harry, I love you so much right now," she giggles and I can't help but smile.
Husband points, Harold.
"I love you, too," I chuckle. "They should be here around noon," I glance at the clock on the microwave before making eye contact with Bea. "T minus two-and-a-half hours, Baby."
"Ah! I'm so excited, Babe," she claps and her happy expression quickly fades. "I feel kinda bad for looking forward to this so much."
"You shouldn-" I feel a tickle in my throat and I turn away to cough. I take a lozenge from my pocket and unwrap it. "You shouldn't feel bad, Love. This week has been rough and you need a break," I pop the lozenge in my mouth and smile at her as I throw the wrapper in the bin. "I'm gonna put the sheets in the wash while you, Mrs. Styles, think of what you want to do when we'll be childless."
"Okay," Bea says, closing her eyes and she smiles an angelic smile. "Two-and-a-half hours."***
A/N: I think Ferris has learned her lesson. 😉
She was lucky...I got my dad's freaking belt when he spanked me. 😒
Who are you rooting for to win the Super Bowl tomorrow? 🏈🍾
Much Love.
❤️❤️❤️❤️