HAPPY CHAPTER 160!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
“Lauren?”, Anne’s voice shivers out from behind me. My eyes close, and a deep breath is released; a silent prayer answered as she steps in front of me. She was dressed warmly from head to toe. A dark furry hood outlined her face. “Hey! I thought it was you!” She chuckles as she rubs her hands up and down over her biceps, trying to create enough friction to warm the blood under her skin.
“Yeah, it’s me.”, I say, trying to bring my cheerful attitude back. My breaths were coming out in puff of white smoke, and I was just realizing how cold it actually was. I was dressed in a pair of my Nike tennis shoes, black jogging pants, and a white and black thin overcoat and Harry’s tracker jacket. My hair was pulled back out of my face and into a pony tail.
“What are you doing out on a morning like this? The chances of snow are very high today and you are out here in basically nothing!”, she exclaims, pushing her wind-blown bangs back out of her face. “C’mon, let’s go inside!”, she adds on, waving me to follow her. I didn’t argue. The heat of wherever she was leading was sending a pretty clear call.
I follow Anne’s steps that were being left in the light dusting of snow behind her as she leads me to the shopping center across the road. It looked as if no one was out this morning, and I didn’t blame them. It was bitterly cold. I was beginning to regret not bringing a pair of gloves, but the weather was not on the front line of my mind battle this morning.
The window panes of the shops were fogged, frost and ice accumulating in and rounding the corners. She leads me to the second store down, opening the front door as we arrive. The warm are rushes through me as a bell chimes above my head, almost burning my nose and ears from the quick change of temperature. My hands fumble for one another, rubbing and blowing and repeating the pattern. “I have some tea made if you would like some. I wasn’t expecting much business today with the weather.”, she says as she removes the plaid scarf from around her neck. Her jacket is taken off next, before they are both placed on the coat rack behind the register. She opens a cabinet behind her, and pulls out two small china teacups with pale pink roses painted across the side. “Take a seat!”, she says as she begins to pour the tea into the cups, signaling her hand behind me. I follow the direction to see a fire place and three rocking chairs surrounding it, but that isn’t the only thing that captures my attention as I make my way towards the nook.
Large chandeliers and extravagant light fixtures hung from the high, wooden ceiling. The walls were filled, top to bottom, with bookshelves of old books and knick-knacks. Antique furniture cluttered the room, and I take a seat in the ornately carved rocking chair beside the wood-burning fireplace. I am still admiring the collection as she takes a seat next to me, pulling two blankets out of the box beside her chair. “This is beautiful! I love antique stores!”, I say, smiling as I take one from her. She takes a deep breath, seeming to admire the surroundings with pride. “Yeah, me too. That is why I decided to start working here.”, she confesses, smiling as she leans back against the wooden chair, taking a sip of the heated liquid while gazing into the fire.
I was nervous, and I hoped she could not tell. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing or offend her in any way. She seemed to kind to dislike anyone, but I wanted to make sure she loved me and had no reason not to. I decide to crack a joke to ease the tension, “The owner must be a real whacko if he is making you work in weather like this.” She almost chokes on her drink as she begins to laugh out, and I join in.
“Oh, she is!”, Anne admits, placing her coffee on the table between us. “She is all the time stopping by to make sure everything is in check. Always cleaning and dusting. She also non-stop talks about her son who is a world traveler. He is in some band that is very popular, especially in America. Consists of five guys, one from Ireland.”, she states, making a look of shock paint itself over my face. I begin to apologize, but she quickly shushes me, chuckling to herself. “Don’t worry, it’s alright.”
We both continue to chat for a few minutes- mainly about my life back home and before I became famous. She expressed her desire to meet my family soon, and made me promise to get them to visit her sooner or later. She asks me about my education which is a topic I am kind of embarrassed about. I didn’t go to college, and that made me feel under everyone else and that I was easy to be judged- a feeling I despise. But she quickly informs me that Harry didn’t get the chance to finish high school with the sky-rocketing of his career in the music industry. We were in the middle of discussing Gemma’s schooling when her phone begins to ring. I watch her movements as she reaches into her pocket, pulling it out holding a single finger up, signaling for me to hold my thought. Something seems to pop into her mind as she quickly turns to face me. “Oh! Harry is looking for you! He is worried sick! Would you like me to tell him you are here or would you?” She turns to me, clearly concerned. Anyone that looked at her could tell she was genuine. What you see is what you get, and I really admire that about her.
“I’ll call him, if you don’t mind.”, I answer, and she hands me her phone. I quickly dial Harry’s number, and wait for his voice to pick up which it does on the third ring.
“Hello?” His voice sounds placid and calm, the reaction I would expect him to give his mother.
“Hey!”, I speak into the receiver.
“Oh- Hey! Where have you been?”, he questions.
“I went for a run.”, I answer, simply.
“Where are you now?”
“With your mom at her store.”
“You want me to come get you?”
“I’ll be back later. I need to do some shopping.”, I answer, purposefully teasing him. The line stays silent for a few moments, and I can picture the look on his face, making me laugh. “I’m just kidding! Sheesh!”
“Good. I’ll be there in a few.”, he answers, chuckling, and I can hear the sound of keys jingling in the background before the line goes dead. Someone was eager. I end the phone call, and the screen returns to the home screen. The background is a photo that had been taken recently. It was Harry and Gemma. Gemma was dressed in a cap and gown, with Harry dressed in all black by her side. I smile down at the screen at the siblings before handing the phone back to Anne. We sit there in silence, and I only wish that I could read her mind. I wonder how she feels about me dating her son? I don’t want to be open about it, and bluntly ask ‘Do you like me dating your son?’, but I do want to know. But before I have the chance to ask, she questions me first.
“So how have you been?”, she asks, glancing up from her fixed gaze on the crackling fire. I am unsure what she means until she clarifies. “With the kidnapping and everything.”
The word ‘kidnapping’ sends a tingle down my spine, making the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge and chill bumps cascade down to my wrists. The news was still fresh in my mind, and it was hard to believe that I was a kidnapping victim. As a kid, you always learn never to talk to strangers. But sometimes, it is the people who know you best that turn on you. The unexpected should be more expected, but that isn’t something they teach you. It is something you have to learn.
“Just taking each day as it comes.”, I answer, truthfully. When she doesn’t respond, I take this as a sign that she wants me to continue. “Every day is a new day.”, I add on, taking a deep breath before sipping a bit more of my tea.
“Sometimes that is just what you have to do.”, she answers, and for a moment, I don’t feel like I am talking to my boyfriend’s mother, trying to gain her approval. “Life is absolutely full of surprises that we can never see coming. I never expected my son, who should still be playing with racecars and action figures, to become THE Harry Styles of One Direction.”
I laugh at the image of little Harry that comes to mind, making car noises with his mouth and zooming the toy cars across the floors of Anne’s house. “Well, who knows, he still could be.”, I laugh.
“That would explain how a few of his toys go missing every time he leaves the house.”, she chuckles, sending me a smile. My fingers trace the brim of my cup as I watch the steam rise from the liquid. Another laugh escapes my lips as I picture Harry stuffing a few of his toys into his suitcase before he leaves home after each visit. Anne joins in as well, clearly thinking the same thing, and we both end up in hysterics as Harry walks in, a few flakes of snow sprinkling his hair and the shoulders of his black jacket. A smile spreads across his face as he paces towards Anne’s chair, leaning against the back before glancing from her to me. He sends me a small wink, subtle enough for only me to notice before glancing back towards his mother who is still trying to compose herself. I take the opportunity to answer for her, “Oh, nothing. We were only talking about childhood memories.” Anne sends me a side smile as she rises out of her chair, taking my cup off of the table and returning to the front of the store. I begin to follow, but Harry’s firm hand blocks the door before being replaced by his tall figure. A small grin is plastered across his face. His eyes travel to my shoulders. “Is that my jacket? I haven’t seen that in months.”, he explains, causing me to laugh. I wish I could say the same.
When I don’t say anything, he takes my hand in his, interlocking our fingers. “I didn’t know where you went. Why didn’t you text me back?”, he questions, suddenly serious.
“I didn’t have my phone. I left it at the-“ I stop as he pulls my phone out of his jacket pocket, holding it out for me to take.
“Just take this with you wherever you go from now on. For my sake, please?”, he asks, a grim smile across his face. I had completely forgotten about his nightmare last night, and waking up to me being gone had to be terrifying. How did I not consider that?
“I’m sorry.”, I apologize, taking the phone and stuffing it into my back pocket before returning my eyes his way. “It’s alright.”, he mutters, pulling my close with his hand and placing a kiss to my forehead. We return back to the front to see that Anne actually did have one customer, so we leave with a simple wave.
Now just to somehow break the news to Harry that I was planning on getting his birthday present today.
Hey guys!!!
Sorry for the long wait!
What do you think the birthday present is going to be? :) I know!
So, I basically gave you all a heart attack and thought that Chris had made his reappearance. Haha Sorry!
So I am out of school tomorrow, so I will try to update again!! We got a lot of snow for the south, so school got cancelled. Yay!!!
#ThankYouWinterStormLeon
QOTD: What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you??
I’m going to go to bed now bc I am tired.
Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mary-Paige: It was not a three A.M. update:)
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX,
~Annalyce.xx