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THE RUMOR FACTORY
HARRY STYLES GOES OUT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WITH BABY SAGE
By Alex Miller
Ever since Harry's UK tour ended in London over 3 weeks ago, he has been completely MIA, not only he hasn't been seen anywhere, but he has also stayed away from social media completely.
But that changed yesterday, when he was photographed doing some Christmas shopping in central London accompanied by none other than by his daughter Sage. The British singer had his daughter strapped to his chest, only her beanie covered her visible, while he carried a few Christmas gift bags, and had a baby bag on his shoulder. Sage's other dad, Louis Tomlinson, was nowhere to be seen, and we're honestly melting at seeing Harry spending time alone with his daughter, proving the world that he surely is a hands on dad!
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HARRY
The plan had been that after Harry's last show, he was going to start taking Sage out of Louis' flat every day, so the latter could start focusing on his writing.
But Sage had gotten a little cold a few days after Harry's show, so Louis had gone into full mama bear mode, and had refused to be away from her until she was completely recovered, which according to Louis didn't happen for 2 weeks (in reality it was just 5 days).
After those 2 weeks, though, Harry had started taking Sage to his house every afternoon, even taking her to do some shopping once, and he wouldn't come back to Louis' flat until dinner time, which he usually brought with him, so Louis wouldn't have to waste time cooking.
"We're back, and we brought dinner" Harry announced as soon as he came in Louis' flat pushing Sage's stroller.
"Hey" Louis greeted with a smile, he was in the kitchen and seemed very busy.
"What are you doing?" Harry frowned as he took off his coat, and hang it on the coat rack.
"I'm making an apple pie" Louis replied.
"What happened to writing?" Harry asked, and unbuckled Sage to take her from the stroller.
"My mind is completely blank, and I knew you would bring dinner, so I though I'd make dessert for us" Louis shrugged.
Harry watched him in silence as he opened the oven door, then grabbed the pie dish he had on the counter, and put it in the oven.
The truth was that every day when Harry came back, he found Louis doing something different, it could be cleaning, watching the telly, cooking, reading, anything really... except writing.
So far Harry hadn't said anything about it, and he wasn't going to say anything either, because he didn't want to sound like he was pressuring Louis into working; he didn't really mind what he did during his free afternoons, and to be honest, he was enjoying his one on one time with Sage, so it was all good.
Louis came over to him, pecked his lips, and then took Sage from his arms.
"Hi, Sagie" Louis cooed, and kissed her forehead "Did you miss mummy?".
"She always misses her mummy" Harry smiled.
"Yeah? You missed me little cupcake?" Louis asked, his voice soft "But I bet you had a lot of fun with daddy, huh?".
"I think she did" Harry said.
"What did you do?" Louis asked.
"Not much, we just went over to my house, had a nap, some tummy time, and we played" Harry shrugged.
"Did she eat?" Louis wondered.
"Yeah, she had a whole bottle like an hour ago, so I think she's good until bedtime" Harry replied, and went over to the stroller where he had stored the takeout bag "Now for us, I brought ravioli from that Italian place near here that you like".
"Sounds great" Louis smiled "Would you put it on plates and set the table while I cuddle with my baby girl for a little bit?".
"Sure" Harry was quick to agree, because it was no trouble at all.
"Thanks" Louis said, and went to sit with Sage to the living room couch.
Harry watched for a couple of minutes how Louis talked and made funny faces to Sage, and then made himself busy serving the food and setting the table, which took him no time.
"Lou, it's ready" Harry announced.
"Thank you, I'm actually starving" Louis said as he sat down, Sage still in his arms.
"Should I get Sage's bouncer?" Harry asked.
"No, I'm alright holding her" Louis said, and picked up his fork with his right hand, while he held Sage with his left arm "So...".
"So...?" Harry trailed off, and had a bite from his ravioli.
"My birthday's next Monday" Louis stated.
"I'm very aware, babe" Harry nodded, having already gotten Louis a present.
"Well, Lottie called me about an hour before you came back, and she said her and Fizzy want to come to London during the weekend to celebrate with me" Louis explained "And I was thinking I could invite some other people over maybe on Saturday night and have a little celebration?".
"Sounds great, babe" Harry smiled, because he wasn't going to say no to a party "My house is bigger, so if you want, we can have the party there".
"Yeah?" Louis asked with a smile.
"Absolutely, and I can get a DJ, and-" Harry started
"I don't want like a full party, so I don't really need a DJ" Louis interrupted, and brought his fork to his mouth.
"What kind of party do you want?" Harry frowned, because he always liked to have a full party for his own birthday.
"A dinner party?" Louis proposed after he swallowed "Or is it too old man of me to want that?".
"No, we can do that" Harry decided, wanting to do whatever Louis wanted, it was his birthday after all "It's a little short notice, but I think we can definitely get a catering company".
"That's not necessary, I can cook" Louis was quick to say as he fixed his grip on Sage.
"But you shouldn't, it's your birthday, and I want to throw you your old man's dinner party" Harry told him.
"You said it wasn't an old man's party!" Louis protested.
"It isn't, I was joking" Harry chuckled "But are you going to let me do it?".
"Are you sure it's no trouble?" Louis asked hesitantly, but Harry knew he wanted to say yes.
"I'm sure, and it will be my birthday present to you" Harry said, not mentioning it wasn't going to be the only one.
"Okay" Louis smiled "I'd love that, thank you, baby".
"You're welcome" Harry grinned, deciding he was going to make some calls the second they finished eating because there were just 4 days until Saturday "You just have to tell me the number of people you're going to invite".
"Uhm..." Louis hesitated, and he appeared to be counting in his head "I think besides us, no more than 12-13 people, but I'm not sure if they will all come".
"Who would dare not attend your birthday?" Harry asked joking.
"My parents" Louis shrugged.
"You're going to invite them?" Harry asked surprised.
Truth be told, Louis hadn't really discussed the topic of his parents with him a lot, which Harry thought it was because it was too painful for him, or maybe because when it all happened they weren't together. But whatever the case, Harry hadn't pushed him to tell him about it, thinking that if Louis wanted to talk about it with him, he was going to.
"Yeah, I miss them, and I've never spent a birthday without them, and I think maybe because it is my birthday they might be willing to come" Louis explained.
"It would be great if they did" Harry considered.
"I'm not going to keep my hopes up, because there's a big chance they'll say no, but I have to try at least" Louis told him.
They talked more details about the party while they ate their ravioli, and then Louis' apple pie, and when they finished, Louis cleared the table and did the dishes, while Harry held Sage while he made a few calls.
"Alright, everything's set in motion, my people will take care of everything" Harry informed Louis, while he bounced a grumpy Sage.
"I thought you were going to throw the party" Louis said raising his eyebrows.
"What's the use of having a full team of people behind me if I can't get them to help me throw my boyfriend a birthday party?" Harry pointed out.
"Good point" Louis considered.
"Just remember to get a number of guests soon" Harry said.
"Right" Louis agreed "I think I'm going to call people right now".
"I'll give Sage her bath in the meantime" Harry decided, liking to help as much as possible with her.
"That would be great, thanks, Harry" Louis smiled.
Harry went to the nursery first to get a pair of pajamas for her, socks and a new nappy, and took all of it, and Sage, to Louis' bathroom, which was where Sage's tub was, as well as her baby soap and her towel.
To get there, he had to go through Louis' room, where his boyfriend was already talking on the phone, and he was pretty sure he was talking to Niall, because he mentioned Liam in passing.
It was none of Harry's business anyway, so he just went in the ensuite bathroom, closed the door so there wouldn't be a draft, and got Sage's tub filling with warm water, while he undressed her.
"Alright, cupcake" Harry said when he had the baby ready, and turned off the running water, but made sure the temperature was alright before he got Sage in it "It's nice, right?".
Sage had still been a bit grumpy while Harry took off her clothes, and he had been scared she would cry at being in the water, but she did the exact opposite, because she smiled, and moved her little arms splashing water, as if she was excited.
"Good girl" Harry cooed.
Harry usually helped Louis with Sage's bath, but he had only done it alone twice before, so he still wasn't an expert at holding the baby with one hand, and washing her with the other.
But he managed to do it alright, and even washed her little puffs of light brown hair, and in the end, he was pretty proud of himself.
"Daddy did a good job, huh?" Harry asked as he blindly reached for the towel so he could have it right on hand when he took Sage out of the water.
Sage giggled, which made Harry smile, but then she made a weird face, one that Harry recognized when it was too late, when the poop had already come out, and what was worse, it had dissolved in the water.
"Oh, fûck" Harry said, and quickly took Sage from the tub.
Harry gagged, because the smell was everywhere, and he had it in his hands, and it was in the baby, and it was the most disgusting thing that had ever happened to him.
"Babe!" Harry called, needing help "Louis!"
He was holding Sage at a distance, right on top of the bathtub, when the door opened, and Louis peeked inside, his phone in his ear.
"Help" Harry told him.
"El, I have to go, I have a Sage situation" Louis said through the phone, as he went in the bathroom, and closed the door behind him. "Yeah, me too, bye"
"Help me, please" Harry begged as Louis left the phone on the counter.
"What happened?" Louis asked walking up to him "What's that sme-".
Louis stopped talking when he looked inside the bathtub, probably realizing what had happened, but instead of helping him, he burst into laughter.
"Don't laugh, help me" Harry begged.
Louis nodded, while he kept on laughing, and went over to the sink, and opened the faucet, and then went back to him and took Sage from him.
"You're a stinky, stinky girl" Louis said to Sage while he still laughed.
But Harry was paying no attention to what Louis was doing, because the second Sage was out of his hands, he emptied the tub to get rid of the source of the odor, and then grabbed the shower head to rinse it and wash his hands with soap.
"Harry, pass me the baby soap, and the rag if it doesn't have poo on it" Louis asked.
It didn't, so Harry grabbed both things and handed them to Louis, who had Sage in the sink.
"I can't believe she did that to me" Harry said as he watched as Louis washed Sage again.
"You have to admit it was pretty funny" Louis chuckled.
"Yeah" Harry admitted, and smiled "But it was still disgusting".
"I'm sure she didn't mean to" Louis said, looking at Sage who was smiling "Right, darling? You didn't mean to poo in the tub and make a mess".
Harry chuckled, and grabbed the towel, and when Louis took Sage from the sink, he wrapped her in it.
"Please don't poop until your diaper's on" Harry begged as he got her dry.
"I'm going to scrub the tub while you get her dressed" Louis decided.
"I can do it if you want" Harry told him, although he had no idea when was the last time he had scrubbed anything in a bathroom.
"No, it's fine" Louis brushed off "Just get her dressed quickly, I don't want her to get a cold again".
Harry said okay, and in less than 5 minutes, he had Sage dressed and ready to go to bed, but she had to wait until Louis was done cleaning so she could be fed, which she needed to do to go to sleep for the night, or at least for 4 or 5 hours, which was the amount of hours she was sleeping in a row nowadays.
"I'm done" Louis said coming out of the bathroom "Is Sagie ready for bed?".
"Yeah" Harry said, and kissed Sage's head before handing her over "Goodnight, baby, sweet dreams".
"Uhm... I called Niall to invite him to the party, and he's coming with Liam, and so is my friend Eleanor with her husband" Louis explained as he bounced the baby a little "I still have to call a couple of people and also your mum and your sister, but would you call them both for me while I put Sage to bed?".
"Sure" Harry agreed, feeling happy to know Louis wanted to invite his family to his birthday.
Louis said thank you, and walked away with the baby, while Harry sat down on the bed and made both calls that Louis asked him to do, both of which had a very good outcome.
"She's completely out" Louis said coming back to his room 30 minutes later with the monitor in his hand "How did the calls go?".
"Great, my mum was thrilled that you would invite her, and she's going with my step dad, and Gemma said she'll be there too" Harry explained.
"With Sawyer?" Louis questioned.
"She's going to ask him and get back to us" Harry explained.
"Perfect" Louis smiled, and sat next to Harry on the bed.
"Who else are you inviting?" Harry wondered.
"My sisters, but we already know they're coming, my friend Asher from the club, although he probably has to work so I doubt he'll be able to make it, and Virginia, but her phone's always off, so I'll call her to the bookstore tomorrow" Louis recounted.
"And your parents" Harry added.
"And my parents" Louis confirmed, and sighed "I think I should call now".
"Do you want to be alone to call them or do you want me to be here?" Harry wondered.
"I want you here, I need moral support" Louis said, and got up from the bed "I'll get my phone, I left it in the bathroom".
Louis went in it, and came out a second later with his phone in his hand.
"I haven't tried calling them since I came out to them, I've just texted them" Louis explained as he sat down next to Harry again.
"Why haven't you tried to call them?" Harry wondering, this being news to him.
"I think I've been afraid of them not picking up" Louis explained.
"That makes sense" Harry considered.
"Yeah" Louis nodded, as he stared at his phone.
"You could text now if you're afraid to call" Harry offered.
"I know, but I think I should call, maybe if my mum hears my voice she will want to come" Louis said in a small voice.
"I'm here whatever happens" Harry told him, and held his hand tightly, Louis doing the same.
Louis gave him a small smile, then he took a deep breath, and Harry watched him as he found his mum's contact on his phone, he pressed on it, and put the phone to his ear.
"It's ringing" Louis announced.
Harry was praying in his head that Louis' mum would at least pick up the phone, and apparently it worked, because she did, and when it happened, he was able to let go of the breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Hi, mum" Louis said quietly, then he didn't speak for a few seconds "I'm okay, and you?".
It was a relief to know that things were alright up until now, and he kept praying for the call to have a good outcome.
"That's good to know" Louis said, a little smile playing on his lips "And how's dad?... yeah? That's great".
Harry was starting to relax a bit, and apparently so was Louis, because he wasn't holding his hand as tight.
"So, uhm... I was calling because I'm having a dinner party to celebrate my birthday this Saturday, it's just a small thing with a few friends and family, and uhm... I would love it if you and dad came".
Louis noticeably held his breath after those words came out of his mouth, and Harry took their laced hands to his mouth, and kissed Louis' to show support.
"Why not?" Louis asked.
Harry's heart hurt for Louis the second those two words came out of his mouth, and he knew it had to be a million times worse for Louis.
"Please, mum? It's my birthday" Louis begged, and it broke Harry's heart even more to hear his voice, because it sounded so small and vulnerable "No, I don't understand, I'm your son".
Harry noticed Louis' eyes were glossy with tears, so Harry let go of his hand, and instead wrapped his arm around his boyfriend's shoulders, to contain him in a way.
"Whatever, mum, I knew I shouldn't have even tried" Louis said, his voice cracking, and after a few second he added "Sure you do... mhmm.... I have to go now... bye".
Louis dropped the phone on the bed, and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Lou" Harry said while he held him as tight as he could.
"Me too" Louis mumbled.
"Would it make any difference if you talked to your dad?" Harry tried.
"No" Louis denied, and stayed quiet for a while before he spoke again "I really wanted them to come and for them to meet Sage".
"I know, love" Harry said, and kissed his head.
"It's fine, I'm okay" Louis sighed.
"Yeah?" Harry asked, not convinced at all about that statement.
"Yes" Louis confirmed, and lifted his head from Harry's shoulder and looked at him "But would you stay with me tonight, please?".
"Of course, baby" Harry smiled.
Louis gave him a small smile, and then a short kiss on the lips before he got up from the bed again, and said he was going to get ready for bed, disappearing into the bathroom to do so.
And that was when Harry's smile disappeared, because he was actually furious at Louis' parents for treating him like they did.
He couldn't understand how they could put their stupid religious beliefs before their own son, it was ridiculous in his opinion.
And that's when he decided he wasn't going to let it go, because he loved Louis too much to see him suffer because of this, so he was going to do something.
He was going to do whatever he could to get them to understand how wrong they were, and he was going to get them to show up at Louis' birthday if it was the last thing he did.
And after thinking for a few days how he was going to actually do that, he finally decided he was going to make the drive to Doncaster and talk to them in person, there was no other way.
So on Friday morning, having spent the night at his house, he called Louis and told him he had work meetings all day and that he was probably not going to be able to come over to see him and Sage until dinner time or even after (which Louis seemed fine with), and then he got in his car and headed up north.
Harry had actually gotten the address of Louis' parents' house from his sister Lottie, who had warned him that what he was going to do wouldn't work, but she still wished him luck, and promised not to tell Louis about it.
He found the house pretty easily with the help of his GPS, and once he got there, he parked the car, got out of it, walked up to the front door, and with no hesitation whatsoever, he rang the doorbell.
The door opened less than a minute later, and there was Louis' mum; he could easily recognize her because he had seen her in pictures that Louis kept around his flat, and she looked the same.
She looked at him with a hint of recognition in her eyes, but she didn't say anything, so Harry decided to be the first to speak.
"Hello, Mrs. Tomlinson, my name is Harry Styles, I'm-" Harry said.
"I know who you are" Jay interrupted, her voice soft, but firm "Why are you here?".
"I want to talk to you and your husband" Harry explained.
"My husband's at work".
"Then I'll just talk to you" Harry decided "Do you think I could come in so we can do that?".
"What do you want to talk about?" asked Jay.
"Louis" Harry answered.
"Why? Is he okay?" Jay frowned.
"Depends on how you define okay" Harry answered.
Jay hesitated, and looked around her neighborhood before she nodded, and let him come inside the house.
"Thank you" Harry said as he watched as Jay closed the door.
"Come to the living room"Jay told him.
Harry followed her there, and the first thing he noticed about the room was there were a lot of pictures of the family, but Louis was in none of them, which was wrong in so many levels, and it made Harry even more angry.
"Take a seat" Jay offered, and Harry complied, sitting down on a sofa "Can I get you something to drink?".
"No, I'm okay, thank you" Harry replied.
Jay sat down on an armchair, and looked at Harry, probably expecting him to start talking.
"I should start saying that Louis has no idea I'm here, but I came because I love him very much and I want to see him happy" Harry explained.
"I know you cheated on him" Jay said, a hint of anger in her voice, which Harry understood, he would probably murder anyone in the future who would dare even think about cheating on Sage.
"That was a mistake, and Louis knows that, and he forgave me" Harry explained, to which Jay slightly nodded "We're in a really good place right now, and we're happy, but I know he feels there's something missing in his life, and that's you and his dad, he misses you".
"And we miss him just as much" Jay assured him.
"Then please come back into his life, he's not even mad at you for abandoning him when he needed you the most, he's waiting for you with open arms" Harry told her.
"I didn't mean to abandon him, but we can't support his life choices" Jay replied.
"He didn't choose to be gay, that's just how he was born" Harry fought.
"Maybe that's true, but he did choose to act on that inclination, and the way I see it, that's wrong".
"What was he supposed to do? Pretend to be straight and be unhappy for the rest of his life?" Harry questioned "Do you really want your own son to be unhappy?".
"Of course I don't want him to be unhappy" Jay refused "And I'm not saying he can't do whatever he wants to do with his life, because he can, but I can't agree with what he does if it goes against my beliefs".
"It's fine if you don't agree, but can't you be there for him at least once a year for his birthday? I was with him when he called you on Monday, and he was really looking forward to you agreeing to go to London, all he wants is to see you and his dad, and for you to meet Sage" Harry explained.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that" Jay answered.
"Don't you love him?" Harry asked, because he couldn't understand why she was refusing.
"Of course I love him, that has never been questioned" Jay answered, looking very serious.
"Then show him that, show him that even if you don't agree with his choices, that you're there for him when it counts" Harry tried.
"He already knows that Mark and I love him, and that has to be enough" Jay replied.
Harry looked down and shook his head while he tried to keep himself from yelling at Louis' mum, and once he managed to calm down, he put his hand in his coat pocket (which he hadn't even taken off), and took out a picture.
"Here" Harry said, standing up, and offering it to Louis' mum "It's a picture of Louis and Sage, in case you wanted to at least see your son and granddaughter".
Jay didn't say anything, but took the picture, and looked at it closely.
It was probably the most adorable picture Harry had taken so far of Louis and Sage, because they were both laying on their backs on the nursery's pink rug, their bodies on opposite directions, but their heads were next to each other's, and they were both smiling at the camera.
"She looks so much like him, they even have the same smile" Jay said softly, as she traced the picture with her finger.
Harry didn't say anything, he just watched as Jay stared at the picture intently, and he hoped maybe seeing it had made her change her mind, or at least think about changing her mind.
"The party's tomorrow at 6 PM at my house, my address and my number are on the back of the picture... in case you decide to go" Harry told her, and decided he had done everything he could, and it was time for him to go "I'll show myself out".
Without another word from him or Louis' mum, Harry left the house, got in his car, and drove back to London, and wished with all his heart that he had done the right thing, and that Louis' parents were going to show up.
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A.N. How do you think Harry and Louis are doing as a couple?
Was Harry right to go talk to Louis' parents without telling him?
Do you think Louis' parents are going to show up?
Thank you for reading ❤❤
Xoxo
P.S. Did you guys see that picture of Louis petting a black cat? I couldn't help but think it was Edgar.