Harry
"Addison what are you doing here- how did you find me?" She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, almost exactly like Emily does.
"I looked you up, it's not important, I'm here to see my grandchild and take him back to England." I gasped.
"Over my dead body! Get off my property!" I turned and watched as Marlene stood aside. "Call the police." She nodded a bit worried.
"Oh Harold there's no need for that, I'm kidding, I came to see him and then I'll leave." She patted my shoulder. "Where is he?" I shook my head.
"No, no you can't see him-"
"I think the money I send you on a monthly bases would differ." I rolled my eyes.
"Your daughter did drugs while pregnant with him. A thousand dollars a month is the least you can do for the hell my son had to get through because your daughter was on heroin!" I heard the car door open and turned to see Marlene get the car seat and walk inside the house.
"I see you've moved on, she's not as pretty as Emily."
"Yes, I moved on I'm not in an abusive relationship with a cheating whore. Believe me, Marlene is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Perhaps that was too much but I was so mad. Since being with Marlene I've learned to stand up for myself. She always says that words hurt a lot more if you use them right. "The only way you or Emily will ever see him is if you come here and both of you can give me some type of proof that you're both sober until then stay the hell away from us." I turned around and began walking back towards my house.
"I'll see you in court then." She threatened me.
I smirked turning. "Great and I'll show them all the documents of all the drugs that were in his system and how she left him alone at a hospital for two days, I'm sure the court will hand him right back to an addict. Or do you want him after six months? I'm sure they will give him to you, a pill-popping alcoholic." I said sarcastically.
She turned and walked to the car, the man in the front seat opened her door and drove off immediately.
I walked into my house and Marlene sat on the ground changing Oliver. She must have not heard me because she was talking to Ollie when I came into the room. "You look like your daddy, yes you do cutie. I promise no mean lady is going to take you away." He giggled at her and kicked his feet. "Oh, we should put you in a dance class, or maybe soccer, hmm?" I made myself known in the room and she turned to me.
"She left, it's okay." She smiled gently.
"She's going to come back, she'll fight you on this. You need to call a lawyer and his social worker." I nodded knowing I had to fight for him. I went and sat down with him after getting a banana off the counter.
"Let's try eating a banana for lunch Ollie." I felt my chest tighten at the thought of them taking my baby.
*
Later that night after everyone was asleep I lied on my back and stared at the ceiling. I could hear the rain falling again outside so I tried to let the sound put me to sleep, but it was no use.
Marlene rolled over and cuddled into my side. She was still wearing her ring which made me laugh. I slowly tried to take it off her finger but her fist closed and she put it to her chest. "You can't sleep with it on," I told her.
"But Harry gave it to me." She mumbled.
"You love Harry?" She nodded still asleep. I giggled. "You want to give Harry a kiss?" She mumbled something and scooted over to kiss the side of my mouth. "Come on princess, take the ring off while you're sleeping." She shook her head. "It's going to get tangled in your hair."
"No, it's mine." She looked at me and gave me a look over. "Why are you awake?" I shrugged.
"I get scared that they'll take him away from me." She leaned on her arm and looked at me. "You two are the only parts of my life that keep me sane and this woman is trying to take my baby away." My eyes stung from tears fighting their way out. "What if she does it?"
"She won't, I won't tolerate someone causing you pain like that." She put her hand on my cheek. "Look at me, I won't allow her to take him, she'll have to go through me and believe me I will go ape shit on her ass if she takes my cutie patootie." I smiled. "Come here."
I snuggled into her side and she gently scratched my scalp. "You're very soothing." She giggled. "You make me feel like everything will be alright."
I never had a real sense of comfort around people but with Marlene, the world could be crashing down around us and I would feel safe here. "You know why?" I shook my head. "Because I love you more than anything, and we'll be fine, I promise."
*
By spring everything felt at ease and we all sat down in the living room after dinner and were trying to get Ollie to say dada. "I'm dada." He stared at me and bounced in my lap. "Yes, dada."
"Ahhhh!" He screamed making Marlene giggle.
"You can't force him to talk, watch this." She sat up and crawled over picking him up. "Ollie look at Marlene." He looked at her and smiled big. "Watch." She grabbed his hand and placed it on my cheek and said. "Dada."
"Da da da da da." He repeated, my eyes widened.
"Marlene he did it." Ollie looked at her and touched her face.
"Ma ma ma ma!" Her eyes widened and she looked at me almost terrified. She handed him back to me and slowly stood up walking out of the room. Ollie began crying when he didn't notice her and laid on my chest for comfort.
It probably upset him more because I didn't have soft squishy boobs like Marlene. I stood up and set him down on his swing where the music soothed him.
I went into the room where Marlene sat on the edge of the bed with her face covered. "He was probably trying to say 'Marlene'." She sniffled. "The fact that the first sound of your name happens to sound like 'ma' is a coincidence." She didn't say anything. "Are you upset that he called you that or...?"
"I'm the closest person that boy has to a mom, and it kills me because Shane was right. He's nothing of mine in life but everything in my heart and if we fought one day or you got upset you can just take him away." She let out a small sob.
"Baby I wouldn't do that, first of all, I don't plan on leaving so get that shit right." I walked over and sat beside her. "Now we are going to get married and you will be my wife, which means you'll be his mum too." She turned to me and smiled. "He's yours too not by blood but by this." I poked her heart.
"It doesn't bother you if he starts calling me mom?" I shook my head.
"He needs one, and if I may say you're a pretty good one even without kids." She laughed. "Yes smile, please stop crying or I'll cry." She agreed, wiping her eyes.
*
Marlene
After the word around the office got to Liam about me being engaged he hadn't stopped bothering me on planning a wedding. "What about bridesmaids?"
"I don't have a lot of friends, I stopped talking to a lot of people when I came back to Washington." He sighed. "Can't we hire people-"
"Marlene please be serious, have you decided on a date, location, flowers, food, a band or a DJ?" He sounded so concerned.
"No, no, I'm allergic, taco truck, and a band." He looked at me like I just told him that I ran over his dog.
"A taco truck?" I shrugged.
"Harry likes tacos, I like tacos, it makes sense." I walked into my cubicle and sat down. He sat down beside me and crossed his arms.
"Marlene, let me help you plan this." I sighed.
"Fine, honestly you're probably the only person I would consider a friend." He smiled big.
I heard my phone go off and looked at a text from my mom to ask if she could come over to my house. I agreed thinking about what I could make as a quick dinner.
Our relationship, although we are on speaking terms, is still a bit rocky. My mother is so overbearing sometimes and it drives me crazy, but something was wrong with her. She still hasn't gone to church and according to Jeffrey, she's constantly going out all day with no calls. Maybe having her over will be good to talk.
After work, Harry stood by the elevator on his phone. "I don't really care mother, I don't want empty promises, Emily hasn't even tried getting help." I raised an eyebrow. "Yes well I have a lawyer and I'm fighting so she can't see him unless she gets clean by his first birthday. Tell her that." He wasn't yelling but I knew he was angry. We got in the elevator and he hung up the phone standing there in his angry stance.
"Everything okay?"
"No." He shook his head. "Emily's mother went to talk to mine again and said she's actually going through with trying to take Oliver. I have a meeting with the lawyer tomorrow."
"What the hell does she want with him?" The elevator doors opened and we quickly walked out of the lobby towards our car.
"I don't know, but Emily's not even with her she's out on a trip with her friends probably getting high and drunk all day. This woman is crazy if she thinks I'll give him up for four million dollars." My eyes widened.
"She wants to pay for Oliver- is she insane?!" He nodded.
"She wants to hurt me on purpose for taking Emily away from her home. This is all payback." He got in the car and slammed his hand on the wheel. "I have to tell you something that I've never told you because it's something I don't exactly want to remember." I held his hand. "I used to-" He swallowed pulling off his tie. "I used to do bad things too if they found this out she has a chance of winning."
"Bad things, like what?" He looked out the window. "Harry I wouldn't judge you, we change remember?" He still looked hesitant.
"Cocaine, pills, alcohol." He looked down. "It was before the first pregnancy and it was just a bad time in my life. If Emily never got pregnant I would have been like her." I was shocked at why he didn't tell me sooner, but at the same time, who was I to talk. "Say something."
"Is that why they hated you?" He shrugged.
"That and because I came from a normal working family." I nodded.
"Well you've changed, the hardest thing you do now is drink wine." He smiled. "Were you ever arrested?" He shook his head. "Okay then good, no worries then." I put my hand on his neck and gently ran my fingers at the nape where his hair curled. "I love you."
"I love you so much baby girl." He turned to me, leaning over and kissing me. It was a sweet soft kiss, but then Harry gently tugged my lip before kissing my neck a few times.
"Oh gosh, I'm getting kinda turned on."
"Well how about we head home." I sighed. "Ollie can take a nap." He teased.
"No, I have to clean a little and make dinner my moms coming over." He hummed.
"Okay then you cook and I clean and we have sex when she leaves, okay it's a plan." He said quickly making me laugh.
*
My family came over at seven, I greeted them as they walked in. "Excuse the mess in the living room, Ollie starting to crawl and loves to play with his toys." Harry smiled hugging my mom and shaking my dad's hand. My dad loved Ollie so he picked him up and I giggled.
"Ma ma ma!" Ollie screamed at me making everyone look at him and then at me.
"What's the matter cutie, give my dad a hug." Ollie looked at my dad. My dad was a tall man with a mustache and always wore his typical grey t-shirt tucked into his jeans. He had a lot of grays now in his mustache. Ollie stared at the hair over his lip and poked it before hiding his face in his arm.
"You know what I want him to call me papa Mark." He told me. "Like you called your grandpa." I nodded remembering. "Do you mind Harry?" Harry looked over as he set the table from where we stood. "If Oliver calls me papa Mark."
"Of course not." He smiled. "That's lovely."
I looked at my dad. "At least you acknowledge him." My dad sighed. "Mom shakes his hand," I whispered. "She held him once." He looked over and saw my mom staring at Harry as he placed spoons and forks on each napkin. It was the face she made when she wanted to say something but bit back her tongue.
"Your mom just wanted you to get married and have a family-"
"That's what I did-"
"Out of order." he corrected. "Hon I'm not saying anything because I have literally never seen you happier and I want my kids happy but your mom is-"
"Crazy?"
"Invasive." Jeff suddenly said beside me.
I smacked his arm. "Stop eavesdropping you loser."
"Stop talking so loud while I'm sitting right here." He pointed to the couch a few feet from where we were talking. "Talking shit, right in front of my salad?" I rolled my eyes and punched his arm.
"Your mom is not always reasonable but she takes pride in being the best mom she can be. She didn't exactly come from best parents." Jeff and I looked at each other and made a face. You can say that shit again.
*
We had coffee at the table while Vicky and Jeff played with Oliver. That was how I knew I was an adult now, at almost twenty-five I was no longer playing with the kids but having coffee and talking about car payments with my parents. "I told Jeffery I would think about the car, but he has to show me his grades from his first semester." My dad told us.
"Mark can we just tell them why we're here, stop beating around the bush." My mom suddenly said. My dad nodded and sighed, holding my hand.
"Oh shit who died," I said quietly. "You do that thing when someone dies." They looked at each other and sighed. "Oh my god."
"Honey your grandma Lucy is very sick." I felt Harry's hand held mine. I looked down and scoffed.
You see when my dad said my mom didn't have the best parents he meant it. My grandmother Lucy is as cold-hearted as a woman can get. She is strict and ruthless about where a woman's place was. Take my mom and multiply it by ten. Then add a good ass whopping. "I'm so sorry," Harry said besides me.
I covered my mouth as a smile formed on my lips. I'm going to hell but I couldn't control the laughter that came out of my mouth. "Marlene!" My dad scolded. "Have some respect!"
My mom suddenly stood and looked at me in disgust. "My mother is dying and you laugh? This is exactly why you're not coming with us." She pointed at me. I sat back and nodded slowly. "Get that smug look off your face."
"What do you want me to do? Cry for a woman who abused me while you two were at work? You know how I feel about her so why would you do this dramatic sit-down." Harry squeezed my hand and I quickly looked over at Oliver and Vicky. Jeff looked at me mouthing the words 'calm down'. "Let's talk outside." I stood and Harry looked uncomfortable so I told him to stay.
I walked out in the fresh spring evening and shook my head as my mom began yelling. "Your grandma never abused you, Marlene!"
"She left me at a store, she yelled at me and slapped me around for sitting unladylike, I don't care if she's sick. You know I fear wooden spoons and lose cables because of her-"
"You were a bad kid who needed guidance-"
"Guidance!?" I gasped. "You let her hit me, god no wonder you're so fucked in the head. She's the reason-"
"Marlene Esther Holt! That is enough!" My dad yelled. "The only reason we are here is that Victoria can't come where we are going and we need her and Jeff to stay here until she gets better-"
"Or she dies," I stated, making my mother give me a death glare. "Why are you so upset, you haven't even talked to Lucy in ten years-"
"Because she's my mother!" She yelled in my face. I didn't say anything else. "You know what, forget it, just watch after your siblings. I mean you watch after a child that isn't yours, I'm sure-"
"Don't talk about our child," I warned her.
"Your child has a mother, you are simply just messing around with his father-"
"Yeah okay yeah I'm a whore, that shits been said and done, can you leave now." I walked past her inside to clean the table.
"Marlene?" My mom said walking in. "I'm not saying that!"
"Can you not scream in my house, our baby is sensitive to screaming," I spoke calmly. She gave me a look before grabbing her purse and walking out of the kitchen. A minute later the front door opened and closed.
It was our cycle all over again. We'd fight and one of us would leave.
My dad looked at me and sighed. "Marlene, laughing? Are you insane?" I nodded. "I'm going to get Victoria's bag, no cursing in front of her and no trash talking your mother." I saluted him.
He walked over to tell Jeff to get his bag from the car and walked out. Harry sat talking to Vicky who was now brushing out his hair.
I walked over and heard her talking. "See you look like a queen now." My nine-year-old sister was so smart but just a tad smitten with Harry.
"Thank you Victoria, I do look more handsome but the true queen is you." She giggled. He looked up at me and I smiled. "All is good?" I shook my head.
"No, but the good news is that Vicky is going to stay with us." He smiled putting his fist to bump with Vicky but she quickly jumped and hugged him.
"Great now you can play with Ollie, he likes you." She nodded laying down on the floor with him.
*
Later that night after Vicky had a shower she sat in front of me while I did her hair. "Mommy says you're getting married." I nodded.
"Yeah, not right now but soon." She hummed. "What else did mommy say."
"Nothing, that she's sad sometimes." I began braiding her hair. "We went to the doctor and the doctor put stickers on her boobies." I raised an eyebrow.
"What?" I flipped her around. "What are you talking about?"
"Mommy said she's sick but it's not a big deal and the doctor placed stickers on her heart and her boobies. Mommy said not to call them that but it's a funny word." I turned her back and finished her hair. I had set up the inflatable mattress on one side of the living room and Jeff was on the other already asleep. I tucked her in and covered her legs with her blanket.
"Good night, if you need me you come to my room okay?" She nodded yawning.
I kissed her forehead and stood up to go to bed. "Marley?" I turned back. "If anything happens to mommy or daddy am I going to live with you?" I sighed walking back over to lay down beside her.
"If anything happens then obviously yes, but nothing is going to happen. You have to have faith that if mommy's sick that she'll be better okay?" She nodded. "Do you want me to lay here until you fall asleep?" She nodded hugging me.
If something was wrong with my mom she'd tell me, right?
*
*edit*I realize Marlene is a bit dramatic, please don't be mean in the comments I'm just a writer lol*edit*
Thank you for reading. Xx
-K