4 weeks later
It was a delightful and quiet Saturday afternoon. Family and friends filled Ryan Welsh's apartment as they all prepared for the event ahead of them.
Teagans pov
"Everything is going to be just fine, babe. I'm sure he's picking it up as we speak," Harry says, trying to calm me down.
The guests were piling in and Louis wouldn't answer his phone, and he was the one picking up Payton's birthday cake as well as all the food we ordered for the party.
"I know but he's like a half hour late already and I'm getting worried."
Just as I state this, the front door opens and Louis and Shawn walk in all carrying a bunch of boxes and I sigh in relief nothing had happened to them or anything.
"Sorry we're a little late love, the caterer you ordered from took a while to package all the food," Louis explains, laying it all down on the counter.
"it's fine, you just weren't answering your phone I got a little worried," I said, beginning to un package all of the food.
"I'm sorry, my phone died and Shawn forgot his," Louis explains.
"Hey Louis, Shawn," Ryan greets, walking into the kitchen. Payton was currently in a sea of family members from Ryan's side, all busy cooing and kissing on the little birthday girl in the living room.
"Hey mate, how are you doin?" Louis asks.
"I'm well. Thanks you guys for picking up all the food I really appreciate it," Ryan says.
"No problem at all, happy to do it," Louis responds as I set the counter with foods and lay out the cake.
————
"Happy birthday to you," we all finish the chorus with cheers, as we take pictures of the one year old girl digging into the mini personal cake with her hands and smearing it everywhere.
I chuckle, allowing the toddler to eat as I begin cutting pieces of the big cake we got for the guests and handing them out to everyone.
"I can do that if you'd like?" Ryan's girlfriend, Tamiko asks kindly.
"Really, you wouldn't mind?" I ask with a smile.
"Of course not!" She says, and I thank her and hand over the knife.
Ryan had actually met Tamiko only shortly after we had that talk about my potential relationship with Harry. Even though he had stated back then he didn't believe he was in a place to have a serious relationship, that all changed when he met her. It just goes to show you truly can't change or decide who you fall in love with and at what point in your life it happens.
Since I was no longer cutting the cake, I take the opportunity to grab a slice and sit at the table where I'm near Payton and can watch her eating her own little cake. Everyone was busy chatting and eating and overall it was a nice little get together.
Louis plops down on the seat beside me with a sigh, "time sure passes by fast, innit Tea?"
"Yeah, it really does," I agree.
"Remember when you, well we, met Ryan the first time?" He asks.
I let out a light chuckle at the memory, "oh god, yes. You had just told me Harry was getting married so I said I'd get on plenty of fish to look for a date."
"Yep and then I said there's no way he's real," Louis states with a laugh.
"Can't believe that was over two years ago now, geesh," I huff.
"Time flies Tea, time flies. So many years have passed since we met and I feel like we've both been through so much together. I mean hell here we are at your kids first birthday party," he states.
I look over at the little girl and smile nostalgically.
"Yeah, we have been through a lot together," I agree.
"And who knew the reason you met Ryan in the first place would be the man you're dating now?" Louis quirks with a raised eyebrow.
"Hm. That's an interesting story for when Payton gets older," I chuckle. "I'm just glad everything worked out in the end, yknow. Have you met Tamiko?" I ask.
"Yeah, she's a nice a woman, I quite like her. She seems good with Payton from what I saw," Louis nods.
"She is, and Ryan really likes her I think. I hope she sticks around. I want him to be happy too."
"Yeah, I get that. Do you ever think of how different things would be if you never left him?"
"All the time," I sigh. "There's times where I've wondered countless hours if I made the right decision for Payton and me. But right now, being with Harry, I'm just so happy that I know I did. And now he has Tamiko and honestly he looks really happy with her." I said.
I had definitely made the right decision in following my heart and leaving Ryan.
_______
After the party had ended, I left Payton with Ryan for the rest of the weekend before going back to Harry's place for the night.
"So that was a nice little party, yeah?" he says with a smile as we lay on the couch snuggling.
"Yeah," I smile back.
"Teagan, I've really been wanting to have a serious conversation with you."
"Okay?" I say, raising an eyebrow at his sudden change in mood "wait...oh my god."
He doesn't say anything for a moment and I push him gently off of me before standing up. "Oh my god," I murmur again.
My heart drops at his serious tone and I almost feel like I'm going to be sick.
"Y-you're breaking up with me," I stutter.
He begins to shake his head violently in protest.
"No, no! What the hell, where'd you get that idea from?" Harry asks taking my hand and pulling me gently back down to sit by him on the couch.
"You waited until after my daughters party and said you want to have a serious talk, what am I supposed to think," I ask, relief washing over me that he wasn't doing what I thought he was.
"No, no, baby, no," he repeats, "no I love you. I'm not breaking up with you."
"Thank god," I huff, sinking back into the cushions.
"Actually kind of the opposite? Look, Payton's getting older now and yeah she's got the weekends in that big place with her dad but she's gonna need her own room living with you before you know it. Shawn and Louis are back together now and I think we both agree it's for the best that they would have their own place and you have your own place. We can move somewhere nice but close by," he reasons.
I bite my lip, thinking for a moment. This was a big pretty big decision to make, and it came sort of out of nowhere.
"Louis though-"
"I already talked to him the other day. He said he'll miss living with you but he knows you would have me now and it's different than you moving back to Ryan's without wanting to, yknow? He says he's okay with it."
"Really?" I ask.
"Yeah," he nods.
I think for a moment and the image of waking up next to Harry in our own home every morning warms my heart, and I can't help the smile that widens my features. Payton in her own little bedroom down the hall, decorated to her own tastes as the years go by. I picture myself with a swollen belly one day, counting down the weeks until Harry and I have a child of our own. Watching our kids grow up, as they have their first day of school to when we send them off to college. I imagine Harry and I growing old together, growing only more and more in love as each day passes.
Thinking all of this, it makes me realize how much I want him and I want to be with him. I don't want anyone else. It was always him and it always will be him.
So without a moments hesitation and all these dreams of our future floating around in my head I make one simple statement,
"Let's get married."