xviii.
Cher sat down at the kitchen table and saw how much Louis was piling her plate. She smiled, loving how much he and Harry both cared.
“Louis, I am not even that hungry,” Cher said. Louis merely shook his head and placed then plate of fruit and pancakes and an omelet in front of her.
“I want you to get some meat on those bones,” Louis said with a smirk. “Now you eat up.”
“You are ridiculous,” she said as she took a bite. “But this is insanely good.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I know I’m not the cook, but I’m not too shabby.”
Louis really had been enjoying Cher’s company over the past few days, especially when Harry went to work. He liked the company of someone that didn’t just want to talk about superheroes and watch cartoons most of the day.
“How long do you think it’ll be until I start showing?” Cher asked as she twiddled her thumbs.
“I think it depends on the person. It could be a month or more. Why?”
“I’m just nervous,” she said softly. “What if-”
“Hey,” Louis said softly as he sat next to her. “It’ll all be okay. We’re here for you.”
“I have to thank you and Harry so much. You two are simply the best. It’s no wonder you two are such amazing parents.”
“We’re not that amazing,” Louis said with a wave of his hand. “I think you’ll be an amazing mom one day.”
Cher gave Louis a small smile and fidgeted with her hands. Louis rose an eyebrow, curious as to her sudden shyness, but he didn’t have the chance to when Zayn came toddling over to him.
“Hey there buddy,” Louis said as he put Zayn on his lap. Louis noted that Zayn’s hand were purple and green, a sure indicator that he had been painting. “What have you been up to?”
“Stuff,” Zayn said with a grin.
“Oh? And what kind of stuff you silly little bugger?” Louis asked as he tickled Zayn’s stomach. His son giggled and wiggled himself more comfortably on Louis’ lap, so that his back was against Louis’ chest, as he played with paint dried hands.
“Is this what it’s always like?” Cher asked softly.
“What?” Louis asked as he aimlessly ran his fingers through Zayn’s hair.
“Parenthood, you know? Is it always fun?” Cher asked as she gazed admiringly at Louis and Zayn.
“No, sadly, it’s not. Some days, they are sick, and last month we took Liam to the hospital to take out his kidney. If anything Parenthood is a roller coaster, but it’s the ride that only the brave can conquer. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart I suppose,” Louis said thoughtfully. “If you can’t deal with it, no one will ever judge you. But adoption and surrogacy are just wonderful options for people that can’t have kids like Harry and I.”
“Right. And how do you know you can’t have a baby?” Cher asked. Louis gave her a strange look before she corrected herself. “Wait! I-I didn’t mean you and Harry. I mean, you’re both men so obviously- I meant- well, how do you know, as a woman, you can’t have children?”
“Oh, well you can always talk to your doctor. Don’t worry, when you have your first appointment with Arthur- or rather Dr. Robinson, he’ll give you a full checkup.”
“Louis, what if I can never pay you back? I mean for all of this?” Cher asked.
Louis smiled and patted the top of her hand. “Darling, you’re carrying my child. You are fine.”
Liam came out of his room, his hair a bit disheveled since he just woke up, and sat on the floor next to Louis’ chair. “Daddy?”
“Oh hey bub,” Louis said as he handed Zayn over to Cher.
“Oh n-no, I-” Cher started, but Zayn was already on her lap. He looked up at her and held his hands towards her face. Cher cringed a bit, but just nodded and smiled.
“Food,” Liam said as he poked his belly.
“Food please sweetheart,” Louis said as he set Liam in the chair so he could get up and get Liam and Zayn some food.
“Food please sweetheart,” Liam said sassily. Louis just sighed, knowing the sass that Liam was acquiring was from him, so he let it slide as he poured two glasses of milk for his sons. He brought them out and placed them before each kid.
“Thank you,” Zayn said, still seated on Cher’s lap, as he took his sippy cup and began to drink his milk.
“Thanks Daddy!” Liam said, bringing his small cup towards him and drinking up.
“Of course boys. Now let me get your food,” Louis said as he went back to the kitchen to prepare some food.
Liam looked over at Zayn and Cher curiously before speaking up. “Ms. Cher?”
“Um, yes Liam?” Cher asked as Zayn put his sippy cup back on the table.
“Are you the Nanny?” Liam asked.
“I’m sorry?” Cher asked as Louis came back in.
“Oh pay no attention to him,” Louis said as he placed food in front of both of his sons. “He was watching ‘The Nanny’ the other night and now he really wants a Nanny.”
“Oh,” Cher said as Zayn held a piece of bacon up to her face. “No thank you sweetie, I’m good,” Cher said gesturing to her plate that was pushed off to the side a bit. Zayn’s face fell a bit, and Cher felt so guilty so she took the bacon and ate it anyways.
“Yummy?” Zayn asked.
“It is! Thank you love,” Cher said as she swallowed the food.
“You’re good with kids,” Louis pointed out.
“Eh, I was baby-sitting for a bit before becoming a bit more free-lance,” Cher said with a shrug.
“Would you like to be a nanny?” Louis asked, as he sat down next to Liam.
“What?”
“I mean, the kids like you and you’re carrying me and Harry’s third little angel, so after he’s born, if you haven’t found something to do, we’d be glad to take you on.”
“I’ll think about it,” Cher said with a smile. Louis nodded, not wanting to push the girl. Louis enjoyed Cher and knew she had the right intentions at heart. She just needed a bit of help getting on the right track.
Harry, as hesitant as he was to admitting, believed the same thing. He thought about this as he walked around the kitchen, watching the cooks make food during the latter half of the lunch schedule.
“Hey bud,” Nick said, clapping Harry on the shoulder. “How ya been?”
“You just said this two minutes ago,” Harry mumbled as he looked down the line.
“Well, you know, I worry about you! You’re my best-”
“What do you want Nick?” Harry asked, trying to get to the point.
“Let’s go out!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“To a bar or something.”
“Last time we ‘went out’ my husband wasn’t too pleased, so I think I’ll pass. Besides I have to get home to everyone.”
“Oh yeah, how’s your newest addition doing? I bet she’s smoking,” Nick said as he wiggled his eyebrows.
“You’re disturbed. Besides, she’s only eighteen.”
“And?”
“Oh my gosh Nick,” Harry said as he shook his head and walked away from his slightly disturbed friend.
“Whatever! You know how I do Harold!”
Harry chuckled and continued to watch over the cooks, slightly feeling himself get a bit depressed. He wanted to run his own restaurant, but he was stuck here. He was in a good place though. Neither Harry nor Louis had financial issues, and they were fathers now.
Harry sighed as he rubbed his hand over his face and leaned against the wall looking at the scene before him. Cooks prepping food delicately and making everything posh for all the snooty people that walked in here, and they had to do it properly or else they customers would complain and yell.
Harry wanted his restaurant to be a place where people could have fun and families could have good food at a cheap price. Well not too cheap, but enough. Harry had a lot of dreams, but he was willing to put them on the backburner for his family. He wanted his family to have everything they needed.
Harry pulled out his phone and saw the picture on his screen. His background was Louis, Liam, and Zayn all snuggled in their bed at home. Zayn was focused on the pictures and Liam was focused on the story. Louis, well he was just happy to be spending time with his boys. It warmed Harry’s heart to see how much their little family had come together over the short period of time they’d been together.
Harry slipped the phone back in his pocket and pushed himself off of the wall, going to help one of the newer chefs get the portioning on the plate right. From where Harry was standing he could see they were all wrong.
Louis himself was having work issues at home.
As he was typing his column, the boys seemed a bit restless. They wanted to go outside and run and play, but Louis didn’t really have time. He needed to submit five articles by Tuesday, and at this rate, he’d be lucky to submit one.
“Daddy let’s go play!” Liam said as he held up a soccer ball over his head. Zayn nodded beside him happily and Cher peeked up from her book as she sat next to the window. She was intrigued that Louis hadn’t snapped yet. Then again, Louis was a good father and Cher never had the opportunity to have one of those.
“Boys, Daddy has to do his work. Can’t you play with each other for just a bit?” Louis asked as he continued to type away like a mad man.
“Play now!” Liam said as he stomped his foot. Zayn just pouted as he sat on the ground.
“Liam James, please stop throwing a tantrum,” Louis said as he looked up from his screen.
“No!” Liam said as he glared at Louis. Before Louis could retaliate, Cher got up from her position and kneeled down in front of Liam.
“Hey, do you want me to play with you?” Cher asked. Louis bit his tongue watching the scene unfold before him.
“You will?” Liam said softly.
“Of course! Let’s go play!” Cher said as Liam and Zayn cheered and fumbled their way to the back door.
“Thanks,” Louis said as he fell back into the couch.
“You could use a break,” Cher said with a shrug. “Besides, they’re cute so I don’t mind.”
“You’re an absolute lifesaver,” Louis called out as Cher went out the backdoor.
Louis heard the door close and that’s when he let out a sigh of relief. He loved his sons, but sometimes he did need these things to get done in peace and quiet. As Louis typed away, he wondered how wonderful it would be if Cher agreed to be their Nanny. He could get more work done and be down at the office a bit more while Harry could keep working as the head chef without feeling so much guilt.
A few hours had passed, and Louis was finally editing the last column he had written when Cher and his boys came stumbling in. Liam looked proud as he held the soccer ball over his head and Zayn looked a tad bit disheartened, but Cher gave him a gentle pat on the head and an encouraging smile.
“Daddy, I won!” Liam announced as he climbed up on the couch to sit next to Louis.
“Did you now?” Louis asked, closing his laptop and giving his son his full attention. Now that he was done with his articles, he could pay attention to his son.
“Yeah! It was awesome!” Liam announced as he smiled triumphantly. “Zayn’s no good though.”
Louis looked over at the younger one, calmly standing behind Cher’s legs, seeming a bit disheartened. Louis frowned a bit and looked back to Liam.
“Now Liam, don’t be mean to your brother,” Louis said calmly.
“I was bad Daddy,” Zayn whimpered. Louis cooed and went over to bring him to the couch. He put Zayn in his lap and just smiled at him softly.
“Now boys, you know how your Dada cooks and I write?” Louis asked as he held Zayn to his chest. Both of his boys nodded, one more eccentrically than the other, and Louis continued. “Well certain people are good at certain things. For example, Liam, are you good at drawing.”
Liam’s face twisted up a bit before he shook his head. “No, I’m bad.”
“Now neither of you are bad at either thing. It just so happens that Liam is a tad bit better at footie, but Zayn is also a tad bit better at drawing,” Louis explained as he ruffled Liam’s hair. “It makes a nice balance. One of you is artsy and the other is an athlete.”
“So can we draw then? So that Zaynie can be not sad?” Liam asked. Zayn looked over at his brother, and just smiled. Louis couldn’t help but gush over his little family, so he decided to make it a bit of an event.
“How bout we all paint a picture for Dada when he gets home?” Louis said. Zayn’s ears perked up at the word painting and he was already shimmying down Louis’ lap to get his paint.
“Yay! Painting for Dada!” Liam screamed. Louis chuckled, knowing his son was going to be a complete jock by the time he was in secondary school.
“Cher, would you like to join us?” Louis asked. This entire time, Cher was silently staring on, admired by the family, quirks and all. She smiled and nodded.
“That would be lovely.”
Louis turned to grab some papers and paints, but Cher stayed behind, her body beginning to tingle.
“Oh please not now,” she muttered. She made sure no one was around as she tip toed to the den to get what she needed. She wanted to stop, to make all the pain go away, and this was the only way she knew how. But she couldn’t tell Louis and Harry. She needed this money. She wanted to change and make a better life for herself.
Too bad a bad habit is hard to quit.
Cher sighed and stood up, hoping that no one would notice and joined the Tomlinson-Styles on their painting journey.
~
“Oh, wow,” Harry announced when each of the boys pulled out their photos. “These are lovely guys.”
“Dada, mine’s the one in purple!” Liam announced. It was true. Everything on the page was in purple. There was a purple tree, with a purple house, that had a purple little family. Although Liam wasn’t the most artistic kid, he put his heart into it, and that’s what mattered.
“I see! It’s beautiful Li,” Harry said as he kissed his eldest on the forehead. “That must mean that this one is from Z.”
Zayn nodded from Louis lap as he ate the strawberries that Louis had placed on the coffee table beforehand. Cher was handing him one at a time as he made a motion to get it. She didn’t want Louis to have to move and she also didn’t want Zayn to fall.
Harry studied Zayn’s picture for a moment, and was in awe. Harry studied the colors and, although Zayn was only three, he had a great instinct of colors. He had drawn the sun and the backyard, plain and simple, but still beautiful.
“It’s wonderful,” Harry said and Zayn smiled, happy he made his Dada proud.
Harry picked up the last picture and it was a plain smiley face. Harry looked over at his husband who gave him a wink and laughed.
“Well obviously, you two need to teach your father how to draw because he is quite awful at it,” Harry said as Louis gasped.
“See boys, this is why we’re nice to people. Your Dada is being a bully,” Louis said with a dramatic expression on his face.
“Dada’s a bully!” Liam announced excitedly. Zayn clapped and squealed with joy, but Harry groaned. He knew Liam was going to tell everyone that whenever they went to the store and what not. Liam had no filter, and Louis abused it whenever Harry did something inappropriate.
“I’m not a bully,” Harry huffed and Louis chuckled as he set Zayn down in front of the strawberries.
“Well, um, I think I’m going to bed,” Cher announced after they had all settled into watching TV for a bit.
“Are you sure?” Harry asked.
“Yeah, I, um, I just feel really tired for no reason,” Cher said with a weak smile.
“Well I think that’s a sign of pregnancy,” Louis said, trying hard to contain his happiness.
“Probably,” Cher said with a smile. “Well, goodnight!”
Cher slipped off to the den and looked in her bag one more time, the itch coming back to her. This time, however, she just lied down and closed her eyes. She was going to fight this and not mess up.
She wasn’t going to let anyone down.
A/N: An unexpected update because it's a thank you to all of you guys constantly reading, voting and commenting! I love all three so keep it up! I love you guys x
-Ariel x