Don't you think you're a little young for this? That had been the question the nurse had asked Niall as she helped Niall tend to the baby in his arms and Harry had found it rude, though he hadn't said anything he had just bit his tongue until the nurse left and then he turned to look at the blonde who he had become friends with since they had both attended the same birthing classes.
"That nurse was a bit rude," he huffed before looking at the sleeping boy in Niall's arms. "I mean you're older than me and if she thinks you are too young then what does that make me?" Harry asked as he shook his head not even sure when early twenties became too young to have children. His own mother had been young when she had Gemma.
Niall laughed at Harry's words and he shook his head, "I've learned to ignore mean comments," he said knowing it was true. He had learned to ignore all the rude comments, especially since they had all gotten worse since he had gotten pregnant. "I mean for god sakes I was a pregnant single father to be. I've had worse said about me."
Harry went silent at that cause he knew Niall had a point, "I guess it just makes me mad when people down my friends," he shrugged before looking away from the sleeping boy. "D..did it hurt when you had him?"
"It hurt a lot but then again I didn't get to have my scheduled c-section because ole Murphy here was in such a hurry to come," Niall said as he looked down at his son and grinned. "By the time I made it to the hospital Murphy was already on his way out so I had to have him naturally with no medication."
Grimacing, Harry put a hand on his stomach, "I...ow," he muttered not even sure if he wanted a natural birth. He had talked about it but pain scared him so in the end he'd probably opt to be medicated and maybe a c-section would be easier because he wasn't sure he wanted to push a baby out of such a tiny space.
"You can say the ow part again," Niall said as he looked up at Harry. "But other than that I think I could live with the pain. It gave me this beautiful little boy here in my arms."
"He is beautiful," Harry agreed as he again looked at the baby and his hand unconsciously rubbed his stomach as he wondered what his own child would look like. Whether the child would be a boy or a girl and whether it would have hair or be as bald as Niall's son was. He kind of hoped it was a little girl who looked like Zac yet had his curls but knowing his luck he'd get a boy that looked just like him with a little bit of Zac.
At Harry's silence, Niall raised an eyebrow, "You thinking about your own baby huh?" he asked knowing Harry was due in April and it was now March which meant that Harry really didn't have that much longer left in his pregnancy.
Harry nodded feeling his cheeks getting hot as he blushed, "Hard not too I guess. I realize now how close my due date actually is," he sighed feeling as if time had suddenly gone too fast for his liking. "So was your mom the one with you when you gave birth? I know she's the one who was your coach during the birthing classes."
Niall shook his head at that, "My labor happened so fast that she didn't have a chance to make it to the hospital in time. It was my roommate who was with me. I guess it was kind of fitting it was him, he's the one whose been helping me ever since George left me after finding out I was pregnant."
"Maybe he loves you," Harry smirked knowing it took a real man to step in when another man had checked out.
"Nah, he has a boyfriend now but he does know what it's like to be abandoned," Niall mused as he felt Murphy move in his arms before starting to cry out. "I think that's his hungry cry," he said before adjusting Murphy in his arms some and undoing his hospital gown. He had opted to breast feed Murphy, something else men who were pregnant were able to do. It was still an unknown to doctors how men had even been able to get pregnant and it was unknown to them how they were also able to produce milk to feed the babies but they were.
Biting his lip as he watched Niall, Harry stood up from the seat he sat in, "I..I should go and give you some alone time. Anyway I promised Gemma I'd help her send out invitations for my baby shower next week," he laughed knowing he had promised Gemma he'd help her but really he didn't want too because then that would mean deciding if Diana and Kate were coming and he didn't want them to, not with how they treated him but his mom always said he should be nice and they were Zac's family so he probably did have to at least keep trying.
"I better get an invite Styles or I'll be sad," Niall teased as he watched Harry walk towards the door.
"You'll be the first person I invite," Harry responded as he walked out of the room and began the walk to the elevators. When he reached the elevators though he pressed the button and waited for the doors to open and when they did he was about to get on but paused as he saw Louis coming off with blue balloons that said Congratulations on them.
"Louis?" Harry asked as he raised an eyebrow seeing Louis stop in his tracks. It was clear from the look on Louis' face that he hadn't seen Harry when he exited the elevator.
"Harry," Louis said as he turned to face the man who was dating Taylor's brother, the man he wasn't even sure liked him that well. "I..I was just here to visit my roommate. He had a baby last night."
Harry was about to ask Louis who his roommate was when it clicked in his head and he felt his mouth drop slightly at the realization because it felt like his world had gotten slightly smaller, "You are Niall's roommate?" he asked though it came out more like a statement.
Louis nodded his head as he smiled at the mention of Niall, "Have been for the last two years," he admitted before shrugging. "Niall's the only one who can put up with my shit anyway."
"Taylor put's up with it okay," Harry laughed as he gained some of his senses back.
"No," Louis corrected as he shook his head. "I put up with Taylor's shit. I mean I am the one who made him come around to Natalie's pregnancy and stepping up. I don't think he liked me calling him a bunch of names or pointing out his flaws but in the end he realized I'm right. I'm always right and Taylor will see it eventually."
Harry laughed again, "I heard you had something to do with Taylor's change of heart," he said knowing at first he had been disbelieving of it even when Natalie had literally gotten a bible out and swore on it. "Niall mentioned you've been there for him through his pregnancy," he added in remembering that Niall had also said his roommate knew what it was like to be abandoned. Maybe Harry really didn't try to see Louis as a good guy since Louis was seemingly the reason Natalie and Taylor's marriage had ended for the time being and maybe that was wrong of him.
"Yeah, figured he'd need me after George showed his true colors," Louis shrugged knowing he had never liked Niall's boyfriend from the start. "I don't want Niall to feel alone or the baby to just be abandoned. I sort of know what that's like. My dad left my mom when I was little and then I had a step-dad but he and my mom recently divorced a few years back. It was crazy and I guess I just want Niall's baby...Murphy to have someone."
"And that's why you helped Taylor to see the error of his ways?" Harry asked feeling a lump form in his throat. Maybe he could blame getting emotional on being pregnant because it really was making him crazy with his emotions. He could say now was one of those times.
Louis nodded his head smiling sadly, "That would be why," he confirmed as he forced a more happier smile. "But let's not tell Taylor that. I haven't really opened up to him about all my issues or past stuff yet though he really hasn't told me much about him either."
"I don't think Taylor tells anyone much of anything, he is like an enigma," Harry reasoned as he gave Louis a smile. "But your issues are safe with me," he nodded before chewing his lip.
"Good," Louis spoke before chewing his own lip as well just briefly. "I should go see Niall though and give him this balloon. I promised him a balloon for all the hard work he did with his pushing. My personal push present to him."
Harry couldn't help but laugh at that but he didn't object to Louis leaving. It was after Louis left that he again turned to the elevators, seeing the doors had closed because he had spent time talking to Louis so he pressed the button again and waited for the doors to open. He was sure after today that he'd be a bit nicer to Louis from now on and he'd try not to judge Louis based on what had happened with him and Taylor and what part Louis played in Taylor and Natalie's current situation. It wasn't like Louis was the one keeping them apart, that was Taylor and he was doing it because obviously Louis had something that he wanted.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
"Are you sure you really want to invite them Haz?" Gemma asked as she scrunched up her nose after Harry had said he wanted to invite Diana and Kate to his baby shower.
Harry shrugged as he ran a hand through his hair, "I don't see any other way around it," he mused before smiling. "Anyway mom always says to be nice to people and I feel I should keep trying, I may win them over with kindness yet."
"But they are both self righteous bitches who have been nothing but mean to you," Gemma pointed out as she rolled her eyes not understanding why her brother would keep trying. "Anyway Zac may not want them there, you know he has been chilly towards his parents ever since he came out and I don't think he cares either way about Isaac's wife."
"He may not care about Isaac's wife but Diana is his mom and he may want her there regardless of how she has been since he came out as gay," Harry said as he looked away from Gemma. "And Diana and Kate are always a two for one deal because Diana is glued to her favorite daughter-in-laws hip."
Gemma huffed but went silent knowing she was winning a losing battle. They'd invite Diana and Kate even if she saw it ending badly. Harry was just too nice of a soul even when people wronged him and she half wished she had the heart her brother did.
When Gemma went silent, Harry just sat there and watched as she made an invitation addressed to Diana and then one to Kate and he couldn't help but smile that he had gotten his way even if he was wary though he wouldn't let Gemma know he was wary. "Where is Nikki at today?" he asked knowing he hadn't seen Nikki since arriving at Gemma's and if Nikki were here she'd probably let herself be known.
"No, she had a date with..." Gemma started but stopped once she realized she wasn't supposed to tell Harry about this. "Someone she went to college with," she finished hoping her lie was believable.
Harry crossed his arms over his bump as he eyed Gemma intently, wishing his sister would look at him so he could tell if she was lying though he had a feeling she was with the way she had stopped and started. "You mean she went out with Natalie?" he asked deciding to question her on his suspicion
It wasn't like Harry was against Nikki and Natalie but he didn't see how Taylor or Natalie could fix their marriage if both parties were seeing other people but then again maybe that was the thing, maybe neither wanted to fix their marriage. Maybe both just wanted to decide to change the sex they were into and throw away some good years and that almost scared Harry because he was sure they had been perfect together and that no one had figured out Taylor as well as Natalie, hell even Louis said he didn't have Taylor figured out but then Harry had said Taylor was an enigma and he was so maybe he had been wrong in thinking Natalie had figured Taylor out too.
Gemma looked up at Harry heaving a sigh as she did so, "I wasn't supposed to tell you but yeah she went out with Natalie," she confirmed as she chewed her lip softly. "T..they've sort of been secretly hanging out since Natalie left."
Now it was Harry's turn to sigh, "And they didn't want me to know?" he asked though it was more of a statement. "Not that I can fault them for it."
"No Haz you really can't fault them for it," Gemma smiled as she laid the pen she had been using to address the invitations down. "You also can't choose who Natalie spends time with....or even who she dates," she reasoned being careful with how she said her last words.
Harry closed his eyes unable to look at his sister now, "I know Gem," he muttered as he opened his eyes but still didn't look at Gemma. "I just I guess I had hope that she and Taylor would work things out and they can't do that if both of them have moved on."
"But why do you want them to work out so bad for?" Gemma questioned as she watched her brother avoid her gaze. "I mean maybe them not being together is best for them. I know they married young and I don't understand why because it's not like they had a kid on the way but they never got to experiment or experience life."
"And that's probably why they are both experimenting now," Harry reasoned as he finally looked at his sister. "I guess I want it to work because if they can break up then who says Zac and I will last?" he asked as his voice cracked and there went his emotions for the second time today. "I love Zac so much but Taylor cheated and Zac was hard to tame before me. What if Zac wakes up one morning and decides I'm not good enough or that he wants to experiment again...and maybe with females?"
Gemma frowned but stood from where she had been sitting, making her way towards Harry, "Zachary is completely head over heels in love with you Harry," she spoke as she sat down in her brother's lap not even caring about his huge bump. "It doesn't take a scientist or even a fool to see it. He looks at you and he just lights up. Trust me he isn't going to cheat or just wake up one day and decide he wants someone else because he has you."
Harry couldn't help but smile at Gemma's words and he pulled his sister closer to him, "What would I do without you reminding me of stuff I should already know?" he asked feeling a tiny smile playing on his lips.
"Go crazy," Gemma smiled as she kissed her brother's forehead. "And have to deal with mom on your own, which speaking of she gets in the day before your baby shower and I was thinking she could stay here that night and spend the rest of the week at your and Zac's place."
"I'm already crazy...crazy for Zac," Harry spoke knowing he was crazy in love with Zac even if at times he did have insecurities, insecurities that had gotten worse thanks to his growing belly and emotions. "That sounds good though I may have to talk to Zac first and see if he is okay with it."
Gemma shook her head at that, "Please mom is like Zac's second mom, I swear if she could she'd adopt him..or no that would be weird. She's probably hoping you'll marry him so he can become her son officially."
"Zac is probably hoping the same so he can be her son. I swear he likes her cooking better than mine," Harry faked pouted as he looked up at Gemma. "He's just using me for my mom's cooking when she visits."
"Can you blame him for that? Mom can make a mean meal," Gemma laughed as she looked down at Harry. "And you really should marry that boy already. What's stopping you?"
At that question Harry went silent because he wasn't sure what was stopping him from marrying Zac. They were in love and happy but did they really need a paper to prove it?
"That nurse was a bit rude," he huffed before looking at the sleeping boy in Niall's arms. "I mean you're older than me and if she thinks you are too young then what does that make me?" Harry asked as he shook his head not even sure when early twenties became too young to have children. His own mother had been young when she had Gemma.
Niall laughed at Harry's words and he shook his head, "I've learned to ignore mean comments," he said knowing it was true. He had learned to ignore all the rude comments, especially since they had all gotten worse since he had gotten pregnant. "I mean for god sakes I was a pregnant single father to be. I've had worse said about me."
Harry went silent at that cause he knew Niall had a point, "I guess it just makes me mad when people down my friends," he shrugged before looking away from the sleeping boy. "D..did it hurt when you had him?"
"It hurt a lot but then again I didn't get to have my scheduled c-section because ole Murphy here was in such a hurry to come," Niall said as he looked down at his son and grinned. "By the time I made it to the hospital Murphy was already on his way out so I had to have him naturally with no medication."
Grimacing, Harry put a hand on his stomach, "I...ow," he muttered not even sure if he wanted a natural birth. He had talked about it but pain scared him so in the end he'd probably opt to be medicated and maybe a c-section would be easier because he wasn't sure he wanted to push a baby out of such a tiny space.
"You can say the ow part again," Niall said as he looked up at Harry. "But other than that I think I could live with the pain. It gave me this beautiful little boy here in my arms."
"He is beautiful," Harry agreed as he again looked at the baby and his hand unconsciously rubbed his stomach as he wondered what his own child would look like. Whether the child would be a boy or a girl and whether it would have hair or be as bald as Niall's son was. He kind of hoped it was a little girl who looked like Zac yet had his curls but knowing his luck he'd get a boy that looked just like him with a little bit of Zac.
At Harry's silence, Niall raised an eyebrow, "You thinking about your own baby huh?" he asked knowing Harry was due in April and it was now March which meant that Harry really didn't have that much longer left in his pregnancy.
Harry nodded feeling his cheeks getting hot as he blushed, "Hard not too I guess. I realize now how close my due date actually is," he sighed feeling as if time had suddenly gone too fast for his liking. "So was your mom the one with you when you gave birth? I know she's the one who was your coach during the birthing classes."
Niall shook his head at that, "My labor happened so fast that she didn't have a chance to make it to the hospital in time. It was my roommate who was with me. I guess it was kind of fitting it was him, he's the one whose been helping me ever since George left me after finding out I was pregnant."
"Maybe he loves you," Harry smirked knowing it took a real man to step in when another man had checked out.
"Nah, he has a boyfriend now but he does know what it's like to be abandoned," Niall mused as he felt Murphy move in his arms before starting to cry out. "I think that's his hungry cry," he said before adjusting Murphy in his arms some and undoing his hospital gown. He had opted to breast feed Murphy, something else men who were pregnant were able to do. It was still an unknown to doctors how men had even been able to get pregnant and it was unknown to them how they were also able to produce milk to feed the babies but they were.
Biting his lip as he watched Niall, Harry stood up from the seat he sat in, "I..I should go and give you some alone time. Anyway I promised Gemma I'd help her send out invitations for my baby shower next week," he laughed knowing he had promised Gemma he'd help her but really he didn't want too because then that would mean deciding if Diana and Kate were coming and he didn't want them to, not with how they treated him but his mom always said he should be nice and they were Zac's family so he probably did have to at least keep trying.
"I better get an invite Styles or I'll be sad," Niall teased as he watched Harry walk towards the door.
"You'll be the first person I invite," Harry responded as he walked out of the room and began the walk to the elevators. When he reached the elevators though he pressed the button and waited for the doors to open and when they did he was about to get on but paused as he saw Louis coming off with blue balloons that said Congratulations on them.
"Louis?" Harry asked as he raised an eyebrow seeing Louis stop in his tracks. It was clear from the look on Louis' face that he hadn't seen Harry when he exited the elevator.
"Harry," Louis said as he turned to face the man who was dating Taylor's brother, the man he wasn't even sure liked him that well. "I..I was just here to visit my roommate. He had a baby last night."
Harry was about to ask Louis who his roommate was when it clicked in his head and he felt his mouth drop slightly at the realization because it felt like his world had gotten slightly smaller, "You are Niall's roommate?" he asked though it came out more like a statement.
Louis nodded his head as he smiled at the mention of Niall, "Have been for the last two years," he admitted before shrugging. "Niall's the only one who can put up with my shit anyway."
"Taylor put's up with it okay," Harry laughed as he gained some of his senses back.
"No," Louis corrected as he shook his head. "I put up with Taylor's shit. I mean I am the one who made him come around to Natalie's pregnancy and stepping up. I don't think he liked me calling him a bunch of names or pointing out his flaws but in the end he realized I'm right. I'm always right and Taylor will see it eventually."
Harry laughed again, "I heard you had something to do with Taylor's change of heart," he said knowing at first he had been disbelieving of it even when Natalie had literally gotten a bible out and swore on it. "Niall mentioned you've been there for him through his pregnancy," he added in remembering that Niall had also said his roommate knew what it was like to be abandoned. Maybe Harry really didn't try to see Louis as a good guy since Louis was seemingly the reason Natalie and Taylor's marriage had ended for the time being and maybe that was wrong of him.
"Yeah, figured he'd need me after George showed his true colors," Louis shrugged knowing he had never liked Niall's boyfriend from the start. "I don't want Niall to feel alone or the baby to just be abandoned. I sort of know what that's like. My dad left my mom when I was little and then I had a step-dad but he and my mom recently divorced a few years back. It was crazy and I guess I just want Niall's baby...Murphy to have someone."
"And that's why you helped Taylor to see the error of his ways?" Harry asked feeling a lump form in his throat. Maybe he could blame getting emotional on being pregnant because it really was making him crazy with his emotions. He could say now was one of those times.
Louis nodded his head smiling sadly, "That would be why," he confirmed as he forced a more happier smile. "But let's not tell Taylor that. I haven't really opened up to him about all my issues or past stuff yet though he really hasn't told me much about him either."
"I don't think Taylor tells anyone much of anything, he is like an enigma," Harry reasoned as he gave Louis a smile. "But your issues are safe with me," he nodded before chewing his lip.
"Good," Louis spoke before chewing his own lip as well just briefly. "I should go see Niall though and give him this balloon. I promised him a balloon for all the hard work he did with his pushing. My personal push present to him."
Harry couldn't help but laugh at that but he didn't object to Louis leaving. It was after Louis left that he again turned to the elevators, seeing the doors had closed because he had spent time talking to Louis so he pressed the button again and waited for the doors to open. He was sure after today that he'd be a bit nicer to Louis from now on and he'd try not to judge Louis based on what had happened with him and Taylor and what part Louis played in Taylor and Natalie's current situation. It wasn't like Louis was the one keeping them apart, that was Taylor and he was doing it because obviously Louis had something that he wanted.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
"Are you sure you really want to invite them Haz?" Gemma asked as she scrunched up her nose after Harry had said he wanted to invite Diana and Kate to his baby shower.
Harry shrugged as he ran a hand through his hair, "I don't see any other way around it," he mused before smiling. "Anyway mom always says to be nice to people and I feel I should keep trying, I may win them over with kindness yet."
"But they are both self righteous bitches who have been nothing but mean to you," Gemma pointed out as she rolled her eyes not understanding why her brother would keep trying. "Anyway Zac may not want them there, you know he has been chilly towards his parents ever since he came out and I don't think he cares either way about Isaac's wife."
"He may not care about Isaac's wife but Diana is his mom and he may want her there regardless of how she has been since he came out as gay," Harry said as he looked away from Gemma. "And Diana and Kate are always a two for one deal because Diana is glued to her favorite daughter-in-laws hip."
Gemma huffed but went silent knowing she was winning a losing battle. They'd invite Diana and Kate even if she saw it ending badly. Harry was just too nice of a soul even when people wronged him and she half wished she had the heart her brother did.
When Gemma went silent, Harry just sat there and watched as she made an invitation addressed to Diana and then one to Kate and he couldn't help but smile that he had gotten his way even if he was wary though he wouldn't let Gemma know he was wary. "Where is Nikki at today?" he asked knowing he hadn't seen Nikki since arriving at Gemma's and if Nikki were here she'd probably let herself be known.
"No, she had a date with..." Gemma started but stopped once she realized she wasn't supposed to tell Harry about this. "Someone she went to college with," she finished hoping her lie was believable.
Harry crossed his arms over his bump as he eyed Gemma intently, wishing his sister would look at him so he could tell if she was lying though he had a feeling she was with the way she had stopped and started. "You mean she went out with Natalie?" he asked deciding to question her on his suspicion
It wasn't like Harry was against Nikki and Natalie but he didn't see how Taylor or Natalie could fix their marriage if both parties were seeing other people but then again maybe that was the thing, maybe neither wanted to fix their marriage. Maybe both just wanted to decide to change the sex they were into and throw away some good years and that almost scared Harry because he was sure they had been perfect together and that no one had figured out Taylor as well as Natalie, hell even Louis said he didn't have Taylor figured out but then Harry had said Taylor was an enigma and he was so maybe he had been wrong in thinking Natalie had figured Taylor out too.
Gemma looked up at Harry heaving a sigh as she did so, "I wasn't supposed to tell you but yeah she went out with Natalie," she confirmed as she chewed her lip softly. "T..they've sort of been secretly hanging out since Natalie left."
Now it was Harry's turn to sigh, "And they didn't want me to know?" he asked though it was more of a statement. "Not that I can fault them for it."
"No Haz you really can't fault them for it," Gemma smiled as she laid the pen she had been using to address the invitations down. "You also can't choose who Natalie spends time with....or even who she dates," she reasoned being careful with how she said her last words.
Harry closed his eyes unable to look at his sister now, "I know Gem," he muttered as he opened his eyes but still didn't look at Gemma. "I just I guess I had hope that she and Taylor would work things out and they can't do that if both of them have moved on."
"But why do you want them to work out so bad for?" Gemma questioned as she watched her brother avoid her gaze. "I mean maybe them not being together is best for them. I know they married young and I don't understand why because it's not like they had a kid on the way but they never got to experiment or experience life."
"And that's probably why they are both experimenting now," Harry reasoned as he finally looked at his sister. "I guess I want it to work because if they can break up then who says Zac and I will last?" he asked as his voice cracked and there went his emotions for the second time today. "I love Zac so much but Taylor cheated and Zac was hard to tame before me. What if Zac wakes up one morning and decides I'm not good enough or that he wants to experiment again...and maybe with females?"
Gemma frowned but stood from where she had been sitting, making her way towards Harry, "Zachary is completely head over heels in love with you Harry," she spoke as she sat down in her brother's lap not even caring about his huge bump. "It doesn't take a scientist or even a fool to see it. He looks at you and he just lights up. Trust me he isn't going to cheat or just wake up one day and decide he wants someone else because he has you."
Harry couldn't help but smile at Gemma's words and he pulled his sister closer to him, "What would I do without you reminding me of stuff I should already know?" he asked feeling a tiny smile playing on his lips.
"Go crazy," Gemma smiled as she kissed her brother's forehead. "And have to deal with mom on your own, which speaking of she gets in the day before your baby shower and I was thinking she could stay here that night and spend the rest of the week at your and Zac's place."
"I'm already crazy...crazy for Zac," Harry spoke knowing he was crazy in love with Zac even if at times he did have insecurities, insecurities that had gotten worse thanks to his growing belly and emotions. "That sounds good though I may have to talk to Zac first and see if he is okay with it."
Gemma shook her head at that, "Please mom is like Zac's second mom, I swear if she could she'd adopt him..or no that would be weird. She's probably hoping you'll marry him so he can become her son officially."
"Zac is probably hoping the same so he can be her son. I swear he likes her cooking better than mine," Harry faked pouted as he looked up at Gemma. "He's just using me for my mom's cooking when she visits."
"Can you blame him for that? Mom can make a mean meal," Gemma laughed as she looked down at Harry. "And you really should marry that boy already. What's stopping you?"
At that question Harry went silent because he wasn't sure what was stopping him from marrying Zac. They were in love and happy but did they really need a paper to prove it?
