I tried to roll over onto my back, but I just rolled onto someone. Surprised, I jumped up to realize that I had been lying on my couch with Harry. For a split second, I was infuriated, but then I remembered that he had sat with me while I cried all day yesterday. Harry may have fucked up, but he still had moments of greatness. For once since we had met up at the bistro, I was actually happy to see him. It made me feel less alone, something I hadn’t felt, even with Sammy around. I smiled and fit myself back onto the couch and closed my eyes.

-2 Weeks Later-

After Harry showed that he still cared for me, I forgave him and we halfway went back to the way things were before. Like Harry still stays at his apartment at night and we don’t kiss. I’m still not ready for intimate things because I’m scared that if we start doing anything intimate again, even kissing, I’ll lose him and right now, I really can’t lose him.

Harry convinced me to tell my mum about the baby about a week ago, so today we were taking the 2 hour drive into the country to have lunch with her. I was currently sitting on my arse on the couch, my swollen, scrunched-up-stilettos feet propped up on the coffee table. Harry walked in and glanced at me before stopping and glaring at me.

“Shelly, are you being serious? We have to go. Are you ready yet?” he asked me sternly. I had been giving him troubles all morning. I wasn’t really looking forward to letting my mother see that I’m almost 7 months pregnant.

I sighed and dropped my feet on the carpet, my heels digging imprints into the rug. “Let’s get this over with so you’ll stop nagging me.”

Harry grabbed my hand and helped me to my feet. I grabbed my purse, my phone and my keys off the coffee table and headed out the door with Harry close in tow. We got into the lift and put on our disguises. About 3 days after Harry moved in, the paparazzi showed up. We couldn’t leave the flat at the same time so to keep the pregnancy a secret so as soon as the lift doors reopened to reveal the lobby, we split up, Harry going first to drag the crowd away from me.

“Remember, go into the bistro and walk out the back,” I whispered to him before he walked out into the large crowd.

I watched his mop of curls bobbing and weaving through the crowd of people until it, and most of the people, had disappeared. Five…four…three…two…one. I walked out into the midday sunlight, the sun warming my underexposed skin. I swiftly made my way across the street to my tiny black Honda Civic and climbed in. I quickly pulled out the spot and made my way to the back road of the bistro to pick up Harry.

…

2 hours of driving with Harry nervously chatting mainly to himself later, I took a right onto a gated, private drive, and my huge, two-story country-style house loomed into view.

“I didn’t know you had money,” Harry mumbled, craning his neck to look at my house as we got closer.

“We don’t really, just enough to get by with a little to spare. The house is an heirloom.” I explained, pulling up beside my mum’s old Lincoln Town car and putting my Civic into park.

“How come in the 2 years we dated we never came here?” Harry asked as I turned the engine off.

“Because it’s so far out and I had a flat in the city?” I replied, getting out of the car.

“It’s beautiful,” he said, getting out of the car and coming to join me in front of my car.

“Thank you. I spend lots of time trying to keep everything picturesque,” I heard my mom say. I turned around to see her, wearing a long, billowing sundress that exposed her thin shoulders. Her eyebrows rose when I turned around.

“Either you’ve gained a whole lot of weight really fast or there’s a grandbaby in there,” she inquired, lazily pointing towards my swollen abdomen.

“Erhm…it is in fact a baby. Surprise?” I replied with a shrug.

She did the motherly sign of anger and put her hands on her skinny hips.

“Michelle Angelica Clayworth! Do not tell me you’ve waited until this far along in this pregnancy to tell me that I’m going to be having a grandchild! What in the devil’s wrong with you?” she exclaimed, her usually well hidden southern (like from Mississippi in the USA southern) drawl coming out.

“Mama, don’t you start with me! There’s a reason behind all this. Can we just go inside and talk about this, please,” I begged.

She narrowed her sky blue eyes at me and then stalked inside without a word.

“Where did that American accent come from?” Harry asked with a smirk.

“I was raised by a woman who was born and raised in south Mississippi. I picked it up growing up. Just don’t talk about it again.” I explained as we walked up the steps to the house.

Harry chuckled and followed me into the brightly lit foyer.

“Are you going to show me your old room?” Harry whispered into my ear as I led him into our large dining room.

I rolled my eyes and led him to the long oak table. My mum was sitting at the end of the table, her arms folded across her chest.

“Sit and explain,” she commanded.

Harry and I sat side by side on the right side of my mother.

“First of all, mother, this is Harry Styles, the father and my sort of boyfriend. We’ll start off with him. He and I started dating when I was 16 and while we were dating, he got onto X Factor and got placed into a boy band which is called One Direction. They came in third but because they were a band of cute guys with talent, Simon Cowell signed them and they got famous. Well, while they were on tour last year, Harry had a drunken one night stand with a fan who then claimed that she was pregnant, so Harry left me because she was blackmailing him and he didn’t want to hurt me. Two weeks after he left, I found out I was pregnant and I didn’t want to tell you I knew you’d freak out because the father was gone and I’m only 18. But now he’s back because the girl was lying and he wanted to be a part of the baby’s life. He’s was the main reason we’re here today. I was still too scared to tell you.”

My mother didn’t say anything; she just sat there, staring between Harry and I. I waited patiently for her to respond. Finally with a deep breath, she spoke.

“So he cheated on you and you let him come back?”

“Mama, don’t do this! He made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes. He still cares about me and this baby!”

She narrowed her eyes again and spoke, this time to Harry.

“I don’t trust you. It’s going to take some real proof for me to even remotely begin to trust you. And just so you know, if you hurt my daughter and her child, I will find you. You may not think an old woman can do anything, but I’m from Mississippi and I know how to shoot a gun and I like to hunt.”

I dropped my head in embarrassment. This was quite possibly the worst idea Harry’s ever had.

“I understand, Miss Clayworth. I did something terrible to your daughter and I know that you’re upset with me,” Harry replied in the curtest politeness he could muster.

I glanced up to see the anger dim down just a bit.

“Thank you for your politeness about this. I’m sure you’re a nice gentleman, but it may take some time for me to see that.”

Harry nodded a polite smile of understanding on his face.

“Michelle, I really wish you would have told me earlier. When are you due? And what are you having?” she said, turning her frown into a proud grandmother-to-be smile.

“It’s going to be a girl and she’s due in September.”

“An Autumn baby, just like you. What are the possible names?”

“Right now I really like the name Rose.”

“But what about Marianne or Sophie, those are pretty names.”

“I’ll consider them, mother. We haven’t decided yet.”

“What do you want to name your daughter, Harry?” my mother once again turned the conversation to him.

He looked between my mum and me awkwardly, like he wasn’t sure what to say.

“Erhm, I like the name Hattie, so that our names will be similar,” he answered hesitantly.

“That’s cute. Why don’t you like that, Michelle?” she turned back to me.

“I’m not really sure, mum,” I mumbled, looking at Harry with a surprised look. That was actually a great name.

“You should really consider it. Anyway, now that everything is settled, how about lunch?”

Harry nodded enthusiastically so my mother got up and went into the kitchen to gather the meal.

“I really like Hattie. What do you think of Hattie Rose?” I whispered to Harry.

“It’s perfect,” he replied, a smile playing on his lips.

I’m not sure if it was the happiness of the name being finalized for the baby or if I was just lost in the moment, but I leaned in and connected our lips.

Notes

Sorry it took so long. I worked all weekend and I had a bit of writer's block. The story's kind of slowing down, but I hope you all still enjoy it! :)