"No, Soph don't-" I sigh and hand the blanket in my hands to Harry before chasing Sophie through Central Park. Of course it's Sunday and it's crowded, so I follow closely while she chases a butterfly.

When I clap my hands a few times she giggles and looks behind her, still running but now running from me instead of after the insect.

"I'm gonna get you," I sing, getting closer. She squeals happily and I scoop her up on my arms, hugging her tightly as I turn around to go find Anne and Harry. Harry is spreading the blanket in an open area and Anne is looking around with wonder in her eyes. She absolutely loves Central Park. We come here every time she stays, winter or summer.

"Mummy get me," Sophie giggles when we get close to them. Harry smiles lovingly at her and takes her out of my arms, tossing her above his head. She erupts in another fit of laughter and when he sets her on his hip I realize that I'm laughing too.

"You three are so adorable," Anne says. Harry and I both look at her, then at each other. There is no three. Not anymore.

"Daddy what dis?" Sophie asks happily. She pulls at the paper plane pendant on his necklace but even as he answers her question his eyes don't leave mine.

"A plane, angel."

"Why?"

He lets out an airy laugh and finally looks away from me. I feel like I can breathe again and when I look over at Anne she gives me a small apologetic smile.

"What do you mean why?" Harry asks her.

"Why you have it?"

"I like it."

"Why?"

He laughs and sets her down on the ground. "Why don't you go see what mum packed for dinner?"

She walks over to the cooler and all three of us watch while she pulls as hard as she can on the lid. After a moment it finally comes loose but on it's way up it smacks her in the chin. My hand goes to my mouth and all three of us watch her carefully, waiting for her to react.

Slowly she turns around, her long thin fingers pressed to her chin. Her glossy green eyes find Harry and he sits down on the blanket, holding his arms open for her. Her body is collected in his strong arms, held against his chest while she whimpers quietly. Harry looks up at me and I have to bite my lip to hide my smile. She's adorable when she's sad, I have to admit. I hate it but at the same time it's so cute. If Harry is around when she's hurt she goes to him immediately and I can see that he loves that. His first instinct is to protect her, no matter how minor the situation is and I know that even when she's an adult that's not going to go away. I love that. Sometimes I feel like I should be jealous of their relationship, but in reality it just warms my heart.

"Do you want fruit?" I ask as I sit down beside the cooler. Harry repeats the question quietly to Sophie, rubbing his hand up and down her back. She nods, sticking her thumb in her mouth. I'm going to need to break that habit.

"The store really is impressive, Savannah," Anne says while we unpack the food. "I can't believe how big it is!"

"Yeah, it's quite big," I agree. "There's a lot of clothes going in there." I took the three of them to see the progress of the store this morning. Since it's Sunday there's no one working right now, so it was a good time to take them to see it. There's boxes of clothes everywhere and it's not looking like a store yet, but it's getting there.

"How is working with that new designer?"

"It's good, he's really doing well. I'm actually debating having him be the sole designer for the store instead of having four different ones. He has a really great vision and it lines up really well with mine and my mother's, so it's really perfect. He seems like a really good guy, too."

"How much do you work with him?" Harry asks harshly. I blink a few times in surprise and he looks down at Sophie, slightly embarrassed with his little outburst.

"Not a lot," I answer finally. "He has his own studio and office but because the line is so new I've been working with him pretty closely to make sure it's going well."

"When do you open?"

"Next Friday night is like a gala kind of event, but that's invite only. The next day is when it'll be open for shopping,"

"I'm sad I won't be there," she says, handing sandwiches to all of us. Harry tries to get Sophie to eat some of his but she won't.

"I'll send you photos," I assure her. She nods. "Sophie, you need to eat dinner, okay?"

"No," she whines. "No hungry."

"Soph, you need to eat something." I take a bite of my own. Harry is already finished half of his sandwich and is starting on the next while I take out a container of banana I cut up for her in case of this situation. "Hungry?" I tease. He laughs.

"Lead by example," he says. I hand him the container of banana and he put it in front of Sophie. She looks up at him, her thumb still in her mouth. "I know you love bananas, angel."

She smiles small and removes her thumb from her mouth, taking one piece of fruit to eat. Harry smiles triumphantly and I know there is probably a stupid grin on my face.

"So, does Gemma plan on visiting us any time soon?" I ask Anne. She nods.

"She wanted to come with me, actually. It was going to be a surprise, but then Jackson got sick and with Brad working so much she didn't feel comfortable leaving. Robin offered to look after him, but-"

"Wait, who the hell is Robin?" Harry asks, interrupting her. I give him a scolding look. "Shit, sorry."

"Harry!" I scold lightly. He looks down at Sophie and she tilts her head up towards him, eyes innocent as ever.

"More?" she asks. I breathe a sigh of relief and Harry smiles at me as he hands her more banana. He needs to watch his language.

"Seriously, who is Robin?" he repeats. "Please tell me that's a woman's name."

I give him another harsh look, but he doesn't see it. I can see by his suddenly tense posture that he's really hoping this doesn't mean what it obviously does. Anne's face is deep red; I don't think she meant to let that slip out.

"I was going to tell you," she admits. "I couldn't find a good time."

"Tell me what, Mother," Harry encourages.

"I've been..I'm seeing someone," she says finally. I hold my breath, waiting for the outburst from Harry. It doesn't come, though, He just stares at her.

"Harry," I encourage. He looks at me and I nod towards Anne, trying to get him to respond in some way. He never liked his father so I'm not sure why he seems so angry.

"Who is he?" he asks lowly. That erie quiet anger of his seems to be coming through right now.

"He lives down the street from my new house," she says.

"Is he a junkie?"

"Harry!" His hard gaze transfers to me and I look at Anne to try to ease the tension. "How long have you been seeing him?"

"Just a few weeks, it's nothing serious yet," she says dismissively. Probably more for Harry's benefit than for the truth.

"You're serious?" Harry asks.

"Harry, please don't be upset," Anne pleads.

"I'm not upset." Lie. "You're free to do whatever you'd like, you're a grown woman."

"Harry, can you-"

"It's fine, Savannah," Anne says, cutting me off with a small smile. "Harry, I know you're worried about me, but you don't have to be. I'll be fine, I can take care of myself."

"Not from what I remember," he says harshly. I see tears form in Anne's eyes and Harry lifts Sophie from his lap. "Sit with mum, Soph."

"Daddy-"

"Sit with mum," he repeats, firmer this time. She seems to cower a little at his harsh tone and scurries over to me, cuddling up into my lap. I try to glare at him for scaring her for no reason, but before I can he's up and walking away from us.

"I'm so sorry," I gush to Anne, who is on the verge of crying. She shakes her head. "He'll be fine, Anne, he's probably just surprised."

"I knew he wouldn't take it well," she says, trying to laugh it off.

We finish eating and pack everything up. I keep trying to make conversation to take Anne's mind off Harry's outburst, but she can see right through it and assures me that she'll be alright. I roll the cooler and carry the blanket while Anne holds Sophie's hand. Harry was a big help getting everything here, so it's a little tougher this time around. I send him a text so he knows we went back to my mother's apartment, but he doesn't respond.

"I think I'm going to put her to bed," I tell Anne when we get into the apartment. "She's exhausted from watching that movie so late."

Sophie walks straight to her room and I laugh a little as I follow. She's so tired and probably missing her dad, and I have no idea where he is right now. She sits on the floor near her toys but doesn't touch them.

"Tired, princess?" I ask, kneeling down next to her. She shakes her head and I smile. "Come on, let's change you."

I take her out of her dirty clothes, shaking my head at how fast she gets dirty. I think I go through three outfits a day with this girl. Not that it matters; between Anne and my mother she has a new outfit every day. I don't think she ever repeats them.

"Did you have fun today, Soph?" I ask, setting her in her bed. She nods and sticks her thumb in her mouth as I pull the blankets around her. "You like it when Nan comes to visit?"

"Yea," she sighs. She looks up at me with wide innocent eyes as I sit on the edge of her bed. "Mummy?"

"Yes, princess."

"Daddy mad at me?"

"What?" her eyes start to water and I can see she's on the brink of crying again. She blinks a few times and I gently brush her blonde hair from her face. "Of course not, Soph. Daddy loves you, he's not angry with you. He was upset about something else, but he's not mad at you, okay?"

"Promise?" she whimpers. I nod and smile down at her. She turns onto her side and I lean down to kiss her forehead before walking out of the room, pulling the door shut behind me.

"She think he's upset with her," I say to Anne. "It was so cute but so sad, she thought she did something wrong."

"I'm sorry about this," she says. "I didn't mean for it to come out that way."

"I'm happy for you," I assure her. "Harry will be too, he just needs some time."

"I hope you're right."

I walk over to the kitchen and get out one of my mother's expensive bottles of wine. When I take two glasses back to the living room Anne is staring out the windows.

"Let's celebrate," I suggest. "This is definitely a good thing."

She laughs and sits on the chair next to me, taking the glass I already have poured for her. A little girl talk is definitely needed at a time like this.

Notes

so i realized that sophie's communication skills are a little ahead of what is normal for a kid that's almost three :P oh well. too late now.

also the next chapter is going to be so legit im super excited for it. SO PLEASE GIVE ME SOME FEEBACK!!! if lots of people respond to this chapter then ill update asap :) i already know whats going to happen so it wont take a lot.

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