I'd come in the door after a long day at work and began pulling off my office attire. I shuffled through the mail I'd picked up before setting it against the kitchen counter and reaching my arm in the frig for a water. My ears perked as always with the sound of the clock ticking along the wall down the hallway. I grabbed the bowl of fruit from the top shelf when it'd realized I'd eaten little again today. I would try and make up for that now to avoid worrying him too much. It didn't go unnoticed that we had our share of disputes but I'd felt I learned a little more each time. Things were still pretty quiet as I lacked much to say. I silently hoped he didn't take it personally but he knew that I wasn't much of a talktitive person anyway.

Harry:
"Hey."

He'd taken my hand and rubbed gently before bringing it to his lips to peck. We always had a relationship where we shared skin contact with conversation. His curls were looser today though still dark around his head. I never got tired of seeing him without a shirt, some fitting jeans hugging the bottom half of him beautifully. He'd gotten close to rub our noses affectionately. He wanted me to know that nothing was weird between us, even with everything that had taken place the week before. I honestly didn't think about it. His touch didn't allow me to.

Harry:
"Everything okay? You're home a little later than usually."

I nodded as he pecked my neck, nuzzling his nose in my hair. I was use to that. Comfort settled between us as our fingers endured eachother.

Harry:
"You promise?"

I'd begun to recieve his contact a little better so he knew we were okay. I wanted for now to avoid telling them about the dizzy spells that I'd been having throughout the day which caused me to finish my work a little later.

Winter:
"I promise."

I sat on the edge of the bed while loosing the buttons on my shirt. His large hands were placed on either side of my shoulders to apply pressure gently in a therapeutic motion. He pecked again as if attempting to warm me up to him. I waited for commentary while studying his carefulness. My face was tilted upward a little more to examine and focus my attention.

Harry:
"Tell me what's bothering you."

Winter:
"Nothing. I'm okay."

Harry:
"You're so quiet, like your mind's somewhere else."

I focused my eyes on him to avoid spacing out from the conversation.

Winter:
"I just...havent been feeling well today is all."

He rubbed in a back and forth motion against the bare skin of my arm. It was a small gesture but I'd become entirely soothed by it.

Harry:
"Do you need anything? What can I do?"

There was never a time I didn't feel cared for by him. Being pregnant was still new to me and he'd been making it easy to deal with. It was nice to experience how equally obsessive he was with me. I never took it for granted.

Winter:
"I dont want you to worry."

He hugged me into him, putting his cheek to mine. He took a deep breath before responding to my plea.

Harry:
"Alright...I know you havent eaten, did you at least take your vitamins?"

I nodded as I watched him muffle his hair around in habit.

Harry:
" Water?"

I nodded with a little more hesitancy this time around, taking another sip from the bottle I'd gotten from the refrigerator. He took humor in that, laughing into his next statement.

Harry:
" Okay... Eat all of these...for me. And I'll leave you alone."

His dimples deepened as he gestured to the bowl of strawberries I had brought up with us. It was one of the few things that didn't bother my stomach much with the amount I could consume of them.

Winter:
"Deal."

--

I stood in the outside of the store while he replaced his Iphone he'd dropped in the rain the other day. My eyes stared through the glass of a jewelry stand that stood just across from where I was. My phone vibrated in my hand, the screen displaying that it had been my mom.

Winter:
"Hey mom."

I walked over to better see through the glass, looking back just to be sure he hadn't been ready to go.

Linda:
"Hey honey. How are you feeling today?"

Her voice was refreshing to here on anyday.

Winter:
"Todays better. Yesterday was really depressing. I kept getting sick."

Linda:
"Aww, I need to see you. When can I see you?"

Winter:
"I guess Harry and I can swing by when we leave the mall. I'll ask when he comes from the store."

Linda:
"Alright."

Winter:
"Okay, mom. Love you."

Linda:
"You too, sweetheart."

End call.



I hadn't realized he'd been standing beside me until I'd pulled the phone from my ear.

Harry:
"So we're going by your moms?"

Winter:
"Uh, yea. She misses me."

I turned toward him in a manner to leave. His eyes falling to the area in the glass I'd been examing while talking to my mom.

Harry:
"I saw you were looking at that. Do you want it?"

He motioned to the bracelet with detailed charms in the top row. It was beautiful but there was no way in hell I'd ever pay that for a single piece of jewelry. I certaintly didn't expect him to.

Winter:
"I was just looking Harry."

Harry:
"...But you like it right?"

He'd asked playfully, knowing exactly why I wouldn't answer him. He turned, walking over to the woman at the register and motioning in the direction I'd been. I folded my arms over my chest awkwardly as I stood there.

He'd returned shortly with the box in a bag, forcefully putting it in my hand while wearing his dimples again.

Winter: "Harry."

He leaned into my lips as we stood there in the middle of the mall. Though I closed my eyes into it I was sure we were getting a certain level of attention. He pulled away slowly after of moment of intimate embrace, pecking once more playfully. My train of thought took a trip in pondering if I ever won an argument when it came to him. I had enough insecurities with allowing him to care for me in every way now that wed lived together and going against him was always out of the question. It was sweet really. But the insecurities didnt leave me.

Winter:
" Thank you."

A group of guys had walked passed just then, making it no secret that they admired something in the direction we stood. I turned back to face him when Id heard his sigh of frustration.

Harry:
"We're going now."

He had grabbed my waist in a territorial manner and we'd begun toward the malls exit.

--

He looked through the picture books of my young self curiously across the room as I caught up with my mom. She spoke quite low as if not to disturb him.

Linda:
"So...are you in your horny phase yet?"

I choked on the water I had been drinking mid sip as I'd become grossed out by the bluntly asked question.

Winter:
"Mom, please."

I hushed looking in his direction.

Linda:
"I'll take that as a yes."

Winter:
"...actually. I've never really been that way. Only once I can think of, and I wasn't pregnant."

She began to laugh with volume when I'd continued to plead quietly.

Linda:
"Well you have awhile."

She held my face, pushing my cheeks inward like I was half my age.

Linda:
"When the nausea becomes overbearing, take a little baking soda alright. Lots of fresh air helps."

I nodded as she pulled me into her. It was a scent I could pinpoint with my eyes closed. She had a certain comfort that I'd always miss as long as I was away from her.

Linda:
"I left some things down the hall in your room. I just sat them right on your bed."

She patted my back in the direction to encourage me.

Winter:
"Alright, thanks mom. Harry, come on."

It'd been a while since I had visited my room here and I was quite eager to visit the memories that occupied it as well.

Linda:
"Let me know before you leave."

She yelled as she headed in the opposite direction. Harry had still been holding the book, flipping the pages and slowly following a distance behind me.

Harry:
" Exactly how many boyfriends have you had?"

Winter:
"Uh. Not that many like five. Only one has met my mom. You know, apart from you."

He hummed as he recieved that as if mentally processing the information, his eyes never leaving the book. There was most likely nothing but embarrassment on my part in it, which is why I chose not to reminisce. I reached my bedroom and turned the glass doorknob slowly, hitting the light on the way in. It was just as I had remembered, minus the posters I had outgrown. Harry seemed really comfortable here now. He went in before me as I stood in the doorway, laying on his stomach across the bed. The page was turned again.

Harry:
"You're so adorable. How old are you here? "

I walked toward him peeking my head over his shoulder to study.

Winter:
"One or two maybe, "

Harry:
"This is insane... I cant wait to see your offspring."

Honestly it was hard not to laugh at him sometimes. But his compliments were the best.

There were various baby things boxed around the room. Everything was either pink or some variation of what appealed to the female gender. I didn't yet know the sex of the baby but everyone seemed to want a girl, including my obsessive friends. I hoped there wouldn't be disappointment if it happened any other way. I looked on the bed where there'd been a small bag similar to the one that held the jewelry Harry had gotten for me today.

I pulled a small black box from the bag examining the intricate detail intriguingly before snapping the top back to open it. There lay two rings looped around a necklace that ‎I immediately recognized as my mom and dad's. I turned immediately to leave and find her before realizing she'd stood there in the door frame. Her arms crossed around her chest and a large rob draped over her frame. Her hair looked wavy and soft as it hung long around her body. In many ways it was like looking into a mirror.

Winter:
"What does this mean?"

I hated the thought of them not together. They were what gave me hope when I had problems in any of the relationships in my life. She looked behind me to Harry before motioning me out of the room and leading us down the hall a little.

Winter:

"So you're not with dad?"

I stepped backward as she lent her arms for me. I didn't lean into them and she hadn't answered immediately. I watched as she dropped her attention from me, starring along the wall for what to say.

Winter:
"And your just telling me. How long has it been?"

Linda:
"...Just a few months."

Her voice was gentle and comforting though the contents of her words were not.

Winter:
"Is he really at work or was that a lie too?"

I refused to cry this time. Not again. According to my doctor, I didn't need the stress. But of course it insisted on following me. I noticed my hand's shiver when I reached to tuck my hair behind my ears. I wanted answers...and to not be lied to for once.

Linda: ‎
"We're not divorcing okay. We just needed a little space."

Yea. I was no stranger to that word and I knew whenever the time occurred that I'd said it, it wasn't with the hopes of returning again.

Linda:
" We just wanted you to have them...You're important to us sweetheart."

But they weren't important to each other...the last I'd seen them together they'd seemed so happy in my eyes. It was scary to think of the fate that sent them different ways. I ached as I leaned against the wall, sliding downward until I'd been seated to the floor. She waited a second before sitting Indian style beside me.

--

Linda's POV

I wondered if I'd gone about it the right way. Hoping she'd see that my life was beautiful so long that she was in it. I waited for her to reply or give me a sign that I hadn't just ruined her day. She was so beautiful here before me as she grew into a young lady. There was no doubt she'd be a great mother. Her hair was just as mine, giving a perfect contrast to the warm tone of her skin. It broke my heart to see the settle shake in her hands as she refused to look up at me. I looked down to where the opening of her bedroom had been to see Harry planted there. Winter neglected to realize his presence, her eyes now dazed as if looking past whatever her eyes rested on.

Winter:
"I'm never getting married...ever."

It had escaped her with little emotion. Cold with sharp, steel-like daggers attached to them. I felt my heart sink into my chest immediately knowing he'd just heard those words from her. There were so many plans he'd gone through secretly with me already to insure she'd see that day. To surprise her on one knee and promise to keep her happy for the rest of this heartache we proceed to called life. It hurt to even consider that the ring we'd chosen for her would forever rest in its holster. He seemed wholeheartedly broken internally as his eyes locked to mine in our silent communication. It was like he'd just met the one thing that gave him nightmares. My eyes sent my apology but I knew it hadn't made a difference.

And I thought in a repetitive mode to myself: What have I done?

Notes

Long chapter. Tell me what you liked! Thanks for reading :)

(Btw, I just edited somethings so if you read before that you may want to go back now. Nothing major though.)