Together Or Apart

5. Is There Something You Have To Tell Me?

"Hello, where are my gorgeous girls?" Harry's voice whirls through the house as he enters via the front door. I hear it close softly before the sound of a suitcase being rolled through the foyer. London stands up abruptly, dropping her two dolls from her hands as she shoots out of the room and down the hallway. 

"Daddy!" She calls out to him repeatedly. "Dad's home." She adds as I hear her footsteps climbing down the spiral staircase one step at a time. I stand up from London's bed where I was reading Billy Summers by Stephen King. I place my book on the bed before walking over to Sydney who is chewing on the T-Rex's head. I pull it out of her mouth and she whines, forcing it back into her mouth.

"No, that isn't for eating." I pull it from her grip and drop it on the floor. She starts to cry while reaching out for the dinosaur. I carry her down the hallways and down the stairs. When I look at the bottom floor below us, I see Harry crouching on the floor with London in his arms. He is running his hand through her hair while holding her tightly with his other hand. She has his arms wrapped around his neck and is talking to him. She's talking softly, so I can't quite hear what she is saying. 

Harry's head turns to the side when he sees Sydney and I walking down the stairs. He picks up London with his left hand and holds out his right hand as he walks over to us. 

"How was your flight?"

"Hey baby." He says to me as I walk into him and kiss his cheek. "And hello to my littlest love." Harry kisses my cheek first, before planting one on Sydney's forehead. "Yeah, my flight wasn't bad. I slept for most of it. I tried to stay up for as long as I could so that I could get used to the timezone here, but I couldn't fight it."

I pass over Sydney to him and he holds his two daughters in his arms. A beam of light shining through his eyes as he stares at them with so much love and adoration. I know it kills him being away from them while working, but it makes these moments so much more special when he gets to see them again. 

"And how have you two been? I hope you have been good for Mum. Londy, have you been doing what you're told?" He asks, looking at me then to London specifically. 

She nods her head and starts speaking 100 miles per hour. "Yes I have been so good Dad. I've been doing my reading and I can write three more words now." London holds up three of her fingers, almost hitting Harry in the face as she does so with excitement. "I sometimes stay up after Mummy tells me to go to bed but I'm sometimes not tired. But I have been sleeping in my big girl bed still. And I won't need my wheels on my bike soon. Can we go for a bike ride now Daddy? I've been waiting for you to come here so we can go now."

Harry blinks a couple of times, trying to process everything that she has just said. "Right, well first things first. I really need a wee. Then I think dinner is a good idea. Maybe we can go down to Salt and have something there. London can ride her bike there?" Harry looks at me, awaiting my response from his question.

I uncross my arms from my chest and walk towards the kitchen. "I popped dinner in the slow cooker. I'm making stir fry. I wanted to make your favourite tonight, but we're out of cheese."

"That's okay, we can put that in containers and have it for lunch tomorrow. It's a nice night, why don't we go out?" 

"Yeah, okay. Let me go and get ready."

"You look beautiful as you are. Come here, I want a proper cuddle."

He places the girls down on the ground. London runs towards the garage where her bike is. Meanwhile Sydney grabs onto his leg and stands to her feet while holding onto his trousers. I walk over to him and enclose my arms around his waist. I close my eyes as I rest my head against his chest and he places his arms comfortingly around my shoulders with his chin resting on top of my head. The sweet scent of vanilla and pine fill my senses as I inhale one of my most favourite scents.