crescent [h.s]

15

Harry Styles

I wake up the sound of a repetitive ringing.

Squeezing Aurora to me tighter, I blindly reach out for the device, not looking at the name as I accept the call.

Using my voice for the first time this morning, I croak out, "Hello?"

"H-harry?" My eyes snap open at the sound of my bosses voice, and I stumble out an I answer, "Uh, I, uh–"

The sound of her laughter only puts me on high alert, not knowing if she's mad that I answered her best friends phone or not.

Through my stuttering, she only laughs harder, "Harry I set you two up, and I'm 28. I know how relationships work."

I nervously chuckle, "I- I mean w- we haven't–"

She only laughs a harder and I feel myself shrinking into the mattress as far as my body will let me go. She cuts me off as I start to ramble, "Harry! I know you haven't, and I don't need to know any details. Think of me as your almost girlfriends best friend, not your boss. Only your boss at the office, okay?"

I breathe deeply and cringe through my embarrassment, "I'm sorry, it's just... has she told you?"

She stops laughing and her voice softens, "Told me what?"

I sigh and an uncomfortable shiver runs through me. I pull the phone away from my ear and press a kiss to Aurora's cheek and bump before hopping out of bed and walking down the stairs to my kitchen. "We were in the hospital all night Wednesday, got released midday Thursday after some more tests gave her the all clear. She uh," my voice breaks, and I lean my elbows on the granite counter in front of me, "she went into premature labour."

I can almost see the panic on Delilah's face as I hear rustling, "What! Why the fuck didn't she tell me? I'm coming home."

I quickly carry on, "She's okay. They both are. She has to have a progesterone tablet every day until she's full term, but uh," A heavy sigh of stress escapes me, "it was terrifying. She called me at around 10:30 and could hardly talk. She was just crying over the phone, repeating the word baby. It was the scariest moment of my life... I've never felt more helpless. I felt like a mess. She deserved more than someone having no idea what was happening."

She is stern when she answers me, "Harry, no. You did the best possible job. You took her to the hospital and you helped her. You got her through it. If it wasn't for you, she would've been alone and going through that. She has no one else. I can say right now, she is so appreciative of you. And she really fucking likes you. She's been torn to shreds in the past, and if I'm honest, I don't know how she's ended up with the purest heart after it all. But don't you ever question your ability ever again, you hear me?"

I smile at her assertiveness, "I really hope she thinks so."

Without a second thought, Delilah says, "Oh she absolutely does. Is a fucking mess for you. And I'm only telling you this because you sound like you need to hear it. I'm not telling you any more of her secrets."

I laugh and shake my head even though she can't see me, "I don't expect you to. But thank you... I just want to be the best for them, you know?"

I can sense her nodding, "I know, Harry. And you're doing an incredible job. You're what she needs even if she's shit at showing it."

I laugh again, "She's perfect at showing it, really. She's kinda just perfect in general."

No noise other than the quiet sound of her breathing comes through for what feels like a full minute, "You love her don't you?"