Wedlock - Harry Styles A.U

epilogue two

FOURTEEN YEARS LATER

Edora

"I just can't believe that none of them can make it." I sigh, a little bit of disappointment washing over me.

Harry reaches across the centre console and takes my hand into his. He smiles and brings my knuckles up to his lips, giving me a comforting kiss whilst keeping his eyes on the road.

"They're not kids anymore, Honey. They've got their own lives to live." He reasons and I know that, it just doesn't make it any easier.

Today is my thirty-ninth birthday and it's just Harry and I celebrating. The morning started early with a few, quiet, orgasms and breakfast before I rushed off to work. Harry insisted on driving me because when he went to warm up the car, he claimed it wouldn't turn on - I think he just wanted to spend some more time together so I wasn't too hung up on the kids absence. I spent the day hunched over my desk, swarmed with paperwork, anything but happy on my special day. Lula, Albie and Dulcinea all can't make it to my birthday dinner so Harry and I are going to go together and as much as I know it'll be fun and as much as I appreciate the sentiment, I can't help but long for them all. I can't remember the last time we were all together as a family.

"I know that." I sigh and rest my head back. "But if I'm honest, I think Lula is the only one with a valid excuse to not come."

"Why do you think that?"

"Dulce literally lives at home." I say blankly, staring at him as if he's insane.

Harry gives my hand a squeeze. "And she's drowning in homework."

I rub my free hand across my forehead and let out a heavy breath. "I know...it's just, the dinner will only be a couple of hours."

"Yeah but those couple of hours will be spent being anxious, constantly thinking about school work. Would you rather her be miserable at dinner or happy at home doing her homework?"

"No, you're right." I exhale and allow the car to fall quiet.

Dulcie is a happy, healthy eighteen year old who is an aspiring author. In her first year at a local University, she's studying literature and English language. Dulcie has always been obsessed with books - making Harry and I read the 'very hungry caterpillar' to her over and over again for months when she was two years old - and when she could start to read, there was no stopping her. She started reading books to us before shutting herself away in her room to read. A lot of the time she'd read the same book over and over again until she was sick of it, fixating on the plot and the characters and retaining knowledge surrounding the book before moving onto the next. She got into writing her own stories when she started high school at age twelve, preferring to write down how she was feeling rather than speaking about it. She thinks publishing her work is out of reach but she never stops trying. We're all really proud of her.

"But Albie's excuse is weak." I then say after thinking about it more.

Harry chuckles and shakes his head. "He's studying for his upcoming exams."

"His exams are next month, he can take a weekend off."

I know I'm being unreasonable and his reasoning is very much valid but I just miss having him around.

Albie has always wanted to help people. He never lost his empathy as he grew up, it has always been his most defining quality so it was no surprise when we were sat around the dinner table and Albie told us he wanted to go to University to become a child therapist. He was completely transparent with us, told us that he wants to help children in the same way he was helped when he went to therapy. He wants to make a change, positively impact people's lives, be able to give back in any way he can.