Pretend (Harry Styles) - Book 3

Chapter 72: Completely Content & Perfectly Happy

A/N: The song for this chapter is I Can't Make You Love Me by Jasmine Thompson. It's attached and I'll let you know when to start playing it. ;)

And now the final chapter of Hava's story.... (Are you crying? I'm crying)

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11 Years Old

-Ava's POV-

"I want to help."

"You're to little to get up on the ladder."

"I want to help."

"No."

"But Lemonnnnn!"

"Olivia, it's Lennon! Len-on! Not Lemon! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Everything alright in here?" I question, taking a step into the foyer.

"Mummy, Lemon won't let me help!" Olivia runs up to me, grasping ahold of leg. "I want to help. Make her let me help!"

"You can't Olivia, you know Dad doesn't like you on the ladder." Lennon sighs.

"But I want to help!" The very emotional five year old currently attached to my leg whines. "I want to make things special for daddy too!"

"Love, come help me in the kitchen." I run my fingers through Olivia's brown hair.

"But I want to help with the sign thingy. Please!" Olivia begs.

"Livvy, why don't you help me instead? You can ice the cake." I suggest.

Olivia's eyes light up seconds before she runs towards the kitchen, the thought of helping Lennon completely leaving her mind.

"Lennon..."

"I know, I shouldn't of yelled at her." Lennon looks down at me from her perch on the fourth step of the ladder. "But she wouldn't leave me be mum. And she almost ripped it. Again."

Lennon holds up the corner of the welcome home sign she's holding, the light catching the strip of clear tape now holding it together.

"Just try to keep in mind she just wants to help alright?"

"I will... I'll try to."

"Good." I smile, "And it still looks lovely, he won't even notice. I.."

"Mummy I have a new one!"

I glance up, seeing a mop of brown hair just above the railing, bouncing down the stairs.

I lean down, scooping his small frame up in my arms as he reaches me.

"I have a new one!" He grins, a dimple appearing on his left cheek.

"Do you?" I press a kiss to his little forehead.

"What do you call cheese that's not yours?!" He giggles out.

"Hmmmm." I raise an eyebrow at him. "No idea."

"Nacho cheese!"

I laugh along with him as he fist pumps, proud of himself for getting a laugh.

"Daddy will like it yeah?"

"I think he'll love it." I grin, setting him down on the floor. "Now go wash up, dinners almost ready."

"Nacho cheeeeeese." He giggles as he climbs the stairs.

"Graham..." I call after him, causing him to pause and peek through the stair railings. "And don't bring Henry to the dinner table again."

"But he'll be lonely... Don't want him lonely do we mummy?" His eyes plead with me.