Nora Dodson is a "fast-talking, F-bomb-dropping, born-and-bred New Yorker". Harry Styles is no longer a member of One Direction. He's lovely, kind and a very odd young man, though he's entirely unhappy in his relationship. But then he meets Nora an...
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"Okay, this is my offer." Harry says to Jeff, ignoring the fact that they're currently at a baby shower. Jeff nods. "Eight months. I'll do eight months, but every other week I'm going to be at home with my family. One week on the road, one week at home. That is the only way I'll agree to a tour." Out of the corner of his eye, he can see Zayn and Gigi walking down the stairs.
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"So...basically you'll tour for four months."
"Take it or leave it, mate." He shakes his head and rubs his eyes. Zayn watches them converse and he can see the tension.
"I need a few days. I'll think about, and I'll see what I can do." Harry pats his arm.
"I appreciate it."
"If...and that's a big if...this works out, I need you there. I mean that I need you all there. The weeks that you tour I gotta have you fully and totally committed."
"I will be."
"Alright good."
"Now, will you please go and enjoy the party, Jeffrey?"
"Yes, fine, but since you've been a fucking pain in my ass, I'm gonna go hit on your fiancé." Harry chuckles.
"Treat her well, please." He turns to find Zayn standing there, shifting uncomfortably.
"Hi mate..." Harry's unsure of what to say.
"Zayn...erm—thanks for coming."
"Yeah, yeah of course. We love Nora."
"She's one of the good ones."
"She is, yeah." He nods toward Jeff, who's currently making Nora laugh, "What was that all about?"
"Just...tour discussions. Nothing's coming at the best time."
"You're touring?"
"Next year, yeah."
"Ah, mate that's bad news...how does Nora feel about that?"
"She wasn't happy, so we're trying to find a way around it."
"Well, good, mate. Family first."
"Yeah, it's like...I'm always going to choose Nora, regardless of the situation, I will always choose her, it's just that simple."
"So, you're really happy?"
"I'm...words couldn't possibly describe how happy I am, Zayn."
"Twins, I mean...that's huge. M'really happy for both of you."
"That means a lot." He steps forward, acting on impulse. He hugs his old friend and it takes Zayn a second, but he quickly reciprocates the embrace.
"I've missed you, Harry. The boys too."
"I've missed you, Zayn." They pull apart and Nora smiles happily at the sight from across the room. "They should be here soon, actually."
"Do they know I'm here?"
"They do, they're looking forward to seeing you actually." He chuckles.
"Lou too?"
"He's going to be a bit harder to stand down...I mean, Zayn, you broke his heart, mate." He nods, solemnly.
"I know."
"But, it's been long enough. We were all so close once, and I miss that. We're happy, each of us are doing our own thing, you know? It's time we put it all behind us and work on the future."
"I'm sorry, mate, that I left the way I did. It wasn't fair to any of you."
"We're moving on, Zayn. Apology accepted." They hugged again and Nora thought her heart just might burst.
===
The party was going perfectly. Harry sat around the living room with his old bandmates, some of his new bandmates, Eric, Nick and Jeff. Nora had been catching up with her friends, girls who would all be in their wedding and she was on top of the world. Once all the girls—aside from Gigi, Cheryl and Lara—leave, she waltzes over to Harry and leans down, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. She kisses his ear and he turns around while his friends look on. "Hi angel."
"Hi fiancé..."
"Are you having a good time?" He whispers and she nods and catches his lips in a warm kiss.
"The best time. Are you happy?"
"Very." He moves his mouth to her ear, "And I love you." Anne appears behind them before Nora can respond and she looks at the five boys who formerly made the unbelievably successful band.
"Do you know how happy it makes me to see the five of you together again?" They all smile up at her and Harry blushes.
"Mum..."
"No, I mean it! It's been too long since I've seen you all in the same room and it's heartwarming." She pulls Nora up in a motherly way. "Petal, will you please sit down!" Nora laughs and Harry pulls her so she walks around the couch and sits in his lap. Gemma and the other women walk over and join them. Lara sits on Eric's lap and Gigi sit's in Zayn's. Cheryl squeeze in between Louis and Liam and Jeff gets up to ensure that Anne is comfortable.
"So, three out of the five of you have kids...or are having kids." Alex says to them.
"Of course, Harry would be the one to have twins." Niall laughs.
"I've got some pretty sneaky—well, you know. They made things happen." Nora covers her tinted pink cheeks as she giggles.
"Do you know what the genders are?" Cheryl asks, the question is geared more at Nora, but she shakes her head.
"Anne knows...we're nervous to find out." She bites her lip, "We were supposed to do the reveal today but I've been kind of freaking out about it."
"Oh my god!" Gemma protests, "Mum knows?"
"You, young lady, have a rather chatty mouth. I couldn't trust you with this information." Anne says to her eldest.
"Well, tell me now! Come on!" Nora and Harry look at each other as everyone begins to chant the word reveal. After a couple of seconds, they finally give in.
"Fine! Fine, you can tell us, okay?!" Harry laughs and holds her tighter and their hands clasp as they grow more and more anxious. Anne eyes them warily.
"You're sure you want to know?"
"We're positive. Tell us...I can't wait any longer." Anne, with tears in her eyes begins to smile widely.
"I'm going to be a grand-mum to...one sweet little boy...and one beautiful little girl." Nora covers her face as she feels the tears fall from her eyes and Harry presses his face against her back, while mildly tearing up. Everyone in the room claps and hollers and Nora's sure they're simply getting far too lucky. There has to be some sort of a catch.
"You're positive?"
"Entirely." Harry's mother walks over to them and wraps her arms around their ecstatic, trembling bodies. The embrace lasts only a few seconds before they get up and start hugging everyone else. They couldn't possibly feel happier in that moment, and not to mention, they were surrounded by everyone who loved them and wanted the best for them.
