Wish You Were Here - Part 2

Chapter 27

HARRY'S POV

My breath is shaky as my driver pulls into the unfamiliar street and in front of a semi-detached house on the outer edge of London. Its brown brick facade and charming red door would look inviting, warm and friendly to most, a royal blue ceramic pot plant sits out front adding some greenery to the drab London winter. I've never been here before but that's not what's making me nervous, the fact I'm supremely unwanted here is making my chest tight and heart thump against my rib cage.

As much as I hated peeling myself out of bed this morning before Liv woke up I had too much to do today in order to prepare for our getaway.

The water ran down my back as I stood in the shower and contemplated my day ahead, going over the possible scenarios for the conversation I needed to have, running my hand over my face in frustration when, even in my mind, it went badly each time.

I pulled my clothes on and, with my hair still damp, I lent over and kissed my perfect girl softly until I heard her faintly hum and I whispered that I would be back later in the day. She whined, telling me it was too early and tried to pull me back into the warm cocoon of our sheets, taking all of my willpower to resist the temptation.

I choked back tears as I said goodbye to Mum and Gem who were heading back to our family home for the rest of the holidays, Gemma having already planned to spend the rest of her time in the UK catching up with old friends.

"I'd glad to see you so happy, Harry," she mumbled as she hugged me, tears forming in her eyes as well. "Don't fuck it up again!" She laughed, apologising to Mum in the same breath for her language.

Although I hate to admit it, I miss having her around sometimes, actually a lot.

I went straight to Tyler's after that, explaining everything I need him to sort out, book and organise in such short notice. Asking him to find solutions to the pesky press issues and telling him we need to fly out tomorrow.

I apologised to his boyfriend Sean for being the boss from hell, arriving at their door so early in the morning the day after Christmas, but promised them both that Tyler it would be worth the bonus I was going to give him, along with the next two weeks off, to which he happily obliged. To be honest, the news of Olivia and I's reunion probably made him happy enough to do it in the first place.

A kid on a push bike rides past the car and brings my mind back to the brown brick house with the red door in front of me. This is not going to go down well but I have to try.

My knuckles tap on the door and I hold my breath as I hear muffled voices and footsteps from inside.

I quickly lick my lips, tucking my hair behind my ear in preparation and look down at my black jeans and black oversized knit that looks like I've had it for years, worn in all the right places and stretched slightly out of shape when in fact I only got it last month, the designer price tag clearly paying for the "worn in look".

Maybe I should have dressed up more? Put on a shirt or a jacket? It's freezing out but I knew I was only running from the car to the door. Do I look pretentious?

My eyes are still on my boots when the door opens and blue eyes meet mine before narrowing.

"Umm, Mrs. Bailey, I wanted to come in and talk to you and Mr. Bailey for just a couple of minutes, if that's ok? Please?" I blurt out before she can slam the door in my face.

The Bailey's house is exactly as I imagined it, it's warm, homely and spotlessly clean. A honey timber table and a side board filled with photo frames sits near the white, pink and green floral couches in the living room. I wish I could stop and properly appreciate the portrait of a little Liv with pigtails and a wide smile proudly showing off a missing front tooth.