To Be Loved And To Be In Love » L.S

4

Harry had woken up before Louis, thank god. Harry quietly made his way outside the room, breathing a sigh of relief when Louis didn't even stir in his sleep.

We walked towards the kitchen and saw the Phoebe, Daisy, Lottie and Felicite  sitting at the table, a bowl in front of them.

"Eat up Phoebe." Lottie said, kicking her under the table.

"I don't want to have porridge Lottie, it's my birthday, at least not today." Phoebe said.

"It's Daisy's birthday too, I don't see her complaining." Lottie said, trying to be stern.

Harry decided to make his presence known then, "Good morning girls."

"Good morning Haz!" One of the twins said, Harry really needed to learn how to distinguish between those two.

"Where's Jay?" Harry asked, waking until he was standing in front of the table.

"She went to work. She'll be back by evening. She's served all of us breakfast and we can take care of Ernest and Doris." Lottie says, pointing at the two year old twins.

"Where's Louis, Haz?" One of the twins again asked.

"He's still sleeping, love." Harry says, smiling at her.

"But...mum said he'd start spending time with us when you came." One of the twins added sadly. Lottie kicks her under the table and Felicite glares at her.

Harry feels his throat tighten.

"Maybe tomorrow, he was very tired yesterday." He lies through his teeth, and he sees her face light up.

Lottie snorts.

You shouldn't give false hope to kids. He scolds himself. But he can't care about that when he sees the twins smile up.

"I heard it was someone's birthday today?" Harry says, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Oh! Oh! It's ours! We're six now Haz! How cool is that?" One of the twin puts in.

"Well since it's a birthday, theres supposed to be a cake! Let's go get a cake, and maybe some eggs. New breakfast." Harry says, watching as their smiles grew wider.

"But mother—we can't." Lottie stutters.

"Well, your brother in law is not so useless, don't worry about it Lottie. Let me just go get changed and take care of this morning breath and we can go to the market, okay?" Harry says, smiling the best he can at the kids.

Phoebe jumps excited.

Harry runs back to his room and removes the small wallet he brought along with him. It was everything he saved. It wasn't really much. Since he had to give up most of it. Harry had always had a good birthday when he was kid, he remembered how important it was for him. Remembered how his family was together. He wouldn't let these kids be deprived of that.

**

"Harry we'll have that cake right there." Phoebe said, the twins had told him how to tell them apart and he was glad, pointing at the small chocolate cake in front of them.

"Are you sure you don't want a larger one? Don't be shy love, think of it as my birthday gift to you." Harry says, tightening his grip around Ernest, a bag of eggs,milk, vegetables for lunch and bread in his hand.

Phoebe and Daisy shared a look with each other and then with Lottie, who was holding Doris and then Felicite.

"Yes, we're sure. It's this one Haz." Daisy adds, smiling brightly at him.

"Okay, if that's what you say."

*****

Harry serves all of them eggs and makes all of them have milk.

They were in the middle of singing Happy Birthday loudly when Louis shouted.

"What the fuck is that noise?!"

Harry bit his lips, he looked at the twins whose smiles had lessened.

"How about we sing it softly yeah?" Harry suggests.

"We'll just have the cake Harry. We don't want trouble." Daisy said, blowing out the candles with Phoebe.

Harry gave them a sad smile, then picked up the cake and cut it in equal pieces and gave them all to the kids.

"Harry," Lottie says, extending her piece forward, motioning for Harry to take a bite.

"Oh no, you have it, I'm all good." Harry says, shaking his head.

"We always share with the family and you are family, so." Lottie says, urging the cake forward.

Harry smiles, this time a real one no matter how small and takes a bite.

His happy bubble breaks when something crash inside his room.

"How about all of you go and wait in Jay's room, you could eat there." Harry says, ushering them in the other room.

Harry knew they'd seen whatever there is and there's no hiding, but Harry would protect them from this anyway. Seeing their brother in this state must be hard.

Once all the kids were all inside, he walked into his room, a plate of eggs he'd cook in his hand.He located Louis sitting on his bed, his hand shaking as he frantically looked for something.Probably alcohol.

Harry snorts at the thought.

Harry gulped, he slowly made his way towards Louis. He's your husband you have as much right on him as he has on you. He's no one to fear. He told himself and took a deep breath.

"I got you breakfast." Harry says, placing the food next to Louis.

Harry saw Louis' hard glare, no please no.

Louis shoved the plate of food down. Harry watched it shatter into pieces. Harry grimaced.

"Pick it up." Louis shouts, Harry winces and then slowly looks down.

His hands shake as he reaches for the food. He hated that the food was wasted, there wasn't enough food in the house and this man just went around wasting it.

Once his hand is down Louis steps on it.

"Ouch!" Harry yelps, a piece of glass cutting his skin.

"You don't do anything unless I tell you to do. Understand?" Louis sneers, his face close to Harry's, Harry could smell the alcohol in his breath. Harry looked into the blue eyes, they were so beautiful, it was a shame really.

Louis puts more pressure on Harry's hand when he doesn't get a reply, "understand?"

Harry knows he's crying, "Yes–yes! Please let go, it's hurting." He yelps.

Louis moves his leg then, Harry quickly cradled his hand, examining the wound.

Louis then gets up and makes his way out of the bedroom.

Harry wants to shout and scream.

Is this what I deserve mother? He thinks again, angrily, wiping his tears with the hand that's not injured.

"Hazza?" Harry looks behind to see Daisy along with the rest of the girls standing there.

"What are you girls doing here? I told you to stay inside. Come on, I'll be out in a minute. Dropped the plate, I'm very clumsy like that, hurt my hand too, I'll be out real quick okay?" Harry rambles, picking up the broken pieces.

Once he's done, he walks out and dumps the broken plate in the bin and then keeps his hand under the running water. Thank god the glass didn't go deep inside.

"Here," He hears Lottie say, as she keeps a box on the counter, "It's a first aid kit. Mum gave us incase we got hurt."

Harry nods and starts treating his wound.

"We know how he is, you know? You don't need to try and hide it." Lottie says, and before Harry could come up with a reply, she's gone.