Kiwis | Harry Styles

Twenty-Two

My feet pull me towards the sound of crying, it is coming from the bathroom. My knuckles tap gently on the door. "Sammy, are you okay?" I ask, my feet shuffling back and forwards on the carpet. He'd disappeared as soon as we'd opened all the presents and I am beginning to worry that bringing him so far away from his family at Christmas was a mistake. 

I gasp as the door suddenly flies open and his body bumps mine with a little jolt as he throws his arms around me in a tight hug. "You guys are so nice to me. I can't believe everyone bought me gifts. And not just any gifts. Gifts that are totally me. I love them all so much. But I can't - my parents will never let me wear them. I'm sorry." 

"Sweetheart, don't apologise. Your parents shortcomings aren't on you and please don't cry," I can hear my own voice crack and I swallow hard to try to control my emotions. "When we get back after Christmas we can go through your presents, I'm positive there are things you'll be able to take home with you and the other things you can keep at our house, yeah?" People had mostly bought him clothes, Gemma and Anne had bought him a UV kit so he could paint his own nails since he'd been showing off his manicure to everyone he'd met so far.  

"Sammy? There you are! What's up?" My nephew's voice booms from behind me. Luka was Gemma and Michal's oldest, they adopted him when he was five and he was only a few months younger than Robin. 

"Nothing," Sammy whispered, wiping at his eyes with his hand. 

"Auntie Jess gives the best hugs, right? They're better when she's not blown up like a giant balloon mind you!" My nephew chuckles and I swat him playfully over the head. 

"Hey, watch it! I could squish you like a bug!" I giggle as Sammy moves around me and the two of them head back downstairs. I wonder if Robin is feeling left out now one of her little shadows is following around Luka instead? 

I can't stop grinning like a cheshire cat as Harry slides his arm around my waist as soon as I reach the bottom step. "I have a surprise for you," he announces. It's then I notice that he has my coat in his other hand. 

"Outside?" I quirk an eyebrow at him, it's cold outside and snowing last I checked. 

"Uh huh!" He taps his finger on the end of my nose while sliding my coat onto my reluctant body. "I'll make you my famous hot chocolate when we get back and hug you until you're nice and toasty. Promise." He grins widely as he performs the scout salute even although I know he was never a member. 

"This better be good." I smirk, my heart already warming at the thought of snuggling on the sofa with him. I slide my feet into the wellington boots that match his and he wraps his hand around mine as we exit Anne's house. 

"This way." He tugs on my hand and pulls us left as we come to the end of the driveway. I stare up at him somewhat uselessly, as if he is going to be forthcoming with any kind of answers. I watch as a snowflake flutters and lands on the end of his nose, making him scrunch and wiggle it. 

"You're cute," the words leave my mouth in a hazy cloud of warm breath meeting cold air. 

"I like to think so," he smirks. I bump my hip against his and turn my attention back to the road. We seem to be heading home. The wind blows at my coat and I hug myself to my husbands arm. Apart from the cold the walk is nice. Quiet. The sound of the snow crunching beneath our feet is oddly calming after the noise and excitement of Anne's house. I love our kids to pieces but they can make more noise than a herd of elephants. 

"Right! No peeking!" Harry's loud voice startles me and he moves from my grasp. My eyes roll of their own accord as he places his hands over them. He moves one hand and I hear him fiddle with the gate before it creaks open. I make a mental note to oil it before we head back to LA. "Okay, walk carefully. I don't want you to fall."