Kiwis | Harry Styles

Twenty-Seven

"Mum! We're late!" Mac grumbles as he jumps out the car. I close the door behind him and lock up as he rushes inside. I'm well aware of the fact that we are five minutes late and that his coach will mark him as tardy. I'm positive this will be his first though so no danger of the three tardies and you miss a game rule coming into play. Madison just would not play ball though, you'd have thought I was shipping her off for hard labour and not just next door with her sister. It seems a week and a half without her Daddy was her breaking point and I can't say I blame her. I'm about ready to blow myself. I follow the route Mac had taken to the gym hall entrance, he's long gone and I hurry to get inside. 

I manoeuvre me and bump through the gym doors and it isn't the noise or the fact that it seems busier than normal that attracts my attention but the smell. It smells like the perfume department in Neiman Marcus once my kids have tested every scent they can get their naughty little hands on. The gang of PTA members to the right whisper as I pass, nothing new there, although they are usually a little more discrete. I spot Mac on the bench and head towards him to give him his water bottle. 

"Where's your Dad? Does he need a hand with something?" Patsy whispers to my son. 

"He's busy so you have me instead." I smile as Mac removes the drinks bottle from my hand. Harry and I alternate weeks at basketball practice since it's on at the same time as Robin's art class, so whoever doesn't come here drops off and picks up our daughter. As soon as practice is over, I will have to rush to pick her and her friend up. 

"Aww," she sighs. "Oh, the cookies sold well last week, did you or Harry make them? It would be nice if you guys could participate more in the actual events though. It was just me and the ladies as usual." 

"Yeah, I'm sorry. Like I said, Harry isn't available, and I am snowed under at work," I bite my tongue so I don't snap at her but I'm not in the mood for her lecture. The twins shuffle around and it feels like one of them is actually sitting on my bladder so I make my excuses and head to the bathroom. 

I pause with my hand on the lock to the cubicle, after three false starts I think my body is finally done peeing or the twins have moved again. "Wait, so you think that story in the magazines is true, they are getting divorced?" I recognise Maria's voice, I should have known she'd be all over that story, I don't think there's a shred of gossip in the state of California her and her sister don't know about. 

"What exactly did she say again?" Melanie spoke this time. Maybe the other parents would be more likely to volunteer if they weren't so bitchy! 

"She said Harry isn't available, not that he's working. Although you can hardly call what he does working, but unavailable? That screams they're not talking," Patsy declares. 

"Oh, I hope so. What I wouldn't give to have that man between my thighs!" Melanie chimes in and I can't help thinking me too. Me too. It had been exactly nine days since Harry had come home at any sort of hour to make that feasible. He slides into bed when I am already asleep and slips out before I am awake, if it wasn't for his scent on the sheets I'd never know he'd been there at all. A few nights ago I woke up with his arms wrapped tightly around me and bump but looking after our four kids had me way too tired to do anything other than wriggle a tiny bit closer to him, his whispered "I got you, baby," enough to lull me back to sleep.

The sound of the bathroom door closing brings me back to reality with a thud. I slide open the lock and head to the sink to wash my hands. I think I'll wait up for my husband tonight, supposing I have to stick pins in my eyes to achieve it. 

"Jessi!" Monica yells and I feel thankful that there's somebody here who doesn't hate me. She works as a make-up artist and I work with her fairly often in the studio. She pats the empty space on the bench beside her and I don't hesitate before making my way there.