𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧-𝐭.𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

◦•●◉✿ Chapter 4 ✿◉●•◦

xxx

A few days had passed since the brunch. The kids were now slowly opening up to Y/n and Tom. They were still terrified to do any exploring around the house, lest they get beaten or something. Even though they were permitted to roam around the house, they didn't really go anywhere... They hadn't even seen the music room in their house yet. Yes, Tom and Y/n had a music room in their house, it had a piano for Y/n and a guitar for Tom, two shelves full of different sheet music.
Now, a new issue was troubling the couple. The schooling of the children. They kids had been spotted by the paparazzi already, that too with Tom and Y/n, but the couple were yet to release an official announcement or statement. Which was confusing for both the public and the media.
Tom and Y/n had decided to give the children they'd foster a life as normal as possible. Now, they were reviewing that again. They wanted the kids to make friends with children their age, but schools also have rude and unkind children, add the paparazzi to the mixture and there you have it, a perfect recipe for a disaster. The other option was homeschooling, but that didn't sit right with the couple either. So after much reconsideration, they'd decided to talk to Anushka about it. She was set to come today. Which was why, Y/n and Tom were fiddling with their wedding rings (picture above), a habit they'd developed over the past year, after having dropped the twins off at Nikki and Dom's place, in care of Paddy.
Today, Y/n's parents were returning after a holiday from France, which their daughter and son-in-law had paid for and forced them to go on the occasion of their 30th wedding anniversary. (You are English in the story, bear with me please!)
However, their doorbell rang and Y/n went to answer it.
"Hey girl! How are you?", Anushka greeted, engulfing her actress friend (that's you) in a hug.
"I'm good. How are you doing?", Y/n questioned.
"Good, just the usual", Anushka said, walking with Y/n to the living room and greeting Tom.
"Okay, so what did you both want to talk about? And where are the munchkins?", asked Anushka, clapping her hands together.
"They're at my parents' place. We called you to talk about Kevin and Keira's schooling", Tom answered.
"Exactly. We're torn between public schooling and home schooling. What do you suggest?", Y/n completed, taking a seat next to Tom.
"I'd suggest public schooling, you two. At least in the case of Kevin and Keira. They don't have any friends and don't interact with children their age and it's crucial that they learn to do so.", Anushka suggested.
"But what about the media, Anushka? Those people are bloody hounds! They stick their noses everywhere!", Y/n said.
"Exactly! How are we supposed to protect the kids from that? They've already been sighted with us.", Tom argued.
"Do you plan on adopting them?", Anushka asked, momentarily startling Tom and Y/n.
"Yes", the couple took one look at each other and said together.
"Look, if the kids are comfortable with us,-" Y/n started.
"Then I'm sure we'll be able to pull it off! Together.", Tom finished, lacing his hand with Y/n's.
"Then how are you going to hide them? The press with turn. Both of you are celebrities. You can't, or rather, won't be able to keep them hidden forever. All you can do is to prepare them for it.", Anushka finished, leaving no room for further debate.
It was decided then, the twins would be going to a public school. The couple would discuss it with the kids, obviously. But not now, later.
"Call up your managers. You'll be on Graham Norton next week I presume. Make the announcement. That's all I've got to say.", Anushka finished. Tom and Y/n simultaneously nodded.
After some more discussion, the couple bid goodbye to their friend as Anushka had some meeting to go to.
Tom and Y/n decided to get the twins and go on a walk to the park. So, the couple got their jackets, Tom attached Tessa's collar to a leash and then they left. Literally two minutes later, they were standing on the doorstep of Tom's childhood home.
When Tom and Y/n entered with Tessa, they were immediately greeted by Paddy, who looked as if he'd just been in a storm. Probably pulled an all nighter, again. The number of times the poor boy had been lectured by Y/n on how all nighters were unhealthy... Paddy even called Y/n ‘Mum 2.0’, the other Holland brothers found that name extremely funny.
"Paddy!", Y/n exclaimed as she took her shoes off, startling the sleep deprived boy and when the boy saw the person calling his name, his eyes went as wide as saucers. He knew he'd been caught. Tom looked like the gossip queens when they get new tea to spill. He couldn't wait to tell the twins about it and have a laugh together.
Turns out, Kevin was with Nikki, making a lemon meringue pie, a favourite of Tom and Y/n and Keira was with Dom, giggling uncontrollably. Tess, after being released from the leash dashed to Dom who smothered her with love. Tom followed suit, but wasn't smothered with love, which he pointed at, instead he got a hug and a pat on the back.
"My dog gets so much love from my dad and I don't", he pouted.
"Yes. Because the dog is more obedient than you movie-star!", Dom fired back and Tom groaned, he hated that name with a passion. Keira was giggling again.
"And if he's being bad, that's how you shut him up", Dominic Holland advised Keira.
"Movie-star", Keira repeated, laughing when Tom went, "No! Don't corrupt her! Keira not you too please!"
Nikki and Kevin came in at the exact moment Dom said 'movie-star', and had heard the entire debacle unfurl and were laughing themselves. That's when the others in the living room noticed that they'd been here the whole time. Also, Tom might hate that nickname but there was no sound he loved than that of his wife and his kids laughing in unison.
After the laughs had died down, Y/n greeted her father and mother-in-law with hugs. Paddy looked solemn because he knew the speech that was soon to follow. Poor boy even made an attempt to run but Y/n caught him, making the other men in the house laugh. Paddy made very futile attempts to counter Y/n but she wouldn't buy any of it, providing fantastic entertainment to the others in the house. Later, the twins assured Paddy that he was still the coolest uncle, that seemed to ease his embarrassment. After tea and a slice of the meringue pie, Nikki finally let Tom, Y/n, Kevin, Keira and Tessa go for the walk.

Sitting on one of the benches at the park, Tom and Y/n watched with complete adoration and fondness as the twins played with Tessa. After running around, the little developing family were on their way home. Kevin and Keira rambling on and on about their day, Tom and Y/n listening intently, Tessa's leash in Y/n's hands, Tom's hands were holding the hands of the kids.
Their silhouette in front of the setting sun, against the yellowish scarlet sky, was one of the imperfectly perfect family. Not that they knew that then...

After they'd had dinner and gone to bed, Tom was asleep within minutes. Y/n however, couldn't fall asleep. So, clad in one of Tom's shirts and pyjama shorts, hair in a messy bun, she decided to go to the music room in their house. Her and Tom had designed the room themselves. It was where they went to get some peace. It was a moderate sized room, with a hardwood flooring, cream walls with two bookshelves full of sheet music. A black baby grand Steinway and Son's piano sat in the middle of the room and a black acoustic guitar by its side. There was a small sofa in one corner, with a lamp on its side and a blanket on it. Numerous black and white pictures hung on the walls. Some of Tom and Y/n's wedding day, some of later, some with their family, etc, but most of them were taken by Harry.
Y/n and Tom would agree that this was probably the most homey room in their house. Everytime hey went in it, the memories of the day they'd decorated it came back to their mind. They'd just returned from their honeymoon to Bora Bora back then.
Y/n smiled softly to herself as the memories came flooding in her mind.
She went to the bookshelf with the piano sheets and picked out one of her favourite pieces, Love's Sorrow(Liebesleid) by Kreisler(arr. Rachmaninoff).
She placed the sheet on its place, sat down and started. Her fingers gliding gracefully on the keys. She was so glad she'd kept up with playing, after all, it gave her peace.

Keira jolted awake after the nightmare she'd had. It was about their previous foster parent. The thought itself making a shiver run down her spine. Then she heard it, the sound of the piano playing softly. She slowly climbed out of her bed, snuck out of her room and followed the sound.
She came to an immediate hault when she found the source of the sound. It was coming from a room she didn't know existed. And she saw her Mrs. Y/n play. The tune was so beautiful. She didn't know what it was called but she wanted to learn it. She wanted to be able to play like that.
So, after a little debate with herself she went in. Y/n heard her come in and stopped playing for a second, Keira froze. Thinking that she'd be getting into trouble. But what happened was the complete opposite of what she'd thought. Y/n smiled at her and gestured towards the sofa.
Keira went there, sat down and was listening intently as Y/n started over. The little girl lost the track of time and was fast asleep as Y/n finished the piece. She shifted when she felt herself being lifted up, she drowsily opened her eyes a bit and found Y/n smiling at her.
"Please teach me to play the piano Mrs Y/n", she mumbled.
"Sure honey. For now, sleep.", Y/n coaxed.
"Thanks mum", Keira mumbled.
That made Y/n stop in her tracks. Did Keira just call her mum? Or is she herself so tired that she had misheard? The second option seemed more possible than the first and with that thought, Y/n tucked Keira in and went to sleep.