The Parent Plan » Harry Styles

Chapter 15

– All –

     Sometimes, time just flies. This is usually caused by having fun, or maybe just being completely lazy and waking up past noon – that does the trick too. It's like that nostalgia parents feel when seeing their child grow up, they always say "they grow up so fast" when in reality, they didn't grow up that fast. Currently, a month had flown by, and both Athena and Jake considered it to be the best month ever.

     That was the month of October. It was currently the 31st, meaning it was Halloween and as Harry helped Athena into her Cinderella, her favourite Disney princess, costume Athena thought about how great this month had been.

     Harry had definitely made progress, so much progress that he was almost like the guy he was when Katelyn was still around. Not that Athena knew much of how he used to be back then since she was only two, but she could see a major difference. As Harry pulled her hair into a bun, he had a faint smile on his face.

     Athena liked to believe that it was because they were going tick-or-treating with Monica and Jake.

     Throughout the month of October, the two – though incomplete – families had went out with each other a lot. Whether it was to the park, to dinner – the two kids and Harry occasionally begging Monica to go to McDonald's – or even bowling, things seemed to go so right. Even when Harry would pick her up, only a few hours after his lessons with Monica, he seemed lighter. Even Monica had that look. Athena loved how happy they both looked.

     "You look beautiful, Princess," Harry comments once finishing her sock bun. Athena smiles at him before looking down to her puffy blue dress. Harry's eyes scan over her. "Just like your Mum."

     Meeting his eyes, she noticed the nostalgic smile on his face. He wasn't sad when mentioning her. Athena blinked. Harry just stared back, before picking her up and placing her on the bed. He sits down beside her and takes a deep breath.

     "Someday, when you're older," he begins, "or maybe sooner, I'll be able to tell you about your Mum. I'll just take it one step at a time, Cupcake."

.

     Another year, another the Hulk costume.

     "It should be forbidden for you to grow," Monica mumbles as she helps Jake into his costume. This was the third the Hulk costume she has bought him for Halloween.

     "I'm a big boy," Jake says with a grin, looking down at his green costume.

     "A strong boy too," Monica agrees before pinching his padded biceps. Just then the phone started to ring. Leaving the boy to tie his own shoes – he insists that he can do it on his own – she walks out to the living room and answers the phone. "Hey, loser."

     "What a lovely way to greet your caring brother," Jeff scolds over the phone. "How did you know it was me anyway?"

     "There's this thing called caller ID," she says with an 'i-know-it-all' voice. "So, what's up? I was about to Jake trick-or-treating."

     "With your love, Harry?" Before Monica could question him on how he knew, he continued. "I called the other day and Jake answered, going on and on about going tick-or-treating with Harry. Sounds like Jake has grown quite attached to him."

     "Can you blame him?" Monica questioned with an adoring voice before clearing her throat. "I mean, we have been spending a lot of time together this month."

     "That's not good, Monica." Jeff sighs after a few moments of confused silence, "He called Harry his dad."

      Monica blinked.