The Lost Boy (Harry Styles)

2

"Hi. What's your name? Mine's Louis."

The boy sat looking blankly at the older child. He held on tight to his Teddy and blanket. A single tear rolled down his cheek and he sniffed.

"It's ok. Don't cry. Shall I get my Mummy?" He asked.

The boy nodded. Louis went to his Mum and Dads room.

It was 6am and still dark outside. The snow had fallen harder through the night. It was a very cold morning and the heating hadn't kicked in yet. Louis shivered as he stood by his parents bed.

His Dad, Mark, was snoring loudly.

He shook his Mum's shoulder gently.

"Mummy. Mummy."

She shifted and opened her eyes slowly. "Lou? What's wrong?" She sat up.

"That boy wants you. I think he's sad."

Jay got out of bed and walked along the landing to the other bedroom.

The boy was sat up against the headboard, the duvet pulled up to his  chin.

"Hey there. Are you alright?" She asked, sitting down beside the boy. He crawled over and sat in her lap as he cried harder.

She could feel his tiny body shaking as he hid his face into her chest.

You would think that Louis might feel a pang of jealousy, seeing a stranger clinging onto his Mum, but Louis had seen it all before. Despite him only being six years old, he had a wise old head on his shoulders. He knew that his parents took scared and sad kids into their home until they found a new one. This little boy in her arms was no different.

"It's ok. My Mummy and Daddy will look after you until yours come back. Don't be scared." Louis said.

Jay felt the smaller boy relax slightly on her lap and she smiled to her son. She was so proud of him.

"You should go back to sleep little one. It's still very early."

He yawned and nodded and climbed back under his duvet. Louis got in beside him.

"What are you doing Lou?" Jay asked.

"I'm keeping him safe Mummy."

Jay smiled and tucked them in. She left the room with the two boys cuddling.

********

The boys were both awake early and Louis walked Harry into his parents room.

"Mummy. He's wet." Louis said as he tapped Jay's face, waking her up.

She looked at her clock. 8.30.

"Ok Lou. Thanks. Hi there. You gonna come get that bum changed?"

The boy nodded and held his hand for her to take, which she did.

She gave him a quick bath and got him dressed, taking hom down stairs, finding Louis and Mark sat at the kitchen table waiting to start breakfast.

"Good morning." Mark said to the boy, he hid his face in Jay's neck again, obviously very shy.

She sat him in a highchair next to Louis.

"Right. Who wants coco pops?"

Louis and Mark held their hands up. "Me me me me me!" Louis yelled.

Jay put her finger to her mouth.

"Would you like coco pops?" She asked the boy. He stared at her.

She filled a bowl up and placed it on the table in front of him, pouring cold milk straight from the fridge all over it.

He looked at the cereal and put his ear down to it, hearing the popping sound it made as it soaked up the milk.

Louis and Mark started eating theirs and the boy picked his spoon up and started eating too.

Jay smiled, getting her own cereal and a mug of tea.

********

Jay decided to put the boys clothes through the wash. They had drawers full of clothing, so he was dressed in fresh clothing.

A thought occured to Jay. She went through his pockets and was surprised when she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from one of the pockets of his coat.

She gasped. On the paper, printed, not hand written, was a name and numbers - a date of birth.

This was a wonderful discovery. She immediately phoned Rita at the police station.

*******

"Harry. 1.2.94. This is great. Now we have this it should be easy to find out where he came from." Rita said.

"He's only two years old. Why are his parents not freaking out? I'd be going out of my mind." Jay said, as she watched the boy and her son playing on the carpet.

"It's so strange I do admit. I've sent these details to the station, so they're gonna get straight on to it. I'm sure by tonight he'll be back home."

There was a knock at the door. Mark opened it.

Florence is a social worker, who always deals with kids that are in the Tomlinsons care. She's known them for five years, since they had their first of many foster children.

She had arrived to see how they were all doing.

"It's all over the news so it shouldn't be much longer before he's home again." Florence told them, as she took a place on the sofa. "How is he?"

"We have a name and date of birth now. I found a piece of paper in his pocket. Harry, 1st of February 1994."

"That's amazing. A big help. Why would they put that in his pocket though?"

"That's the strange thing. It might be that they intended to leave him to be found by someone that could look after him better than them. It's horrible to think of, but we don't know the circumstances of where he's from." Rita said.

"Mummy." Harry whimpered. He rubbed at his eyes.

Louis looked at his Mum.  She picked Harry up and sat him on her lap.

The three women looked between each other, sadness etched on their faces.

Who would leave their little boy alone in a busy place? He could've been snatched by some pervert. It was good fortune that it was a kind lady who found him.

Anything could've happened. It didn't bear thinking about.

Where were his parents?

Were they in danger?

Will he ever go back to them?

What do you think?

Louis' birthday in 85 minutes. Hope he's  ok. And Harry.  I miss him.

All the love. L. Xx 💖💖💖