FOREVER [Niall Horan] ✔

Epilogue 3

"They both expressed themselves, she did it through lines and he through words."

1 Year Later

Niall's POV

"Dada," Harp whines as she pulls my arm, hindering me from writing a very important email to an investing company. She's been bugging me for the past fifteen minutes to play with her and I wish I could but I have to finish this. Taking care of her alone is getting harder every day. "Dada, give hand pwease," She whines again.

"Dada is busy right now, babygirl. Give me a few minutes and then I'll play with you," I mutter staring at my laptop screen as I continue to type the email.

"But daddy," She mewls and jumps on the couch to grab my attention. I release a breath.

"Harper," I softly reprimand, looking at her for a split of a second, and she pouts but stops her actions anyway. I wish Ana was here to help me handle her. She grumpily sits down next to me and rests her head against my upper arms. She mumbles something incoherent and I know that she's just pretending to be sad but I give in. She has a habit of pretending to be mad most of the time whenever we don't listen to her, making us guilty about it and Ana used to ask me not to give in to her antics but I can't see her sad.

I place the laptop aside and pick her up before keeping her on my lap. She continues to pout and folds her arms against her chest. "No talk to Harp."

"Why?" I ask in a baby voice. "Talk to dada before the tickle monster comes," I mutter and bring my fingers closer to her, imitating a weird and gibberish voice.

"No, no, dada, no tickle monsta," She giggles and bounces off my lap, covering her laugh behind her palm. I awe at the adorable scene unfolding in front of me. "Now give hand," She orders and I offer her my hand, a little frown etched upon my lips. "I paint nails." She grins and my frown deepens even though there's a smile on my face.

"You want to paint my nails?" She furiously nods, both of her messy pigtails, that I somehow managed to make, bouncing on her head. If Ana were here, she'd properly tie her hair but she isn't and I've gotten used to it even though I hate it. Why did she have to fucking leave! I internally groan. "Why do you suddenly want to paint dada's nails? And how did you even know how to paint nails?" I ask as I try not to get upset and grieve over the fact that Ana isn't here with us.

"Because dada pwetty," She says, picks up a golden nail paint. Her hands are very unsteady as she applies the paint on my nail, smearing it across my finger and blaming it on me. "Don't move," She cries even though she's the one moving but I just sigh, lightly shaking my head at her. She puts the bottle aside before holding my hand in both of hers, bringing it to her face and blowing air on it in an attempt to dry the paint. I smile at the gesture and by just looking at her.

Everyday Harp has different obsessions and it still amazes me how her little mind works. Sometimes she pick flowers for me and Ana, when she's around, from the backyard or make us little drawings, I even have one of them framed in the living room.

After she completes applying nail paint on me, she proudly gushes at it and before showing it to me. I grin and appreciate her work, even though she's just four she's done a pretty good job at it. At her age, many children wouldn't be able to hold a pencil, but Harper has already started painting and drawing, definitely got it from her momma, and I'm very proud of my little prodigy. "It's very pretty, babygirl, but you left a nail," I say and point at my middle finger.

"Uh-oh, dada. It is fashion," She mutters, shaking her head at me and my mouth forms an 'O'. She's growing up so fast and I don't want her to. I want her to stay this little. "I put diff'ent colour. Do you like blue or black?"