Deserve [H.S.]

Chapter 62

SURPRISE

"It's not your fault, baby. He didn't even get very far," Harry said, trying to soothe Noah's guilty conscience after he returned home from work that evening.

Leo was busy playing with some dinosaur toys and barbies in the living room as Noah and Harry spoke in the kitchen. As soon as Harry got home, Noah had told him what happened at the store earlier that day and subsequently expressed her immense guilt at the situation.

"I just feel like a horrible mother. Who knows what could've happened?" Noah rhetorically asked as she wiped a rogue tear from her cheek.

Noticing that she was crying, Harry tutted and placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on the back of her head to pull her toward him. He wrapped her up in a comforting hug while she buried her face in his chest and she instantly felt soothed as he pressed kisses to the top of her head.

"You know you're not a horrible mum. You're the best, actually. Leo absolutely adores you. I adore you. I'm so proud of how amazing you are with him and I wouldn't change anything for the world, okay?"

All that Harry heard in response was a quiet sniffle before Noah said, "I love you."

Harry pulled back and placed a finger under Noah's chin to gain eye contact with her, tilting her head up enough so he could lean down and press a tender kiss to her lips.

"I love you, sweet girl. Don't worry about today at all. Our precious boy is safe and happy and just in the other room."

Noah nodded, knowing that Harry was right, but she couldn't help the anxiety she felt over seeing Jonah again.

"What about Jonah though?"

Releasing a sigh, Harry replied with, "don't worry about him either. We've gone so long without any problems, I doubt he'll be an issue anymore. It was a long time ago, anyway."

"Okay," was all Noah said in response. She honestly just wanted to move on from the mess that the day had become.

"Now," Harry said just before giving her another kiss, "go give squirt a big hug while I dish up dinner."

The rest of the night went by smoothly while the family ate dinner as usual. Since it was a Friday night, though, they carried out their tradition of watching a movie together and making their living room as much of a movie theater as possible.

The lights were turned off, popcorn was made, pillows and blankets were thrown everywhere for comfort, and the big ottoman they had off to the side of the living room was brought in front of the couch for them to stretch their legs onto like a bed.

Leo sat sideways on Noah's lap, cuddled into her as his legs stretched across to rest his feet in Harry's lap who sat beside them. Harry always joked that he got the short end of the stick when Leo laid like that, but he knew that Leo was just a strong mommy's boy. Of course, he loved Harry, too, but he had a special bond with Noah.

The movie was chosen by Noah that night and it was Casper, the 1995 children's movie about a friendly ghost. She had loved the movie with her whole heart as a kid so she was extremely excited to pass that on to Leo, exposing him to the wonderful film that it was.

Naturally, Leo loved the movie. Noah was so happy that he enjoyed it so much and found herself quite proud that she was raising him right, a pride which she declared to Harry.

"Our son is gonna grow up having seen all the best movies and having heard all the best music because we're raising him so right," she had confidently said.