If You Only Knew

Chapter 6

The morning had slipped by unnoticed as I spent it preparing a big breakfast for the boys. They'd arrived earlier than expected, and I'd found myself bustling around the kitchen with a sense of warmth in my chest. The sizzling of bacon, the soft crackle of eggs cooking, the sweet smell of waffles filling the air—these were the things that made a house feel like a home. As I set the plates down in front of each of them, I made sure there was plenty of fruit on the side. After all, you can never have enough fruit, right? The vibrant colors of the fresh strawberries, grapes, and orange slices made everything seem brighter.

Liam, Zayn, and Niall dug into their food with the kind of enthusiasm that always made me laugh. It was comforting in a way, to have the chaos of their presence fill the house. We joked, ate, and laughed like we hadn't spent so much time apart. I watched them leave around noon, each of them offering a round of hugs and thanks, still full from the feast I'd made.

"See you later, H! Don't let the house get too lonely!" Niall called, the cheeky grin still plastered on his face. Zayn and Liam waved from the driveway, and I stood at the door, watching them go, the echo of their laughter hanging in the air long after the car had driven off.

I closed the door softly, leaning against it for a moment, feeling the familiar weight of quiet settle around me. The energy had shifted now, the house feeling almost too big and empty. I sighed and slowly made my way back upstairs, my feet dragging. I was exhausted, but I didn't want to feel it. I just wanted to crawl under the covers and sleep for as long as I could, hoping the dreams would bring a little respite from everything.

As I crawled under the soft sheets, my body sunk into the bed, grateful for the rest. The weight of everything that had happened over the past few weeks had left me drained, emotionally and physically. I curled up on my side, my mind still racing even as I closed my eyes, the events of the past few days flickering through my thoughts like a movie on pause. The sounds of the house were muffled now, and it wasn't long before my exhaustion won out, and I finally drifted into a deep, heavy sleep.

I don't know how long later I was woken by a knock on the door. It was soft, gentle, like a reminder to wake up, but not to rush. My eyes fluttered open, still heavy with sleep, my thoughts slow and sluggish. "Coming," I muttered, my voice hoarse from the nap.

When I opened the door, there stood Mum, her smile warm and bright as always. She was wearing that same cozy sweater she always wore when she came back from work, and the moment I saw her, a wave of relief washed over me, like a balm to the ache I hadn't realized was there.

"Hi, love!" she said, her voice full of affection.

"Mum! I missed you!" I exclaimed, unable to stop myself from running into her arms. Her embrace was a safe haven, the kind that could make everything feel right again. She smelled like her perfume, something familiar, comforting—like lavender and vanilla. She always smelled like home.

"I missed you too, baby," she murmured, pulling me in tighter. I could feel the weight of her love, pressing into me like an anchor.

She pulled away slightly, her hands still resting on my shoulders as she looked at me with that soft gaze she always had when she was about to tell me something important. "Do you have a minute to talk?" she asked, her voice serious, but not in a way that made me nervous. It was more the way she said it—like she wanted to make sure I was okay before dropping some news.

I nodded, my heart skipping a beat as she gently guided me to sit on the edge of my bed. I could tell something was coming, something that would shift everything again.

Mum sat down beside me, her hand resting on my knee. "I have to go out of town starting tonight," she began, her voice softer than usual. "I've got an opportunity to do a two-week management training. It's a great chance, Harry. But..." Her voice trailed off, and I could hear the hesitation in it. "But it means I'll be gone for two weeks."