safe haven │ larry stylinson

99

what the future holds IV

"We're really doing this?!" Freddie jumped out of the car as happy as Harry was.
"We will" Louis smiled and took Harry's hand.
"Finally!"
They rang and waited in front of the door. An elderly black women opened the door. "Oh, hi there! You must be the Tomlinsons?"
"We are" Harry smiled. "And you must be Dorothea? I'm Harry. This is my husband Louis and our son Freddie"
"Yes I am" She smiled brightly and let them inside. "Please, come in"
They went inside and Dorothea welcomed them again. "Let's sit down in the kitchen. Would you like some tea?"
"Not for me, thank you" Harry smiled.
Louis declined as well and Freddie shook his head. "No, thank you"
They followed her down the hallway into the kitchen and sat down at the big table.

The woman smiled at them. "So, this is not working like it's going down in movies. I won't get all the kids here to stand in one line. They're all upstairs in their rooms." She put her hands around her mug. "We've got 13 children here. Minus one baby. Three toddlers and eight children in the age of 6 to 15. There's also Mike, he's 17 and will leave in a few days once he's eighteen"
"So..eleven children we'd like to meet" Harry smiled nervously.
"We talked on the phone already, didn't we Mr Tomlinson?"
"Yes, we did" The curlyhead nodded.
"I can't send all of you in with one child. It's too much for them. So if you could separate?"

Harry knocked on the second door. He had already met Giulia. The girl was nice and he liked her but that was it. Harry and Louis had promised each other they'd only do this if everything felt right.
The door got opened and a little boy looked at him, curiously. "Hi"
"Hello" Harry smiled and got down on the boy's height. "I'm Harry"
The boy smiled back at him. "Hi Harry. I'm Robin. Do you want to play with me? I just started playing with my cars"
And so they played. And Harry liked Robin. But he didn't feel anything right. What if there was no one right? In the past moth they had met over 30 children. Without luck. And he was getting frustrated.

When he closed the door of Robin's room, he exhaled and turned around to see Louis and Freddie exciting the second door on the other side. Their eyes met and Louis shook his head. Harry did so as well. He bit his lit and Louis gave him a look and mouthed "Don't give up".
Harry gave him a smile and knocked at the next door. Nothing happened. Harry didn't want to intrude so he waited and knocked again, Louis and Freddie already in the next room. Nothing happened and he was about to walk away but then the door opened. A little girl with brown curls looked up at him, slightly hiding behind the door.
"Hi there" Harry smiled and lowered down on her height as well. "I'm Harry. It's very nice to meet you"

He was waiting for her to say something but she didn't. She looked at him, a little curious but shy and scared. The girl didn't answer.
"It's ok if you don't want to talk to me. I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry" He apologized and was about to get up when she quickly took his hand and pulled him inside.
He smiled and sat down where she gestured him to. When she gave him a doll, he looked at her. "Do you want me to play with you and your little friend here?"
She nodded and gave him a shy little smile before sitting down next to him. Without saying a word, she played with him and her doll.

"No, stop. She'll fall down" Harry laughed when she tried to put the doll into a little chair but she fell over - making the girl giggle. A big smile made its way onto Harry's face. Her giggle was one of the most precious sounds he'd ever heard.
He laughed with her when the doll fell again and she laughed so much that she had to lean against him.
Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted them and she hid behind him. "Yes?"
Louis opened the door and smiled. "There you are-"
"Don't go in there! Leave her alone!" Someone shouted and ran up to them. A boy, not older than twelve or thirteen stopped Louis and looked inside - horrified when he saw Harry inside the room. Once he saw how the little girl held on to Harry, his muscles relaxed.
"Is everything ok?" Louis looked at the boy, confused.
"Yes, yes just- Claire, are you ok?" He looked at the girl who nodded and smiled at Harry before resting her head on his shoulder.

"So, you met Claire and Hardin" Dorothea smiled. "It's unbelievable. I've never seen Claire cling to someone except Hardin. And within a few days she loves you. It's incredible, the understanding. It would break my heart to separate them both"
Harry smiled, leaning back into his seat while he held the cup of tea Dorothea had made.
"Is there a back story? She didn't talk, at all. And Hardin seems very protective of her"

"He sure is" Dorothea sighed. "It's difficult. Hardin has been here since he was four years old. His parents couldn't take care of him because he was a very.. let's say harsh child. A family adopted him but within a month he was back here. They were lovely but he's a difficult boy. He didn't want to be with them and made home a hell.
Claire's story is worse than everything I've heard. Her mother was killed by her ex-boyfriend in their home at the time. She saw. She wasn't even two years old and the man left her, her mother bleeding to death right next to her. Police found her a day later. Hasn't talked a word since then. She is capable of talking but never said anything. Not a word." Harry swallowed. He looked at his tea, trying to keep it together. How could someone do something like that to her? She deserved better.

"As soon as she was here, Hardin fell in love with her, like a big brother. He watches over her. Never lets someone near her. He fears that she might get adopted, I think. And Claire adores him as well. She sits with him, let's him read her her favourite stories. No one else was allowed to do that - until yesterday." She smiled at Harry who had read with her yesterday.

Louis placed his hand on Harry's thigh and their eyes met. "We would like to give them both a home"
"Both?" Dorothea's eyes grew wide in suprise.
"We wouldn't want to separate them. And Claire loves my husband. And I think Hardin and I might get along as well" Louis explained and his heart skipped a beat. While Harry had fallen in love with Claire, something about Hardin reminded him of himself. Hardin didn't talk much either but he tolerated Louis. And Freddie. The boys got along very well. Freddie looked up to the older boy and before coming to there today to tell Dorothea of their wish, they had talked to him about it. And he was happy. More than happy. For years he had wished for siblings living with them and finally his dream had come true.

"So, do you think we could ask them if they want to come home with us?" Harry asked carefully and placed his hand on Louis'.
Dorothea nodded, tears in her eyes. "I think you should ask them right away. I thought this day would never come. Heaven sent you both, I'm sure" She smiled and they smiled back at her before she got up and called for Claire and Hardin.
They both came down a few minutes later, hand in hand. "Yes?" Hardin asked, fear in his eyes.
"Sit down please" The woman gestured them to sit down next to them.
"So.. we would like to ask you both something"
"Please don't take Claire. Please don't" Hardin suddenly begged, clinging to the four-year old.
She looked up at them, fear in her eyes as well.
"We don't. Well, not exactly" Louis answered and looked back at Harry.
"We would like to ask the two of you whether you would want to come home with us. Have a home with us and Freddie?" Harry asked carefully.

Hardin looked caught off guard and Claire's eyes grew wide. "You want to adopt us both?" The boy asked in shock.
"We would love to. Only if you want, of course" Louis said truthfully and squeezed Harry's hand.
Suddenly Claire got up and hugged them both. At least she tried to. Her little arms touched both their legs and Harry smiled, emotionally moved. "Is that a yes?"
"It's a yes. A fucking big one" Hardin answered, making Dorothea jump.
"Hardin, language!"
But Harry couldn't help but laugh. And Louis joined in.

When they walked to the car a few days later, Claire's hand was holding Harry's while Louis arm rested around Hardin's shoulders. Freddie was proudly carrying one of Claire's bags.
"What do you want to do first at home?"
"Louis, let them breathe. We don't need to plan everything" Harry smiled.
"Coming from you, that's a suprise, love" Louis answered and Harry exhaled.
"Maybe..we could watch a movie?" Hardin suggested.
"Yes. What do you think of 'After', Hardin?"
"Louis Tomlinson!" Harry exclaimed, making Hardin laugh. It was the first time Hardin had laughed loudly with them.
"Even I know by whom that movie is inspired" Hardin smiled and Claire helped Freddie to put her bag inside the car.
"Will you two shut up about that now?" Harry sighed, making Louis giggle.
"Okay, dad" Hardin teased and Louis high-fived him.
"What have I gotten myself into here.." Harry mumbled and Louis kissed his cheek.
"A family, love"