STILL | NH |

FIFTY SEVEN

Niall

"What? You're joking me!" My voice is loud and filled with laughter as I watch Rigby in the kitchen with my mom, both of them laughing as they recount the story of Rigby slipping and falling in the middle of the shops. "I swear you are the clumsiest person I have ever met."

Shaking my head to the side I pick up the glass of water and take a drink, smiling again at the scene in front of me.

The three of us are at my parents house as I sit on a barstool and watch my mum teach Rigby how to make her potato apple bread, something that not even I could get right even with her recipe.

Last night over dinner Rigby mentioned it, telling her how much I complained about never getting it right. So naturally she offered to teach her how to make it and that if she wanted to that Rigby could even tag along with her to the shops to get all of the ingredients.

When I woke up this morning the other side of the bed was empty as I reached my palm across the sheets. I was so accustomed to feeling her warm body next to mine that when I felt a piece of paper instead it instantly had me sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

Charms,

Woke up early to go to the store with your mom!

She said you can just head over to the house whenever you want and we can meet you back there if you make it before we do.

Love you,

Clover xx

A smile pulled across my face at the thought of her spending time with my mom by herself. We'd spent quite a bit of time with my parents since we got here and it made my heart almost explode at the way she actually enjoyed talking to them.

In the past my mom and people I've been with haven't exactly gotten along the best, seeming to clash about one thing or another.

I guess when she never wanted to do anything with the people from my past by herself that should have been a good indicator of what kind of person they were.

At first Rigby was so nervous to meet them but it was like almost instantly they were like long lost friends, laughing and talking about anything and everything under the sun. I sat next to my dad as they both were going through their phones and showing each other recipes, a fat smile across my face. It wasn't until my dad motioned for me to follow him out into the study that I'd been staring.

"She's something, isn't she?" His voice was lower in tone, smiling as he looked at me.

"She is. Very much so." I took a drink of the beer in my hand. "What do you think?"

He took a deep breath and mirrored my actions by bringing his own bottle to his lips. "You really gonna ask me that? Just look at the scene we just left in the living room. Every night when you leave your mother can't stop talking about her — asking me what time I think you guys will come back the next day.."

A wave of relief washes over me.

"We love Rigby. You know we've talked to her on facetime and the phone and she's just as captivating in person."

I nod at him, feeling a sense of pride fill my bones.

"Honestly I don't even know why I was nervous to bring her home in the first place." I shake my head to the side, meeting his eyes. "What?"

Shoving my shoulder he rolls his eyes. "Really? Are you going to act like you don't have something hiding back at your rental right now?"

The flush that comes across my face is enough for him to let out a laugh at me as he nudges me in the side. "I'm proud of you.. Happy for you, Niall. Mom and I always are and we always will be."