Baby Steps

Chapter Six

//Kate's Pov\\

I hear the apartment door open and look up from the tv screen to see Eleanor come in. "You're back late.."
"You're up late," she says and I sigh.
"Yeah touché," I say turning my head back towards the tv. She sits beside me on the couch and steals part of the blanket. "How was the rest of your day?" I ask and she shakes her head. "What?"
"It was good okay... now how are you doing after your argument with Harry?"
"Which one?"
"Um... what?"
"Yeah there were two of them today," I say and Eleanor sighs. "Something tells me you already knew that though?"
"What?"
"I figured after I told you and Gigi about the first one you'd confront Harry."
"We did and we told him go talk to you to fix things.."
"How well do you think that worked out?" I say and she sighs.
"I'm sorry Kate."
"It's not your fault El it's my fault for getting into a situation like this in the first place."
"Kate-"
"Well it's true.."
"No it's not.."
""Really? Cause who fucking sleeps with their best friend?"
"Okay stop talking like that.. you made a mistake and it's in the past. Are you still up for bridesmaid dress shopping tomorrow?"
"Yeah it'll be a good distraction," I say and Eleanor smiles.
"What are we watching?" She asks turning towards the tv.
"Clueless," I say and she smiles.
"We haven't watched that since we graduated."
"Thought it was about time we busted it back out. Ya know?" I say and she nods.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a night full of movies I pull out my phone and sigh. 'Kate I'm sorry I didn't like the way we ended that conversation' a message from Harry says.
'I don't care'
'Kate...'
'I'm done with this conversation' I say and shut off my phone before going into my bedroom and crawling underneath the warm blankets. I don't want to think about Harry anymore tonight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I wake up the next morning and sigh. I walk over to my closet and hear my bedroom door open. I look over to see Eleanor standing in the doorway with two coffee mugs. "For me?" I say and she nods. "Thanks El."
"Of course you look like you could use it, it's tea by the way"
"Hey.."
"Well come on how much sleep have you actually been getting since you've found out you were pregnant?"
"Well uh.. not much to be honest. Thank you," I say taking the coffee mug from her. I smile and she nods. "What are you wearing today?"
"Jeans and a crop top."
"I don't know what to wear I want dress cute for as long as I can"
"Hey I'm sure there's some cute maternity clothes.."
"Yeah but not as cute as day to day clothes ya know?"
"I guess," Eleanor says walking into my bedroom. She sets down her mug on my nightstand and walks over to my closet. I sit down on the edge of my bed and look over at her coffee mug. "No fair why do you get coffee?"
"Cause I can drink it cause I'm not pregnant," she say and I roll my eyes. She pulls out a black dress with pink flowers on it and smiles. "This would look cute." She says holding it up close to me. I nod and she continues rummaging through my closet. "Or you could wear a jean skirt."
"That jean skirt doesn't even fit."
"Then why do you still have it?"
"It's cute."
"Get rid of it," She says and I roll my eyes. She grabs the skirt out of my closet and throws it onto my floor. "Eleanor you're not the one who cleans this room."
"Oh relax I'll help," she says and I sigh.
"Yeah sure you will." She pulls out a pair of black converse and tosses them to me. "Get dressed," she says grabbing her coffee mug off of my nightstand and walking out of the room.
"Close my door!" I say and she rolls her eyes as she shuts the door. I change into the dress and look into my stand up mirror and sigh. Pretty soon I won't be able to wear this dress. It'll be too tight and my baby bump will make it hard. God I don't know how people do this.
I sigh and slip on my shoes and grab my brush off of my nightstand. I look over at it and see a picture of me and my mother. I was maybe eleven, our family had decided to take a trip to Paris and me and my mom were sitting on the Eiffel Tower. It had been a good family vacation. It was also one of our last ones all together.
I shake my head and clear my throat. I finish brushing my hair and run out into the living room. "Come on we need to go pick up Gigi," Eleanor says and I nod. I grab my purse off of the counter and follow Eleanor out to her car.
We pull up to Gigi's house and Eleanor turns off her car. We get out and walk up to the door. I wait patiently as Eleanor knocks on the door. The door opens and we see Zayn standing shirtless and in a pair of sweatpants. "Did we wake you?" Eleanor asks and he shakes his head.
"She's getting dressed," he says as he lets us in. We walk inside and I look around. "How you doing Kate?"
"I'm okay."
"Louis seems to think that Harry is right for asking you to keep the baby," Eleanor says and I sigh.
"Oh."
"But you know we support you no matter what.."
"Thanks Zayn," I say and he hugs me.
"Kate can I talk to you real quick?" Zayn asks and I nod. Eleanor walks towards Zayn and Gigi's bedroom and I sit down on the couch with Zayn. He waits till he hears the door click before he turns his attention towards me. "You okay? Be honest."
"He actually kinda hurt my feelings last night.."
"How?"
"He asked if I thought I couldn't be a mother or if I just didn't want to.."
"He what?"
"Don't say anything to anyone.. okay all anybody else knows is that after y'all convinced him to talk to me things didn't get resolved."
"Kate.. I'm so sorry and he shouldn't have said that but do you really think you couldn't be a good mom if you tried?"
"I think... I wouldn't know the first thing about raising a child.."
"Kate you could do it.."
"I don't think so.. I know y'all all say I could but how?
"Because we know you could. We know you and Harry would make great parents."
"Me and Harry?"
"I mean he is the dad and you're obviously the mom.. what did you think I meant?"
"Nothing," I say and he gives me a look.
"Can I ask a question?"
"Yeah.."
"Would it really be so bad if you and Harry raised this baby?"
"Yes! No... I-I don't know"
"Why?"
"I don't want any of us to be unhappy.. or to regret the decision we make."
"Trust me I get that but how do you know you won't regret giving up the baby?"
"I-I guess I don't," I say and Zayn sighs. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh. "Only I would get knocked up by our best friend," I joke and he laughs.
"It's all going to be be okay," he says and I shake my head. "Yes it is.."
"How do you know?"
"I just do," he shrugs and I nod. Eleanor and Gigi walk out into the living room and smile at me. "Everyone good?" Gigi asks and I nod.
"Thanks Z," I say and he nods. I stand up from the couch and follow the girls out to the car. I get into the back and sigh. "You okay?"
"Her and Harry got into another argument"
"Yeah Harry swung by the house last night," Gigi says and I sigh.
"What did he tell you?"
"Just that he went back to your house to talk like we said to do and it didn't go well.."
"That's an understatement," I say and Eleanor sighs.
"Are you sure you're still up for this?"
"Yes I need this distraction Gi."
"Okay," She says and I lean back in my seat. She plugs her phone into the aux chord and begins blasting some music. "Best way to distract yourself is to jam out, she says and I laugh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Make your momma sad type, make your girlfriend mad type, might seduce your dad type!" I yell as Eleanor pulls up to the store.
"Damn you're clearly in a good mood now," Gigi says and I shrug.
"Jams were a good idea thanks Gigi."
"Well you know I'm full of good ideas," she says and I laugh. Eleanor parks the car and I get out. "We're looking at pink and gold" Gigi says and I laugh.
"This is gonna be an exciting wedding... only by then I'll probably have a baby bump so," I say and she sighs.
"They can adjust it to where it fits okay that's what alterations are for," Gigi says and I nod. We walk in and we see three wedding dresses on display on the mannequins right up front. "Hi how can I help you?" A young perky brunette says and Gigi nods.
"I need to find them some bridesmaid dresses."
"Wait so there's more groomsmen than bridesmaids," I say and Gigi shakes her head.
"No we're having my sisters and one of my friends from high school.."
"What friend? We went to the same high school," Eleanor says and I laugh.
"It's Sabrina she was on the cheer team with me"
"You also hated her.." I say and Gigi shakes her head.
"I didn't hate her!"
"Really? Because I recall you saying at one of our sleepovers 'I hate Sabrina! She's a bitch and she's annoying and she almost dropped me!'"
"I did not say that!"
"Come on Gi those were your exact words," I say and she rolls her eyes.
"Well who else can I ask?"
"Gemma? Or your other sister? Anybody," Eleanor says and I shake my head.
"No not just anybody someone you're close to."
"So one of your other sisters," Eleanor says and I nod.
"Follow me back please," the brunette says and we follow her to the bridesmaid dress section. "What colors are we looking at?"
"Light pink and gold," Gigi says and I nod. We begin skimming through dresses and the lady pulls out a few that come in multiple colors. "Ooh you need to try on this one" Gigi says holding up a beautiful light pink dress. I take it from her and we walk over to the dressing room. I lock the door and sigh. "So are you gonna tell us what's going on with you and Harry?"
"Um what do you mean?"
"Oh come on Kate!" I hear Eleanor say and hear the door beside me shut.
"We're in a fight."
"Yeah that much is obvious," Gigi says and I sigh. I slip into the bridesmaid dress and sigh. "He's just being selfish."
"Oh my god... you two. You think he's being selfish. He thinks you're being selfish. Why can't y'all just kiss and make up already?" Eleanor says and I roll my eyes.
"Because we're not even in a relationship Eleanor!" I say and open the door. Gigi scrunches up her nose and the lady hands me a strapless dress. "Besides it's more complicated than just him wanting to keep the baby.
"How?" Gigi says and I sigh. I throw on the strapless dress and step out of the dressing room.
"I wasn't going to say anything but... last night he asked me if the real reason I wanted to give up the baby is cause I didn't want to be a mother," I say and quickly hear Eleanor pull her curtain back.
"He said what?" She says and I sigh.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it like that," Gigi says and I shake my head.
"You didn't hear him," I say and she sighs.
"Kate..." Eleanor says walking towards me. She hugs me and I sigh. "I don't want to talk about this anymore okay? I'm here to distract myself remember?"
"So let's talk about something happier. Did you call the cute guy from the restaurant?"
"Uh.."
"That's a no," Eleanor says and I give her a dirty look. "Well it is"
"Okay no I didn't."
"Kate!"
"What?"
"He was cute! Why not?"
"We've been through this!"
"Look he's cute and if you don't like him you don't have to talk to him ever again but I think you owe it to yourself to at least call him," she says and I sigh.
"It doesn't matter I left his number on the table at the restaurant."
"No you didn't!"
"Uh yeah I did."
"No cause Gigi stuck the napkin in your purse," Eleanor says and I gasp.
"Gigi!" I yell and she shrugs.
"Hey less yelling at me! More calling him!" She says and I sigh. I reach into my purse and pull out the white napkin with the phone number written on it. I begin typing and look over at Gigi who gives me a thumbs up. "I can't!"
"Oh my god!" Gigi yells snatching the phone from me. She begins typing before handing the phone back to me. "Gigi what the hell did you just do?"
"I gave you another push," she says and I look down at my phone.
'Hey is this Logan?' The message reads and my mouth falls open wide.
"Gigi!"
"Thank me later," she says as the phone buzzes. Damn he certainly replied fast.
'Yes is this the cute girl from the other night?' I look at gigi and Eleanor and sigh.
'Yeah. My names Kate by the way' I say and Gigi grins.
"That dress looks good on you by the way," she says and I smile.
"Thank you," I say before looking down to see another text from Logan.
'This is gonna sound a bit forward but what are you doing tonight?' I shake my head, take a deep breath and respond to the message.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I finish curling my hair and take a deep breath. "Ooh you look hot!"
"Why thank you," I say and Eleanor smiles.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because well you and Harry-"
"Again there is no me and Harry"
"Okay but.."
"Are you trying to set me up with our best friend?"
"It wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's happened with this group," she says and I sigh.
"Yeah you're right but first off Harry does not see me like that.. he's just-"
"Your best friend and the child of your father?" She says and I nod.
"I mean when you put it that way," I joke and and she smiles.
"I'm going over to Louis' for the night. Have fun on your date!
"Thanks El," I say and she smiles. She walks out and I hear the apartment door shut. I take a look in the mirror and sigh. So do you tell a guy on the first date that you're pregnant or is that more of a second date conversation? I hear a knock on the door and look back at it confused.
Maybe Eleanor forgot her keys again. I open the door and my eyes widen when I see Harry. "Hey.."
"Harry... uh what are you doing here?"
"I felt bad about yesterday."
"Oh now you do?"
"Would you just let me talk?" He asks and I nod. I move out of the way so he can walk inside. "Where's Eleanor?"
"She just left for Louis,'" I say and he nods. "Um I thought you had something to say?"
"I do.."
"Look Kate I am so sorry I shouldn't have said what I said. But I am kind of upset that you didn't even want to consider how I felt.."
"It's just this isn't easy for me Harry"
"What like it's easy for me? Neither of us had planned for this and you know it.."
"But-"
"You're going to say I can be a father.. but you can be just as good a mother."
"Harry.."
"Kate come on!"
"I'm tired of having this conversation."
"Listen I know you want to make this decision based off what you think you can do or what's going to make you and this baby happy, but that is exactly why I think we should keep it and raise it!"
"I just... I don't know what to say.."
"Say you'll think about it. Please?"
"I'm sorry Harry I don't have time for this conversation right now," I say and he sighs.
"Kate please"
"Harry I have to go..."
"Please just think about it," Harry says and I sigh. We walk over to the door and I walk him out. "Kate we could do it you know.. together.. I care about you and this baby so much."
"Harry," I say trying not to cry. My voice cracks and he looks down. "Can we please just have this conversation later?"
"Yeah..." He says and I sigh. I watch him walk to his car and shake my head. I see a black car pull up and into the parking lot and see Logan get out. He waves at me and I walk over to the car. I just need to relax and enjoy my date. This baby situation can wait.