Love after the Forum [Love at the Forum Sequel]

Chapter 5: Guilt

I woke up the next morning to a text from Anne.

A: Mother daughter date? You and I?

M: Gladly. :)

A: Coffee and shopping. I'll pick you up in an hour.

I turned and kissed Harry softly, "Baby, wake up." I whispered.

"Mmm, what's wrong?" he said pulling me against him.

"Nothing honey, your mom wants me to grab coffee with her." I whispered, running my fingers through his hair.

"Just you?" He peeked an eye at me, and I nodded, "Mmm, and what am I meant to do?"

"Miss me." I giggled softly and he smiled.

"I do that even when you're in the same space as me." He stretched opening his eyes, "I'll make Becca hang out with me."

"You know what's funny, is there was a time when she would have died to. Now she might actually say no." I teased and he pretended to pout.

"I'll bribe her, with money. And shopping, and food. You forget I have Gem, I know how this works."

I shook my head pushing him away softly, "Good luck with that. I need to get ready."

—

Anne and I walked into a cute coffee shop near the shopping center she wanted to visit. I ordered  us two coffees and a couple different pastries to try. I made my way over to the table she was saving with everything.

"Thank you Maggie." She smiled and I nodded, taking a long sip of my coffee.

"I'm excited for today Anne, to spend time with you. Harry talks about you always. I know how important you are to him." I smiled.

"I could say the same about you Maggie. The way he talks about you, I've only ever seen him talk like that once."

I smiled softly, "Camille, right?"

"Oh, he told you?" Anne said breaking off a small piece of bread.

"Yeah, he was writing music one night, and, it came up." I shrugged a little, "I was only a little jealous."

We both chuckled and she nodded, "Well, I always say honesty is key. So it's a good thing he can talk to you about her."

I nodded, "It was only fair, my old love life was basically bombed on him since the moment we met." I raised my eyebrows a bit.

"Yeah, but then you had Ms. Wilde." she pressed her lips together shaking her head

"Mmm, there was that." I chuckled softly.

"That's when I knew how much he cared about you. That night he got back from that trip. I hadn't heard him that upset, in a while. The words I would have with that woman."

"We could tag team. Could be fun." I smiled and she laughed.

"She somehow always finds her way into conversations doesn't she?"

I laughed and nodded my head, "Unfortunately."

"Then let's stop. Let's talk about your mum? Yes? I wish I could have met her." She reached over and squeezed my arm.

"I wish you could have too. She would have loved you. I would have had to translate a lot, but she would have loved you. She was funny, I like to say I get my sense of humor from her." I smiled, playing with the napkin in front of me.

"And your dad?" She asked softly.

"I actually, kinda wish I knew. They um, never legally got divorced. So, I have a giant mess waiting for me back home." I took a deep breath, "I know he's your son, but please don't tell him. He's already doing so much, and keeps trying to do more, I just—your secret is safe with me." She smiled.

"Thank you." I sipped more of my coffee.

—

I came back to Harry's house carrying more bags than I probably should have, but to be fair most things I had purchased were for Becca and some for Harry.

"Guys I'm back." I called out, but no one responded, "Becks? Haz?"

I placed the bags down and walked around the house, looking for them. As I made my way into the hallway where the rooms were, Harry and Becca appeared yelling at me and shooting at me with nerf guns. I screamed and blocked my face trying to run away.

"You guys what are you doing?" I screamed and Harry wrapped his arm around me.

"I got her Becca, we win, we win." He swung me around and Becca kept shooting at me.

"You both are children!!" I giggled covering my face as Harry threw me softly on the couch.

"Nah, you're just boring." Becca said peeking around in the shopping bags.

"Hey, hey, those aren't yours!" I said sitting up.

"So I have a budget and you spend what looks like $1,000?" Becca raised an eyebrow at me.

"You also forget, I make this money. Even right now, when I'm not working, I'm making money." I smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." She said as she plopped down on the couch, "Harry you're my new favorite."

Harry raised his eyebrows at me and shrugged and I rolled my eyes making Harry quickly look away.

"That's fine, then neither of you get what I bought you guys." I said getting up and walking over to the bags.

"Wait, what do you mean? I love you Maggie, favorite for life!" Becca said running over and hugging me.

"Freak." I giggled softly handing her some bags. She quickly sat down and began pulling out the sweaters and dresses I bought her as I walked over to Harry.

"It's two small things but, I don't know, reminded me of you." I handed him a box holding old looking guitar picks and a small green hair clip with a big yellow smiley face print on it.

He chuckled softly, handing me the box with the picks, twisting his hair up and clipping it back. He looked back down at the picks, "I really like these. They look like they played many songs."

"I'm glad. I don't know, I thought, maybe you can use them on tour for Harry's House." I smiled softly.

"I like that idea." He leaned down and kissed me softly, "Thank you baby."

"Mhm." I hugged him softly, turning my head to face Becca, "Did you like everything?"

"Yes, thank you Maggie. You didn't have to, I already got a lot yesterday."

I shrugged running my fingers along Harry's back, "I couldn't find anything I liked for myself, so it's fine."

The truth was, my conversation with Anne earlier had left me feeling guilty. Before we came here to London, I had full intent on moving out of my apartment and back into my old home, but because my mom was sick and my dad just left, they never legally dissolved their marriage; so the house still technically belonged to him. I didn't know what I was meant to do, or if we could even stay in the house much longer when we got back. I didn't know how to tell her this. I didn't know how to break her heart more than it was already breaking with my mom gone.