I Love You. [h.s]

4.

||H A R R Y||

Friday 31st January, 2014.
6:18pm, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.

"Are we there yet?" My hands tightly clenched the steering wheel, my patience with Katie getting smaller and smaller. "No, Katie, now shut up." I muttered under my breath, turning another corner.

"Ugh, rude." I heard her scoff, making me turn my head and look at her with disgust. "Cut the attitude, young lady." I sneered, disgusted with her attitude.

She sure was sassy for a four year old.

"Why don't you?" I was slightly taken aback. And she was my daughter?

Yeah, right.

"Don't talk back to me, I am your father." My tone had raised and the silence had struck. I'd proven my point, a smirk on my face as I parked in my Mum's driveway.

I took a glimpse at my childhood home, seeing the room lights on and seeing the familiar silhouette of my Mother at the door as she stood with her arms crossed. "There's your grandma, Katie." I looked at the quiet blonde, only to see silent tears falling down her cheeks and sniffles leaving her nose as she tried so hard not to show her true emotions.

My eyes had widened immediately and guilt had struck me like a truck.

I'd made a four year old cry.

I'd actually made a little girl cry.

And that little girl was my own daughter.

"Katie, I'm so-" before I could apologise, Katie had pushed the door open and ran out to my own Mother with little heartbreaking sobs leaving her mouth.

The cold had entered my car from the door being left open, making my heart feel cold aswell. With a sigh, I started to make my way out of the car and saw Mum crouched in front of little Katie trying to console her.

Mum had said some inaudible words, which ended up with Katie hugging her and Mum scooping her onto her hip. They made their way into the house, leaving me by myself. With a lowered head and guilty heart, I took Katie and i's luggage out of the boot.

I started to make my way inside the cosy home, heat hitting my body and the smell of hot chocolate and cookies being inhaled from my nose.

"Not even one cookie?" I took a peek into the living room on my left, seeing Katie sat on my Mum's lap as they both sat on the recliner. Katie's head was cuddling into her neck as she played with the hem of her jumper. The coffee table had two plates of cookies and a tray of hot chocolate full mugs.

Robin was sat on the couch, staring at them with pure love.

And then there was the Gemmazilla.

She was angry as she stood with her arms crossed in front of me.

"What-" before I could finish my sentence, Gemma had the hardest grip on my arm as she practically pulled me into the kitchen where the smell of food remained. "Who is that little girl and why does she look like she just had her whole world shattered into a million pieces?" Gemma sneered, her finger poking into my chest.

"Your niece and I don't know." I hid the fact that I sucked at being a Dad.

"My niece? When the hell did someone find you suitable to do the deed and potentially get knocked up?" And the Gemmazilla had attacked my ego once again.

"Katie's four. She turns five in June." That was enough to say, knowing my sister was smart enough to count the months and all. After a few seconds, her eyebrows had raised.