Restore (Sequel to Purge: Larry au)

Chapter 22

Two days later

Harry leaves work that afternoon fully exhausted. He gets into the car, resting for a moment before he drives away to pick Darcy up from daycare. Ella and Niall offered to watch her while Harry was at work, but he refused. He had already invaded their house, he doesn't need to make them babysit his kid as well. 

He picks Darcy up and drives back to the Horans' house, trying his best to pay attention to his daughter's constant babbling, but feeling too tired to even think. To make matters worse, about halfway there, the baby starts kicking hard, and eventually, she finds his bladder, so now he really needs to get home. 

As soon as he pulls into Niall and Ella's driveway, he gets Darcy out of the car and rushes into the house. He gets to the washroom just in time and relieves himself. As he's washing his hands, he hears a knock at the door. 

"Papa!" Darcy's little voice calls. "I'm hungry!"

"Just a second, Darce," Harry sighs, drying his hands and opening up the door. "We'll have lunch in a little bit."

"But Papa I'm hungry now," Darcy protests, pouting up at him as Harry walks back down the hall. 

"Can you let me sit down for just a moment?" Harry pleads. His back and feet are killing him, and Baby keeps kicking his ribs. 

"No Papa, I want lunch now!" Darcy cries, balling her little fists and looking like she's about to throw a fit. 

Harry wants to cry. He just wants to relax, just for a little bit. He doesn't know why he thought it was a good idea to be pregnant while also having to take care of a toddler, but he's fully regretting the timing of his decision to have another baby in this moment.

"Darcy..." he trails off, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as he blinks back frustrated tears. 

"I'm hungry!!" Darcy shouts, pounding her little hands on Harry's thigh in a form of protest that barely affects him at all. It would be kind of funny if Harry wasn't at his wit's end. 

"Just give me a minute, Darcy," Harry begs. "Please."

"NO!" Darcy screams. "I want food! Daddy would give me food now! I want Daddy!"

And it's that that breaks Harry. The tears start to flow from his eyes as Darcy continues to throw a tantrum, screaming and hitting his legs. 

"What's going on down here?" Ella's voice calls, and a second later she appears from around the corner. She pauses, taking in the sight of Harry crying and Darcy throwing a fit. She looks at Harry sympathetically and goes over to Darcy. 

"Hey kiddo, calm down," she says softly, kneeling down to be on Darcy's level. "What's wrong."

"I'm hungry, but... but... Papa won' make me lunch!" Darcy cries, sobbing now. "He said wait, but I want food now!"

Ella nods. "Okay, how about I make you lunch right now and we can let your Papa rest for a bit."

Harry releases a grateful sigh, thankful Ella can read him well enough to see how exhausted he is, both physically and emotionally. 

"Does that sound okay?" Ella's asking Darcy. 

The three-year-old seems to think for a moment before nodding. "Okay," she accepts. 

"Come on, then," Ella says, standing up and taking Darcy's hand, leading her to the kitchen. 

Harry trudges slowly to the couch in the sitting room and lowers himself down onto it as gracefully as he can while seven and a half months pregnant. He buries his face in his hands and tries to breathe, inhaling and exhaling slowly. He runs his fingers through his curls, collecting himself slowly.