How Could You Not Tell Me?

The Phone Call

Taylor's POV

I watch as Austin pushes Avia on the swings. I can't get it out of my head, what she had asked me this morning. Of course I want Avia to have a father figure in her life, but she already sees my Dad as that figure and even Austin. Harry's too busy making his own music and I just know that Avia's life would change completely if the whole world knew about this. 

When I had found out about Harry's post about Avia, I texted him the next day telling him to delete it, which in my surprise he did. He had broken our promise, he apologized, but now it's harder for me to trust him. 

"Mommy! Come watch me go down the slide!" Avia yells from the top and I smile and walk over to the slides.

"Weeeeeeee!" She yells as she slides down very slowly, making me chuckle. 

I pick her up and start to go up the stairs of the playground so we could go down together. 

"Ready? 1, 2, 3!" I say and push us down the bigger slide as she screams happily in my arms. 

My parents are watching us from a far on a bench and Austin is in his own little world arguing with some kid on the monkey bars. 

"Mommy? I'm hungry." Avia says as we start to walk towards my parents. 

"Ready to go back home sweetie?" My Mom says embracing Avia and she nods. 

-

I give Avia a small bowl of fruit as Mom's still preparing dinner and I head upstairs. I wasn't so sure if I was doing the right thing, but I figured, the sooner the better? 

I searched for Harry's number in my contacts and hit call. 

"Taylor?" 

"Hi" I say back. 

There was a moment of silence, none of us knew what to say to each other and we could just hear each other's breaths over the phone.

"How are you?" He finally asks.

"I'm fine... we're both fine. Listen Harry, I want to know how you think this is all going to work out. With Avia." I say just wanting to get this over with. 

"Taylor listen, when I posted her that day I don't know what I was thinking, I was so stupid. I would never risk her privacy like that. I want to be in Avia's life, but the whole world not even knowing about her, and not even knowing when you were pregnant, I want you to make this decision." He says carefully. 

I sigh, although I know exactly how I want everything to work out, I felt like I needed to hear his own words. He is her father after all. 

"I want you to be in her life Harry, but it sucks knowing from the very start of her being born, she didn't see any of us as her parents, other than my own parents." I pause.

"I know, but I'm glad she got to grow up with such wonderful role models, I mean they raised you and your brother perfectly, and they did the same to our daughter. I trust you Taylor." He says and I can hear him smiling. 

Tears slowly start to fall down my cheeks, "Do you want to meet her? Do you want to be actively present in her life Harry?" I ask scared. 

"Taylor, you know how badly I want to be a part of her life... but I just feel like now isn't the time." He says softly which breaks my heart in the cruelest way. 

I am full on sobbing at this point, my heart hurting for Avia. "What do you want exactly? I don't want you to be a part of her life at all if that's what you have to say. Now isn't the time? What the fuck do you mean by that? She asked me this morning Harry, asked me if she had a dad and she was so surprised to know that you were the one that gifted her that makeup set she's so obsessed with." I rant.

"Taylor, I love Avia so much and you, you know that, but our relationship didn't work out and I know you and I will only keep rising higher in our careers, I don't want Avia to be exposed to all of that, we would forever be walking on egg shells." He says which makes me angry. 

"Love Avia my ass, I know damn well you meant something when you posted her on your Instagram page and walking on egg shells? Harry she's our daughter, I can't hide her forever. At this point, I think it's best she doesn't meet you." I finally tell him and I hear him sigh.

"Yeah... I think that is best." He says and ends the call, leaving me in even more tears.