Read the author's note at the end of the part, it's important!
"Harry," Niall murmurs, laying on his back first before turning to his side to face his boyfriend.
"Yeah?" Harry's focused on his book, turning the page.
"Amina and I talked about going to see Kate this week."
"Okay," Harry only says, eyes still on the book. He doesn't know what else to say to it, doesn't know how to react. The subject is difficult for him to understand and even though he tries, he has found it impossible to understand what Niall is going through.
"Could you watch Aisling if we go some evening?"
"Of course."
"Harry?"
"Yeah?" Harry finally turns his head to look at Niall.
"It doesn't bother you, right?" Niall's chewing on his lower lip, a strange expression on his face.
"What, me watching Aisling? Don't be ridiculous," Harry almost huffs.
"No," Niall shakes his head and Harry realises he misunderstood it.
"Oh. Of course it doesn't bother me," Harry answers, wondering why Niall would ask such thing. Of course it doesn't bother Harry that Niall's going to see Kate, after all he does it quite regularly and she is Aisling's mother. Harry knows that even though Kate is ill and doesn't even recognise Niall, she still plays an important part in Niall's life.
Someday Aisling's too, he silently adds.
-
Two days later, Harry is picking Aisling from school.
Instead of going straight home, they're going to the mall to get a few things for Aisling. She needs a new leotard for gymnastics and also some sort of boots for winter. Niall asked Harry if he could go shopping with Aisling and Harry immediately agreed on it, knowing he doesn't mind shopping as much as Niall does.
"Hazzy?" Aisling asks as they're stepping inside the mall, walking hand in hand.
"Yes Aisling?"
"Can I have a pink leotard?"
"I suppose you can if the store has one," Harry answers, looking down at her and smiling. She grins happily before telling him she really wants a pink leotard.
"Are you hungry at all?" Harry remembers to ask her as they're about to reach the store that sells sport things.
"No," she shakes her head.
"Daddy's not home for dinner so I was thinking we could go have dinner somewhere, maybe Mackeys," Harry explains to her. He looks around the store, trying to see where the leotards might be, finally spotting them.
"Come on, this way," he tells Aisling, leading her towards the leotards.
"Where is daddy then?" Aisling asks and Harry's heart skips a beat at the question.
"He um, he went to see aunt Ammy," Harry finally comes up with a good enough lie.
"Why?"
"He wanted to see aunt Ammy," Harry realises he sucks at lying, praying Aisling won't catch on it. He focuses on looking at the leotards, trying to see if there are any pink ones in the clothing rack.
"Look, Aisling," he finally finds one, showing it to her.
"Do you like this one?"
"Yes," Aisling seems excited and Harry smiles at her before trying to find her size.
