Cupcakes, Cuddles & Curls

Chapter 30

A month had slipped by since Cassie's first day of school, the days folding into one another like pages in a well-worn book. By now, the trio had found their rhythm with surprising ease, their lives weaving together in a quiet harmony that felt both fragile and unshakable. Mornings arrived sharp and brisk, the autumn air carrying the scent of damp earth and woodsmoke, while the trees dressed the streets in shades of amber, russet, and gold. Leaves swirled down like confetti around Cassie's skipping feet, her laughter ringing through the air as Harry and Louis walked close behind.

For Harry he had really felt like he was finally settled into being a full time dad living in this home with Louis and Cassie—it was a sanctuary. Nights were spent curled up on the couch, trading secrets and sharing the kind of laughter that stitched itself into your bones. In that little bubble of warmth, love grew easily, filling the spaces where old scars had once festered.

But tonight, the sanctuary cracked.

"Louis, are you kidding me? Why are you being like this?" Harry's voice was low but strained, the furrow between his brows deepening with concern. He stood a step away, torn between frustration and the ache of seeing Louis wound himself tighter and tighter.

Louis's jaw clenched, his fingers tugging at the frayed hem of his sweatshirt like he could unravel his own nerves if he pulled hard enough. "You don't understand, Harry! You have no idea how bad he made me feel." His voice rose sharp, slicing through the quiet of the dimly lit living room. Shadows pooled in the corners, amplifying the storm gathering inside him.

Old wounds stirred—memories of a boy left waiting, promises broken, a father who had simply walked away. The bitterness of abandonment pressed on his chest until he could hardly breathe.

Harry inhaled slowly, grounding himself before stepping closer, closing the gap inch by inch. His heart clenched at the sight of Louis's trembling lips, the unshed tears clinging stubbornly to his lashes. "Lou... baby," he whispered, his voice softened into something gentle, desperate to tether Louis back to him.

But Louis shook his head, anger bubbling up like a volcano he could no longer contain. "No, Harry! He walked out of my life, and now he thinks he can just waltz back in because he's sick and suddenly wants to fix everything? No! I am not going to see him!" His voice cracked, raw and jagged, tears finally spilling down his cheeks like glass shattering. "He left me, Harry. He left me and Mom, so fuck him!"

The words ripped through the room, jagged with years of unspoken pain.

Harry couldn't stand still any longer. He reached out, pulling Louis into his arms with a force that left no room for resistance. Louis trembled against him, his chest heaving with broken sobs as Harry pressed his lips to his hair. "Oh, Lou..." The words carried all the ache in Harry's chest, all the love he wished could erase Louis's hurt. In that embrace, Harry made himself a shield, wrapping Louis in a cocoon of warmth against the bitter cold of memory.

Louis buried his face against Harry's shoulder, his voice muffled but firm, shaking with fierce conviction. "He won't meet Cassie either. I don't care what he says—he doesn't deserve to meet our daughter. She will not be disappointed by that man." His words rumbled with protective fire, the kind only a parent could know, a love so consuming it would burn down the world before letting harm touch their child.

"Okay, baby. I promise." Harry's hand slid into Louis's hair, stroking it back slowly, soothingly, each pass a vow in itself. "You and Cassie don't have to see him. You don't have to carry this or feel guilty. Not ever." His chest swelled with admiration at Louis's strength, at the way he stood so unyielding even as the past tried to crush him.

Louis's shoulders sagged with exhaustion, his anger dissolving into something quieter, smaller. "This is stupid," he whispered, his breath shaky, hot tears still seeping against Harry's shirt. "I am crying over a man who doesn't deserve my tears." The confession hung in the air, raw and self-loathing, fragile in a way that made Harry's heart ache.