Parenting

Chapter Seven

-Christine's POV-

"-so that guy was your boyfriend?" Niall asked as I sighed nodding. "In all honesty, I think you can do better."

"I know. That's what everybody tells me." I downed another sausage roll as Niall gulped another mouthful of his tea.

"Then... why don't you leave him? If you don't mind me asking." Shrugging, I ran my finger along the edge of my plate.

"Because I love him." I muttered, feeling stupid for the answer I gave. I know what he did was wrong and I know that I should cut ties with him. But I can't. I'm not ready.

"Hey," Niall cooed and took my hand in his. My bottom lip trembled and I nodded holding the back of my hand over my lips, "I know it's hard to believe. But I understand what you're going through."

I don't know where the hell this emotion was coming from but I had obviously bottled it up inside for a while.

"I-I'm sorry." I choked out feeling the intense urge to cry. Niall pulled his chair out and came over before pulling me into a hug. I quietly cried into his shirt as he rubbed my back and hummed beside my ear. "I-I know he's b-bad for me. I-I fucking k-know. B-but-"

"You're not ready to leave him. I understand." Why was I crying in front of a guy I only met yesterday? What the hell was wrong with me? "I went through the same thing."

Niall pulled a table chair around and sat close to me as I leant back wiping my tears away.

"I thought I loved her. And people would tell me that she was only using ms for money and publicity. But I ignored them." His hands rubbed my back as I tilted my head up to try and stop the tears. "But deep down I knew she was. The relationship didn't seem sincere as I wanted it to."

"S-so," I coughed wiping my nose, "w-what made y-you break i-it o-off?" Niall sighed and rested his arm on the back of my chair.

"I caught her out sleeping with someone else." My eyes widened as he shrugged looking down. "And I don't know what it was... but in that moment I felt so," he thought for a long moment, "detached."

"Detached?"

"Yeah, it's like I couldn't go near her anymore. I could look at her. I couldn't talk to her. I was done. And that's when I knew I was ready to end the relationship."

He spoke so openly about it, but I knew it was a touchy subject for him. Yet here I am crying my little eyes out like a soft attention seeker.

I need to stop.

"I-I'm sorry to hear that." Niall waved it off and offered a small forced smile causing me to frown. "P-please don't do that." His eyebrows scrunched I'm confusion.

"What? Do what?"

"Force a smile. It makes me feel like you're pretending to enjoy being here." With a shaky exhake, I poked a finger each into the corner of his lips and pulled them up. I couldn't help but giggle. "Smile for real ok? I bet you look great?"

Niall blinked back before a real smile took his features.

"There's that million dollar smile."

"Chrissy!" I heard my name and looked over to see Maddy drag William over to us. Him holding one of Maddy's dolls which she didn't seem to mind. "Can we have cupcakes now?"

She whined as I giggled nodding.

"You sure can."

"Yay!" Maddy pulled William over to Niall as I stood up and walked to the fridge. They should be ready.

And my god did they look great. Even if I do say so myself.

Taking the plate, I carried them back to where everybody was sat go go wide eyed. William and Maddy sat in Niall's lap patting their hands together. Niall didn't look like he minded though.

He just smiled down at the two of them. William laughed and Maddy joined him as I put the plate of sweets down. That caught their attention.

"One each. For now anyway." I clarified as Maddy nodded. She took one and gave it to William before giving one to Niall.

"Oh, thank you Maddy." He smiled as she held her own.

The house phone began to ring as I blinked back and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"I said I wasn't done talking to you." The same growl that came to my door earlier spoke.

"Look Chris-"

"Shut up Christine." He snapped causing me to go silent. "I don't know what you're planning to do with that guy that came around. But if I find out that you're fucking him behind my back-"

"No, why-"

"Fucking shut up Christine!" He yelled as I felt my bottom lip quiver. He's never been that harah to me before. I gripped the bottom of my shirt and leant on the kitchen counter as I listened to Chris go off on his little rant.

Every time I'd interrupt to try and justify myself, he'd tell me to shut up and occasionally call me a name.

My hand held my face as my hand grew tired from holding the house phone. "Christine?" I looked up to see Niall slowly enter the kitchen with conclusion.

"I-I have to go."

"I'm not done talking to you!" Chris yelled as I flinched back. Niall's jaw tightened as he came over, obviously hearing Chris through the phone.

"May I?" He muttered as I swallowed hard and hesitantly handed him the phone. "Hello, this is Niall Horan speaking."

His was firm and challenging, letting Chris know that if he wanted a battle then he'd get one.