Larry Smut | #wattys2015

Chapter 2

Louis is almost three when Harry is born, and his mummy dresses him in his best jean jacket and lets him walk the whole way to Auntie Anne's house. When they get there, Gemma is playing with her Barbies in her room but Louis has no time for seeing how many plastic high heels he can hide in his nose. His mummy promised there was a very special surprise.

Auntie Anne is in her big green chair in their living room, and Louis likes her yellow dress. It's soft as it tickles his legs when he presses against her legs for a hug. In her lap is a small bundle, wrapped in a light blue blanket and Louis thinks maybe she has one of Gemma's baby dolls in her lap. He reaches up for her (likes to rub her big tummy for New Friend Harry in the Belly and feel him kick) and gives a whine when his mummy says, "Not today, Louis. Look at who Auntie Anne is holding!"

Louis stares hard at the bundle, and thinks for a long time. There's a tiny nose and a head of dark, wispy, hair that he swears he hasn't seen before. The big green eyes suddenly blink open and the pink mouth of the suspected Gemma baby doll opens wide in a yawn and Louis can see its gums in place of teeth and a little tongue. Maybe not a doll, then, Louis concludes. "Baby?" He asks Auntie Anne and touches the middle of the blanket where he thinks the belly might be.

"Good job, Louis!" Auntie Anne tells him, "Remember when my tummy was very big and we felt for our new friend Harry each day?" Louis nods because of course he remembers. He loves feeling for his New Friend Harry in the Belly. "Guess what? He is all done growing and was ready to come out! Now our new friend Harry is here with us," she tells him happily. Louis cocks his head because when Auntie Anne told him about his New Friend Harry in the Belly, she said he would be all his to play with. Forever. And forever is a very long time, at least that's what everyone in the films kept saying.

"My baby?" He asks her and is stroking up and down the little body. The blanket is soft and feels good against his hands, Harry's big, bug eyes are watching his face and he's drooling a little. Louis loves him.

"Not your baby, poppet," His mummy laughs and scoops him up. Louis turns immediately so he can see the New Friend Harry in the Belly, and frowns.

"Not my baby?" He asks her feeling hurt.

"No Harry is Auntie Anne's baby. He can be your friend when he's a bit older," his mummy explains and Louis frowns deeper, feeling angry and like he wants to cry.

"No," he pats his mummy's cheek sympathetically. Sometimes she has a hard time understand exactly everything Louis wants, "He's my baby,"

"Poppet, I don't think that Auntie Anne wants to give you her brand new baby!" Both of the mums laugh with each other and give that look that Louis has come to learn as the Exasperated-But-He's-So-Cute look. He gets it most when he dances the twist with his granddad with his Spider-Man pants on his head.

Louis looks expectantly at Anne, "My baby?" He asks her and feels annoyed when she chuckles and shakes her head.

"Sorry LouLou, I think that I'd like to keep Harry for myself." She rocks the little bundle and gives the tiny forehead a kiss.

Louis feels his lower lip begin to tremble. He has been waiting for a very long time for New Friend Harry in the Belly to come for him and now they aren't going to let him have his very special surprise? Louis hiccups and then he lets out a wail. He hasn't cried since three days ago when he tumbled down the steps in the garden at Nana Olives and he hates the way he can't stop himself. His mummy hushes him immediately and carries him to the kitchen to sit him on a chair all while he keeps crying.