The Story of Us

Surprise!!!

Even a month after the wedding, the gifts continued to come- from radio stations, distant relatives, management people…

I grabbed a photo camera and put it on the pile next to the three other ones we’ve gotten. In that moment Harry came walking in with a package in his hands.

-Another one?- I sighed, -What is it?-

He shook the packet and held it up to his ear, -Rice cooker or another fruit bowl,- he said sadly.

I gripped my stomach. I’ve felt nauseous since I’ve woken up.

-Are you okay?-

-Yeah, just a bit dizzy— I didn’t get the chance to finish the sentence because I was too busy running towards the bathroom so I could avoid puking over our brand new carpet we’ve gotten as a wedding gift from Anne.

He came in to see me head-over-toilet.

-Don’t come in!- I warned him.

-Don’t be silly. Let me help you.- I pushed him back.

As I ‘emptied’ myself - there really isn’t any nicer way to put it in. Sorry.-, I sat on the cold bathroom floor.

-Do you need anything?-

-No. Just go, you’ll be late for your meeting.-

He crouched next to me, -I’m not leaving you like this.-

-Go, I’ll be fine!-

He stroked his beard with his hand, -Let’s see… The last time you said that, you had to go to the hospital to get an organ out of you…- I groaned. –At least let me call Danielle or Lucy.-

-Lucy’s in Split,- I managed, -Danielle and Liam are with Liam’s family in Wolverhampton.-

-Eleanor it is, then.- I wanted to do like Jimmy and protest, but I knew it would be no use. Trying to win a fight with Harry and those eyes is like trying to convince Lindsay Lohan to stay out of jail.

-Fine,- I scowled at him, -but she’s just checking on me. I don’t need a babysitter.-

-Aham…- he looked at me in a ‘yeah right’ way and picked up his phone. I went to sit on the couch.

-Bye,- he kissed my forehead on the way out.

-When will you be back?-

-I don’t know… Could be gone for the rest of the day.- I realised I looked worried because he flashed me one of those sweet comforting smiles he was famous for, -It’s just a meeting.-

I nodded, -I know.-

He kissed me once again and went to the door.

A few minutes later a brown hair peeked up behind the door.

-You okay?- El asked.

-Yeah. Harry worries for nothing.- she relaxed and entered the house. –I mean, I’ve been feeling this way for a while now and nothing’s happened. Probably just some stomach flu or something,- I muttered, not caring too much about my words.

-A while?-

-Yeah… About a week and a half or so.-

She shook her head, -Hold on a second.- She took her phone- I think it’s an iPhone 8s or something- out of her bag and dialled a number.

I turned around and continued to watch re-runs of Friends. It was still the best show ever.

I got so focused on the TV I didn’t even realise when Perrie appeared at the door with a plastic bag in her hand.

-Sara, El! I’m here with the— Eleanor appeared in front of her.

-With the -?- I asked. The two of them exchanged a telepathic conversation. –Is there something you’re not telling me?-

-You didn’t tell her?- Perrie asked, looking in Eleanor’s direction.

-Well I—

I got up from the couch, -Didn’t tell me what?-  

Perrie threw the plastic bag at me and I managed to catch it. –Perrie, what the?— I looked inside, -Oh.-

A pregnancy test.

-You thing I’m- You think the—

-You won’t know if you don’t try.- El put her hand on my shoulder and pushed me towards the bathroom.

*****

I tapped my hand on the sink as I waited for the result. El and Perrie kept calling me but I couldn’t manage a response. Not now.

-SARA!!!- the two of them shouted in unison.

I looked at the test again, but still nothing.

-Sar—

I burst through the door with the test in my hands, -Look, I don’t think this is working.- the two of them looked petrified. –What?— I realised Harry was standing at the door.

-What’s going on here?- he asked.

-I thought you’d be gone all day.- I paced towards him.

He saw what was in my hands.

He knitted his eyebrows, -Is- is it—

-I don’t know.- we kept staring at each other for what seemed like an eternity until he finally took the test out of my hands.

For a long while nothing happened.

He put his free hand over his mouth, -It’s positive,- he managed.

I was so confused I would’ve dropped if he hadn’t caught me.

-I’m sorry,- I sobbed in his shoulder.

-Sorry?- he backed up to look at me, smiling, -Why would you be sorry?-

-I thou—

-You gave me everything now. Sara,- he trapped my head behind me ears, -we- we’re going to have a baby,- he kissed me.

-We’re going to have a baby…- I repeated, still shocked, and hugged him. –We’re going to have a baby!_ I sobbed again, but this time from happiness.

El and Perrie joined in for a group hug.

Once my mind had cleared, my first thought was, We need a nursery.