Through The Dark

Milk And Sugar

         

Olivia starts babbling on the baby monitor, and I wake up slower than usual. I roll over and look at the clock. 7 am. Not bad. "Can you get her..." Sam mumbles and I sigh. "Before she wakes the other two, please." She pushes me and I slowly climb out of bed. I walk down the small flight of stairs, practically with my eyes closed, and into the nursery.

"Good morning, Olive." I smile as she shows off a toothy grin. "You're growing so fast, little one." She tries to pull herself up with the railing of the crib. "Should we get you changed and go see mum?" I pick her up and she cuddles herself into me. I'm so glad she's such a cuddly, affectionate baby. I lay her down on the changing table and quickly change her diaper. I zip her PJs back up and take her back up to my room. "Good morning, mommy!" I lay down with Olivia in between us.

"Good morning, Olive!" Sam smiles and sits up, resting her head on her palm. Olivia pulls herself into Sam and cuddles in. "Are you hungry little one?" She readjusts herself to feed Olivia and she latches on. We lay quietly in the warm covers. "Are you still up for the lunch at Harry's place today?" Sam finally looks back up.

"I completely forgot." I sigh and lay back.

"Madi said that Harry was finally coming around again and she thinks this would be a good thing." She says.

"It's about time. I'm glad he's handling things a bit better." It's quiet for another moment and Sam finishes feeding Olive.

"What should we take as a dish to pass?" She get up to get dressed, laying Olivia next to me. I watched her slowly pull her blue shorts up her legs. Then, she takes her baggy t-shirt off. My eyes gaze down her back. "Niall, what are we going to take?"

"Oh, uh, sorry." I mutter and she turns around with a smirk on her face.

"Quit gawking and help me out here." She shakes her head. "What about tater tot casserole? The guys love that."

"Yeah, yeah that's good." I smile and roll out of bed. "You are just so beautiful I can't handle it." I pick Olivia up and hold her little warm body against my chest. She grabs my ear with her tiny hands. "Oh, that's mine little one. I have to keep that." I kiss her cheek. "Do you want to go down and get some raspberries, Olive?" I kiss Sam on the cheek and head down the steps. When I get down the first flight of stairs, I hear a little voice from Meredith's room.

"Daddy! I awake!" I turn into her room and she's standing in her crib. "No! Daddy need to get me!' Her face crumbles and she begins to wail.

"Hey, Mere, c'mon." Just as I turn around, Mason walks in with his blankie in hand. "Hey lad, you can go downstairs I'll be there in a minute." He shakes his head and tries to pull himself up into Meredith's crib. "Do you want in there?" I ask as Meredith continues to scream.

"Yes please." He says, surprisingly polite for a four year old. I sit Olivia in the little chair and set Mason in the crib with Meredith. "Mere, we can't see daddy 'member?" She sits down and sniffles, laying against his side. Katie walks into to the room and we just share a glance. "We gonna live here now."

"This is the third time this has happened." She says and shakes her head. "I'll take care of them, if you want to go get breakfast or something." I pick Olivia back up, thank her, and head down the steps. Sam some how snuck past us and is already brewing a cup of coffee for herself.

"What was that about?" She asks, throwing oatmeal into a boiling pot.

"Meredith was happy until she saw me. She wanted Zayn to come get her. She lost it. Mason came and got in the crib with her, telling her that they couldn't go see daddy. Saddest thing I've seen since Zayn passed." I lay Olivia down in the living room, surrounded by her toys.

"We're all good!" Katie comes down the steps, followed by Louis, Meredith, and Mason. Meredith is back to smiling and giggling as she runs up to Sam, asking for cereal.