Beyond Me. {Haylor}

Chapter Eight.

Two short days pass and I'm trying my best to keep my oath to Harry. It's hard, and moments are weak. But it's like he almost knows how far to push, and he knows what's a trigger, although, that's something I have yet to figure out for myself.

My SUV is pulling into the Summers' residence. Rylee's house was massive, more than one could want. But with her, her husband, and three kids, I guess they have a need. Harry's a near earthquake beside me, trembling like a fool. I laugh and he goes into defence. "Hey! Don't l-laugh at me-e!" He stutters, "it's not nice!"

"Nervous much?" I raise an eyebrows I take off my seatbelt from the drivers seat.

"Obviously." He does the same and turns to me.

"Why?! It's a six year olds birthday party. It's not like you're playing at The Staples Center or something."

"Let's just get in there and get this over with." He sighs.

I take his hand and squeeze it, placing a kiss at his cheek then meeting him infront of the car. His feet drag and I roll my eyes as he follows me to the door step. We don't even have to knock before Rylee's opened the door and hugged me. She's dressed in a slimming cocktail dress. Her dirty blonde hair fallen into loose curls. "Macy!" She calls, pulling us through the door. "Your surprise is here!" Before I know it, we're being dragged into the main area where kids are collected eating what looks like pizza, curly fries, and Dino nuggets. "Macy!" Rylee says again over the noise of children and they run silent.

The six year old spitting image of her mother, dashes from the bean bag chair and straight into my arms. "Auntie Taylor!" She squeals in my ear. "I can't believe you came!!"

"You've gotten so big!" I say, putting her down and smiling.

"Auntie!!!" I hear and look up. Leah, Rylee's second daughter, is making her way to me. The two hug me again and I laugh as they squeeze.

"We missed you!" Macy says.

"Do you want some pizza, Auntie?" Leah, whose only four, asks.

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry right now. I already ate." I kiss her head and she takes it as an answer. I see both Harry and Rylee staring out of the corner of my eyes and I straighten up. My fingers smooth out my white high waisted skirt. "Have you opened presents yet?!" I ask, pulling the princess wrapped gift from Harry's hands and handing it to her.

"Is it time yet, mom?" Macy asks and Rylee confirms with a nod and they cheer, all the kids gathering in another room, dragging gifts with them. Rylee follows the group, quickly dismissing herself with an apology. Her husband, Michael walks over to Harry and I, whom are now hand and hand.

"Hey Taylor, I just got a call from the office. There's an emergency and I have to get there, could you please take care of Tanner?" His hands are nearly pushing the baby into my arms before I can say yes. I mumble in agreement, not having much choice and Michael runs off. "Thanks again, Tay!"

Tanner clings to me, a toothless smile spread across his face. He's got to be just over a year by now. "Hello Tanner." I smile and bounce him on my hip as we walk through the house, trying to find the group. He laughs and points to Harry, then to his own messy hair of brown curls. "Yes, you and uncle Harry have gotten the same hair do!" I laugh through the constant smile.

Harry wraps his arm around my shoulder. "You're so incredible with kids, babe." Softly, he kisses my cheek and Tanner giggles. "Ya know, this could be us in a year."

I turn to look at him. "It could, yes. But it won't."

"So you're admitting the possibility. That we could keep ours." He presses his hand to my stomach and I swat it away like it's some sort of bug.

"Don't do that, Harry!" I warn

"Why?! Taylor, it's a baby in there for peats sake, you can't just ignore it!"

"Yes I can!" I defend, tears in my eyes and baby Tanner starts to whimper. "Don't argue with me Harry, you're making the baby upset. They need love!"

He stares at me. "You're right and the child inside of your stomach is as just as much a baby as Tanner here. Our baby needs love and nurture. You may not love it, but I do. And I'm not giving up on him or her." Harry's eyes are a different kinda green than usual. Not the sparkly emerald that was shown throughout a daily basis. Nor the deep metallic like glaze that shown in times pleasure and intimacy. This was different. A look that I hadn't seen on him. Anger.

"We're not discussing this here." I choke and brush by him, popping Tanner on my hip and trying to prevent him from crying.

Throughout the rest of the party I hardly talk. Unless it's to Macy or Rylee. Harry's words had really pinned themselves inside of me. "Our baby needs love and nurture." "You may not love it, but I do. And I'm not giving up on him or her." He didn't have a clue as to what he was talking about. He wasn't ready for a baby. No matter how hard he tried to trick me, I wasn't falling for it. I'm sitting on the couch, Tanner on my lap. He's laughing and giggling, a gummy smile spread across his face. So easy to please. Over everything I hear kids laughing and I look up. Harry stands with Macy on his back, Leah on his front, and kids hanging off of him from every which way.

He looks my way and smiles slightly, before putting all attention back at the children. Harry crashes to floor and the room erupts with laughter as he takes the kids and turns them into spaceships or airplanes. "He sure is good with kids, isn't he?" Rylee catches me off guard, she smiles and sits beside me.

"Yeah, he is." I mumble.

Her arm wraps around my shoulders, "have you told him?" I take a deep breath, slightly nodding. "What does he think?"

A lump in my throat appears and I swallow hard. "He wants too keep it. He's trying to change my mind. He thinks we could do it. He thinks we can work this out and have a family. He doesn't realize it's what I want. I'm doing what's best for us. As a couple. And.. He doesn't understand."

"Everyone takes the news differently."

"What do you think about it."

"As your physician?" I nod. "As your physician I'm telling you to do what's best for you. To do what you think is right." I'm relieved that someone's on my side. "But as your friend, as someone who loves you, and cares for you deeply, someone who knows what you're capable of: I think Harry's right." Within a split second of he words, I turn. Her expression is soft. She means it. "But I'm not about to tell you what to do with your life. And neither should Harry. All I'm trying to say is; explore your options. It's up to you. Diane from the adoption agency will be calling you tomorrow after she gets back in town."

"Thank you," I say before handing Tanner over to Rylee. "It's been good to see you. Maybe we can go for coffee before I go back to work. We have to get going." Rylee hugs me and as soon as she lets to I'm in tears.

Harry catches my eye as I make my way for the door. He excuses himself from the now tired children and follows me to the car. Harry catches my as he turns me around. "What's going on?!"

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. My lips quiver. "I can't do this."