Before You Leave Me Today (a One Direction love story)

53. Don't Forget Where You Belong

Chapter 53:

  “C’mon, Niall, gimme a hand with this,” Greg yells from the doorway. He lifts 2 heavy bags and tries to get them through the door. Niall jumps up to help his brother pack their belongings into the taxi. The Horan’s flight leaves in a few hours.

I make my way down the hallway to the room Greg, Denise, and Theo were staying in. Anne and Gemma stayed in the other guest room, while everyone else had to get rooms in the hotel down the road. Over the week, the boys’ families have spent some time in the house, but the rest of the time doing stuff with their sons. I’m glad I got to spend a lot of time with Niall’s family.

Denise sits on the floor in front of the dresser packing her and Greg’s clothing into a suitcase. Theo sits in his carrier by the end of the bed. He wears a shirt that says, ‘I GET MY SEXINESS FROM MY UNCLE’. I laugh loudly and Denise smiles at me.

  “I’m gona guess that shirt was not purchased by you,” I laugh.

  “No, Niall likes to think Theo is his own child sometimes,” she laughs. “And I figured I’d humour him by putting Theo in the shirt, even though it is embarrassing to me as a mother.”

  “Well, at least Theo will have the classic Horan humour,” I say.

  “Yeah, I wish you luck when you and Niall have your own kids.”

  “Oh,” I say quickly. My face heats up and I smile. “So do you need help with anything?” I ask quickly.

She smiles. “Nope, just about all set.” At that moment Theo starts crying. She starts to get up, but I lift him gently from his carrier. I rock him back and forth in my arms and talk to him gently. He stops crying and I hand him to Denise.

She stands up and gives me a hug. “I’m going to miss you, Delilah.”

  “And I’ll miss you too,” I say.

  “But, you’ll see me very soon,” she says with a wink. I smile back, even though I have no idea what she is talking about. Niall did say he wanted to take me to Ireland, though.

I help Denise take her luggage outside and Niall lifts it into the trunk of the taxi. Maura and Bobby loaded their luggage as well. Niall’s whole family stands on the sidewalk outside of the house. Maura pulls me into a tight hug at the same time Bobby hugs Niall. Maura whispers, “Take care of my boy,” in my ear and I hug her tightly.

  “Always,” I whisper. She pulls back and squeezes my arm.

  “A pleasure to meet you, Delilah.” She hugs Niall and his eyes shine as he holds on to his mother. Bobby gives me a big squeeze as well. I say my goodbyes to Denise and Greg, who hug me as well. I give Theo a little kiss on the forehead. Niall, however, gets punched in the shoulder by Greg, and lifted off the ground. Niall spends 5 minutes talking to Theo, who is inside the car, out of the cold. The rest of us talk while we wait for Niall.

  “Uhh, Ni, our flight leaves in an hour,” Greg says knocking on the window where Niall sits inside the car.

Niall opens the door and steps out apprehensively. “Right, I know. Just had to tell Theo to keep rooting for Derby and try to not to get too many ladies.” His eyes are red with tears. He hugs his family once more and stands by me as they load into the taxi. Niall slides his arm around my waist and I rest my head on his shoulder. As the taxi drives down the London street, Niall throws his hand in the air and yells, “GO RAMS!”

Niall and I make our ways back into the quiet house. Harry is at the airport with his family, and the other boys are with their own families, either in the hotel, or at the airport. Since it’s about noon, I get back into my pajamas and Niall makes Mac and Cheese.