The Night That Changed It All

Gallery Opening

"I can't believe this is actually happening." I marveled on Saturday morning over breakfast with Liam, while we let Lily Ann sleep in a bit longer than she usually would. "We're going to an art gallery opening in London because our ten year old daughter has a painting being displayed there."

"Yeah; it's absolutely surreal. I just keep thinking about the first time she took a real interest in art." Liam agreed, looking a bit dazed at the very idea.

"When she was four and Zayn was looking after her. She couldn't get over all the colours." I remembered with a smile. Liam and I had been trying to help Harry get Zayn a birthday present, so we were using taking care of Lily Ann as a way to distract him while we went with Harry.

"It's also hard to believe that that was more than six years ago." Liam laughed, grinning at me when I pulled a face. Six years is a long time.

"Ugh; stop. You're making me feel so old." I joked, climbing to my feet so I could start on the delf while Liam laughed at me and made some smart remark about how I shouldn't be trying to do so much; I was getting old after all. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Get over here and help with the washing up, or I'll show you who's old." I threatened vaguely; throwing the tea towel at Liam's head and pouting when he caught it with ease.

"You know, you're kind of cute when you do that." Liam murmured as he spun me around to face him and rapped his arms around my waist instead of starting on the drying. After a second, he bent down slightly and connected our lips in a sweet kiss that made me grin.

"Hmm; you're not so bad yourself." I hummed against his lips, before I broke away from Liam's embrace and turning back to the sink. "But that is not going to get you out of doing the drying, so get to it.  Flattery will get you nowhere, Mister."

"Fine. It was worth a shot, though." Liam laughed, kissing my cheek lightly before starting to dry the delph. After that, I went to go wake Lily Ann, who bounced down the stairs after me and couldn't sit still for more than a few minutes with how excited she was.

"So are the girls excited for today?" Liam asked Lily Ann, who couldn't stop smiling. Sinéad, Harper and Julia where going to be going to the gallery with Harper's mother, who loved any excuse to gawk over amazing art work and had volunteered to bring the three girls almost immediately.

"Yeah. Sinéad's been joking all week about making a banner like you'd have at a concert, but Julia kept telling her all the art would just outclass their attempts so there was no point." Lily Ann giggled, before she returned to straightening the chairs around the kitchen table for the umpteenth time. She was, understandably, a bit nervous.

"And Zayn's so proud you'd almost think she was his daughter." I added with a laugh, catching Lily Ann's hand as she went to walked by me and raking my fingers through her hair, which usually calmed her down considerably when she was nervous.

 "Well, with how much he was involved in her early childhood, she may as well be. Louis and Harry, too." Liam laughed before he went off to check on Cathal, who didn't get much last sleep night so was catching up on it now.

By the time Jeanine came so she could take care of Cathal while we were gone, Lily Ann was so jittery with nerves she couldn't even sit down without jumping up again only seconds later to straighten something, pace or do a little dance. It was kind of funny to watch.

"I hope you have fun tonight." Jeanine smiled as we were leaving that evening. She was almost as happy as Lily Ann's friends were about this and would have gladly come if not for the fact that she wouldn't be able to stand for that amount of time. "Congratulations again, Lily Ann."

"Thanks, Jeanine." Lily Ann replied, the nerves clear in the slight shake of her voice. As we were walking to the car, Liam reached over to squeeze her shoulder lightly and after that she seemed a bit calmer. She was still jumpy, of course, but not as much.