Gold Rush » Harry Styles

074

"Okay, they're here!"

My heart started to beat faster than usual, my breathing began to increase. I had met my dad already, but every time I would see him I would get this reoccurring feeling inside of me; anxiousness, nervousness, fear.

"Just relax, okay?" Harry comforted me with his deep and soothing voice. The way he spoke calmed me down immediately, it was like he had cast some spell on me. One word would come out of his mouth and I would be under his spell.

"Yeah," I nodded, sighing.

"Don't worry about anything at all. Alright, Grace?" Mum stared at me before opening the door, giving me a look of reassurance. "I know that he's your father, but tonight is just a night to spend time as a family."

"I got it." I nodded my head. Relax, Grace. This is just a small Christmas dinner, everything should turn out just fine.

"She's got it." Harry smiled down at me, wrapping his arm around me tightly and telling my mother, "Open the door, Erin."

Mum nodded, and proceeded to open the door. I saw my father's tall and broad figure standing behind the door and a much smaller one next to him. Mum greeted, "Dylan, come in. Um, hi there, Livia. Nice to meet you. Merry Christmas."

Livia smiled shyly and hid herself behind her father, holding onto his shirt. Her eyes lit up when she recognized my face and she shyly waved at me, half of her face showing as the other half was hiding behind her dad.

"Merry Christmas. Hello, Erin." Dylan cleared his throat. His eyes darted over to me and blinked his eyes a couple of times before saying, "Hello, Grace. You look beautiful."

"Uhm, hi." Was all I could say. "Merry Christmas."

"Nice to meet you." Harry reached his hand out for Dylan. Dylan furrowed his eyebrows for a split second and was hesitant to shake his hand, but did in the end.

"Right. You're.." Dylan tried to remember his name but couldn't.

"Harry." Harry nodded his head, fixing his hair after greeting him politely.

"Right. Harry." Dylan repeated his name to himself, stopping for a moment and thinking about it. He nodded, "Right."

"Dylan, come in." Mum said to him. He nodded in response, and hung his coat along with his daughter's.

Livia was still stood hiding behind him. Dylan encouraged her to say something, stroking her hair as she was still hiding behind him, "Say hi to everyone, Peach."

"H-Hello," Livia was able to croak out. I don't remember her being this shy when we first met but I can imagine the pressure on a child when they are being introduced to so many different faces.

"Hi there, Livy." I cooed, tucking some hair behind my ear as I tried to make the shy and quiet girl more comfortable. "Remember me?"

"Mm," Livia nodded quietly, her bunny still in her hands - the bunny that I had returned to her.

"She's just a little shy." Dylan said, and everyone nodded understandingly. He bent down and asked Livia, "Honey, look at all these people. You wanna go and play with some people?"

Harry nudged Joey with his elbow, but he didn't get the signal at first.

Harry nudged him a second time to which Joey responded with, "What?! Why do you keep doing that, Daddy?"

Harry smacked his own head and shook it. He made eye contact with his son once more and spoke with his eyes. Joey tilted his head in realization and went, "Oooh! I get it why you kept on doing that now. Hey, um, you wanna go play with us, Livia? You can come to... my room."