One Time Only

Chapter 36

Harry and Anne both freeze hearing those words, Louis who just walked in the shop is shocked, not sure what happened to cause Jerica to say something like that. Glancing over his shoulder, he sees Jerica strapping Timmy into his carseat, right before she slides into the drives seat she looks at him. That's when he sees the bruises forming on her neck, Louis knows then Harry's done it again, he's back on the drugs. Louis turns to see everyone still in the same position, shrugging he walks over to Harry's station and starts going through all his drawers.

When Harry sees what Louis is doing it breaks him out of his haze. "What the fuck do you think you're doing." He snaps, jumping up.

"Looking for these." Louis snaps, holding up a baggie full of pills. "Didn't you learn before? The last time you left Jeri's neck bruised, her barely able to speak. Hell man you almost killed her choking her like that, probably would have if Andi and I hadn't gotten there to stop you." Louis yells, as tears came to his eyes. "Why would you start taking these again and risk losing that boy of yours, you know damn well you've already lost Jeri, you were lucky she continued to let you see your son after all you've done."

Harry opens his mouth to respond when he hears. "She's right." Anne cries. "If everything I've just heard is true, Jeri is right. I just never wanted to admit it." She says, looking right at Harry. "As much as I hate to admit this, you've turned into your dad."

Harry's eyes widen. "The fuck I have. I'm nothing like that bastard." Harry yells as he punches the wall.

"You are." Anne yells back. "Think about it son, doing the drugs, the abuse, the anger, all this yelling, accusing Jeri of being with other men when everyone knows the only person she's slept with is you. This is the reason I left your dad, the yelling and accusations were bad enough but when he put his hands on me, that was to much. There was no way in hell I was going to give him the opportunity to do that to you or Gemma. And here we have history repeating itself, as much as I tried to keep all that from you. You ended up just like the man you swear you hate. And you know what. I'm glad Jeri left, I'm so damn glad she's keeping that gorgeous little boy away from you. Maybe she can break the Styles curse." Anne sobs as she walks out of the shop and to her car.
.....................

"Aunt Andi catch me." Four year old Timmy giggles as he jumps into the swimming pool.

"He's getting so big." Louis laughs, sitting next to Jerica as he watches his wife play with Addy and Timmy.

"No kidding. Keeping that kid in clothes is expensive." Jerica smiles. "So when is Anne and Gemma supposed to be here?" She asks.

"Soon. They didn't want to leave at the same time as us. The last time that happened Harry got to suspicious." Louis says. "They're bringing my family with them."

"Oh, that's great, I'm miss everyone. I hate that I had to leave so quickly last year." Jerica says.

"Jeri that wasn't your fault. No one was expecting Harry to show up like that, I'm just glad we got you and little man out the back door before he saw you were there." Louis chuckles. "How we managed that I'll never know."

"Lottie's boyfriend helped out a lot there, boy was he quick." Jerica smiles.

"Yeah, the kid gained my respect with what he pulled off that night. He's a good guy though, treats my sister good, that's what matters." Louis says.

"Hey, where's my grandson?" Anne asks as she walks out onto the back patio of Jerica's Spain villa.

As soon as Timmy see her he squeals. "Memaw." He then scrambles out of the pool and runs to Anne to give her a watery hug.

"Oh my goodness, you're getting so big." Anne laughs as she hugs Timmy. She still can't believe how much he looks like Harry. "Jeri can you even pick him up anymore?"

"Barely, he's half as tall as me." Jerica laughs as she hugs everyone. "I'm so glad you're all here." Hours later after everyone's eaten, the younger kids are in bed, the adults are sitting on the back patio listening to the older twins sing while quietly talking about everything and nothing. Until Jerica brings up the dreaded topic. "May as well get this over with now, so we can enjoy the rest of your visit." Jerica says. "Which one of you wants to tell me how he's doing?"

Everyone just looks at each other before Gemma finally speaks up. "He's doing fine. Better than you." She says shaking her head.

Andi sighs. "I'll clarify that for you. What Gem means is, Harry has gone off the rails. No, as far as we know he's no longer on the drugs. But he is taking out every slut who walks into the shop, if the girl is decent dressed he pays he no attention, if she's dressed like two cent whore he's all over her in seconds. When he's done with the tattoo, heavy petting, and flirting, they both leave. He come back hours later drunker than shit and passes out." Andi snaps.

"Then the routine starts all over the next day with a different girl." Louis says.

Jerica nods. "At least he's living his life the way he wants to. Like someone with no responsibilities." She says. "To bad he's missing out on the best thing he's ever created." Jerica whispers as she stands up and walks into the house and straight to Timmy's room.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told her the truth." Dan says, wrapping his arms around Jay.

"No, she deserves to know what he's turned into." Gemma says. "I just wish it wasn't my brother we were talking about." She says, laying her head on her mom's shoulder.