Nora Dodson is a "fast-talking, F-bomb-dropping, born-and-bred New Yorker". Harry Styles is no longer a member of One Direction. He's lovely, kind and a very odd young man, though he's entirely unhappy in his relationship. But then he meets Nora an...
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"Gigi and Lara want to do the baby shower two weeks from Sunday, does that work for you?" Nora asks him as he whips them up a kale, beets and goat cheese salad for dinner. "I think it's the twenty-second, or something."
"Yeah, that should be alright."
"Zayn's coming, I hope you know that." Harry stops mixing momentarily. "And if the rest of the boys are coming, you might want to give them a heads up."
"Erm—I mean, I guess that's fine."
"Gigi is going to be in our wedding, you're going to have to learn to get along with him, honey."
"We did get along, Nora, for five years. He was one of my closest friends, and then he left us."
"But now you're all doing your own thing, so wasn't it kind of a blessing in disguise?"
"I mean, I suppose. But he left in a way that hurt us. He didn't want to be friends with us at that point."
"But so much time has passed! Get over it, you know? And I'm not saying that in a mean way, I'm just saying...life is too short. Liam, Louis and Niall are all really amazing and they're all so excited for us and for these two babies to come into the world...I want Zayn to be a part of that, and maybe that's selfish of me, but I like Zayn. He's always been good to me, and you called him your brother once." Harry looks shameful, "So, don't you think it's time to reconcile? Just...make things right?" He hands her the bowl full of salad and iced green tea, then he sits down beside her.
"Sometimes, I really love when you're right...this is not one of those times." Nora giggles and folds a curl of his away from his face.
"I'm not saying you have to reach out to him, but at the shower, don't shy away from him." Harry nods.
"I won't."
"Thank you."
"Nora...?" She takes a bite.
"Hm?"
"We need to talk about something."
"Uh-oh...that doesn't sound very good."
"Honestly, it's not very good."
"Does this have something to do with Jeff's visit?"
"Why do you ask?"
"I've seen you two together, and you love each other...there was a lot of tension this morning, it was like, palpable."
"Since I finished the album, he's been really riding me about something and...at this point, Nora, I'm not sure if I have a choice."
"Okay. So, tell me—talk to me, baby."
"He believes that me going on tour is, well, unavoidable." She nods.
"You know...I was scared to mention it, but I've been thinking about that, cause you haven't talked about it...I thought maybe we were in the clear."
"I wish we were, angel. I really do."
"How long? And when?"
"He originally wanted September to July, but he's going to try for January to November." Nora looks as though she's seen a ghost, and she doesn't know how to respond to this. "Say something, please."
"That's...a really long time."
"Eleven months." Harry feels sick when he sees tears forming in her eyes. "Baby—"
"I just...need to process this okay? Just let me process this." They sit in silence and Nora doesn't touch her food.
"Can you at least eat, Nora?"
"This is almost a year...a year away from me and your kids...almost a fucking year, Harry!"
"Nora, I know, believe me...I know."
"Did you know about this before you proposed to me?" He nods.
"Yes."
"Harry!"
"I'm sorry! I thought that I could...I don't know, I thought we could make this work without the tour, but that's not the case."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why haven't you talked to me about it?"
"Because, I was going to talk my way out of it."
"I'm pregnant! I'm twenty-eight fucking weeks pregnant and you're talking about leaving for eleven months! Am I supposed to just...be okay with this?"
"No, I...no, you're not." She covers her face with her hands and Harry watches her helplessly.
"I'm not...mad at you, okay? I'm not, but I'm angry at this situation. I don't want you to go away for a year. The kids will be six and a half months old, that's not fair. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to them."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I don't know, Harry. I really don't." She sighs, "But I really wish you had thought this through before getting my hopes up about our life, and buying us a house and getting me pregnant. I wanted all of this, but it seems like you..."
"It seems like I what?"
"Looking back on it, we jumped into everything so quickly and I was so happy, but it feels like you might of done this without really thinking about it."
"I've made it very clear to Jeff, Nora, very clear that you and the babies are my priority. Does he like that? No, he doesn't. But you come first, you always will. Can we figure this out together? Can we come up with some sort of solution?"
"Fine." She clips, "But I need to know something—the truth—right here, right now."
"Okay."
"Did you think this life through?" Her voice cracks, "Did you think me through?"
"I've never been unsure of you, Nora. I've never needed to think you through. I met you and I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. Did I think through this pregnancy and marriage and buying a house? One hundred percent, you bloody bet I did. I love you and our unborn babies and our life. We just need to work together and find a way around this, and I believe that we can do that." She eyes him warily, but nods. "Did you have to think me through?" Now, she laughs lightly as she wipes at her damp eyes.
"Maybe I should have." He pushes himself out of his chair and bends down, wrapping his arms around her.
"You are very funny, baby." She sniffles and holds onto his forearms.
"I'm not okay with you going for a year, that's not happening." He kisses her hair, burying his face in her freshly washed tresses.
