Join Harry Styles and his wife as they journey through life with their first-born daughter Grace (plus their other two children, Ethan & Penelope) in a collection of realistic, nonlinear short stories that will melt your heart, make you smile, and e...
"Harry? I'm going to put the extra food into the refrigerator if that's okay." Anne continues to put away the meal from the celebration that had just occurred.
"That's great, Mum. Thanks. Would yeh like some help?" Harry asks, walking into the kitchen with some of the party decor that was placed around the house.
"That would be lovely." Anne says, placing the cut up vegetables into a container. Her fingers stall on the last corner of the lid as she gazes at a picture frame that was part of the decor. Her eyes move across the announcement before she wraps her fingers around the metal so she can look at the picture closer.
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"She is beautiful. Isn't she?" Harry whispers over his mum's shoulder, imprinting the picture of his third child in his memory, even though he just left her with you two minutes ago.
"Yes, and she becomes a little more gorgeous with every passing day." Anne places the frame back on the counter. "I think her skin is darker now compared to this picture."
"The pediatrician said that it will take a little for her skin to darken and become it's true color." Harry comments, placing a dish in the sink so it can be rinsed off and loaded into the dishwasher. Harry and Anne direct their attention to the little feet skipping across the wood floor.
"Daddy? Have you seen Penny's dummy? Mummy needs it." Grace asks her father, her fingers combing through her hair, placing the curls so she can see. Poppy comes to her side and she moves her hand back and forth through his fur.
"Hmmm..." Harry grabs his bottom lip between his fingers, rolling it between his digits. "It's not in her cot?"
"Nope. We looked everywhere!" Grace throws her arms out dramatically, emphasizing that she has searched the whole house. Poppy releases a small whine at the loss of Grace's hand, and he brings his paw up against her stomach asking for attention. "Poppy. Not the time. This is an emergency. Penny is sad." She pushes the paw off her stomach, and Poppy makes his way over to Anne, who is happy to give him some attention.
"Let's go check it out. I'm sure we can find one lying around somewhere. We have more than one." Harry chuckles softly at Grace's idea of an emergency, and he wraps his arms around Grace's shoulders, guiding her to leave the kitchen and go up to the nursery.
They make their way up the stairs and down the hall. Penelope is crying, and Harry can hear you attempting to calm the baby with the sound of your voice. Harry walks past the nursery door and into the master bedroom, picking up the pink dummy that is sitting on the nightstand next to the bed.
"How did you know?" Grace places her hands on her hips in annoyance that her father didn't have to look very long to find the item she was looking for.
"I have my ways." Harry shrugs his shoulders, allowing a small smirk to creep onto his face. Grace releases a small huff and follows her father out of the master bedroom and into the nursery. You make eye contact with your husband as he holds up the dummy, showing that he had found what the crying baby needed. "I'll take her." Harry takes Penelope into his arms and places the dummy in her mouth. He sways his body back and forth as he holds the item in his daughter's mouth with his finger.
"She is very different from the first two. They never wanted something to suck on, but P, if she doesn't have her pacifier, it's bad news." You sit on the pale pink carpet and rest your back against the crib, taking a deep breath.
"Yeh are a little different. But doesn't mean we love yeh less." Harry looks down at the sweet baby girl in his arms. Her crying has ceased and only soft whimpers can be heard through her sucking. Her eyes begin to close, and she starts to fall asleep with the swaying motion of her father.
"I. DI-NA-SOAR!!!!" Ethan yells loudly. His hands are in the air as if they are claws and he is roaring all over the nursery. The noise startles Penelope, and she fusses in Harry's arms. Harry grabs the dummy she spit out and places it back in her mouth. His swaying changes to a bounce in an effort to soothe her cries.
"Ethan love, sissy is trying to sleep. Can we be quiet dinosaurs?" You ask your son, who paused when he heard his name, even though he was mid-growl.
"I whisper. Ni Ni baby." Ethan taps Harry's leg as he whispers his dinosaur sounds out of the nursery.
"Just like that, close yer eyes, Squirt. Take a nap." Harry speaks to his daughter softly. He watches her eyes close peacefully and her dummy moves against her lips in a smooth and steady rhythm. Harry sits down in the rocking chair very slowly so he doesn't wake the little one. His hand runs softly over her head of jet black hair as he cuddles her close to his body.
"Mumma?" Grace has moved to sit between your legs. She is resting her back against your chest, your arms wrapped around her gently.
"Yes, Bug?" You reply.
"Can I love Penny as much as I love Ethan and you and daddy? You know.... Because you didn't grow her and she is adopted?" Grace is asking this, honestly curious.
The talk of adoption came about a year ago. Due to complications with endometriosis, you had to have a hysterectomy six months after Ethan was born. This made the possibility of having future biological children impossible. While you and Harry were both extremely grateful for the gifts of Grace and Ethan, your family wasn't complete. So after Ethan turned two, as a couple, you began searching agencies until you found one that fit. The adoption was introduced to Grace and Ethan once the family was matched with a mother. Even though the topic of welcoming a baby has been talked about for about three months, it is still a hard concept to grasp. You didn't give birth, but you and Harry came home from the hospital with a baby.
"Of course Bug. Penelope is part of our family now. Even though I wasn't able to grow her in my tummy, she is still an important part of our family." You state, looking over at Harry who is rocking the baby and looking at Grace with a face full of love and compassion.
"Good." Grace relaxes more in your arms as if the question had been on her mind for days.
"Why do yeh ask, love?" Harry questions Grace, curious to know why she was wondering how much love she is allowed to give her sister.
"I just love her as much as Eth." She looks down at her lap and whispers, "and sometimes more. But I didn't know if that's okay."
"Gracie, do yeh know you can love anyone yeh want to? Yeh don't have to ask for permission." Harry reassures his daughter with a statement that has been taught since the first time Grace came home, upset that a kid in her class said she can't love her friends.
"I love Penny. Even if she didn't grow in mum's tummy like Eth." She smiles. "Does every family adopt? Like we did?"
"Not every family." Your voice shakes slightly as you attempt to answer the question for your daughter. You are starting to get a tad emotional, grateful you and Harry had the resources to give this sweet baby girl a loving home.
"We are just special enough to have our hearts expand with more love. Penelope needed to be surrounded by love." Harry looks down at the baby nestled in his arms. "Didn't yeh, Squirt?" His nickname for this little one melts you into a puddle; actually they all do. It's extremely endearing that he thinks of a special nickname for the people he loves in his life. "So our job is to love her as much as we can. Just like we love our Bug and our Stud." Harry smiles, his dimple making a small appearance in his cheek.
"She is my sister, right?" Grace looks up at you, her eyes a little worried that your answer will be no.
"Yes my love, just like Ethan is your brother. Penelope will always be part of our family." You reply, hoping Grace can understand a concept that is confusing and big.
"Okay. Good. I know I will always love Penny. Butterfly much." Grace hugs your arms closer to her body.
"We love all of you, butterfly much." You say softly, kissing the top of Grace's head.
"And so much more." Harry adds. Just then, Ethan and Poppy enter the room and join the pile on the floor. The room feels warm and happy as you spend a lovely moment as a family, filled with acceptance, understanding, but most importantly, love.
