Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 61

Harry stood at his stove and stirred the oatmeal he had cooking on the burner. He had just called his mum and put his phone to his ear. When she answered, he smiled hearing her voice. "Hey, mum." He greeted her. They had been in London a couple of days and were supposed to make their way to Holmes Chapel today, but it wasn't going to happen. "Mum, I know you're excited to see us, but we aren't going to make it today."

"Oh, no?" Anne said sighing. "I hope everything's ok."

"Yeah, mum. Well, Julie's fallen a bit ill." Harry smiled at the oatmeal he was stirring. She had no choice but to let him take care of her now. She'd caught quite the cold, which may be a bit more than a cold. "She seems to have caught a bad cold, or maybe the flu. Not sure. She's coughing and sneezing and a bit stuffy. Seems to have a bit of a fever, but of course she says she doesn't, and she's fine."

"Of course, she does." Anne laughed. Harry had shared with her many times how stubbornly independent Julie was. She could understand how it could seem a little frustrating to Harry, but in the end, she thought it was a good thing. She believed though, that Julie let Harry take care of her more than she realized. Which was how it should be, they should take care of each other. "Alright, love, just let us know when she's feeling better and can travel. Otherwise, I can come to you. Let me know if you need a mum."

"Of course, mum. For now, I think I'm just gonna keep her in bed, try and make her eat, and let her be cranky. She's not a very good sick person. For being a nurse for a while, you would think she would be a bit more patient." Harry chuckled. As soon as Julie started feeling a bit ill, she had been irritated by it.

"Well, they do say doctors and nurses make the worst patients. Didn't the doctors say that when she and Amanda were there after the accident?" Anne asked.

Harry took a deep breath remembering that time. The time he was uncertain if she would wake up from the coma or not. If she would have brain damage or even remember who he was. Now that everything was ok, it was easier to remember the details that didn't surround the questions about whether she would wake up or not. "Yeah, I do believe it came out of their mouths a few times, so I guess I have my work cut out for me. Amanda and Niall are still here though, so I do have back up if needed. I suppose I could listen to the girls bicker a bit, I've sort of missed it."

"How are things, Harry? Apart from the cold? I know you guys haven't been back together all that long. And things went a bit crazy after a short time. I saw the pictures at the airport, too." Anne queried. Harry was very open with her. She knew the struggles Julie had with his public life. How she didn't enjoy the spotlight. But she understood it. Since the story with Johnny broke, things had been extra bad.

"Things are good, mum. You should have seen her at the airport. I tried to get pick up arrangements changed so we could avoid the throng of people and paps. And she just walked up to me and said, let's go. Said she was tired of giving everyone else control over her. Johnny, Kendall, the paps and fans. I know she still doesn't like it. I know it still scares her, but she's decided to finally realize what she wants and needs is more important than what others want." Harry smiled as he turned the burner off to let the oatmeal sit. "I'm proud of her."

"Sounds like it. I like hearing that she's finally putting faith in the two of you over the rest of the world. I imagine Johnny forcing his way back into her life hasn't made it easy for her to trust in another relationship. Even if it is with you, someone she's loved for years." Anne said solemnly. She would never understand how a person could be so selfish as to want to ruin the happiness of one individual so badly like Johnny did to Julie. And when Harry had told her that Kendall was the one who put Johnny's name into the media's ear, she was more than shocked. She had been there on that yacht with Kendall and him. And even though she had warned Harry to be careful when he was so seemingly confused about Julie, she'd trusted Kendall first as his friend, and she never expected her to use things against him for some vendetta.