Speak |h.s. a.u.|

Chapter 90

"Feel right here." Gemma talked quietly, grabbing Annabelle's hand and holding it against her stomach that now poked out very much. They both felt a little jolt of energy and began laughing, because when someone feels something this pure and beautiful, all they can do to express their joy is to cry or laugh.

"My turn! Come on, Gem!" Anne squealed, huddling close to the girls and placing her hand where Annabelle's once was.

"Women," Harry rolled his eyes with a smirk while Ella did the same.

"You gotta admit, it's pretty cute, though." Anne's girlfriend turned to face Harry. "I can't imagine how annoyingly adorable Anne must have been when she was young and pregnant." Harry shook his head.

"We have the home videos to prove otherwise." Ella's face lit up and she told Harry that if he doesn't show her these tapes immediately, she will pummel him into the ground. He laughed, shrugging and making a face as if to say, 'Eh, maybe, maybe not.'

The three girls sighed when the baby stopped kicking and returned to their seats on the couches and chairs. Annabelle sat on Harry's lap, snuggling close to him. Anne leaned into Ella's side and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Barf," Gemma stuck her tongue out, "You guys make me want to puke."

"Oh come onnnn," Ella and Harry shouted in unison while Annabelle laughed.

"Babe, we keep telling you to invite Peter to tea, now don't we?" Anne's voice powered over the others.

"Mum, you saw how Harry reacted when he found out I was pregnant! Obviously he won't be okay with Peter being here-"

"Pish posh!" Ell shouted.

"Gem?" Harry's eyebrows were furrowed and his grip on Annabelle tightened. "You know we're all past that now, right? It's alright. Invite him." Annabelle grinned as she watched Harry's features go from confused to concerned.

The rest of the evening was spent playing Scrabble. Ella would do her best to make the longest words, but Harry defeated her every time. Anne spelled simple words like "cat" or "spoon," while Gem blamed everyone else of cheating, because apparently her letters were useless. Annabelle sat beside Harry, allowing him to move her letters around for her when no one was paying attention. Her head fell onto his shoulder and he kissed her forehead, which earned a gag from Gemma multiple times.

It felt good. They felt good- everyone. Harry felt like he had a real family again, and he hoped so much that Annabelle felt the same way. He wanted her to be a part of his new family more than anything, because she had always been alone and sad, but she didn't have to feel that way anymore.

With every day that passed by, the family grew closer. Harry loved Ella so much, even though he would never admit it. They bicker like siblings and Anne found it adorable. Wanting everyone to spend even more time together, she came up with an idea to see how everyone felt about taking one last trip together before winter became too strong.

"Christmas will be here before we know it! Just one more vacation before-"

"Mum, we love you, but I'm not sure if-"

"Gem, hear me out. We could go anywhere! Only for a few days, before we're stuck here in this cold and dreary winter." Anne's eyes were pleading.

"Anywhere?" Gem grinned. Harry searched Annabelle's eyes for approval and ended up finding more than that.

"I think we should visit America again." Harry spoke over the three girls who were throwing out ideas. He could see the nervousness growing in his girlfriend as he waited for someone to say something.

"I've never been to America." Ella spoke first, shrugging her dainty shoulders.

"Hawaii is technically part of America, right?" Everyone laughed at Gemma's question.

They continued to discuss where exactly they should go in America and Harry wished Annabelle would say something. He wished she would tell him where she was born and grew up, because he knew it wasn't anywhere around here. He knew there was so much of her past to be discovered and he wanted to know it all. His past was constantly spilled out to her through arguments and breakdowns, or family dinners and trips.

Annabelle's mood finally started lightening up when someone mentioned going back to the East Coast.

"Help me out, here." Harry whispered in her ear before placing a kiss there. She looked at him, smiling greatly when someone mentioned the beach again.

"The beach it is, then." He spoke softly, tucking her hair behind her ear.