My Favorite Bartender

Chapter 4

A week has passed since Harry and Niall found us at the park. Harry has been texting me everyday since. Sunday night when I recieved his first text, the name that flashed across my locked screen was - Sexy Harry, which caused me to roll my eyes. I didn't answer Harry until Tuesday early afternoon and I've actually been answering him every since.

Harry is definitly persisitant, I will give him credit. He wants to meet up and hang out and wants me to bring the kids along and we can do something kid friendly.

I won't give in. I won't date him or anyone else. My kids are my priority not dating and I won't put myself out there to possibly be hurt again. Besides Harry's a musican and he'll be on tour. I don't want to be with someone, if I was willing to date, who's gone all the time. I can't and won't allow myself but most importantly my children become attached to someone who won't be around all the time and who could hurt me like Zayn or even worse.

Liam and Niall have been hanging out quite a lot when Liam and him are free. Which I'm happy for them if and when they start dating but it makes a little sad as well. I don't see my best mate as much any more and the kids are missing him some as well.

Right now the kids and I are at the zoo without Liam, which don't get me wrong, I understand Liam has his own life outside of the three of us. It's just weird doing our family outings without him.

"Papa, we see polar bears?" Parker asks softly with a gentle pull of my hand that he's holding. Harper is holding my other hand.

"Sure, little love," I answer as we head toward the polar bears from the penguin exhibit were we are currently at (Harper's choice). Three hours and a lunch later, we're in the car heading home.

As I figured, both of them have fallen asleep five minutes into the thirty minute drive home. Giggeling to myself as they had insisted they were not tired.

Once home it didn't surprise me that Liam's vehicle was gone. Unbuckeling both Harper and Parker, I manage to lift both of them out of the car and carry them into the building. After pressing the lift button, I'm being touched on the shoulder causing me to jump in surprise.

"Sorry mate," I hear Niall's Irish voice say softly. Turning my head I see him and Liam grinning at me.

"It's alright, Ni," I answer back quietly not to wake either child. If either is brought out of their nap early, they are grouchy for the rest of the day.

"Lou, let me take one of them," Liam offers as he's gently lifting Harper from my hold.

"Thanks, Li," I say as I shift Parker into a better hold. Carrying the two of them plush their stuffed plushes from the zoo was starting to hurt my arms. Harper picked out a penguin and Parker a polar bear.

"The zoo trip was today wasn't it?" Liam asks in realization as to what Harper and Parker are holding, his face full of guilt. He had promised the twins he would come with today.

"I'm sorry, Louis, why didn't you remind me this morning?" he voice is thick with guilt.

I shrug the shoulder Parker isn't lying his head on as the lift opens, allowing the three of us to enter. I press the button for our floor as the doors shut.

"You had plans, I didn't want to mess that up. It's not a problem," I say quickly when Niall looks sad as does Liam.

"It is though, I had promised them I would come with. I'm so sorry, Lou. How upset were they?"

"Liam, it's absolutely fine, you are allowed to have free time away from the kids. They're not your responsablitity. I have to learn to have these outings with them without help," I try to reassure him and Niall both.

"I know they're not my responsiblity but I promised and I feel horrible that I broke that," he insists with sad eyes and mouth. "It's bad enough their other dad is a loser, you have no other help than me and I love spending time with them."

"I know you do, Liam and they love spending time with you, too, but you need to have your own life too," I insist again.

"What about your family?" Niall asks speaking for the first time as the door opens to our floor.

"My family has nothing to do with us. When I came out to the family when I was 17 years old, my mum kicked me out saying no child of her's was going to be a sin and live in her home. She nor my sisters have never meet my kids, I had them when I was 18 years old."

Niall looks at me with wide horrified eyes. "Your mum did that? You're only 21 years old?"

I nod with a hum of acknowledment as I unlock the door. "I had texted her a picture of the twins the day they were born. Her response was 'I want nothing to do with those imboninations or you. Don't contact me again.' So, I haven't, I'm not allowed to even talk to my four younger sisters. Mum changed all of their phone numbers."

I take Harper from Liam before walking to their rooms to lay them in their beds. Coming back into the living room, where I expected to find the two of them but they were in the kitchen insead prepairing coffee. Yum.

As I'm pouring myself a mug, my phone dings with a text message. Sighing softly I pull it out to see it's Harry.

'Hey love, how are you and the little ones?'

'Hello Harry. We're good, thank you. How are you?'

With Harry's persistance, he's slowly breaking down my walls and I don't want him too. At least I don't think I do.

'Would you, Harper and Parker like to have a date with me this evening? Kids friendly and not late, so they can still maintain a normalcy in their evening.'

Sighing as I type my resonse. 'I'm sorry Harry but no....I have to protect myself from relationships that are not just friends. Again I'm sorry.'

"Lou just go on a date with him," Liam says with serious eyes. "You need to move past all the shit Zayn put you through. Let someone in the walls you've built. You deserve to be happy."

Frowing at my best friend, I want to be happy, I really do. Sighing at Liam as I rub my eyes before I answer him. "I want to be happy Liam, really I do. I'm scared that I'll be hurt again or worse my kids will be."

"Louis, yes Harry is a musican, yes he'll in the lime light. Yes, he'll be on tour for a while once his new album is released as will I. The one thing I know for a damn fact Harry will never intentionally hurt you or your beautiful babies," Naill says intentlly staring at me the whole time.

Waring with myself internally - my mind telling me not to even give Harry a change whereas my heart is telling me to go for it.

Sighing after a few minutes, I text Harry back.

'We'd love to have a date with you this evening. When, where and how should be dress?'

Harry's reply is almost instant. 'There where will be a surprise for the three of you. As for when, I will be at you flat at 6 p.m. and dress normally and comfortably.'

'See you then, Harry.'