Isn't She Lovely? (1D Fanfic)

Chapter Seventeen

   Niall had been a great help since the departure of Harry. When I'm with Niall I forget all my sorrows because he distracts me and keeps me looking forward instead of back. And I'm really thankful for that. Kathy hasn't really been around since she's with Liam and feels like she'd be intruding even though if she was my best friend she'd be here 24/7. Whatever, I'm having too much fun to think about other things.

    "I'm gonna go get the mail real quick," I yelled to Niall as I left the house. He'd been staying on the couch a few nights at a time so that way I wouldn't have to wake up and be in an empty house. He's really thoughtful.

   "Cool, I'll whip up some pancakes or something." He shouted back but it faded as I went further away.

   My slippers slide across the rough gravel as I made my way towards the mail. It was getting closer and closer to Christmas, we had just had Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, and boy was that interesting. It was the first time Niall couldn't be with me because I went out of town to see family and hoped that it would relieve some stress; it didn't. Everyone continuously asked how I was with the Harry "situation" and if we were still together and etc. It got real annoying. I ended up hanging with Niall the day after Thanksgiving and going around to make fun of people who were too busy making out in public to know what was coming at them.

   Niall was like a brother I never had, and I was really enjoying having him around. An older brother was definitely needed, to warn off approaching boys when he knew I was taken, or to make me smile when I was down. He was definitely my brother. I could honestly say I'd never ask for anything more than for him in my life than as that. Friend just doesn't cut it.

   The mailbox was cold and I quickly grabbed the thin papers and rushed back into the warm house. I slammed the door behind me and then slipped out of my coat and went through the mail. Crap, crap, crap, and more crap. Great. Wait. Something was mixed up behind all the unneeded magazines and advertisements. It was a letter address to me. Taylor. Could this really be something? I wasn't going to wait to find out. My fingers swiftly ripped the paper and took out the letter that was within. It was folded three times, something that someone I know would do whenever he wrote to distant family.

   The words encoded in it were incredible:

Dear Taylor,

   Hey there beautiful! I've been thinking about you every second of the day, just counting down how much further I have until I see you. It's been really quiet here minus the fact that we are all exhausted from getting up at 4am and having to run mile after mile and then doing all kinds of other things that you probably aren't concerned about. I wanted to write to you to let you know that I'm fine and that I miss and love you very much. Next week we're heading out to Oklahoma for more training, so I probably won't be able to write another letter. But I figured I'd send you this one since this is about as close to you as I can get.

   I know it's tough for you, and it's tough for me too, but I know you inside and out Taylor. You are an extremely strong, independent woman. You can make it through this. I promise! Oh, another thing, I've been wearing that bracelet you gave me ever since I came here. I wear it no matter what the condition; and the officers don't tell me to take it off or anything so I am always reminded of you. Even though without it I'd still be thinking about you no matter what.

   So how have you been? I have too much to say to fit in this letter, but I wanted to know how you've been holding up. I'm hoping once we get back from Oklahoma that I'll be able to use my phone and a computer and maybe we can video chat at some point. Have Kathy and any of the boys been helping you out? I know Niall has. He wrote me a letter last week letting me know he was helping me out and kind of doing my part. Let him know that I thank him dearly. I would have replied to his letter but I thought I'd write my first letter to you.

    Over here, I've made a few people my 'friends' and we usually talk about all kinds of things. Especially loved ones :) Everyone knows who you are and think you're incredible. Who wouldn't? If you get this soon, please reply back. I might not be able to write back immediately, but I will be able to at some point. And I also apologize for not being able to come home for Christmas. I know that's the last thing you want to hear, but I can't do anything about it babe. I hope you understand. I love you with all my heart.

Sincerely,

Harry xx.

    A tear fell and spread out onto the thin paper with his beautiful handwriting smearing on that one spot. He wrote to me, I can't believe this is my first letter. It kind of feels like a movie where the secret admirer tells you about how pretty you look and if only they could reveal themselves and make things works. I know the secret admirer has nothing to do with it, but you get the point.

   "Pancakes are done!" Niall walked out with a huge plate of chocolate chip pancakes piled one after the other. He saw my disfigured face as I tried to find the right emotion, but it's hard when you're emotions are running wild. "What's that?" He nudged his head towards the letter I held as he placed the plate of food on the table.

   I wove it in the air lightly, "Harry wrote to me," I smiled and then skimmed over it again.

   "Cool. What'd he say?"

   "Just that I have nothing to worry about, he's thinking of me every day, um...what he's been up to, and he thanked you in here, also."

   Niall ripped it out of my hands to look over his writing, "He did? For what?"

   "He said something about how you wrote to him about being there for me and telling him I was fine and doing the things he couldn't at the moment. He thanked you dearly for it right...there," I pointed it out and he read it.

   "He didn't need to thank me, I'm just helping out my friends," He gave me a side hug and handed me the letter back. I slipped it back into the envelope and then looked back to Niall.

   "I consider you my brother, Niall. You're just that awesome," I smiled and walked up the stairs. Once in my room, I put the letter in my bedside table drawer so that way whenever I need something recent about Harry, I can read that and be fine for the day.

   My body carried me back to the waiting food and grabbed a plate quickly before Niall was going to eat them all. I saw that half the pancakes were already eaten and I chuckled as I grabbed 2 and walked to sit with Niall on the couch.

   "Thanks for cooking,"

   "No problem! I like eating more than cooking, but since you probably don't want to cook, and let me add that you probably wouldn't be eating if I wasn't pushing you to, I figured I was helping you out."

   I took a huge bit out of mine and looked over to him and nodded, "I thank you for that too, because you're probably right." I chuckled and tossed more in my mouth. It was quiet after that, but it was a comfortable silence for us.

   It's been almost a month since Harry left, and I was really looking forward to spending Christmas with him, especially with the upcoming baby. I wanted to tell him before he came back and just sees it. When I read that sentence where he said he wasn't gonna be home for Christmas, I wasn't as devastated as I thought I was going to be. I guess Niall was helping me look at the positives. Even if I can't see Harry this time, there will be other opportunities before the long 1 and a half year continues. Maybe it was time to tell Niall something that I couldn't even tell Kathy, yet at least, or Harry.

   "Hey Niall, can I tell you something? And you have to promise not to freak out or think of me any differently okay?"