Seasons [h.s]

Summer - Part 1

My body trembled uncontrollably.

"I'm only going to ask you this once," Harry threatened behind gritted teeth. "Are you pregnant, Grace?"

I nodded, placing one hand against my stomach. I watched as he began to lose his composure - dropping the tests on the floor and raking his fingers through his hair. "I was going to tell you-"

"But you didn't!" He bit. "You didn't tell me, Grace! What kind of twisted game were you playing back there? Was that your sick way of telling me?"

"I was afraid!" I sniffled. "I was finally going to break the news to you but then you started talking about how you didn't want kids and I chickened out. I've been trying to tell you ever since I found out."

"And when was that?"

"...about three weeks ago."

"Three weeks? You kept this from me for three weeks?" His anger grew stronger and stronger. His veins were popping from his neck.

"I'm sorry." I cried, burying my face in my hands.

I heard him sigh as he sat on the bed. "How far along are you?" When I finally looked at him, I could see how tense he was. His hands were pressed together, and I could tell that his mind was racing.

"Two months," I confessed.

"Two months..." He scoffed in disbelief.

"Gemma and Annette are the only ones that know about the baby."

"The baby." He repeated like I did when I first found out. I couldn't get over the word baby either. "We're having a... I'm having a..."

"Harry?" I asked warily.

He ignored me and brushed passed me towards the stairs. 

"Harry?" I followed him. "I know this isn't exactly what you wanted, but I know that we can do this! I know that you can do this! Children change us for the better,"

Harry pulled a sweater from the coat closet and put it on. "That's the thing, Grace." His eyes were on me but they were no longer sparkling. "It's like I've always said, 'we Styles men don't change'"

He was through the door seconds later.

**

I replayed my last conversation with Harry every day for weeks. I tried to think of new ways of telling him that might've made him stay. Yet, I couldn't think of any.

Harry was gone, and I had no idea where he was.

At first, he wouldn't answer any of our calls - sending us to voicemail. Then, his phone stopped dialing completely. No one had seen him anywhere around town, and we had reason to believe that he had left the country. Gemma spent as many nights as she could with me every week. She even brought her kids with her to keep Mia company. She held me when I cried and tried her best to keep my stress levels down. But that was impossible.

Summer was now inching upon us. Spring showers had watered the grass and flowers were beginning to bloom. Summer always represented more quality time with your family. Mia and I would spend hours in the park together. Laughing, and sprawling ourselves on the grass. This summer felt different though - much colder.

"Are you excited to see the baby?" Gemma asked as she drove me to my OBGYN's office one Wednesday afternoon.

"Sure." I sighed, keeping my eyes on the cars passing beside us.

"C'mon, Grace." Gemma squeezed my knee. "You're three and a half months pregnant now, your baby is starting to look like a baby! This is exciting."