The Succession: Sequel To The Passage (h.s.)

Chapter Four

Harry's POV

Lying in bed, I'm watching the sun rise over the city, there's a perfect yellow and orange glow along the horizon. Daybreak is breathtaking, and the sun's gradual entrance and all the colors it provides is a precious gift. Unknowingly I've missed seeing many sunrises and sunsets because of the life I've been living. I'll never be able to rewind time and get them back, but I'll never take them for granted again. Willow always tells me how envious she is that I never take things for granted, but this morning I've realized that she was wrong. I unknowingly missed beautiful moments like this. In the future I'll have to remind myself to take advantage of more of the splendor Mother Nature has to offer.

With everything that's happened over the last several months I'll cherish these moments forever. Willow's life has hung in the balance twice since we met. These painful memories serve as a reminder how incredibly fragile life is. We need to make the most of the time we have, and I'm slowly learning to find the beauty in everything. I couldn't have done this without Willow; even amid a crisis she's optimistic that some good will come out of every situation.

And speaking of gifts; one of my greatest ones is currently peacefully sleeping in my arms. I'd love to let her get some more rest, but I'm making breakfast for her and Mum before we go see the wedding venue I have in mind. We've decided that we want Mum to be a part of the decision-making process as well, her opinion is important to both of us. She'll be here in two and a half hours which should give me plenty of time to get Willow showered and dressed before my mum arrives.

For the last five years of my life I've had my days planned for me. Never knowing where life would take me next. The days that weren't scheduled for me were filled with pure spontaneity, therefore I've never made big life decisions or made a daily schedule on my own. The spontaneity was fun at times, but that also gave me nothing to look forward to, no destination. It wasn't until I met Willow that I realized I've missed out on planning my own future.

I enjoy organizing my own time for once, it gives me structure that I'm in control of, I've needed but lacked this for quite some time. It's the simple things in life that most people do without a second thought; for me they aren't a matter of instinct. But I so desperately want them to become natural to me.

Therefore, I probably over plan, which Willow enjoys teasing me about. She's a good sport about it because she knows this is what I need for now. As per my recent days I've made all our arrangements. Today the itinerary starts with waking Willow, getting her showered and dressed, making breakfast for her and Mum, then leaving by 10:00 am to get to our 10:45 am appointment. The venue is about 30 minutes away, this gives us a little extra time so we can arrive early. As for the rest of the day, I decided to leave that open. This is the first time she'll be leaving the apartment since being discharged from the hospital, I'm not sure how much she'll be able to handle. I guess we'll see where it leads us.

I giggle quietly to myself; I sound like such a dad.

Speaking of being a dad, I've spent a lot of time recently reflecting on my relationship with Lark and Lily. We still have no clue what the future will bring regarding James' court case. I haven't told Willow yet, but if he loses his parental rights, I want to adopt the girls. I love them as if they're my own, I know a piece of paper isn't necessary to be a dad to them, but it would mean a lot to me.

From the day they moved in with me, I gladly took on the role of being a father figure to them. I learned very quickly there's no easing into living by a routine when you have children. I jumped in headfirst, and I have no regrets. Although this way of life is extremely foreign to me, I've loved every second of it.

Despite my current happiness, I'm battling an inner struggle that I didn't even know existed until I spoke with my mum. I've spent a lot of time thinking about the chat we had at the hospital. The rational part of my mind understands her words are true. The messed-up part is just struggling to believe I'm not at fault for what happened to Willow. The conversation keeps replaying in my head like a broken record.