Young & Beautiful

IX

The next day, after being woken up dutifully to Niall's flawless rendition of Chopin's Scherzo No. 2 Opus 31, Louis attends all of his lectures, homework firmly done and ready for a look over, and is the best student he's ever been, taking notes in every course and not once drawing a doodle of a noose.

He's so proud of himself on his way home that he's about to offer to treat Niall to scones and scotch, when his phone rings, "The Imperial March" flooding the air.

Mum.

Fuck.

Well. There are two options now. Either Louis can slide the phone back into his pocket and never say a word....or he can answer. Given that he has yet to answer one of his mum's calls, he decides on the latter, nerves already tensing.

"Mum," he greets faux cheerfully as he unlocks the door to the flat.

"Boo bear," she says quietly. Suspiciously quietly. Fuck.

"What's wrong?" Louis immediately asks, keeping the agitation out of his voice as he shoulders the door open.

Niall's sitting at the piano again, smoking a cigar while the TV's on.

Louis nods in his direction before averting his attention back to the phone.

"Oh...nothing. I just." There's a pause on the other line and he hears a sharp intake of breath followed by a near-sob. "I miss you, love."

Goddammit.

He knows what this means.

"Mum. Mum, are you watching after the girls? Where are you?"

"I'm outside. I need to be alone right now."

"Where are the girls? Are they being looked after?"

"They're fine, Louis. I miss you-"

"MUM. Maggie's only FOUR. Get back inside right now. You need to look after them."

"I don't want to," she says, beginning to cry, and Louis' nerves fizzle as he brings a hand up to massage his temples.

"It's not about what you want. You're their mum. You can do this. Just like you were a good mum before Charles left...you can be a good mum without him. Come on."

The line is quiet, filled only by the muffled sound of wind and deep breaths.

"You're right, love. You were always wise beyond your years."

Louis nods, his teeth gritting. "I had to be. Now get back inside, yeah? Please?"

"I will. I'll look after them, Lou. Just wait, I'll be a good mum. I'll do you proud."

"Do yourself proud," he says, and tries his best keeping his own emotions in check, his voice dangerously close to rising.

Niall looks up at him, brow furrowed, but Louis ignores him for the moment, instead walking over to the row of low set windows that line the wall. He stares out into the sunny expanse of grass, students milling about, and faintly notes that he's in the very spot where Zayn had gotten sick all over him just that short time ago.

"I will." There's another pause. "Miss me, Lou?"

Louis closes his eyes. "Yes, mum. Now get back inside, please. Please. I love you," he adds as an afterthought.

"Love you, too. Keep in touch."

And then the line is dead.

"Fuck's sake," he mumbles, setting down his phone on the counter as he drops into the nearest chair.