𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐑! | harry styles

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈

HARRY felt extremely uncomfortable as he sat in the waiting room with Anne's hand clasped firmly over his. Every so often he'd cast a sideways glance in her direction to see her wiping at her eyes or nose with the wad of tissue she held in her other hand.

"I'm glad your dad brought you," she said when she caught him glancing at her. "I couldn't stand to be out here by myself while he's in there with Maddie."

"I can't believe they let him in there," Harry shook his head. There was no way he could stand to see anyone operated on, let alone a family member.

"He won't be in there the whole time. Just…until she's well under the anesthesia."

Harry nodded. Silently, he was glad Desmond wasn't there to cast his disapproving looks in Harry's direction. The ride to the hospital had been a quiet one. Thankfully, Desmond had spent most of it on the phone with his secretary rearranging his patients' appointments.

"Do you want something to drink or anything?" Harry offered, anxious to get up and stretch his legs a little.

Anne shook her head. "I'm fine, but you go ahead if you need to."

If you need to. Harry read between the lines on that one. She was telling him that she didn't want him to go, but she was willing to let him if he felt it absolutely necessary.

Harry hated the waiting room – he hated the hospital in general, but he swallowed his distaste and remained seated. With resignation, he slumped down in his seat and surrendered his hand to Anne for as long as she needed it.

He must have dosed off because he was awoken by the sounds of Anne and Desmond speaking in calm, relieved tones.

"What happened?" Harry sat up and rubbed at his eyes.

"Everything's fine. Maddie did great. They just took her into the recovery room," Desmond looked years younger than he had this morning. "I'm trying to convince your mother to go home and rest a bit."

Anne adamantly resisted. "No. You go on ahead and take Harry home. We'll switch later, but I want to be here when Maddie wakes up. Otherwise she'll be scared."

Harry watched as Desmond gave in, knowing that there was no use in reminding his wife that Maddie could be calmed down with his presence as well.

"Ready, Harry?" Desmond jingled his keys in his son's direction.

Instead of answer verbally, Harry simply stood in preparation of following. He hugged Anne awkwardly before making his way toward the exit.

Harry tried to pretend like he hadn't gotten enough sleep in the waiting room – that he also needed complete silence so that he could rest on the way home. Desmond, however, had an opposing idea.

"Harry…" he began and stopped. "I know you can hear me."

With a sigh, Harry straightened up in his seat, but not before communicating to Desmond, with every non-verbal gesture imaginable, that he didn't want to have this conversation.

"What?"

"Don't 'what' me. You know what."

"Actually, I don't."

"What do you mean you don't? You had your girlfriend stay the night when no one was home. I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

"Well…yeah?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Isn't that what the whole 'make-sure-you-wear-a-condom' speech was all about that time? Because if you didn't expect me and Bree to be together, why'd you even bother?"