Orphan

Chapter 83

The sound of wood being chopped outside echoed through the bedroom upstairs as Monique opened her eyes from her resting place atop Harry's chest. She rubbed her eyes with the base of her palm whilst her vision adjusted, sitting up carefully so as not to lean on Harry too much who, by now, was passed out against the headboard. Monique checked the time on the clock, it was just a little bit past 2pm. Quite a long nap that had been, she thought to herself as she patted her husband's chest. "Hey, lay down properly your neck is gonna feel like shit." She yawned, running her fingers through his hair just the way she knew he liked. An approving groan left his mouth, and a smirk tugged at his lips as she stood up. "Don't stop, what are you doing?" he muttered, brows furrowed, but eyes still very much closed. Harry had now begun to allow himself these little things, like back scratches and his wife playing with his hair because it gave him tingles and well, she enjoyed it more than him sometimes. It was a common absentminded hobby of hers, he was never fond of 'touching', and all that jazz. But he grew to love it now, only from her though, the touching starts and ends with his wife – and his future bean as he now refers to it.

Ever since Monique had told him that his child was at this stage, about the size of a bean, he had adopted the pet name. it was endearing, to say the least, but it was only to be between the three of them. It was an unspoken rule of the house; of the bedroom. Some things just never left the comfort of their room, that is, until Harry had his rare moments and couldn't refrain from laying his hand on her belly and muttering little words to his 'bean'. "What time is it?" Harry mumbled sitting up, cracking his all too stiff neck. "2. Slept for quite a while. I need to go get something to eat inside." As if on cue, her stomach rumbled.

"Alright, get done though, at 4 we're gonna head out. Visit some friends." Now it wasn't that she didn't enjoy company, she loved it, but Harry's friends... they weren't her cup of tea. They were good people, but bad influences. She merely nodded and made her way downstairs where Louis was bent over the counter staring outside as Abigail and Liam chopped up some wood. "Wow, pregnancy really does not suit you. You look a wreck." Louis chuckled barely glancing at Monique as she opened up the fridge. "Yeah, what's your excuse?"

"Catty today, are we?" Louis teased into her ear from behind as Zayn stepped in. "Leave the girl alone Louis. How are you feeling, love?" Since things had been kind of rough, and Zayn had had the fortune of being the only one present on one particular night last week when Monique had been especially sick, he had somewhat of a soft spot for the girl and her future child. "I think I'm alright. Just hungry. Gonna make some toast. What are Liam and Abby doing? Where's Niall?" she questioned taking some water and the butter from the fridge, getting the toaster out. "Chopping up some wood to take along tonight. Niall is already there, he had to help em with some stuff."

"Okay, everything is chopped up. I need to go take a shower." Abigail heaved a sigh as she threw down the axe and greeted with a small smile and nod. "Oh, I need to talk to you really quick?" Monique placed a hand on Abby's shoulder, "Yeah, c'mon up then." She smiled as they made their way to Abby's bedroom, it smelled heavily of lavender and Niall. "What's up?" she smiled discarding her dirty sweater as she closed the bedroom door. "Well, how are you? You haven't been saying anything?"

"I'm good, just... still really uncertain. I feel nothing, haven't been showing any symptoms and well – honestly, I feel like it was a false alarm Monique. Maybe I really am not pregnant." She sighed, biting the inside of her cheek. They both knew what it meant if she wasn't. it meant that Monique's lie and trying to get pregnant and forcing a baby into this family, was pointless, but it also meant, Liam had nothing on Abigail anymore and she had no need to tell Niall anything. "Abigail...if you're not then..."
"I know, I know... this was all for nothing... I am so sorry." She frowned shaking her head with regret. "But on the bright side, you're starting a family, Harry is a better man for it too."

"I guess." Monique mumbled rubbing the small growing pouch on her belly. Abigail stared at her with a small smile that was laced with happiness, but hopelessness all the same. "I really wish that could have been me. I... I wouldn't mind starting a family with Niall, but he wouldn't want that."

"I'm sorry, Abby. Really, I am. I wish I could do something to fix it," Monique sighed crossing her arms across her chest. "Monique!" Harry's voice boomed loudly throughout the house, catching the both of them of guard as she made her way down the stairs slipping on the last step but just barely holding onto the railing to keep herself from falling. "For fucks sakes!" Harry rushed over holding his hands out protectively before clenching his jaw, "Can you not be more careful! Why are you so fucking clumsy, huh?" He scolded, she sighed ignoring his outburst. "What did you call me for Harry?"
"I called you because you still haven't eaten. The toast is stood cold in that toaster, meanwhile you're out and about. You should be eating and taking care of that fucking baby, maybe then you'll stop feeling so damn sickly all the time." Monique rolled her eyes at her very much pissed-off husband, but she knew that he was right, she needed to take better care of herself, or else she was risking her child's life, her own as well. "Harry can you just stop! You're driving me damn crazy with all your faffing!"

"I'm driving you crazy? You're the fucking idiot who won't listen to me! Your blood pressure had been fluctuating like fucking crazy, you're always dizzy, you're always fucking tired. Take care of yourself for once!" He scolded, the vein in his neck highly apparent at this point. "Well damn, ever thought maybe you've partially been the cause of that?" she spat, making her way to the kitchen and grabbing the toast, spreading some butter on it. "Get dressed when you're done so we can fucking leave, I need a drink." Harry mumbled as he swiftly glided by her and stalked towards Liam who was indulging on a cig on the patio.