Always(Trilogy)

Chapter 25

-2 Months Later-

The snowflakes fall in a soft, gentle flurry. Everything is coated in a light, white blanket, the trees, the ground, the houses. Across the street, there is a man and woman playing with their two children. The little boy, probably around two or three squeals as his father picks him up and spins him around, the wife chuckling as she helps their little girl gather up some snow and make it into a ball. The woman beckons the man over to her and he kisses the tip of her nose, red from the cold before planting a kiss on her lips. A shiver runs through me and I clutch my cup a bit tighter, the warmth seeping in through my fingers. I take a sip and the warmth of the sweet liquid seems to warm up my insides. I close my eyes and sigh.

"Allison!" 

I sigh again, this time in exasperation and get up from my spot on the windowsill. After slipping on my Santa socks, I pad my way into the kitchen, where there's more chaos than the mall on Black Friday. 

"Allison, didn't you say you wanted the garland on the counter tops?" Louis asks. 

"No, I swear she said they were supposed to be saved for the railings on the stairs." Liam argues.

"There's another box of garland for the railings." I say. "I wanted garland on both."

"Ha!" Louis exclaims. "So you were wrong."

"Technically, both of you were right and wrong." Zayn interjects. He's on a step stool in the front room, setting up lights.

"Mummy, Aunt Dani said she wanted to take us ice skating." Brooklyn tugs on the hem of my robe. 

"Can we go please?" Nicholas asks, he and Daliah longing out the word. I smile at all three of them before kissing each of their foreheads in turn.

"Well, good morning to you too." I laugh. They all mutter good morning before resuming their pleading.

"Morning, Alli." Dani walks into the kitchen. Her hair is in all of it's brown, curly gloriousness. "I hope you don't mind. The kids said they wanted to go." she says. 

"No, no," I say, running a hand through my hair. "It's fine. I've got a few classes to go to today so it'll be good to get the kids out and keep them busy." 

"You sure?" she asks, just as Liam stops what he's doing to wrap his arms around her waist. He kisses her cheek and she smiles, both of them muttering good morning to each other.

I look away.

"Sorry, Alli." Liam apologizes. I look at him.

"You don't have to apologize for showing public displays of affection towards your wife, Liam." I laugh it off. "Just because I'll die lonely and an old maid doesn't mean that you all have to stop your love lives."

"Aw Allison you know that won't happen." Niall insists. "You won't die alone."

"Yeah, how could you when you have all of us constantly invading your space?" Louis asks and I smile at him before wrapping my arms around him in a hug.

"Thanks, Lou." I say.

"Do you really have to go to school today? Three days before Christmas?" Perrie asks. She's currently helping Zayn by handing him the lights.

"Babe, I need another strand." he says to her and she hands one to him.

"Yeah, I didn't even think that was possible." Eleanor interjects from searching through the pantry's for something to eat.

"I got an exception from some of my teachers," I explain. "They're allowing me to make up some of the work I'm behind on."

"Who in their right minds would want more work?"