** Brynn's POV **
"Brynn Matthews back with Harry Styles? After a five-year split, spotted out in London with Grace Styles." The headline of the article read. On it was a series of pictures of Grace and I from today..
The article came out five hours after I'd picked up Grace from the school. It was basically just saying how there were now rumors going around that Harry and I were dating again (despite us never having actually dated)..
"Okay, well I guess I should get you back to your dad's place." I commented, leaning back in my chair.. We were still in the café. "I don't want to.. He's going to be mad at me." She said. I nodded.
"Yeah, he'll be mad at me too. We can face his wrath together, how 'bout that?" I offered, and she smiled.. "Great, let's go." I stated, standing up and holding out my hand for her. She didn't hesitate to grab it, and held onto it the whole way to the car..
On the way back, she continued to talk. It made me glad that I wasn't always around. I need my quiet time.. "Mum, how come you don't talk like me? You don't sound like me and dad." She commented. "I lived in America for a long time. " I replied. "Ohh. What was it like?" She asked. I sighed. "It's nice. Pretty different from here. The people are very... Interesting." I replied..
"Interesting." She repeated, and I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was silently repeating it to herself, trying to sound it out.
I laughed a little to myself, going back to focusing on where I was going... "Hey, can you say 'nous avons arrivé '?" I asked. I had to repeat it a few times for her, until she got it, and the accent, just right.. "What does it mean?" She asked. "It means 'we have arrived'." I answered, pulling up in front of Harry's place.
"Can you come in? Please please please?" She begged. "Oh, I don't know. I think your dad probably wouldn't like that." I replied. "But I said please." She commented. I shut the car off, turning around in my seat. "You know, sometimes even when you use the word please, people still don't give you what you want? Although, in this case, you're getting what you want." I said. She smiled, unbuckling her seatbelt and waiting for me as I got out of the car..
I helped her out of the car, and we crossed the street, making sure to tell her to always watch for cars. I'm sure Harry has told her that a million times, knowing him...
She had to type in a code to open the double-gated door, but after that we stepped inside..
"Oh my god." I said, quickly grabbing Grace and turning her around, cupping a hand over her eyes, hopefully before she could realize what was going on..
"Seriously?" I asked as Harry quickly got up, grabbing his shorts off the floor and covering himself. The girl, which I realized was Jackie, sat up, looking over at us, her cheeks turning bright red instantly.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." He commented. "I mean, really? This is how you're running your household?" I asked, wanting to say so much more, but knowing it would only add new words to Grace's vocabulary..
Harry turned around, quickly pulling his shorts on. He shoved his hands through his hair and motioned for Jackie to go upstairs.. She grabbed her clothes, quickly running up the stairs. Harry sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know when you would be back." Harry commented. I let my hand drop from Grace's eyes and covered both her ears instead.
"So you decide to fuck the school nurse on the couch? Seems logical." I stated, uncovering her ears and allowing her to turn around. She looked at Harry, and then turned back, wrapping her arms around my legs.
"Of course.." He muttered, shoving his hand through his hair again.. "Nous avons arrivé." Grace said, peering around my legs, and I smiled. "Really? You taught her French?" He asked, looking at me. I smirked. "Better than what you're teaching her." I stated. "I said I was sorry. What are you jealous or something?" He questioned, and I laughed. "Of what? Your ability to scar our child for life?" I commented.
"Whatever, she didn't see anything. I want you to leave." He stated. "No." Grace said, and Harry sighed. "Grace, honey. It's best if she isn't involved in our lives." Harry replied.. A part of me didn't want to leave, but only for Grace's sake. That part of me never changed. I will always want to protect her from having the childhood that I had.
"You mean in your life.. I want her in mine." Grace stated, still tightly holding onto my legs. "Ok, well that isn't your decision to make.. Brynn, you had no right to take her from school today. Do you have any idea how scared I was that Ryan had grabbed her?" He asked.
"Why do you think I got to her before he could?" I questioned. He scoffed. "Yeah, because I'm sure you knew exactly when and where he was going to try and get her. Sounds like a coincidence." He commented sarcastically.. "You think I'm on his side?" I asked. He shrugged. "Sure seems that way. I mean, you're back together with him. How do I know that you aren't in on his whole plan?" Harry asked. "Because, I broke it off with him. A while ago." I replied..
He sent me a confused look. "Then how do you explain the audio-recording that he sent me yesterday?" He questioned. This time, I was the confused one. "What are you talking about?" I asked, briefly glancing down at Grace, who had sat down on the ground and wrapped both her arms and legs around me.
Harry sighed. "You.. You know. With him." He said, making a motion with his hand. I raised my eyebrows. "Wait, what? Ok, hold on.. So, it bothers me that he recorded that.. But, you listened to it? That's disgusting." I commented, and he rolled his eyes. "I stopped listening when I realized what was going on." He stated.
"Right... Ok, well we aren't together. I haven't done that with him in a while." I said, and he studied my face for a few seconds..
"So, why didn't you show up earlier? And how'd you know to grab Grace from school today?" He questioned. "Well.. Uh.." I hesitated, remembering Jeff said Harry would be mad at him if he knew that he'd told me. Harry motioned for me to answer him..
"Jeff told me." I said, and he raised his eyebrows. He sighed, but seemed to be trying to come up with what he wanted to say next.
"Grace, come over here." Harry stated. Grace shook her head, her hold tightening around my legs.. "What, and that's not a trigger for you?" He asked, studying my reaction. "I spent the last five years in therapy. Trying to figure out why I still have PTSD from everything that happened. You know, my therapist actually said that you were a huge trigger for my PTSD." I replied..
"Therapy?" He asked, and I nodded. "That's huge, Brynn.. Like.. Wow that explains so much." He commented, and I sent him a confused look. He ran a hand through his hair, briefly glancing over at the stairs. I'd completely forgotten Jackie was up there, likely listening to our whole conversation..
"You've changed, Brynn. Like, so much.. In a good way. I mean, you care about Grace. You always told me you weren't capable of the emotions needed to care for her properly, and yet here you are..." He trailed off. "Listen, if we're going to talk about all this, can you ask your bedmate to leave?" I asked. He nodded, turning and going up the stairs..
Grace looked up at me, and I met her gaze.
"Please don't leave me again."
