The Editor

20. Emma

I’m not sure what I expected when we told the guys I was pregnant, shocked silence certainly wasn’t it. They looked at me around the dinner table, their mouths open. I wished I could have a beer. I looked at Harry. He was looking at me with raised eyebrows. I took a sip of my water.

“Don’t all speak at once now.” I said, trying to diffuse the tension.

“It’s just…don’t get me wrong but we always figured you would be the last person to want children.” Zayn said eventually. I swallowed hard, did I really give that impression?

Louis glared at Zayn, “What’s he’s saying is that we thought you two would wait a little longer.” I looked down at my hands folded in my lap. We were waiting, but…

“I personally think Emma’s gonna make a bloody fantastic mother!” Niall said, raising a glass. I smiled shyly at him. He beamed back at me.

“Me too!” Liam said. “Emma, you’re going to be wonderful, don’t listen to Zayn and Louis.” I looked at Harry, he smiled back at me.

“Harry on the other hand, don’t let him near the baby. He’ll probably drop it.” Liam said. I laughed and Harry did too, the other joined in and soon the conversation moved towards the upcoming tour. I smiled and laughed but I was still a little hurt by what Zayn and Louis said. I promise, I’m going to be the best mother I can be, I thought to myself.

The next day my friend Elsie dropped off her daughter for Harry and I to babysit.

“She’s a biter.” She told us as soon as I opened the door.

“Nice to see you Elsie.” I said. She handed over her 7 month old, Penelope a baby bag and then pulled out her phone. Penelope was a mini Elsie, right down to the wide smile and blue eyes. Her hair was wild and tangled and I could see dark circles under her eyes. She had sounded ecstatic to have me baby sit her daughter when I talked to her yesterday. I couldn’t imagine being 24 and having a baby. Then again I was 27 and I couldn’t imagine having a baby.

“I have to go to the spa; I’ll be back in 3 hours.” She said and then was gone. I smiled at Penelope and she smiled back, making noises.

“We don’t need your mommy. We’ll have tons of fun!” I cooed. I brought her into the apartment where Harry was eating his breakfast in his underwear. I rolled my eyes.

“At least he has his underwear on. Sometimes he doesn’t even bother. Isn’t he silly?” I said to Penelope. She clapped her hands together. Harry smiled at the baby.

“Well sometimes putting on clothes takes too long, and I’m hungry.”

“Can you at least put on some clothes? I don’t know how much she remembers at this age but I’d prefer it not to be you in your underwear.”

“That would be quite a memory.” Harry said with a smile. I shifted Penelope to my other hip.

“Please.” I said.

“Fine.” He sighed. He got up and went to put clothes on and I put Penelope on the couch while I went through the bag. There was some diapers, food and a toy or two. I took out a rattle and shook it. Penelope squealed when it rattled and called her hands. I gave it to her and she started shaking it as hard as she could. I smiled and Harry came out in sweat pants and shirt.

“Hi Penelope!” He said, sitting next to her. She kept shaking her rattle. “Can I play with that?” He asked, reaching for it. Before I had time to blink Harry yowled and drew his hand back. She kept playing with her rattle.

“What happened?”

“She bit me!” Harry showed me the tiny bite marks on his hand. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s not funny!” He said with a smile on his face.

“Maybe she doesn’t like you.” I said.

“Why don’t you try then?” The rattle was getting annoying. I crouched in front of her on the couch, she kept shaking the rattle, oblivious.

“Hi Penelope!” I chirped. “It’s nice to share, can I play with your rattle?” I reached out slowly and just as my hand closed around the rattle she struck. I drew my hand back.

“Jesus Christ!” I looked at my hand, sure enough there was bite mark similar to Harry’s. We both stared at the baby.

“She’s like a ninja.” Harry said. She kept playing only I could swear there was a smile on her face.

“I hate that stupid thing.” I said.

“Emma!”

“The rattle! Not Penelope.”

“We have to get it away from her.”

We spent the rest of the time trying to get the rattle away from Penelope. We tried food, we tried more toys, we even picked her up and carried her around, and we took her for a walk. Nothing worked and she kept shaking that stupid rattle. Harry and I sat on the floor while she was on the couch. Our hands were covered in bright red bite marks and I was about to call Elsie and tell her to come back and get Penelope. If anything to get away from that stupid rattle.

“I want to know how a baby is stronger than both of us combined.” Harry said.

“I want to know how she could bite us both at once.” I said, leaning back on my hands and staring at the baby.

“I think you’ve sworn in front of her like 27 times by now.”

“Oh well, she’ll have a very colorful vocabulary.” Harry laughed and I joined in. This was crazy, why was it so hard to get a rattle away from a baby? Suddenly the noise stopped. My head snapped to see in disbelief that Penelope had dropped the rattle and was trying to grab a pillow instead.

“Oh my god.”

“What.” Harry looked over and his eyes bulged out of his head. Penelope moved back towards the rattle.

“Grab the rattle!” I shrieked. “Grab the damn rattle!” Harry lunged for the rattle and managed to grab it. He did a victory dance around the living room and I joined it. Penelope started to cry and our celebration was cut short.

“Oh shit.” Harry said. I went and picked up Penelope and started bouncing her. She cried harder.

“Shh.” I tried to quiet her but nothing happened. Harry took her and nothing happened. We looked at each other.

“I almost miss that rattle.” I said. Harry glared at me. I grabbed the baby bag. “ Let’s check again.” I sighed.

Elsie came and left with the baby. Harry and I collapsed on the couch.

“That went better than I thought.” Harry said. I raised my eye brows.

“Really?”

“Yeah I just thought you’d leave me with the baby and go shopping or something.” I wanted to punch him in the arm but I was too tired.

“At least we know what to do.” I said, putting my head on his shoulder.

“For our own baby?”

“Well yeah. And we’re babysitting next Saturday too.” I closed my eyes and fell asleep before I could see his reaction.

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