Isn't She Lovely (h.s)

Chapter 16

Samantha

"Daddy?" Catherine whispered quietly in amazement and Harry shyly nodded, almost like he was afraid of how she would react to his confession.

"Y-yeah sweetheart, yeah, it's me," he started, but before he could continue Catherine had thrown herself fully into his arms, knocking the wind out of his lungs as she nuzzled her small face into his neck. I could see the shaking of Harry's shoulders as he finally let down the wall that had held back his sobs. I watched on with my own tears dancing in my eyes as he held her in his arms and buried his face into her own curls.

"I'm your Daddy, sweet girl, and I'm sorry I left you. I'm so so sorry I ever left you." I wiped the tears from my own eyes and wrapped my arms around Harry and our daughter.

"Daddy's home! Mummy, Mummy look! Daddy!" I felt a tear slip down my cheek at the sight of my daughter so happy. Harry squeezed my hand in his larger one and brought it up to brush his lips against my knuckles.

"I know baby, how great is that?" I ruffled her curls between my fingers as I beamed up at Harry and he smiled back.

I saw Catherine furrow her eyebrows and she cocked her head to the side in that adorable three year old way of hers.

"Why you was gone Daddy? I miss-ed you!" Harry looked away trying to phrase it right, he couldn't just tell her that he had no idea she had even existed until a little over a month ago. I felt a twinge of guilt coil in my stomach, it was my fault he was now in this uncomfortable position having to lie to our daughter.

"Well, Love bug, Daddy was very busy working. But I promise you that I will never be gone that long ever again." She nodded, seeming to accept his answer, and the three of us sat in silence for a little while, as Catherine played with the sparkly rings on H's fingers before whipping around to me.

"Mummy, you and Daddy get Mawwied?" I cleared my throat and glanced at Harry who was trying to hold back a laugh at her abrupt shift in the conversation. I opened and closed my mouth like a fish out of water, eyes bulging as I pleaded for Harry to answer instead. He only shot me a cheeky grin and gestured with his hand for me to continue. I rolled my eyes in a 'screw you' manner as I cleared my throat.

"Um, well you see baby, we uh... You're daddy and I," I wracked my brain for the best way to tell her that her mum and dad weren't actually together. 'Not yet anyway,' the voice in the back of my head whispered and I shooed it away with another cough to clear my throat. Luckily Harry chose that moment to finally save my ass.

"No baby girl, Mummy and I aren't getting married." She frowned and stood up.

"But whyyy? Mummy's and Daddy's sup-pose be mawwied! All my fwiends at daycawe Mummy's and Daddy's awe." I laughed nervously as she pouted, and reached for her to join me on my lap.

"Baby, your friends Mummy's and Daddy's are also all ten years older than yours, we're not a very conventional family, are we?" I could tell everything I had said to our baby girl had gone straight over her small head. I thought for a minute before trying to explain it in a way that would make sense to her. "Daddy and I have always been very good friends and we love each other very much, but... things between Mummy and Daddy are very confusing now that Daddy's back... and we're just not ready to be married is all..." I trailed off as Harry gave my hand a supportive squeeze before rubbing circles into Catherine's small back.

"Just because we aren't getting married doesn't mean we can't be a family, right sweetheart? I still love you and Mummy very much and want to be with you both." I sent Harry a thankful smile and he threw his arm back around me to give me a side hug. Catherine seemed to consider what we had just told her before slowly nodding her head in agreement. "Otay Daddy!" just like that she dropped it with a shrug as she walked out of the room and into the living room to play with her toys she had left out that morning. All I could do was stare after her in amazement. How in the world did Harry get her to drop the subject so damn fast? I huffed crossing my arms over my chest. Definitely a Daddy's Girl already.