Okay, so first of all I'm so sorry this took me this long. If you didn't know, I moved to the states in the beginning of March, and I'm still adjusting to everything.

New country, new family, new job, new house, new fucking everything. And worse part, still no friends here.

So, It's been really hard to find a moment to calm my head and get the mindset I needed to write something good enough to publish.

I've tried writing this chapter for like the past seven days and I'm still super unsure about it.

But you all deserve an update, you've waited long enough.

So, here it is.

Thank you for waiting. Just three more chapters, then the epilogue.
Love you

Mag 🦋

TWENTY-FIVE

I knew that the second Brianna returned from the States, my time with Freddie would be reduced and that I would start missing him again.
And I was already despising it. 

Not for her -since we were currently in good terms- but because for what she told me, she had great news, so that could only mean she got the job.

It was getting harder and harder each day for me to be away from Freddie and for him to let me go to work. Every time I tried to leave him at the daycare, he would cling to me like a koala; so just by the thought of Brianna actually moving away with him, I was getting a little nervous.

The day she returned, Freddie and I went to the airport to pick her up, and it kind of scared me how happy and rested she looked, because it was only confirming my suspicions, she got the job.

She had definitely gotten the job in California.
I could read it on her face.

When she spotted us in the arrivals section of the airport, she left her suitcases on the floor, and Freddie ran to greet her with a hug that she was expecting with open arms. 
She hugged him close, kissing his cheek and telling him how much she missed him.

Then, she turned to me and hugged me for the first time in forever. Something that I definitely wasn't expecting.

She kept Freddie attached to her hip as he clung to her neck.
All three of us wrapped in a nice, but yet weird, hug.

"I got it, Lou!" - She exclaimed as she split the hug.

"Oh, yeah? I figured." - I smiled at her.

"Yeah! They confirmed it last night by email. God, you don't know how huge this is!"

"I'm sure you'll be great, B." - I shrugged, forcing a smile. - "Should we get going?"

"Yes." - She smiled, starting to walk by my side as I carried her luggage. - "Thank you for coming to get me." - She told me, then turned to Freddie. - "Both of you." - She tickled him, causing Freddie to laugh.

"No problem." - I smiled genuinely.

"How's everything been going, then?"

"Great. We had no problems, right little lad?"

"Yes!" - Freddie exclaimed as we kept walking towards my car.

"I'm glad you had a good time, then." - Brianna smiled again, then placed Freddie on the ground as I unlocked my car and she proceeded to secure Freddie on his seat. - "Do you think it was enough for you to bond?" - She asked me.

"Yes, definitely."

"Good." - She nodded, sitting on the passenger's seat by my side. - "How did it feel to be a full-time parent?"

I took a deep breath, holding tightly the steering wheel.

"It was great, honestly. He's great, we had fun. He went back to school, and I promise you he never, not once these past days he had an episode or a tantrum or anything." - I said in all honesty. - "But I guess it doesn't really matter, does it? You got the job, you're moving." - I shrugged. - "At least I got to be with him these weeks."

"Lou." - She chuckled, shaking her head. - "I really can see you're trying, okay? I see a huge difference in you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I now can see that you care. And not for selfish reasons."

"Well, yeah. I too think I changed." - I sighed. - "I'm glad you can see that."

"I mean, he's still alive." - She joked, pointing back at Freddie that had already fallen asleep on his seat. - "So, you did good."

"Well, thank you." - I laughed. 

"You know..." - She smirked. - "You're wrong about something."

"What?"

"I don't think I'll be moving at all."

"What?" 

"I'm not moving to California." - She smiled.

"But... what? You got the job!"

"I know!"- She laughed. - "But it's not a twenty-four seven job." - She smirked. - "I only have to go there every three weeks for sessions or testing their products and stuff. I'll still be the face of the brand, a completely permanent position, but I can do most of the promoting from home." - She shrugged. - "So, no moving. Just a four-day trip per month. Which for, I'm counting with you to have Freddie."

"Come again? You're seriously staying in London?"

"Yep, me and Freddie both. Also, this job is going to be paying me a lot, so, soon I'll pay you your half of the house, so you don't have to worry about paying for that anymore."

"Wait." - I said, stopping the car on the red light and turning to her. - "So, I can continue seeing Freddie."

"Sure. We'll make a month schedule so he can have time with both of us. And the days I'm away, he'll stay with you and Niall."

The traffic light turned green, so I started the car again, shaking my head in disbelief.

"All this fucking suffering was for nothing?" - I asked and she laughed. - "Damn, B."

"Sorry." - She shrugged. - "At least it worked to get your head out of your arse."

I laughed.

Everything seemed fucking unrealistic.
Everything was slowly falling into place.

If Brianna was being truthful, then that meant Freddie and I could even have more time together than before her sudden trip to the states.
That also meant he could maintain his life here, his friends, me, Niall, even his school.

"I can't believe it." -  I chuckled. - "Well, I guess that I can start planning on getting my own place now." - I thought out loud.

"You can."

"Why staying though? You had everything ready to move."

"Everything but your permit." - She shrugged. - "I could see when we spoke on the phone these days, that you were really trying with him, that you cared and that you were being truthful to your word. Would you have given me the permit if I asked?" - She asked, smiling. 

"I don't know." - I frowned. - "I didn't want to though. But I think I would have just to avoid conflicts."

"I thought so." - She smiled softly. - "But also, for the first time, I could see a father happy and proud of his son. I don't want my son to grow up without you in his life, because he admires you. But I only can afford that to happen now, because you changed, Louis." - She said, now rolling down the window and looking outside. - "I always gave you the chance to be in his life, Lou. You just never took it. Now that you finally understood what being a parent means, is easier for me to trust you." - She turned to me again. - "We're staying here, but this is your last chance. Don't fuck it up, Tomlinson." 

"I know. Thank you, B."

"We're humans." - She shrugged. - "We made a lot of mistakes. Starting with our freaking marriage." - She chuckled. - "These days that I didn't have to worry about Freddie, I actually got the time to think over a lot of things, you know? And I came to the conclusion that I also haven't been the best. But I was exhausted and worried about his wellbeing."

"I can understand that. We both could have done better."

"Yeah." - She snorted. - "Louis?"

"Yeah?"

"You seriously broke up with Harry?"

"Technically, he broke up with me."

"I know, but was it for real?"

"Yes." - I shrugged. - "Didn't it seem real for you? You were there."

"I know, but I kinda thought you guys would get back together the second I got out of the country."

"Well, we didn't. I'm still a single pringle."

"So, he really broke up with you." - She hummed.

"He just wanted peace for Freddie, I guess. And he understood he was the main problem at the time, so yeah."

"I find hard to believe that you didn't try to get back with him, though."

"Even if I wanted to, he was right. Freddie was more important. I needed to get my head out of my arse, as you well said before."

"And now that he is Freddie's teacher again? Still nothing?"

"Why are you so curious all of a sudden?" - I asked in return.

"Didn't you love him?" - She asked instead.

"I do love him." 

"But you're not with him because I said so?"

"I'm not with him because he thinks he's the problem and he doesn't want me to be away from Freddie because of him. You know this already, B. What's with all these questions anyways?"

"Because I can't fucking believe it. You finally found someone who actually loves you, and if he really decided to end up things with you to protect our ensembled family, then, I mean, why put your happiness on hold?"

"You are saying I should be with Harry?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"Yes!"

"Are you fucking serious, B?"

"I'm not going to forbid you from seeing him now, you proved me you care. He even proved he wanted nothing but the best for Freddie, and it's obvious that he likes Harry now too." - She sighed. - "At first I thought that you wanted Freddie just to get closer to Harry, that you were using Freddie. But now I know it's not like that." - She said. - "Look, I'm not a monster. I'm really sorry for what I did."

"So, are you saying that I can be with Harry and you wouldn't care?"

"It shouldn't matter what I think as long as it doesn't involve my son's wellbeing. I don't understand why you are even asking." - She smiled warmly.

"So, just to be clear." - I said, carefully. - "You're okay with me being present in Freddie's life and also date Harry?"

"Don't ask permission, Lou. I had my fair time to think this through." - She shrugged. - "We just have to watch over Freddie, I don't want him going aggressive again. Maybe we can even try with one of those therapists you looked." 

"Really?" - I snorted.

"Yeah. really."

"Thank you so much." - I said and she smiled.

I swiftly parked in front of my ex-house, helping Brianna get her luggage out of the trunk and slowly waking Freddie up from his nap.

"Freddie, say goodbye to your dad." - Brianna said, holding him against her hip. 

Freddie extended his little arms, asking to be hugged.
I took him in my arms, cuddled him for a second and then carried him all the way to their front door.

"Are you taking me to school tomorrow?" - He asked in his still sleepy voice.

"Yes, little lad. I wouldn't miss it."

"Okay." - He smiled, then kissed my cheek before I put him down.

"Guess I'll see you tomorrow too." - Brianna said, holding the door open for Freddie.

Freddie entered the house, leaving me and Briana still on the front door.

"Yes." - I smiled.

"Now go, you have things to do." - Briana smirked at me. - "I'm sure Harry will receive yo even if its late."

"You want me to go to his place now?" - I laughed.

"Don't waste another second." - She said.

I shook my head in disbelief, actually surprising myself when I pulled Brianna into a hug before running towards my car again.

It only took me a second to find my phone and quickly type a message to Harry.

Can we meet at your place? It's important.

And without even waiting for a reply, I turned on the engine and drove away.
I wasn't going to wait another second.