Charlie Robin Styles [Addition to We're Having Our Baby]

The Styles Band

Harry's P.O.V. Charlie 11, Sophia 

"Hey Charlie," I crack open the music room. I should have expected her to be in here instead of searching every other room in the house first. "What are you working on?"

"Um, nothing," she closes the piano keys.

"I won't bother you if you're practicing," I tell her. I know she hates it when we interrupt her or watch her practice.

"It's okay, I was done anyway."

"Do you want to play something together?" I ask, nodding towards the piano she's sat at.

"Sure," I see her trying to hide her smile, but I also know how much she enjoys playing with me. I love it too; it fills my heart to share my passion for music with my kids.

I grab my newest acoustic and take a seat on one of the stools near Charlie's upright piano. I quickly tune a few strings and play the main chords to All My Lovin' by The Beatles.

"That's my favorite song," Charlie says, opening the cover for the keys that she had just closed.

"Yeah? I used to sing it to you all the time before I'd leave for work or tour."

"I remember," she smiles, "Can you teach me how to play it?"

"I would love to." I grab a sheet of blank paper and Charlie hands me a pen to begin writing down the chord progression. Charlie has been playing piano for five years now, so I know she'll pick up on the song pretty quick. She's crazy talented—seriously you can tell her to play any chord and she'll figure it out within seconds.

"That's it?" Charlie asks once I've placed the paper on the piano for her to read.

"I'm sorry, is it not advanced enough for you? There is an augmented chord in there." She laughs along with me.

"It's fine," she says, and I count us off to begin the intro. We roughly play through it once, but by the middle of the second try we've settled into our rhythm.

"We should play together more often. Maybe Soph can start playing the drums in a few years and we'll give Mum the tambourine or something. Eventually, we could make a five-person band!"

"Five? There's only four of us, Dad," Charlie laughs at my mistake.

"Actually," I remember what I originally came in here to talk to her about, "What would you think if your mum and I had another baby?"

Charlie looks up from the keys to me, "That would be cool. I like babies, and I love Soph."

I smile at her reaction and debate telling her on the spot. I'm too impatient to wait for Em even though she's only a few rooms away, so I spill the news without her. She'll understand... I hope.

"That's good, because in approximately eight months you'll have new sibling."

"I knew it!" she smiles.

"What! How did you know?" I start thinking back to Em and I's first conversation about having another child. I'm pretty sure Charlie wasn't home then; it would be pretty awkward if she overheard us. Could she have seen the pregnancy tests in our bathroom?

"You and Mum have been extra happy lately, plus you bought that chocolate peanut butter ice cream the other day. You never buy ice cream, Dad. I'm not oblivious."

"Not only is my oldest a musical prodigy, but she's also smarter than me. And she has a better memory! You were only eight or nine when she was pregnant with Soph, I can't believe you remember that ice cream so well."

She shrugs and takes a moment to think before speaking up again. "Does anyone else know?" She asks me.

"No. Only you, me, and your Mum. We're waiting to tell Soph until Mum's a little further along," I tell Charlie.

"Nan and Grandma will be really excited," she says, "Where will the baby sleep?"

"We'll probably turn Soph's room back into a nursery, so she'll get a new bedroom."

"Can I help build the nursery!" Charlie asks.

"Of course, you can. I'd appreciate the extra help. But come on, let's go tell your Mum that I told you before she finds out later."