Change me (Harry Hook) [ENGLISH] {💯%}

22. Parenting & work

I had to go back to work in my bar after a few weeks.
Still, I felt guilty since Mal  had to do it alone now. During the day at least.
Fortunately, I made a lot of sales. There were many AKs that could use a drink.
Even Jane came.
"Hey Harry. Is it a bit easier with little Micheal?"
"Yes really thank you. Wait a minute."
Carlos was on the other side of the bar.
"De vil. What's for Jane?"
"Why?"
"I still have to thank her for a few weeks back."
"Something down to Auradon."
"Okay."
And I gave Jane a real Auradon cocktail.
"Here from the house. Because you helped Mal and me then."
"Thank you Harry."
She walked over to Carlos and chuckled.

That night I counted the turnover. Jeez! Were there so many people? Almost five hundred gold coins.
I chuckled and quickly went home.
Mal looked up.
"How was it in your bar?"
I showed her the bag of gold.
"Good though."
"Jeez!"
"I'll put it in the safe and get there in a minute."
A little later, Micheal was lying on my lap.
"Micheal can almost say mom and dad."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, nice, huh?"
I looked at Micheal.
"Da... Da..." he said with a laugh.
I chuckled.

Two years later...

"Micheal? Where are you again?"
Mal chuckled.
"Since he can walk, it's hard to let him sit on the couch, isn't it?"
"Ha ha. We have to keep him whole as Cj and Zevon will be married tomorrow."
I walked around the living room.
"Micheal, where are you?"
"Daddy!" said Micheal's voice laughing as he ran underneath/between my legs.
"Got you" I said as I lifted him up.
He giggled and Mal chuckled.
"Ben also comes to see the future king of Auradon."
"Again?"
"Apparently..."
My phone rang and I gave Micheal to Mal.
When I picked up I was shocked.
"Celia? How do you get my number?"
"Not important. Maybe you want to come to the hospital for Cj..."
"What? Why? What happened?"
"Relax. Cj is okay."
Before I could say more, Celia had hung up.
I looked at Mal.
"I have to go. Something with Cj in the hospital."
"Wait... Didn't you know that...?"
I didn't hear Mal and jumped into our (new) car.

In the hospital, Celia was waiting for me.
"There she is."
I walked into the room and saw Cj lying on a hospital bed with a baby on her arm.
"Were you pregnant?" I blurted out in surprise.
Cj looked up.
"Harry!"
I came to stand next to her.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I never thought of it... Sorry..."
I chuckled.
"What do you think of your niece?"
"She looks like you."
"Her name is Merlin."
That name rang a bell but I didn't know what.
"That's a nice name."
Zevon came running.
"Congratulations," I said to him.
"Harry! Not seen for a long time."
"Well you can find me in my bar every day."
Zevon chuckled and Cj looked at him.
"But where did they leave Kade?"
I looked at Cj confused.
"Who is Kade?"
"My son. I have twins."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Zevon looked at the ground.
"Kade didn't make it..."
"What...?" said Cj shocked.
I looked at Zevon in amazement.
Cj sobbed and Zevon comforted her.
Dumbfounded, I walked away.
"Cj had twins. And now only a daughter. And so I'm uncle..."

At home, Mal looked at me questioningly.
"Everything okay?"
"Did you know Cj was pregnant?"
She nodded.
"She had twins. The boy didn't make it." I muttered.
"So Merlin?"
"Seriously? Did you even know the names?!"
"Sorry..."
Micheal walked up to me and laughed.
"Daddy home!!!"
I chuckled and lifted him up.
"Yes, Micheal. I'm back."

It was a magical feeling to see Micheal getting older and older. And before we knew it, he was 8 and would also go to Auradon prep.
None of our acquaintances was there anymore, but fortunately he got along well with his niece Merlin.
I looked at Mal.
"I have to work soon. Gil now has a job with me and I have to make sure he doesn't tear down the place. Will Micheal stay on Auradon prep or will you pick him up?"
"He says his room there is awesome."
"Okay. I'll see you later."

In the bar I already saw Gil standing.
"Hey Harry! Thank you for allowing me to work here."
"Yes, yes. Can you make cocktails and stuff?"
"No, I'll do the cleanup."
"You do that voluntarily?"
"Yes?"
"Be my guest."
Gil looked at me in amazement and soon the first customers came in.
And even Uma came along again.
"Hey Hook. So you hired Gil?"
"Yes, is there something wrong with that?"
"No. May I place my firm order."
"The version that Mal had come up with for you or -" Gil said.
"Gil!" I hissed.
Uma looked at me in amazement.
"What is that?"
"Shrimp cocktail, said Gil, and Uma looked at me with envy.
"My own firm order please."
"A sea themed cocktail, coming right up."
She rolled her eyes.
"Thanks Hook."
"You can also just use my first name like everyone else."
"I'll think about it."
"Is your chip shop still running?"
"No, of course not..."
"We can make a bar and fries out of this."
"Do you want that?"
"Do you have anything to do at all?"
"No, I'm still looting stuff from the island to make ends meet."
"Seriously?"
"Who wants to have Ursula's daughter at work."
"Otherwise, shall we could bring back the old trio?"
Gil looked up.
"Okay."
Uma sighed.
"That's not possible at all."
"Why?" I asked in amazement.
"You are not like you used to be. Gil and I are still ourselves."
"I am myself too!"
"Not true! You are the AK version of you!"
"Uma, this is who I am."
Gil walked away while Uma and I argued.

A little later, someone threw the door open.
"Enough!" cried a familiar girl's voice.
Uma and I both turned around to the door.
"Mal?!"
"Yes, me. Gil came to me because your fight escalated!"
"I just offered Uma to reunite the old squad!"
"As if that is possible with the AK Harry!" cried Uma.
"Like you're still Evil!"
"More than you have been since you came to Auradon!"
"Quiet!"
Mal looked at us just green eyes and she took a deep breath.
"Harry. Uma. JUST LEAVE EACH OTHER ALONE IF YOU CAN'T GET ALONG!!!"
Mal panted and left.
Uma snorted.
"The sea three will never be reunited."
"Uma..."
She ran off and Gil came in silently.
"And now?"
I grabbed the cash drawer and went to the back towards the small office.
"I'm going to count the turnover and arrange your part for you. Clean up or something." I said enviously.

The next morning Ben arrived.
"Hi Harry, how is Micheal?"
"Ask him yourself."
Ben came into our house and Micheal was coming.
"Dad! When are we going to the lake?"
"Calm down, you."
I lifted Micheal and he chuckled.
"Put me down. I'm not a small child anymore."
"You're eight."
"So?"
I rolled my eyes, put him down and Ben walked over to him.
"Hi Micheal, do you remember me?"
"King Ben. What are you doing here?"
"Do you know that you will later become king of Auradon?"
"Huh?"
"You will get some lessons from tomorrow, which can be useful in eight years."
"Do you have to do that now?" I asked in amazement.
Ben nodded.
"He must be ready to become king at sixteen."
Mal arrived.
"Ben? Why are you here?"
Micheal looked confused from Ben at me.
"What is he talking about dad?"
Mal looked at Micheal.
"Just go to your room. I'll come to you when we go to the lake."
Micheal nodded confused and walked away.
Mal looked at Ben angrily.
"You'd wait until he was ten!"
"Mal, Micheal is super smart-"
"Why is it necessary now?!"
Micheal was standing in the doorway and I walked over to him while Mal and Ben were still arguing.
"Dad, why is Mom arguing with King Ben?"
"Come, I'll explain it to you."

He nodded and we went to his room.
We sat down on his bed.
"Why do I become king later? Or why did King Ben say that?"
"Micheal look... Ben could not have a wife and therefore no throne successor.  He asked us for a Royal Heir."
"A what?"
"That our child would become throne successor."
"So I have to?"
"Actually, yes... But we would have agreed if he didn't start talking about it until you were ten... But that went wrong..."
"But why did you never say that?"
"You're eight. We know you're not a little kid anymore but we wanted to give you a normal childhood..."