What Makes You Beautiful (A Niall Horan FanFic)

Chapter 69: The Two Sides of Life

Tara's POV

I burst through the hospital doors, my mind spinning around in circles. I try to breath as normal as possible, but, right now, that's not very easy. Jack's text has given me a sudden worry that I'm sure will take a giant toll on me tomorrow. Why is did Jack text me that? Could something have happened to Mum? I thought the doctors said she'd be fine for another day or two, I think.

I walk down the hallways of the hospital until I find the small waiting room and Jack and Kayla sitting in the bland, hard chairs with their heads drooping down. I let out a big sigh and walk towards them.

"What's happened? Is Mum okay?" I ask, taking a seat in the empty chair next to Kayla. Jack and Kayla both look up at me, their eyes showing dread and restlessness. The room suddenly grows cold and silent. The usual sounds of heart monitors and doctors bustling around drowns away as everything starts to sink in. My whole body starts to go numb. Jack's voice breaks through my stunned state.

"They're...they're, um, working on her right now. Dr. Cohen says this one will only hold her over until the visiting doctor, Dr. Kline, can get here," Jack fills me in. I nod my head absentmindedly. At the moment, my brain is spinning with too many things. Fears, worries, memories whirl around inside my head.

"Dr. Cohen said it was a simple procedure, though!" Kayla offers up. I can tell her voice is trying its hardest not to show its true feelings, for my sake, but it hardly works. I already know that she is just as scared as I am.

"When," I say, my voice cracking prominently, "did they say the surgery will be over?"

Neither of them will meet my gaze.

"When will they be finished!" I ask more persistently. Kayla looks over at Jack and stares at him. He sighs and leans back in his chair.

"The nurse said it should be over at 9:30PM," Jack finally says. I look down at my watch. It's 7:45PM right now.

"You mean they're performing a 'non dangerous' procedure on Mum, and it's going to take about two hours!" I say. Kayla closes her eyes and nods her head as she clasps and unclasps her hands. I shake my head in disbelief. How can a "minor" surgery take over three hours? That's just insane!

"Look. It'll be fine. The doctors said they had it under control and that they've performed this surgery a million times before. Everything will turn out fine," Jack says reassuringly. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes as I try to calm my racing heart.

"Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything. Will. Be. Fine," I mumble to myself, forcing my brain to accept it. I squeeze my eyes shut and pull my knees to my chest as I continue repeating those four words. Everything will be fine...

Niall's POV

I stand up from my spot under the Rowan tree and brush my pants off. The dirt comes off in puffs causing me to cough loudly and I try to wave it away.

"Niall! Come inside!" Mum yells from the backyard door. I turn around and signal her that I heard her and am on my way. Mum closes the door and walks away. I bend down and pick up the flower crown I made. I turn it over in my hands as I study it. I smile as I picture it on Tara's beautiful red hair. The daisies would bring out her porcelain white skin tone and the green leaves and grass would compliment her eyes perfectly. I smile again, wider this time, as I carefully carry it back to the house.

When I open the door and step through, my senses are overwhelmed immediately. The kitchen is brightly lit and the air is filled with the wonderful smell of Shepherd's Pie. The warm room is crowded; the boys spread out all over. Liam is reading the funnies* whilst Louis and Harry are helping Mum prepare dinner. Zayn comes around the corner and takes a seat next to Liam and pulls out his phone. I sit down on the bar stool, placing the flower crown in front of me. Mum turns on the stove in front of me and puts a pot of water on to boil. Mum looks at me and smiles.

"I hope you're hungry!" Mum says cheerfully. Louis and Zayn laugh at her comment.

"Mrs. Horan, do you not know how much your son eats! I swear, it's like he's got an infinite stomach capacity! We must go through three things of sandwich meat in two days!" Harry says. I roll my eyes even though I know it's true. But hey! I'm a growing boy!

"So, I was thinking," Liam starts but is cut off my Lou.

"Well that's never good!" Louis says jokingly. Liam gives him a fake mad look and continues with his idea.

"I was thinking that tomorrow we'll go to the hospital and see how Tara is doing and if there is anything we can do to help her or her siblings. And, then, once we are sure that her mum is okay and everyone is well, we can go back to the States and finish up the California shows," Liam says. No one else has a better idea, so, we all just nod our heads in agreement. Mum looks at us and smiles.

"I like your idea, Li," Zayn says as he stands up. He shoves his phone in his pocket. "I'm going to go clean up for dinner."

We all wave him off and return to what we were doing before.

About ten minutes later, it is just me and Mum in the kitchen. I watch Mum bustle around the small kitchen and finish preparing dinner. I offer to help, but Mum ignores me and keeps doing what she wants. I smile as I observe her in her natural habitat. Growing up, I could never find her anywhere else but the kitchen. The warm air from the oven, the wonderful smell coming from the crock pot, and the silence of our company to each other makes this scene my new favourite memory.

"I'm going to take a nap before dinner. 'Kay?" I ask. Mum nods her head as if she really heard me, but I know she didn't. I know she's just doing it out of reflex, but that's okay. Because Mum is happy to have me home and I'm happy to be home.

*funnies - comics in the local newspaper

A/N:

Heylo! Again, my chapter stinks. It's basically a filler. I feel like I haven't done one of those in a while! Sorry! I was thinking about adding another thing but figured that would be too complicated, and I don't really want to make this harder than it needs to be.

Heads up, One Direction will be performing on 1 December 2015 in Dallas, Texas; 2 December 2015 in San Jose, California; and 4 December 2015 in Los Angeles, California. After that, One Direction will be finished with performances (as far as I know!) until they announce they are putting out a sixth album. However, they could be breaking up after their hiatus (I will literally cry myself a river!). I desperately hope that they don't do that for a while. Their music makes me too happy and wishful and hopeful and I don't want that taken from me any time soon.

Anyway, if you like my story, please comment, vote, and/or follow me. Love ya!