*Colleen’s P.O.V.*
My mom and dad always told me that when I was a baby I slept through the night, a rare thing for a newborn. I've always heard people say, “I slept like a baby last night,” and I always thought that was weird because babies don't sleep at night. Then I got thinking, maybe it's said because when a baby does sleep, it's a calm and restful sleep. No tossing and turning, and no signs of dreaming. “How long ago did she fall asleep?” I ask my husband, Harry, as I lean against the doorframe.
“She just fell asleep.” Harry kisses Diana's forehead after he places her in the crib. I couldn't be any more proud of Harry; he helped me through so much, and I love that I get to watch him take care of our daughter.
“You look like crap,” I laugh when we get to our room.
“Love you too, Colleen,” Harry replies sarcastically.
“Get some sleep, baby.”
“Okay.” Harry kisses my forehead before he gets into bed next to me.
I can't believe it's been six months since Diana was born and the boys’ final tour ended. It was the greatest time of my life. With Harry at my side for good, my life couldn't get any better. I don't like to think about what happened over the past year or so. I'm still on my medications, and I don't remember the last time I had a nightmare; and according to Harry I haven't had a night-terror either.
*Five Years Later*
“Colleen!” I wake up to Harry yelling for me.
I stumble over to Diana’s room, “What?” I grumble.
“This one is for you,” Harry says while Diana giggles. Her clothes have been thrown on top of him because Diana seems to be one of the kids who have fallen into the ‘I want to be naked’ phase. I walk into the room laughing pulling her pants from his head.
“Come on, love bug,” I say. “You need to get ready. We have work to do today.” I tickle her a bit. Diana has mine Harry’s curls with my dirty-blonde color, but also more red tints. Along with having his green eyes, she has his nose; not much left of mine. You can still tell she’s my daughter, but I think she’s going to end up looking more like Harry than me.
“Okay,” she laughs.
“How do you do it?” Harry asks watching me.
“To be honest, I have no idea. You always knew how I felt on this subject.”
“Motherhood suits you, though.”
Even though Diana still won’t let Harry put on her clothing, he does amaze me. Harry really fits the role of being a dad. He’s been absolutely wonderful with her. I still like to hide outside the doorway to her room and listen to him sing something I used to catch myself singing during troubling times, “Feed the Birds.” I sing it so rarely that the first time I heard Harry sing it to her, it shocked me; I cried that night remembering how my dad used to sing it to me almost every night before I turned twelve. Harry, since the day Diana was born, has become the one who gets out of bed at night if Diana wakes up; whether it's a diaper change, feeding, or a nightmare. Those nightmares worry me more than ever; they remind me of the days I got them.
Once I’m done getting Diana dressed, Harry tries to pick her up, “No way, mister. After five years, you still get her all the time. Need I remind you I am the one who birthed her? I would like some time with my daughter.”
“Mummy, what does birth mean?” Diana asks. This girl has a clear speech, but also Harry's British accent.
“You are the one who birthed her,” Harry teases escaping from the room.
“You’re seriously going to get it!” I laugh. I look back at Diana and say, “I’ll tell you when you’re older, dear.”
“Okay.”
“Let’s go get breakfast!” I pick her up.
Diana slides from my arms running over to Harry. “Hi Princess,” he smiles.
“Daddy! Uppy!”
“Okay,” he smiles. I love how much Harry has been a big part of her life; but he still doesn’t like taking Diana out unless it’s for a doctor’s appointments or meeting up with the others. Which they’re the only ones who even babysit her. The paparazzi are still active; not as much as they used to be, but they’ll still test their luck ‘stealing’ pictures. I have to hold Harry back sometimes when the paps get too close as they try to get pictures of Diana and me. After her birth, he took a picture of the two of us then posted it on his Instagram. The only time he will let that happen is on her birthday or mine.
In other news, my business is better than ever. With Harry as my new partner, we have been able to expand the kennel property and hold more dogs. And by expanding, I mean moving. The kennel is now located about forty minutes west of London. It’s on ten acres of land that cost a lot; and if it wasn’t for Harry, I would have never been able to get this. The building itself sits on 8,625 square feet of land, and because there aren’t many dog kennels this size near London, I am able to stay busy and keep my employees. As any business owner, I hear complaints every day, but I still hear more positive things than negative. I’m no longer behind a desk doing the numbers and making sure no one is taking money from me.
Diana stays in the playroom at work with our other new addition, Leroy. Now that the kennel is making money, I started a Pit Bull rescue; something I have always wanted. Leroy is a brindle and white, two year old Pit Bull with big brown eyes, and he is just as protective of Diana as Harry and I are. “Hey buddy,” Harry says taking his attention away from the stove to pet Leroy. Leroy whines at him. “What? Are you hungry?” Leroy barks.
Diana runs past me to the closet where we keep his food, “I got it, mummy!” she says excitedly. I walk behind her as she takes a scoop full of food then messily dumps it into his bowl. Leroy eats it right away.
“Diana,” say Harry, “What do you want to drink?”
“Milk!”
“Just like her mother.” Diana helps me set the table as Harry finishes cooking. Once ready Harry takes a seat next to Diana, like always, while Leroy takes his spot next to me. On the floor, I might add.
One thing that is hard for me is to take my medications around Diana. I always fear that she’ll think I’m crazy; even at her young age. So I either wait for her to leave the kitchen or take them while my back is to her.
“There’s nothing wrong with you, Love,” Harry comforts me as I take them staring at nothing. “You’re only on two; that’s no reason to think you’re crazy. Plenty of people need help with their emotions,” he rubs my back.
“I know, it’s just hard still… I don’t want Diana to question it. I’m scared to think what would happen if the public found out that I’m on them.”
“I don’t see how they could find out unless someone told them… No one knows about your past except for your family.” Harry wraps his arms around me then kisses the top of my head. “I love you,” he says.
“I love you too,” I say turning to kiss his lips.
After work we’ll be seeing the others for a monthly dinner, and I’m excited to Eleanor’s baby bump; she’s eight months pregnant now. Niall and Andrea have recently come back from South Africa; two years ago the decided to go see her family, and stayed with them since. But now that they’re back, they’ve been staying in the UK even with their house in Ireland. Louis and Niall started a football academy, and on the side Niall and Andrea are running their own pub, ‘The Old Stand.’ It’s no surprise that Niall would make something out of his four most favorite things: Andrea, football, food and beer. Kaitlyn and Liam bought a house in the countryside to settle out of the limelight. Their house does include their own recording studio where they give vocal and music lessons. Zayn and Perrie have also been doing great with themselves; Perrie started her own fashion line called Zap, and Zayn is now a professor at Wimbledon College of Art.
