Chapter 38

L I N D Y

There was something else behind those green eyes that I cannot seem to figure out. He looks completely lost right now as if he was drifting further and further away from me.

Further away.

So far that I can’t seem to meet his eye.

“Harry?” I call out.

No response.

He was obviously thinking about something as he purse his lips with his eyes staring at something from the distant.

What was wrong? I thought to myself.

“Harry, are you okay?” I tried again but still there was no answer.

Can’t he hear from the other end? I was just talking to him about how Calvin has been doing for the last couple of days but Harry literally had an impassive look on his face with a distant gaze. He seemed inattentive.

“Harry!” I call out to him for the third time while he was obviously zoning out during our video call.

He finally snapped out of it and travelled his eyes back at me, “Oh, baby sorry. What were you saying?”

“Is there something wrong?” I can’t help but ask. “You look exhausted.”

He nods with a weak smile plastered on his face, “Yeah, I’m just thinking about a lot of things.”

“What things?” I worried.

He stares at me with storied eyes, “Just… about work.”

Work?

I want to think that it is about work but why does he look like there is something else that he is thinking of aside from work. Maybe I am just overthinking things?

“Has everything been going well?” I questioned with concern.

He took a long pause and looked at me with a sad smile on his face before he finally answered, “Yes. Everything is fine.” His voice sounded off.

Harry sounded like there was something bothering him and he isn’t just telling me about it. I wanted to ask him but he looks all guarded up. I wish it isn’t a woman that he is hiding something from me. Or worse…

“Are you getting bored with me?” I cant help but ask.

His brows creasing, “What? Where is this coming from?”

“I just feel like you are not in the mood right now.”

“No, no. It’s not like that.” He answers right away while shaking his head.

“Then what is is?”

“I’m sorry, I just… I didn’t mean for you to feel that way baby. I am nowhere near getting bored with you. I’m sorry.” He exhales and smiles a little wider now. “I am just having a lot of things on my plate right now. Thinking about a lot of stuff as well.”

He stares at me intently and I stare back with a weak smile, “I trust you.”

His outer lips curls to one side and forms a half grin, “I appreciate that.”

“I hope you trust me too.”

“Baby I do.”

“Then why can’t you tell me about something that’s bugging you? I know something is wrong.” I answered and he couldn’t even look me in the eye. “Is this something that you cannot tell me?” I tried again.

He looks at me with guilt-filled eyes, “No baby it’s not like that.”

“Are you cheating on me?” I feel hurt with my own words.

“No, baby. I could never.”

Even though I felt relieved, I know there is still something that is bothering him.

He breathes out heavily, “It’s just things that are… nothing important.”

Nothing important. Like what he told me when we went to Paris which makes me wonder if the two things are both related to each other.

Nothing important. God I swear I hate those words when he uses it because it makes me feel as if he is dodging something that could potentially lead for us to argue.

Nothing important. I don’t think it is something not important with the way those sad eyes looked lost and distant.

I smiled, “You know that you can always tell me anything.” I tried to reach out to him.

He nods, “I know, for now there is really nothing to tell.”

I paused, “Are you sure?”

He nods again with a tightlipped smile, “Of course.”

“Okay if you say so.”

“So how was school?”

Morning came quick and the sun was already bright out in the sky. Ever since Jake was caught, I can’t help but feel a little more relieved that he is where he needs to be. He can no longer taunt me and he can no longer hurt Calvin.

Just when I headed out of my house on my way to Yale, I see a present wrapped in red paper and gold ribbon which was left on the last step of my porch’s stairway. I closed the front door before I walked towards it and grabbed it as soon as it says, ‘To Lindy’ which was written in a beautiful cursive letters but there was no from.

I pulled my head up and looked around to see if anyone was standing by who could have possibly placed it outside my house, but there was no one. Not even a delivery truck. No one was around. I take a look at the box again and it didn’t look suspicious so I decided to open it, wondering what could be inside this lovely gift.

I took off the cover and there I see a very lovely new born’ dress which looked incredibly cute. I can’t help but smile just staring at it.

“Who is this from?” I asked myself.

I examined the inside of the box if there was anything that came from the receiver until I see a small note placed over the decor shavings. I grabbed it and stared at the short note which said:

“Has Harry ever told you about me? I bet he hasn’t. -Jolene”

A complete dreadful shiver run down my spine as soon as I saw her name on the small rectangular note. It was the same name that Gemma mentioned before. The same name that made Harry’s face look bittersweet and sour at the same time when her name was brought up.

Who is she? And what is she to Harry?

He has never talked to me about her at all and I have to know about her.

I decided to go back inside the house despite running late for class. I quickly check the Eye Spy Tab if it has caught anything but as soon as I checked it, there was no one. The camera was not able to catch till the last step of the porch’s stairway.

I decided to head to the campus and leave the box inside my house. Running late, I still went to my first class and tried to ignore the bothering thought of Jolene. I wanted to talk with Harry but I had to get through my entire day first and we can do it when he is available to talk.

Initially, I didn’t want to let him know about the gift yet because I didn’t want him to worry. Now that my pregnancy is out to the public, I needed to be extra careful. Also, Griffin is still out there. Thinking about Griffin makes me feel so anxious.

Around lunch, I received a response from Harry as he typed: “Pre-natal checkup at 2PM right baby?”

I smiled and glad that he remembered. I responded with a yes and kiss emoticons while my mind catapults me back to the worried thoughts about Jolene.

By two in the afternoon, I went to Dr. Penelope Fox’s clinic all by myself for my monthly pre-natal checkup. She has been pretty amazing the last couple of weeks and has been so sweet checking up on me every now and then. I could definitely say that I was in good hands.

“Oh if it isn’t my favorite preggy woman.” She welcomes me with a huge smile.

I gave her a hug, “Hello Doctor Fox. It’s so good to see you again.”

“Oh dear me too.” She pulls herself away, “You look glowing, I think it’s because of the vitamins? Have you been taking them in the morning?”

I nod with a smile, “Yes, just like what you told me to.”

“Lovely. Well, please do make yourself feel comfortable.”

Doctor Fox assisted me to the bed while she prepares the machine to be used. I tried FaceTiming Harry while I was waiting and he answered right away after the first ring. He smiles widely, “Hey baby.”

I smiled back, “Hi baby.”

He looked too excited and I can tell by his eyes that he was.

“Ah! Harry, it’s so good to see you again!” Doctor Fox calls out. “It’s so wonderful of you to join us virtually.” She smiles.

Harry seems to be in a good mood today, “I wouldn't want to miss the gender reveal. This is going to be the best day of my life.”

“Well you seem quite excited. Aren’t we all?” She smiles. “Let’s get this started.”

As soon as Doctor Fox started pulling up my top, showing off my big belly, she immediately lathered the KY jelly over which felt really cold against my skin. She placed the probe on my belly and started moving it around while she explains to us that the baby’s heart beat was normal and that it seemed like the baby is moving around.

“What have you been feeling lately, Lindy? Any other changes inn your body?” Doctor Fox asks me while she focuses on the screen.

“Well, I have been having backaches quite a lot.” I answered.

“Is it normal Doctor Fox?” Harry was quick to ask with concern eyes.

“Don’t worry Harry, it’s pretty normal to have backaches during pregnancy due to the size of the tummy growing in front.” She explains. “What else have you been feeling?”

“Um, I get leg cramps often at night.” I answered. “I usually massage my calf muscles before I go to sleep. It sort of eases the pain.”

“It’s good that you’re doing that. You can also take more walks around your house or in the backyard. It’s healthier for pregnant women to have walks.”

I nodded with a smile.

As Doctor Fox continues to explain about the things that I should be doing during the next months, I couldn’t stop but glance at Harry. His attention was too focused on the screen that he even held his phone closer to his face so that he can see it. He was staring intently at the screen where we can see our baby and he would smile every once in a while which made me feel really happy seeing that pure reaction.

“Oh!” Harry exclaims as he point his finger. “I know the baby is a boy!”

My brows creasing while Doctor Fox laughs as she asks, “You sound so sure. May we know why you think so?”

“Well, I think I just saw… the umm…” He twirls his forefinger in small circles. “The uhh male reproductive organ in there.”

I gaped, “What?”

Doctor Fox paused before she releases a jolly laugh as she says, “Harry, that was the umbilical cord.”

In a split second, I burst into laughter together with Doctor Fox while Harry shyly covers his entire face with both hands. He shakes his head while he was laughing too as I watch him take a peek from the space in between his fingers.

I giggle as he pulled his hand away from his face and I see his adorable dimpled smile while he flashes a wink at me.

As soon as the procedure was done, I sat anxiously on the couch while Harry was still on the phone. I don’t know why my hands were clammy but I feel a little nervous and excited to finally know about my baby’s gender.

Finally, Doctor Fox holds a small image of my ultrasound in her hands and smiles at us, “Congratulations Harry and Lindy, it’s a boy.”

I gaped as I hear Harry whooping the next second. “Yes! I knew it! Yes!! We’re having a little Harry, baby!” He says so happily while laughing as he begins to wipe the little tears from his eyes.

I couldn’t have been happier hearing him saying it so proud and loud and seeing him so joyful with our growing baby. “I love you and I’m so happy.” I tell him with tears in my eyes too.

He smiles at me, “Me too.”

I quickly snapped my head back to Doctor Fox when she said, “And a girl.”

My eyes widened as I slowly bring my hands to my opened mouth. I was literally in shock and I think Harry was highly surprise too because he went instantly quiet. Tears were quick to fill my eyes and I didn’t expect this blessing in our lives.

“You’re having twins!” Doctor Fox adds with the happiest smile on her face.

I look over to Harry and he was crying too as he smiles at me. “I’m proud of you.”

Those words were the sweetest and most rewarding thing I can here during pregnancy.

I wouldn’t want this any other way.

After the checkup, I called my parents as soon as I got home and I was crying while I was telling them the good news and they were so happy. I called Martha too and she was freaking out screaming over the phone the entire time. They were all congratulating me for this amazing blessing.

Later that night, I had a huge group video conference with Harry, Liam, Louis, Zayn, Niall and Gemma. We talked about the good news and how happy they were to hear it. It lasted for an hour and a half before Harry and I were the ones who was left. I was watching him getting out a cookie jar from his pantry.

Now is the perfect time.

“Harry?” I called out.

“Yeah?” He answers but eyes the cookie jar.

“I received a gift today.”

“Oh yeah? From Martha?” He asks while he was trying to open the tight sealed jar.

“No.” I answered.

He groans as he struggles in opening the lid, “Who was it from?” He asks as he continues groaning, “Why the fuck is this so tight?” He mutters to himself.

His eyes were still focused on the jar.

“The gift was in red and gold ribbon.” I described.

In a snap second, Harry pulled his head back towards me and stared into my eyes intently. His calmed facial expression was gone in just a split second which was then changed to furrowed brows and there goes that concerned look in his eyes.

“What?” He mutters, as if he was shocked that I received such present.

“There was a new born’s clothing in it.” I say.

His lips pursing forward as I grabbed the small note which was next to me and showed it to him. “It says it came from Jolene.” I say.

“Fuck.” He mouths to himself.

“Let me ask you once again.” I stated clearly.

He pulled his head up and faced me.

“Who is Jolene, Harry?” I asked.

Looking confused and agitated, Harry rakes his fingers through his hair as he groans before travelling his eyes back at me. “Promise me one thing.” He says.

I nod, “What is it?”

“Promise me you won’t hate me if I tell you about Jolene.”

I don’t think I am even ready.