Fool's Gold

It was so quiet in the hotel room. Nothing compared to the night before. The only sound that could be heard was from the television that Harry had turned on. He laid with his head on my stomach while I read a book. I hated the movie he was watching. I gently ran my hand through his hair and twisted his curls around my fingers. The moment felt so right. I loved every mundane moment like the one we were having. We were just normal in those moments.
"Noli?" Harry muttered not taking his eyes off the television. I hummed in response keeping my eyes on my book. "What do you think about living outside of London? Living close to the city but not in the city?" Harry asked.
I set my book down and gazed at his tired face, "I don't know. I guess it would depend on the city we chose to live in and the house we have. Why?"
"I was just thinking that maybe the city wasn't a good idea. I mean, you said you wanted out of LA. Why would you want to go from one big city to another?" Harry answered.
I shrugged, "I don't mind the city. I want out of LA because I don't like the way of life there. But we don't have to live in London." I smiled, "I don't care where we live as long as I am there with you."
Harry chuckled, "Nice try at avoiding the subject." Harry turned so he could see me better, "I'm serious. I don't think that we're city people. I'd rather have a house that's out of the way. A place where we can have plenty of space. I mean, my flat now is fairly large but what if we got a really big house with room for an art studio with a proper dark room for you and a music studio for me. Somewhere with lots of land so we can have gardens like the ones we loved in Ireland and Italy."
"Harry you do not have to buy a new house so I can have an art studio." I sighed heavily and shifted uncomfortably.
"Why not? We have the money." He replied with a shrug. I frowned and picked my book up again. I tried to concentrate on the words on the page but I couldn't. "Noli." Harry was confused. I hummed. "Enola. Look at me." Harry commanded. I returned my book to the bed as he sat up to stare me down. "Why do you get so weird when I talk money?" He almost sounded angry.
"I don't like it." I answered honestly.
"Yes. I gathered that, Enola. Why don't you like it? It's normal and actually a good idea for couples to discuss it." Harry was being the voice of reason. I rubbed my face anxiously. "Enola, we have to talk about it sooner or later."
"I don't ever want you or anyone else to think that it is the reason I am with you. I love you for the man you are. I couldn't care less about your status. I'd love you if you were a penniless uni student or a baker." I stated casually. Harry smirked. "Can't leave my husband because he's got money. It's not something in the world that I care about or like." I explained quietly.
Harry smiled a bit, "It's a good way to be." I blushed slightly. "But we do need to talk about that."
"Maybe when we actually start looking for somewhere to move?" I suggested nervously. Harry eyed me for a moment but agreed to it.
"Are you a pet person?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.
"I wanted a dog when I was younger but because we moved so much Poppop said it wasn't a good idea." I answered. I frowned as I thought about it more, "Charlie really isn't a pet guy. He's allergic to a lot of animals so."
"We'll get a puppy when we get settled that way when I'm gone, you'll have someone to keep you company." Harry grinned.
"What if he just gets used to sleeping on your side of the bed?" I asked teasingly.
"That's fine. When Daddy is home, he'll never get a chance to be by Mummy anyway." Harry laughed quietly. I bit my lip and dropped my eyes from Harry's. He settled on his back again, laying his head on my stomach looking up at me.
"This is what it's going to be like?" I murmured after a few minutes of quiet. Harry hummed, questioning me. "This is what a real, happy relationship is like? Buying houses and puppies that will be our children until we actually have a baby?" I clarified.
Harry nodded, closing his eyes, "For us. Yes. This is what life is supposed to be like." I didn't know what to say. There was a sense of calm washing over me. I wasn't worried about Charles, the lawyer, my mother, my future. Harry opened his eyes, "Just promise me that you won't be like Louis and you'll do the laundry and the washing up too." I laughed loudly as I recalled all of the stories Harry had told me about living with Louis.


Harry was nearly asleep on my chest when my phone began ringing. I sighed softly and reached over for it. Harry grunted and held me tighter. He didn't want me to answer it. I stretched a bit further and snatched the phone off the nightstand.
"Hello?" I answered swiftly.
"ENOLA MOON!" MY father's thick Irish accent boomed through the speaker. I pulled my phone away from my ear and winced. Harry was awake instantly. He never liked people raising their voice at me. Harry gazed up at me from my chest with concerned eyes.
"Hello Lochlan." I grumbled.
"Dad." He tried to correct me.
"What do you want, Lochlan? I'm busy." I snapped. Harry frowned deeply and stroked my arm with gentle fingertips.
"First, you invite Sorcha to visit but not me or your brothers. You lie to you mother about why Sorcha was in LA. And now I have to find out through the damn grape vine that you and Charles are pregnant. What in the hell is your problem, young lady?" My father nearly shouted at me. Harry looked at me with shock and what looked like hurt.
"I'm not pregnant. Who said I was pregnant? Because I am definitely not!" I shouted at my father. I was livid with whomever had said it. I wasn't in the mood for rumors. I put the phone on speaker so Harry could hear both sides of the conversation. I didn't want him doubting me. We'd had enough doubt and jealousy for a while.
"Charles told your mother that he was certain you were. Enola, that is wonderful news and you feel like you have to hide it?" Lochlan snapped at me again.
"Well, again, not pregnant." I grunted. Harry looked amused by the conversation. I glared at his teasing, green eyes. "Why would that be wonderful news? There would never be anything wonderful about that." I continued on. My father snorted like he was angry with me. "And just how is Charlie so certain that I am pregnant?" I was becoming more annoyed.
"He said that the other morning you got sick when he sprayed his cologne. Aversion to smells is a sign." My father informed me.
"Yes, Lochlan. I am aware. But I got sick because it was too strong and it's actually not that good smelling." I explained.
"And he said that when you went out to eat you got sick as well. Aversion to foods." My father had a victorious tone.
"He took me to a sushi restaurant then proceeded to eat a squid tentacle that was still moving about. That's fucking gross." I replied with a puff. "Sorry. I like my food to be dead before I consume it." Harry tried to contain a laugh.
"Charles also said that you haven't been in the mood to..." My father got awkwardly quiet. "That you haven't wanted...sexual intercourse. That you just shut him down. A decrease in desire is also common." My father spoke quickly. I stared at Harry with a dropped jaw while he was struggling not to crack up laughing.
"First of all, you are my father, do not say the words "sexual intercourse" to me EVER again. Second, it is also common for women to have a spike in their desire due to the hormones produced when pregnant. And last, I AM NOT PREGNANT!" I nearly shouted down the phone.
"Well, what's with you giving Charles the cold shoulder?" My father sounded nervous about the question but asked anyway.
I sighed heavily, "I don't want to...with Charlie because the thought of him touching me like that makes me sick to my stomach and I have to go empty my stomach."
"So why bring Sorcha out then?" My father thought he was so clever to ask. I sighed heavily and thought 'here goes nothing'. I gazed into Harry's eyes with a smile.
"I brought her out so she could meet someone." I stated. My heart began to race as I prepared for the next sentence to come out of my mouth. "I asked her to come out to meet the man that I have fallen completely head over heels for. I called her because I hired a lawyer. I am leaving Charles." Harry gazed at me wide-eyed and grinning.
"Your mother is going to be so upset. Enola, having an affair is a serious issue." My father was angry. I could hear it in the way his voice dropped an octave and his accent thickened.
"Yeah. You would know, wouldn't you?" I grumbled. Harry frowned and kissed my shoulder gently. Harry shifted in the bed so he could lie between my legs. He rested his chin on my chest and stared at me with saddened eyes.
"Enola, not today. This isn't about me. This is about you and your future." My father grunted. I knew he hated when I threw what he and my mother had done back in his face but I felt like I was entitled this time.
"Well, I actually have one now." I snapped loudly.
My father sighed, "You have one with Charles too. Don't exaggerate, Enola Moon."
"What kind of future is being in a marriage that makes you so unhappy you can't get out of bed, that makes you afraid to say a word. What kind of future does someone like me really have with a man like Charlie? We all know that he and I are far to different to make it work the way he wants. I am not the kind of woman he should be married to. I am not some shrinking violet that won't talk back or stand up for herself. Mostly I don't say anything now because I don't care enough to fight with him. What kind of future is that Lochlan?" I inquired. I could feel the anger churning inside of me. "I have a man that makes me the best version of myself, that makes me the real me, the person I was intended to be. Why is that something to be upset about?" Harry smiled as he heard the words just the same as my father.
"Because you are not married to that guy, whomever he is. Charles is your husband and you should be with him. He can take care of you." Lochlan was sounding more annoyed than angry now.
"No! I'm leaving Charles and that's the end of the story and I swear to God if you tell anyone. I will never speak to you again." I threatened.
"Enola. I understand that you are having an intense rush of emotions but use your head. Look at what happened with me and Mum and Sorcha. You don't want that. Too many people end up hurt." My father now sounded concerned.
"This is different, Daddy." I was trying to sway him. "I love Harry. I really love him. I would do anything for him. We really love each other and we're going to be happy. This is not going to be like you and Mom. We are honestly in love."
"I love your mother, Enola. I have always loved your mother." My father huffed.
"No you don't. If you really did, as much as I love Sorcha, you'd be with Mom." I replied knowing I sounded like a spoiled teenager. Harry pushed a strand of my hair behind my ear and kissed my lips sweetly.
"You're not thinking, Enola. Be smart." My father lashed back.
"About what? I've been using my head over everything else since I was young. That's how I ended up with Charles in the first place. I thought Mom's life would be a bit easier if I married him." I informed my father with a fiery tone. "I wanna listen to my heart this time."
"Yeah, your heart." My father scoffed. He thought it was a purely sexual relationship. While Harry and I did spend a lot of time in bed, it was only because we didn't get to be together much with him being on the road.
"Not everyone is like you and thinks with their dicks, Lochlan. We go places together, places neither of us thought we'd ever see. I tell him things that I've never told anyone. He's honest with me about how he feels about his career. We argue like normal people. We are mostly normal. This isn't about sex. I don't think that it ever was honestly."
"Enola." Lochlan grunted again. I felt as though I could actually hear him rubbing his forehead the way he usually did when he was angry or annoyed.
"I'm done with this conversation, DAD. This is what I want and it's going to happen whether you and Mom like it or not. But if you could not tell Mom or Charlie that would be great. I need to tell Charlie on my own."
"He's going to try to make you stay, Enola. He's not going to let you go so easy." My father replied.
I shrugged, "He can try all he wants. I'm not changing my mind." I didn't even bother saying 'goodbye'. I just hung up. I threw my phone down on the nightstand before looking at Harry. There was a light in his eyes that made me feel hopeful again.

Notes

Oooooh she told someone else...what do you think is going to happen?


Peace&Love