Hey Jude,
I'm nearly 30. All my mates are getting married and having babies whilst I'm terribly single. My friend circle is now full of mothers and wives and I can't help but feel envious and left out. Should I stop hanging around my friends to stop feeling so uncomfortable? And how do I come to terms with the fact that I may indeed be forever single?

- JEALOUS OLD MAID

DEAR JEALOUS: Just because everyone's doing it doesn't mean you should too. Don't feel pressured into getting married or having kids just because your biological clock is ticking or your friends are doing it. Marriage and kids may not be the thing for you but if it's what you truly want then keep waiting; it will come to you eventually. Instead of distancing yourself from your friends, learn from them. Ask them questions about marriage and parenthood, offer to babysit. Most importantly, don't despise being single. Go on adventures, cater to your hobbies and interest. Take time to discover yourself before you drag other's in the picture. You may just discover you're content being alone.

P.s: Write back if you are still single when forever ends.

Harry should have listened to his mum. He should've studied harder for his A levels, should've washed his hair more often, should've partied less during his fresher year in Uni and should've been careful around the wrong girls. His defiance usually caused him to suffer in one way or another and he always had to admit she was right. For instance, he should've gone to bed when she'd told him to last night but instead he'd stayed up late to catch up on the latest episode of Game of Thrones. She'd been right again. Harry could barely keep his eyes open and focused on his laptop screen and the coffee he'd been chugging all morning was only causing him to crash.

"Bloody hell." he mumbled to himself, squinting his eyes at his computer screen and realizing that his work was not finished.

He had five new messages in his inbox. Five new problems to solve for five people he'd never meet. Come the next morning, they'd be the least of his troubles. There'd probably be at least ten more to reply to.

Harry often wondered why he'd been given the job of agony uncle. His personality didn't fit it at all. He was sporadic, disorganized and scatterbrained, a walking disaster. He could barely wake himself up in the morning or even find a matching pair of socks. Harry Styles was the last qualified person in the world to offer advise, but some how he gave some of the best.

Well, Jude did.

With a heavy sigh he shoved a yellow pencil through the mess of a bun on top his head. He didn't have time to properly wash and blow dry it that morning. His mum had urged him to cut his hair. Curls were already difficult enough to manage and the longer it got the more maintenance it took. But Harry had grown to like his long hair and he didn't plan on cutting it anytime soon.

He stared blankly at his computer screen, debating whether or not it was best to just call it a day and head home or chug more coffee and carry on.

"Heeeeey Juuuuuude!!"

Harry cringed upon hearing the loud voice and he didn't want to look up from his laptop knowing those big teal eyes were peeping over his cubical.

"That is not my name, Louis. You know I don't like it when you call me that." he snapped, grabbing the paper coffee cup from his desk and frowning when he realized it was empty. Harry didn't even like coffee but working for the Holmes Chapel Herald had made him immune to the bitterness. It seemed to be the only beverage known to mankind around the office. Everything had to fit into that writer's aesthetic.

Louis grinned, his shaggy brown hair falling over eyes as he propped an elbow on the edge of Harry's work space.

"But all the public knows you as Jude. It's like your alter ego, the Superman to your Clark Kent. Harry's a boring name, anyway. I like Jude better." he concluded.

Louis handled the obituaries section of the paper but somehow his cubical was just two spaces away from Harry's. Their relationship was a bit of a love-hate one. They were always bickering about something and Louis loved pestering Harry. But when Harry was bored and needed male company, he wasn't too proud to invite Louis out for a few pints.

Harry tore his gaze away from his computer to scowl at his college. He couldn't help but think that maybe Louis had been a little bit right. Everyone in town knew about his local column but no one knew the man behind it. If he died today, no one would know who Harry Styles was.

"Don't you have more dead people to write about?" he spat, tossing the paper coffee cup into the nearby rubbish bin.

Louis gasped, obviously offended.

"That's a low blow, Styles. Don't get your head stuck up yer arse just cause you're an agony uncle. People read my section too!" he insisted.

Harry rolled his eyes, tucking a stray tendril that had fallen out his bun behind his ear.

"What do you want, Lou?" his gaze returned to the inbox of unanswered mail.

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted something before I left for my donut run. It's gonna be a late night." Louis replied, smoothing down the collar of his denim jacket.

"Nope. Mum's makin banana cream pie tonight, " he shooed Louis away briefly before asking , "What time is it?"

"Half past three. Why?" his friend shrugged.

The sleep drained from Harry's system when he realized what day it was. Wednesday.
"Frick, frick, frick!!" Harry swore.

Louis chuckled, quite amused.

"What's got you buzzing, Styles?"

"It's my day to pick Es up from school! God, I'm so late!" he hopped up from his chair, his knees colliding with the desk that was a bit too low for him.

Louis grinned before letting out a low whistle.

"I'd hate to be you right now, mate. Essie's gonna kill you."

The scary thing about Essie was of she could, she would.

Being an agony uncle wasn't the only job of his that Harry wondered about. There were nights when Essie and his mum had long gone to sleep and he lie awake in bed wondering why he'd been chosen to be a dad. There were a million other blokes in the world, men who were a much better fit. Harry was well aware that some of his personal choices had led up to this but he still wondered. He'd still been merely a boy when Essie was born and the more she grew the more complicated parenthood became. Harry forgot play dates and doctor's appointments, put crooked french braids in her hair and put her dresses on backwards. He'd like to think that things might be a bit easier for him if he'd had a boy but that's where his mum and sister stepped in. All in all he wouldn't trade Essie for anything in the world.

When he arrived at the preschool Harry spotted Essie sat on the front steps with a woman. Her Tinkerbell book bag was sat at her feet and the expression on her face was that of clear annoyance. This definitely wasn't Harry's first time being late. Essie was used to it by now.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Es! Daddy forgot!" Harry shouted frantically as he jogged up the steps to meet his daughter. Essie rolled her hazel eyes at him as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

"You always forget." she replied bitterly.

The woman who'd been sitting with Essie stood up to her full height, dusting the gravel off her tossers. Harry had seen her many times before, she often waited with Essie whenever he was running late. He was most certain that she was her teacher, however, her name always seemed to slip past him.

"Mr. Styles, parent-pick up begins at 1 and ends at 2:30. That's a full hour and thirty minuets to come and pick up your child. It's not fair to Essie to keep waiting." she scolded.
Harry sighed, he'd been told this at least fifty times before but he never seemed to make it on time.

"I know. I'm sorry, miss. I'll be punctual next time." Harry grinned sheepishly.

Next time meant never.

"Bye, Ms. Robinson!" Essie shouted, grabbing hold of Harry's hand and waving to her teacher.
"See you tomorrow, Essie." Ms. Robinson replied waving at her student before giving Harry a cold glare.

It was obvious Essie wasn't the only person who hated Harry.

"You mad at me, pumpkin?" Harry asked peeping at Essie through his review mirror.

She hadn't mumbled a word for most of the drive home and Harry already knew the answer.
Essie could be especially chatty and usually talked to him about all sorts of things during car rides. When she was quiet he knew something was wrong.

"I'm not your pumpkin anymore. Stop calling me that." she scowled, the corner of her pink lips turning down into a frown.

Harry knew she was being completely serious but he couldn't help but crack a smile.

"I'm sorry, okay?" he replied softly.

Essie gave her head full of curls a generous shake.

"You're always sorry! I don't like it when you pick me up from school. Why can't Nan pick me up from school or Auntie Gem?" she questioned.

"Because Nan and Auntie Gem were at the bakery this afternoon. Sorry lass, you got stuck with me." Harry shrugged.

"Well, I never want you to pick me up from school again! I'm mad at you and I'm not talking to you for the rest of the day or tomorrow or the day after that." Essie exclaimed exasperatedly, throwing her little hands in the air.

Harry frowned as he glanced at the the pouting girl.

"That's mean, Es. Will you talk to me if I let you have a cupcake before dinner?"

Harry flashed a hopeful grin but Essie only turned her attention to the window. Essie was a lot like her mum - stubborn and steadfast. When she was mad, she was mad and stayed so for as long as she saw fit. No one could hold a grudge like Essie. It look a lot to get on her good side.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence; Harry knew better than to try and spark conversation with his daughter. She was set in her ways but he knew she'd turn around by bedtime. Harry sighed a contented sigh as his car came to a final stop. The cracked driveway and purple pansies growing along the front porch were a clear indication that he was home. Essie's pink tricycle sat abandoned near the garage door and Harry couldn't help but think about his own tricycle that sat in the same place so many years before. He'd made so many memories in that cozy house. He'd scraped his knee on the porch steps, learned how to ride his bicycle in the driveway and had his first kiss on the curb near the mailbox. It was still unreal to him that his own daughter was now making memories of her own in the same house he'd grown up in.

Essie's silent spell was broken as she wiggled out of her car seat and barreled out the door.

"Nan! Nan!" she shouted as she raced to the front door. She was careful to hop over the driveway's cracks. Essie was superstitious and believed she'd break her mummy's back if she stepped on one.

Harry knew the odds of Essie telling his mum that he was late picking her up from school were very high but he was too tired to care. He took his time, grabbing his laptop and notebooks from the passenger's seat and lazily trudging up the sidewalk. The smell of pot roast and pie crust greeted him upon opening the front door and he could hear Essie little voice in other room telling her grandmother about her day at school. Harry thought maybe he could escape upstairs to his room and take a nap before dinner but the thought was completely erased from his mind in a matter of seconds.

"Harry!" Anne's voice called. Her tone didn't seem cross or scolding.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he made his way into the kitchen, the wooden floor boards creaking under his boots. He sheepishly peeked his head in the kitchen's door frame and spotted Essie sat on the counter top, her little legs swinging in front of her as she munched on an orange slice. Anne stood by the stove peering into a large pot. She smiled, listening to Essie tell her story. Harry knew it was safe to come in.

"Hello Mum. How was your day?" he rasped rushing to her side to place a kiss on her cheek. She grinned, crinkles forming in the corner of her eyes.

"Just fine, Harry. Not too busy at the bakery today. How was yours? Are you headed back to the office?"

Harry noticed that Anne still wore the apron she liked to wear at the bakery and there was still a bit of flour in her hair. He shook his head before stealing an orange slice off the plate that sat on the counter next to Essie. The small girl stuck her tongue out at her father and in response Harry bopped her nose. The corner of her lips curved into the smallest smile and she fought hard to hide the flash of dimple in her cheeks. It was much too early for Essie to give in. It wasn't even dinner time yet.

"Nooo, I'm home for the rest of the day. I need to be away from that place, " Harry groaned then asked, "Gem coming over for dinner?"

Anne shook her head as she spun around to face her son.

"She and Peter had an appointment to look at flower arrangements."

Gemma had recently gotten engaged to her long time boyfriend, Peter. They'd been dating for years now, since Gemma started uni and Harry had always wondered why they hadn't gotten married sooner. He'd always expected she'd get married and start a family first, being the older sister and all, but Harry had beaten her to the punch on having a kid.

Harry nodded slowly before heading to the refrigerator and Anne crossed her arms across her chest.

"So, Essie tells me you were late picking her up from school again." she spoke sternly.
Harry froze in place in front of the refrigerator and spun around. He glanced over at Essie who grinned at him.

"Cheeky little bugger." he thought.

"Muuum, I forgot, okay? Cut me some slack, yeah? I thought it was Gemma's day." he mumbled, going back to the fridge and retrieving a container of ham.

"Harry, how many times do I have to keep reminding you? You're a dad now and you need to start taking on parental responsibility! What are you gonna do when you get your own place?" she fussed watching as Harry grabbed bread from the bread box to go with his ham.

He shrugged, placing the ham between two slices of bread.

"I'll just call you and Gem to remind me."

Anne sighed before returning her attention to the pot on the stove.

"You are insufferable, Harry Styles."
****
Harry got his nap before dinner and Essie got her cupcake.

The sun was beginning to set and things were winding down in the Styles household. Harry had washed the dishes while Anne had given a Essie bath. He couldn't stop thinking about what his mother had told him earlier. It had bothered him more than he expected it to. He was far too irresponsible to be a parent and everyone knew it. Essie was growing older and his ignorance was no longer endearing, just embarrassing.

"Hey, pumpkin." Harry cooed as he stood in the door frame of Essie's- well Gemma's- bedroom. The decor was exactly the way Gemma had left things before she went off to uni- the same pale pink gingham duvet, glow- in the dark stars still stuck to the celling and Take That posters still clung to the wall. Although Essie had occupied the room since she was months old, it'd never truly been hers; it was always Gemma's. Harry didn't really have the guts to switch everything around. He'd already inconvenienced everyone enough by bringing a baby into the home.

He sauntered into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, careful not to squish Essie's little legs. Harry reached over and pushed the damp curls away from her forehead and Essie sunk further into the sheets. She sighed sleepily, blinking her eyes at her father.

"Are you my pumpkin again?" he asked with a grin and Essie nodded her head slowly.

"Will I always be your pumpkin?" Essie asked suddenly.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed as he ran a hand through his mess of hair. He frowned slightly.
"Of course. You've always been my pumpkin. Since the day you were born." he reached over and poked her nose but Essie didn't grin.

She sighed. "Well, did I stop being Mummy's pumpkin? Did she not want me to be her pumpkin anymore?"

There was a gloss in her hazel green eyes and Harry could feel his heart breaking at her question. He never liked the topic of her mother being brought up. In fact he'd made it a rule that both Gemma and Anne were forbidden to speak her name. In a way, Essie was right. Her mum wasn't too thrilled about having a baby from the start and took Essie's birth as a route of escape. She'd never really wanted her in the first place but Harry would never let it be known.
"You never stopped being Mummy's pumpkin. Mummy's just very sick." he replied, trying hard not to sound harsh or bitter.

Essie's eyes widened.

"She's sick?! Where?"

Harry sighed.

"In the head." he tapped the tip of his index finger against his temple to that Essie would understand.

She yawned then said, "I hope Mummy gets better soon."

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Me too, Es. Me too."

Essie snuggled further into the sheets and Harry knew she was loosing the battle with sleep.

"I think it's time you close your eyes and let the sandman give you a visit, yeah?"

She nodded and Harry grinned as he stood to his feet.

"Night, pumpkin." he coos, leaning over to press a firm kiss to her forehead.

"Night Daddy. " Essie yawned before resting her head on the pink pillow.

When he was sure her eyes were shut and she'd finally drifted off, Harry left the room, careful not to make any noises. Knowing Anne was preparing for bed in her own room, he thought is was the perfect opportunity to sneak downstairs and stash the last piece of pie away for lunch tomorrow. The kitchen tiles were cold against his feet and Harry fumbled for the light switch. He jumped upon seeing a figure sat on the counter top and the bright fluorescent lights burned his eyes.

"Jesus Christ, Gemma! You scared the crap out of me." he exclaimed through clenched teeth.
Gemma giggled at her baby brother, brushing crumbs off her fingers. Unfortunately for Harry, Gemma had already stashed away the last piece of pie.

"Shouldn't you be in bed right now?" she questioned, bringing her thumb to her mouth to lick the left over cream.

Harry rolled his eyes. Why did everybody have to treat him like a child?

"What are you doing here? I thought you had wedding business with Peter?" he spat.

"I did but I knew you were coming for the last slice of pie so here I am." she flashed her dimpled grin.
Harry sighed as he hoisted himself on the counter next to his sister. He urged her to scoot over.

"You're greedier than I thought." he poked her side.

"Heeey, take that back!" she demanded.

They sat in silence for a bit, listening to the crickets chirp on the porch and the sounds of their feet colliding against the kitchen cabinets as they swung them back and forth. It was almost like old times again, when Gemma and Harry were little kids and didn't have a care in the world. They'd sneak down to the kitchen on summer nights and eat peanut butter straight out of the container. Sometimes Harry wishes life could be that simple again, that all life's problems could be solved with peanut butter.

"Would you call me irresponsible?" Harry blurted.

Gemma looked over at her brother. By the solemn look in his green eyes she knew he was serious.

"Well, not to your face." she replied honestly.

"Gee, thanks."

That's not the answer Harry was looking for.

"But I know you love Essie a lot and she still gets everything she needs. Parenting's not easy, Harry. Don't they say it takes a village to raise a child or something?"

Harry sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"But you and Mum do everything. You're much better at this than me."

Gemma frowned. She didn't think to see her baby brother beating himself up.

"Harry, nobody can do it all. No one can do it alone." the corner of her lips curved into a soft smile.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Harry replied although he wasn't quite sure.

The two went back to their comfortable silence, Harry marinating on Gemma's words.

"Hey," Gemma asked suddenly. "do you wanna eat some peanut butter?"

Harry grinned, his coin sized dimples carving a comma in his cheeks.

"I thought you'd never ask, Gem."

Notes

Surprise! This is my new full length fic!

Welcome to the first chapter of "Hey Jude" ! This was a fairly sweet chapter, not much really going but you get a glimpse of Harry's world so far. So, here are some questions to get you all engaged:

• Why do you think Harry has the job of agony uncle? Could it be that someone sees something in him that he doesn't see in himself?
• In addition to being so scatterbrained, what other character flaws do you think he has?
• What about Essie? Isn't she cute?!
• What role do you think Harry's family relationships play in his parenting?
• Is Harry irresponisble? Does anyone actually read his column?

I'm going to stop there because I'm starting to sound like an essay prompt for a term paper. No pressure, just to get you guys thinking, is all.

I hope you enjoyed! I'd love to hear what you guys think! Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a little review!

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