The Reinvention of Harry Styles

Harry had just under a week before his tour started, and he should have been resting and practicing, but he was determined to complete one last task that had been bothering him lately. He and Molly were heading to LA soon to start acclimating to the time change, but he had one more surprise for her.

As the plane started to land after their trip across the Atlantic, Harry leaned closer to talk to Molly over the sound of the engines. “So, we’re not just staying in New York for the night.”

“We’re not?” Molly turned back to him.

“No, we’ll be here for a couple days; there’s something I have to do before we head to LA.”

“What’s that?” Molly asked.

Harry smirked. “We’re going to visit your mum.”

Molly’s eyes got huge and she looked like she was going to be sick. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why? I said I’d help you find her a place to stay, and get her a job, since you said you’re parents are getting a divorce.” Harry said softly. “So, I think I have to meet her in order to do that.”

“You could just stay at the hotel, and I could do all of that, without her having to see you.” Molly said quickly and took a shaky breath.

“Are you embarrassed?” Harry asked, though he thought Molly looked more terrified than embarrassed.

“Not about you, no….” Now Molly’s cheeks started to pinken, a sure sign she was embarrassed.

“Right...you’re mum is a 1D fan...” Harry laughed to himself and shook his head, hoping it wasn’t as bad as Molly had described. “Have you told her yet?”

“She knows I have a boyfriend, I just didn’t want to give her a heart attack by telling her it was you.” Molly gave him an apologetic smile. “She has enough going on right now, I don’t need to add to that.”

“Sorry, I didn’t think of it that way,” Harry shrugged.

“It’s okay, I really appreciate your willingness to help. I’m sure once she gets over it she’ll be okay.” Molly was not sure. Not at all.

When they arrived at their hotel, she called her mom to let her know she would be spending the next few days with her. They made plans to meet tomorrow morning for breakfast, and Molly decided it was best not to bring Harry. Not yet at least.

While Molly met with her mom, Harry spoke with Jeff about finding a job for her. He figured Jeff must know someone, and could set her up as a secretary or something entry level that paid decently enough. Yet, he had no idea what skills or education Deborah had, and that’s apparently important in finding a job. He was supposed to meet her and Molly for lunch, and had hoped to bring news of a job for her, but it seemed like he was going to show up empty handed.

After talking all morning - well, mostly listening on Molly’s part - Molly and her mom were in much need of a drink with lunch, something Deborah suggested, and Molly definitely wasn’t going to turn it down. If she was going to have to tell her mom she was dating Harry Styles of One Direction, she would prefer to be a bit under the influence. Molly noticed that certain parts of her mom’s personality seemed to have been amplified now that she was not living with her dad any more, and they weren’t necessarily the good traits.

“He carded me!” Deb whispered loudly to her daughter as the bartender left to get their drinks. “I haven’t been carded in years.”

“I think that top certainly makes you look younger,” Molly nodded at the low cut shirt her mom was wearing.

“You think?” Deb adjusted it so it was even lower. “I feel younger, you know? I think it’s all the sex. Your father and I hardly ever slept together, so these past few weeks have been very liberating for me.”

“Thanks, mom, I needed to know that,” Molly replied sarcastically and rested her head on her hand.

“What? You’ll understand when you get to my age. Women reach peak sexuality in their 40s.” Deborah smiled at her daughter’s clear discomfort in this subject. “Speaking of which, how are things with you and your new boyfriend?”

“Fantastic,” Molly was so glad to change the subject, and gushed about Harry for a few moments.

“I like this flower-like ring, is it new?” Her mom asked when Molly paused.

“Yeah, he gave it to me a few days ago, actually.” Molly smiled and recounted their dinner.

“Really? So things are getting serious?” Deb asked and held Molly’s hand closer so she could see the ring clearer without putting on her glasses.

“I don’t know, I mean it’s not that kind of ring,” Molly blushed. “He just wanted me to have it, I guess, because it matches his.”

“It’s not like you to blush when talking about boys; when do I get to meet this mystery man who’s stolen my daughter’s heart?” Her mom smiled and raised her eyebrow.

“Actually, today, possibly,” Molly checked her phone to see if Harry had hopefully cancelled.

“Really? He’s here in New York? I thought you said he lived in London?” Deborah’s eyes lit up.

“He travels a lot for work, and we’re on a work related trip.” Molly bit her lip, and took a long drink.

“What kind of work does he do?” Deb asked.

“Mom, I know this is going to sound shocking to you,” Molly looked around to make sure no one was nearby. “He’s a bit of a celebrity.”

“Oh, is that why we’re meeting him somewhere private for lunch?” Deb asked, and Molly nodded. “Who is it? Anyone I know?”

“Um, yeah, actually.” Molly finished her drink, and signaled for another - even though it was only 1 in the afternoon. “Why don’t we wait for him at our table.”

The two were shown to their table in a more private area of the restaurant and sat down to wait for Harry.

“So who is it?” Deb asked, not forgetting that Molly was about to tell her.

“Okay, um, this is going to be rather shocking for you,” Molly reached over and grabbed her mom’s hand, worried that her mother might faint at this news.

“Wait a second, did you say this ring matched his?” Deborah looked down at the ring on her daughter’s hand and realized where she recognized it from.

“Yes, actually…” Molly braced herself for whatever was coming.

“And he wears it on this finger, too?” Deb slowly lifted her eyes from the ring to her daughter’s face and stared with wide eyes. “Oh my god it’s Harry Styles,” she whispered so quietly Molly almost didn’t hear her.

Molly nodded and waited for the rest of the reaction she was expecting from her mom. This was clearly just the calm before the storm.

But Deb just stared, mouth open, eyes bigger than a saucer. After a moment, Molly realized her mom was looking just over her shoulder and Molly turned to see her boyfriend standing in the doorway. ‘Oh, that’s what she meant’ Molly thought and smiled at Harry.

“Hi!” She jumped up and kissed him on the cheek.

“You didn’t tell me you had a sister?” Harry smiled, dimples on full display, and Molly heard her mom giggle.

“This is my mother, Deborah. And mom, this is-”

“Harry Styles.” Deb whispered again, almost trance-like. “And please, just call me Deb.”

Harry sat down at the table next to Molly and waited for Deborah to stop staring.

“How was your morning; were you successful?” Molly asked Harry, ignoring her mom’s stare.

“Um, no, not really, but I think we’ll have better luck searching for an apartment this afternoon,” Harry answered slowly, unable to ignore his girlfriend’s mom’s stare.

“I’m sure we’ll find something,” Molly smiled, and turned to glare at her mom. Harry’s phone rang, and he stood up to answer it in the hallway, leaving the two girls alone again.

Deb was quiet for a moment until she took a deep breath, as if she’d forgotten to breath since Harry’s arrival.

“Are you okay?” Molly asked, finally able to laugh at her mom’s odd behavior.

“He’s getting you an apartment?” Deb gave Molly a cheeky smile.

“Actually, we’re hoping to find you one, so you don’t have to stay in dad’s guest bedroom.” Molly saw her mother’s expression shift from cheeky to ashamed. She felt bad her mom couldn’t afford to live on her own, but she knew it was pride that kept her from staying with a friend.

“Wow,” Deb’s cheeky smile returned. “You always hear about celebrities having a girl in every city, and how they set them up with an apartment, but not the girl’s mom!”

“Mom, it’s not like that,” Molly whispered, feeling even more embarrassed by her mom’s reaction.

“It’s okay honey, they’re no shame in being a sidepiece for someone like Harry Styles,” Deb tried to whisper quietly to her daughter.

“I’m not a ‘sidepiece.’ I’m like, the piece.” Molly whispered back, and Harry returned to their table.

“Are you girls ready to order? I’m starved,” he smiled, and Molly was more than happy to change the subject.

That afternoon they did in fact have more luck than Harry’d had that morning, because they not only found a nice, reasonably priced place for Deb to stay, they also found her a job: real estate agent.

Once they saw the first apartment, Deb seemed to forget about Harry, or at least the fact that she had a t-shirt with his face on it that she’d worn to see him in concert when he was probably 17. It was clear Deb knew what she was talking about when she and the real estate agent went through the apartment, and there was a certain sparkle in her eye Molly hadn’t seen in years.

“Years of watching those home makeover shows,” Deb answered when the real estate agent asked how she knew all the correct terms and what to look for. “I especially love that couple, Chip and Joanna.”

They talked for a bit, and after they decided on an apartment, they worked on getting Deb set up with her real estate license.

“That turned out better than I expected,” Molly sighed when she and Harry returned to their hotel room that night.

“Today went pretty well,” Harry smiled.

“Thank you,” Molly slid a giftwrapped box over to Harry and smiled shyly.

“What’s this for?” He grinned and picked up the box.

“For helping me with my mom, and for putting up with her.” Molly shrugged.

“She wasn’t as bad as you said she’d be,” Harry snickered and untied the ribbon.

“I was shocked, but I think she’s definitely changed a bit since the divorce.”

“This must be hard for you, I’m sorry.” Harry paused and put his hand on hers.

“Yeah, but it could have been worse. At least I’m grown up and not living at home anymore, so I’m not in the middle of it.” Molly shrugged, and Harry continued opening the box.

“What is this?” He smiled and lifted a rainbow colored knit hat from the box. “Did you make this?”

“I did; my grandma Annabelle taught me how to knit years ago, and this is my first hat.” Molly bit her lips. “And I know how much you like rainbows, so when I saw that yarn I knew I had to make something for you.”

“Thank you so much,” he leaned over to give her a hug before placing the hat snugly on his head. “It fits!”

“I thought you might want something while growing your hair out again, if you’re still going through with that,” Molly added.

“That’s very thoughtful of you; I love the pom-pom you’ve added on top,” Harry inspected the hat in the mirror. “And, yes, my hair is still growing,” he added with a cheeky grin.

“You know what I mean,” Molly laughed.

“Yeah, I do, and if I do grow it out, this will be very helpful.” He turned to Molly and kissed her on the cheek.

“Now you have something to remember me when we’re apart,” Molly smiled, and leaned into him for a hug.

“Thank you, I’ll wear it every night on tour,” he smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

“I hope your joking, because that hat is probably very warm. And I don’t know how much Rupert would like that,” she laughed.

“I am joking, but thank you for reminding me to call Rupe. I want to know what he’s picked out for my first show.”

“That first show is going to be important. Not to add any pressure or anything,” Molly added, knowing Harry must be nervous.

“Thanks,” he joked. “So, that grandma Annabelle, she seems like a cool chick. Is she on your mums side or your dads?”

“My mom’s, though she’s nothing like my mom.”

“She’s the same one who said ‘nothing’s so broke it can’t be fixed’ right?” Harry asked.

“Yeah...you remember that?” Molly looked up at him curiously, shocked he could recall something she’d said to him the day they first met.

“Yeah, well, I’m a robot - or so they say,” he joked, and Molly shook her head.

“I knew I shouldn’t have told you that one,” she laughed, recalling the morning she had informed him his fans thought he seemed a bit robotic in his interviews.

“Maybe I should start doing the robot on tour,” he smirked, and attempted a few stiff, awkward, dance moves.

“And maybe you can do a cover of ‘Mr. Roboto’ by Styx,” Molly added, and the two joked about his upcoming tour until they went to bed. As anxious as they both were about start of his tour, it was nice to know they could laugh about it now. Looking back, no matter how that first night goes, these are the positive memories they’ll always remember.

Notes

Harry finally met Molly’s crazy directioner mom (and it went surprisingly well!)

I think once Harry’s tour starts, things are going to move a little faster (time-wise). I don’t really want to go through every single tour date specifically, because that would get boring pretty quickly!

I've been going through this story and editing each chapter, so I hope you aren't getting a bunch of notifications each time I change something.

Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting! : )