September 11, 2022

Luxuriating in a long bath after Harry and Noah have left, Nataley engages in a thought experiment. What if things were different this time around? What if the three of them could have a real family? What would that be like?

As the water cools, she's aware that she's fantasizing. But it's a fantasy that will last for a minimum of two weeks, so Nat takes the time to shave her legs, armpits, and considers making an appointment for a little downstairs maintenance. In the meantime, she does her best to shape that area herself.

Flipping on the television to find 'Little Women'. She settles on the sofa with her nail polish choices on the table in front of her. So what if she's pampering for someone instead of for herself? It feels good to enhance her natural beauty for a reason. Harry always appreciated the extra effort she took.

Her bold statements this morning about Harry moving in had scared her in the abstract, but had felt 100% valid in their delivery. They love each other. Why shouldn't they indulge in a two-week domestic pleasure? Other than the fact that it will destroy all of them, Noah included, when it's over?

When the movie ends, she opens her computer to glance through the upcoming guests for the week. The restricted shared document for the team has a number of notes, and she reads through all of them before returning to the top and adding her replies and thoughts. A private chat box appears, and Nataley grins to see Bethany's name.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen the tabloids this morning?" Bethany's text message appears. "Not really worth looking. I suggest you stay away."

Which, of course, encourages Nataley to open a new window and navigate to the day's news. 'Harry Styles Back with Ex Nataley Zwinger' shouts one headline with a photo of the two of them leaving Nobu together in the same vehicle. Another is full of speculation: 'Hatalie on again? Is Marriage in the Stars?' Shaking her head, she closes the window.

"Not surprised. Not gonna read them." Nat types back.

"Good. Don't. Two weeks working with him though. You okay?"

The thought of the next two weeks sends tingles up and down her body. "Better than okay. He's staying here."

Her best friend sends a shocked face emoji, and Nataley giggles like Noah when he's being tickled. "Is that a good idea?" Beth asks.

"Nope."

"But you're going to do it anyway?"

"Yep."

"Ugh. You always make me pick up the pieces after you do something like this."

"Not this time. I'm determined to enjoy the time -- and the sex." She follows up the message with a smirk emoji. "Without guilt."

"You know I'm here for you, but scooping you off the floor every time is exhausting. Has he reconsidered his stance?"

"Not to my knowledge," Nat responds, "but I refuse to ask him, and I will not let it be part of my considerations for the next two weeks. That's an alternate universe that doesn't exist."

When Beth sends a thumbs up emoji, Nat interprets it as 'that might be what you say, so I'll go along, but I know the truth.' It's a lot to infer from a single emoji, but she and Bethany have been friends long enough that they can easily read each other's thoughts.

In the next couple of hours, Nat answers emails before calling her team to let them know about the change that hasn't yet been advertised despite the network's insistence. Harry will push promo out Monday, and she and her team need to be prepared to zag instead of zig.

When the door opens, Chuck awakens from his nap on the floor at her feet, scaring himself with his bark as he scrambles from his spot and knocks his head on the table.

"Ouch!" Nataley empathetically rubs her head as the dog shakes all over in anticipation of whichever person will walk through the door next. "You make an awful watchdog, you know. If a burglar were breaking in right now, you'd still be standing there with your entire backside wagging as though basking in the presence of your favorite person in the whole world."

"Well, I suspect I am his favorite person in the whole world," Harry teases as he and Noah enter the condo.

"I've got so much to write about!" Noah sprints past Nataley towards his room, dropping one of Harry's rolling Mickey Mouse suitcases on the living room floor.

"How was brunch?" she calls after him. "Don't I get a kiss or something?"

"Hi, Mama," he yells just before closing his bedroom door.

The indulgent smile on Harry's face as he watches Noah fly past his mother sets Nataley's heart pounding as fast as an electric nail gun stuck in the 'on' position. Harry loves her son as if they were related by blood, and the thought pinches the air out of Nat's lungs like someone squeezing a hose to stop the flow of water. Dropping the duffel from one shoulder and depositing the final small suitcase by the front door, Harry proceeds to the kitchen.

"He's not usually this excited to do homework." Hoping her admiration for this man shines from her face, she makes eye contact with Harry. "Must have been one hell of an amazing brunch."

Carrying a smaller bag filled with takeout containers, Harry moves to the refrigerator and places it inside. "I'll tell you, Nat, at first he was quiet and nervous, and maybe even a little resentful of having to write this paper in the first place. But as the talk about the marches morphed into the reasons behind them, he couldn't stop asking questions." Stalking toward her, he stands next to her with his hands on his hips.

"Oh yay. That's so awesome. Thanks, Harry."

"You bet." Leaning over, he presses his lips to her upturned mouth.

While he might have meant it to be quick, once she's tasted him, Nataley groans and nudges his lips apart with her tongue. Sliding his hand into the hair at the nape of her neck, Harry uses his thumb to caress the side of her jaw. Pulling away, he grabs the leash. "I'm guessing you've been engrossed in work so I'll take Chuck out for a fast wee."

"Okay." The simple things he does for her and for Noah -- they're so meaningful. Even something as effortless as taking the dog for a walk touches her soul. "Hang on! I'll put on my shoes and join you."

His head swivels from side to side. "You know that's not feasible, love. We'll be back in a jiffy." With that, her man and her dog exit into the beauty of an early fall afternoon.

Of course he's right. Dammit. The reality never fails to slam her into a brick wall.

Rising and stretching, she prepares iced coffee for two. After all, she knows Harry will appreciate the treat when he returns from the walk. Maybe she shouldn't have confined them to her house. If they traveled to the Gerbers' or Azoffs', they could at least get outside. The big problem is Chuck. As adorable as the cavachon is, and as much as he and Myles get along, the two dogs together cause bigger problems than one on its own.

As soon as Chuck is released from his lead upon his and Harry's return from their walk, he lies in front of Noah's door, his nose snuffling under the bottom until Noah takes pity and lets him in.

Accepting the drink from Nat, Harry takes advantage of their circumstances to kiss her once more, and Nataley refuses to complain or object. She's determined to get her fill of him during these unexpected two weeks, as though he is manna from heaven. Her hand caresses the center of his back -- that little spot where she knows his skin is soft and pliant. Sliding her fingers under his shirt, she allows her digits to play over the area as his tongue dances with hers.

"Working?" he inquires when they disengage and both move to the sofa.

"Yep. You should look this over." Turning the screen to him, she watches his eyes move over the words. Drinking in his jawline and the stubble growing there, Nataley rubs her legs together, pre-feeling his chin in her nether regions. "Mmmmm." The sound emerges unexpectedly from her, and Harry glances at her curiously. Quickly, she covers her thoughts. "Haven't had an iced coffee in a few days. Yummy."

"Uh huh," he mumbles, smirking at her. How dare he presume that her thoughts aren't about the drink? "I need to type in here. How do I log on as me? Ben sent me the username and password."

Nataley twists the computer to face her, logging out for herself. Clicking the login button, she says, "What's the info?"

"I can type it in, Nat."

"Of course you can, but then you'd have to look at your phone and type. Just tell me."

"The username is hestyles1." He softly reports as she types in the letters.

"Got it. And the password?"

"Nat..."

"That's not a secure password." Her head swivels to him. "Oh. Just tell me the damn password."

"Okay, but just remember that Ben set it up. I didn't ask for this password."

Genuinely curious, she prepares to type, fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Spill it, H."

"The number 1, lower case w, number 1, upper case l, upper case l, lower case m, at sign, lower case r, lower case r, lower case y, capital n, at symbol again, and a capital t."

Nataley looks at the password, but on the screen it's just a series of dots. Playing the letters through her head again, her eyes widen and she grabs at the phone. "HE DID NOT!" But sure enough, the password is '1w1LLm@rryN@T'. "'I will marry Nat?' He's my boss! He's not supposed to say things like that."

"He's just being a silly prat, love. I guarantee Ben wasn't expecting you to see that password."

She crosses her arms. "Mhm. Still it's rude and presumptuous."

Harry shrugs. "It's not like he's the only one who says it." While the words are slightly muffled, Nataley hears the hurt in his voice. Pressing the Enter key, she hands the computer back to him where he types in some notes on his own copy of the shared document. She wonders who else prods him about marrying her. Did people know the story? The reasons they aren't married? Or had he kept that between himself and his therapist?

Not that it matters. She occasionally gets the question from strangers in the grocery store. Or when she picks up sushi from their former favorite casual Japanese hangout.

As Harry continues pouring over the information about the week's shows, adding comments in a variety of places, Nataley receives a text alert on Instagram. Opening the app on her phone, she freezes with her mouth open. 'AnneTwist' read the name at the top of her DMs, and Nat swallows. Did Anne know Harry was staying with her? Would she be angry?

"You okay, love?" Harry asks.

"Sure. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well you kind of became a statue for a minute there. Was wondering if you were still breathing."

"Haha. It's just... your mum."

"My mum? What about her?"

"She just messaged me on Insta."

"Oh. Hasn't she done that before?"

"Actually she used to do it quite often. In fact, your mama and I used to talk all the time."

"When we were together?"

"Duh. Of course when we were together. But Mama Anne and I have also continued our friendship since you and I split."

"You did? How did I not know this?"

Nataley raises and lowers her shoulders. "Don't know. Gemma and I talk sometimes too. Is that bad?"

"Bad? I don't think it's bad or wrong. Just..." he scratches his head. "Don't think either of them has kept in touch with any of my previous girlfriends." He focuses once more on the screen in front of him, typing more suggestions in the comments.

"Oh." The smile that crosses her lips matches the one that flits across her heart. Until another possibility shoves its way into her brain. "Should I not talk to them anymore, H?"

His attention sufficiently diverted from the work, he removes both hands from the keyboard and observes her closely from the crown of her head down to the tip of her chin. Reaching up with his pointer finger knuckle, he brushes gently across her cheek. "Love, you should talk to anyone you want. I don't mind that Mum and Gems talk to you. They love you. I just...you took me by surprise because they've never said anything about being in touch with you."

"Oh." With a stated acceptance of her continued relationship with his mother, Nataley opens the app again and responds.

As Nataley finishes her conversation with Mama Anne, Harry closes the computer lid in conjunction with the sound of Noah's bedroom door opening. He approaches them, holding his hand-me-down laptop carefully with both hands.

"Would you both, uh, like..." his nervous words are accompanied by the computer being shoved towards them, "...read this? Please?"

With a solemn nod of agreement, Harry takes the computer and settles back next to Nataley. Together they peruse the paper. Pride swells in Nataley like a marshmallow growing in a microwave. Shit. Her son had written this paper? All by himself? Naturally there were some typos here and there which was to be expected, but the content was...

"Powerful," she whispers.

"Brilliant," Harry adds in a matching volume.

"Noah?" Nataley asks cautiously. "Wasn't this supposed to be two pages?"

Her son shuffles his feet while looking at the ground. "Yeah."

"Then why is it five pages?"

Although his face colors, Nataley couldn't be more proud when he responds, "There was too much to say in two pages. Besides, it's like double-spaced and everything."

"This paper, Noah..." Harry begins.

"Yeah?" The boy bites his lip.

When he speaks, Nat hears the unshed tears in Harry's voice. "I'm so proud of you." Looking up at the ceiling, he blinks a few times. "It's wonderful. Would you mind if your mum and I made a few changes to spelling and stuff? We wouldn't change any of your words."

The giant grin on Noah's face is enough to send Nataley soaring into outer space. Her boy is happy. Correction. Her boys are happy.

"I'm gonna go play Animal Crossing, okay?"

"Hold on a minute there, mister." Rising, Nataley steps around the coffee table before reaching for her son and pulling him into her arms.

"Ew, Mama! Stop!"

"Nope." She presses eleven kisses on the crown of his head as he pretends to squirm. "I love you, Noah."

"Whatever, Mama." When she releases him, Noah moves towards his room.

"Mate. Don't leave me hanging." Harry's holding out his hand for a fist bump, and the pre-teen complies, a small smile tilting up the corners of his mouth.

Both adults watch as the boy returns to his room. Nataley stands with her eyes glued to him as Noah exits the living room, her hands on her hips, fingers splayed over her back. She rocks back and forth in an attempt to contain the expansive emotions sweeping through her.

"Look at what you did," her ex comments. "Look at what you created."

Shaking her head, she smiles at him. "We. You had an undeniable part to play in the last few years, but especially in regards to that paper. Look at what WE created."

The pride mixed with pain on Harry's face causes her to turn away.

Stepping into the kitchen, she throws the words over her shoulder. "I'm ready for my fish tacos! Please tell me that they sent the tortillas separately."