Be Like You

“So, lucky for us. This apartment has an extra bedroom for the nursery” I grinned at Meagan as we spent time together in our apartment in LA for once after months of being in London.

Meagan raised her brows at me, “I thought you would be moving into a bigger place?”

I shook my head, “I want to have the baby here,”

“Well then, do you know what this means?” she asked smiling, “We need to get that room set up for this baby, he’s going to be so spoiled.”

Nodding in agreement I grinned, “I was thinking of doing some furniture shopping online today, and we could maybe paint it in a few days? I’m not in any rush, but I want to get some shopping before tour begins again”

“Lizzie, we have a good amount of time do this all. Your little hiatus is going to be a long one if you plan on not returning to anything until James is two.”

“But, it hasn’t been made public about Harry and I splitting, and when people find out I’m pregnant they’re going to assume it’s his kid. I’d rather not even leave the apartment by then”

I reasoned.

Clapping her hands she stood up, “Alright then, let’s go get changed. We’ll go buy all the furniture and paint today. And whatever else we need we can just order it online”

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“We’re getting strange looks” Meagan muttered as I waddled into the OBGYN clinic.

“Because they all think I’m pregnant with an heir and I’m only eighteen” I retorted as I sat down.

Shrugging she sat next to me as we waited for my name to be called; we didn’t wait long and before I knew it I was laying on my back with my doctor looking at my round stomach, “So
Lizzie, eight months. Are you excited?”

I laughed, “More than ready. He’s getting huge, I can’t see my feet anymore.”

He chuckled, “That’s all normal. Now for these last few weeks just keep going at your normal
schedule. And if you start going into labor early its fine, the ninth month is just there for
extra-precaution but he looks perfectly healthy from here.”

Grinning I looked at the image of the ultrasound, you could see his face and hands by now and it just got me even more excited about getting to hold him soon.

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“What are you guys doing here?” I asked walking into the living room from my nap.

“We wanted to see you! And hand deliver our presents” Niall grinned hugging me, which wasn’t that easy when my stomach was in the way.

“You’ve gotten big, how much longer?” he asked excitedly.

Shrugging I sat on the couch, “A few days, I’m just ready to get him out”

“Good thing we came now then” Liam chuckled, “But here, open our presents. Mine first.”

I eagerly reached out for the giant box on the floor he slid over to me, I didn’t take my time
to gently unwrap the box, I would have tackled Liam to the floor in gratitude if it weren’t for my condition, he’d gotten me the bassinet that I’d been dying for.

“You can thank Danielle; she chose it. Claiming that you would love it” he added after I thanked him.

After an hour, I looked at the four presents the guys had gotten me, the new basinet form Liam, another carriage from Zayn, a bouncer from Niall and a car seat from Louis.

“You guys” I started drying my face from the tears, “are amazing, You didn’t have to fly here to give me these. You could have just mailed them.”

Niall shook his head, “We talked to Meagan, we’re staying until you have him. We want to see him.”

Nodding I knew where they were coming from, I just didn’t want to see Harry. And if four of them were here, he was bound to be nearby.

As if reading my mind Louis spoke up, “Don’t worry about him. He’s here with Gem and Anne, you won’t even see him.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Meagan I can’t do this” I cried as another wave of pain hit me.

Rubbing my back she only shook her head, “Look, you’re almost done. Just a bit more and then you’ll get to carry him in your arms.”

I screamed in agony as another wave hit me faster, I was given the epidural but this was still the most agonizing pain I’d ever been in.

I sighed in relief when I heard his strangled wails, once I saw Meagan crying it started mine as the nurses handed me him.

“Hi” I cooed as he opened his eyes at me, “I’m your mom. I love you”

The nurses took him back to get everything down as they came to me for his name, “James Henry Groundsel”

All the pain medication finally knocked me out, waking up to a crowded hospital room I looked around for James quickly, find him in the crib next to my bed.

“He’s gorgeous” Megan cooed, picking him up she could hand him over to me.

The four boys crowded around to get a look at him, James started opening his eyes as the door opened.

Looking up I noticed my dad whose gaze was fixed on him, “Lizzie, he’s beautiful. Can I hold him?”

The boys moved so my dad could have a path to my bed, taking a seat in the chair next to my bed he carefully took James out of my hands and cradling him into his arm, we all just stood there in silence looking at James.

Staring at him, I realized he already had brown curls growing on the top of his head. He resembled Harry so much it scared me, I hadn’t really looked at his eyes yet; but something told me that he had gotten his father’s eyes.

“Does he know?” my dad asked in distaste, I eventually let him know who the real father was and he didn’t talk to me for a few weeks but gave in saying this was his first grand kid and it didn’t matter who the sperm donor had been.

“No, and I still don’t plan on letting him know” I murmured softly.

My dad stayed for a bit longer, before leaving from jet lag; assuring me he would stop by later or first thing tomorrow. The minute he did Louis glanced at me, “You’re not going to tell him?”

“We’ve been over this Lou” I sighed, “And for god’s sake. Don’t you dare tell him yourself. I don’t even want him visiting.”

The boys stayed for another hour before getting countless of calls and deciding to call it day so there wouldn’t be any attention of them here.

Getting discharged from the hospital was the scariest part, Niall had offered to help Meagan and I; but the amount of paparazzi were what had me worried. Thankfully the hospital had a back exit they were willing to lend to us so I could get out safely with James.

“This is it, home sweet home” I cooed at the infant asleep in my arms.