Open Your Eyes

"Why are you so nervous, Lenna?"

My right hand went up to my mouth where my thumb and index pinched my bottom lip. It halted the shaking, but once I took my hand away, it started up again. Harry grabbed my shoulders forcing me to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"I have to go see Mrs. Payne," I mumbled. "She hates me."

His eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean? Karen is the nicest person on this planet. She loves everybody."

I shook my head. "She hates me. She legitimately hates me. She looks at me with this look like she wants to cause me physical pain because I'm dating her son. And she doesn't know that Presley calls Liam, daddy. She's going to think I'm using him for his money and fame. Then she'll really hate me. I can't have her hate me, Har. I can see myself marrying Liam. Do you know how awkward that would be if we got married and my own mother-in-law hated me? She—"

He slapped a hand over my mouth. I immediately shut up.

"Lennon." He sighed. "Karen does not hate you."

I shook my head. "You don't know that."

He chuckled. "But I do."

Presley ran up, poking Harry in his side. Her tiny finger poked through the fabric of his black jumper. He let out a yelp as he jumped away from her. Her bell like laugh sounded from her tiny frame. It made my heart swell. It was odd how the sound of ones child could make a parent feel a certain way. It made me proud to be her Mum. The fact that I carried her for nine months and had a part in creating her, it made me cherish the small things she did; like laugh or sing or dance.

"Presley Anne!" Harry exclaimed. She let out another laugh and started creeping toward him with her finger out and ready to poke. I couldn't help but smile. All previous thoughts were pushed to the back of my mind. "I get you, Hally!"

"Don't you dare," he threatened, pointing at her. She just smirked, before running after him. They took off running. It was a disaster waiting to happen. It was Christmas eve and we were in Cheshire at Anne and Robin's house. It wasn't small, but it wasn't massive either. And with my daughter and adult cousin, who acted like a child himself, running around like maniacs, it was bound to end with a few crashes and cries.

"Harry Edward Styles, stop running in the house!" Anne hollered. Harry could be heard whining from the living room. "But Presley started it!"

"And I'm finishing it," Anne retorted. Go Anne.

I stared out the kitchen window at the snow covered ground. My mind immediately went back to Liam's mum. I couldn't have her hate me. His dad didn't seem to have anything against me, which left me a little at ease. Yeah, him and Karen were shocked I had a kid, but it didn't look like it bothered him as much as it did her. All I had to do was meet his two sisters. Harry had met them once and said they were really nice and easy going. Liam assured me they would love me. But that didn't mean anything. He told me his mum would love me, and as it turned out, she didn't. So there was nothing that was going to calm my nerves.

"Whatcha thinking about, love?"

Turning to my right, my eyes met Liam's. "Just about when we should head out. Weather man said it's supposed to sleet tonight."

Now was one of those times when 'Some things are better left unsaid' is something I live by.


"Liam," I started, smoothing out my jumper with a shaky sigh. "I don't—"

"Don't what, love?"

"I don't feel comfortable."

His eyebrows winded together. "Then go change. You brought enough clothes for a bloody army."

I shook my head. "I don't mean like that. I don't...I don't feel comfortable here."

It took him a minute to comprehend the words I said. But when he did, his face was one of confusion. I would be confused too. The last time I was here, I acted like everything was normal. I didn't act like I was uncomfortable. I acted like I normally did. With a little nervousness thrown in. But I knew with every fiber of my being that Liam's mum hated me. Don't get me wrong, I loved Liam, but his mum was a mood killer. She could put a damper on any mood.

There was nothing in this world that I cherished more then family and the time spent with them, and I didn't want to take that away from Liam. His family meant everything to him and I would never do anything to disrupt the time they spent together. They didn't get to see their son or brother a lot with him being gone a majority of the year, so I understood that he needed to see them. Presley and I would only be intruding on their family time. And that's why I brought up the idea of us two heading home early.

"I think me and Presley should go home early. I called for a car already and they're on their way." He immediately started shaking his head.

"What? No." I almost broke down in tears at the look on his face. "You can't go. I want you to meet Nicola and Ruth, and I want Presley to meet them and my parents. They've been dying to see you two. They even got you and Presley gifts."

"I can't, Li. I'm sorry, but I can't. I need to go home."

He sent me an almost pleading look as I grabbed my suitcase. Presley was sat on the bed with her headphones on, watching a movie on my iPad. She had no idea what was going on. "Why do you want to go home? You can't go home. My parents got Pres stuff from 'Santa' and they're really excited to meet her. You can't go. You have to stay."

My head shook from side to side. "Your Mum doesn't like me, Liam. I'm not going to stay here and be uncomfortable and be a Debby Downer. You spend time with your family and Pres and I will spend Christmas at home by ourselves."

I would feel more then comfortable at our new home in Beaconsfield. It's away from Wolverhampton and away from London. It reminds me of Cheshire in a way and I think that's why I like it so much. Our house has security cameras and a security system. It was secluded from the outside world. It left me at ease. But being here in Wolverhampton at the Payne residents left me on edge.

He looked taken back at my statement. "Mum— my— she doesn't hate you, Lennon."

I let out a little scoff. "When you brought me here for the weekend, she looked disgusted when I blurted out that I had a kid."

"She was just shocked." He was making an excuse. I didn't buy it. "No she wasn't. I know when I'm not welcome, and I don't feel welcome here."

Presley was already in her peacoat, hat, and gloves, so all I had to do was slip my coat on and we were ready to go. My arms slid in the arms of my peacoat, then I put on my gloves and hat. I grabbed the handle of mine and Presley's suitcase before beckoning her over. She handed me the iPad and headphones to slip in my purse.

"We leaving, Mummy?"

I nodded. "Yeah, love. We're going home." She seemed satisfied with that answer and grabbed ahold of my outstretched hand. We made it out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door before Liam came after us.

It had started to snow again and he was outside in a short sleeve shirt, joggers, and slippers. He was going to catch a cold. The mother in me went to scold him, but he beat me to the punch.

"I don't want you to go," he spoke. "I want you to stay here and I want you to get to know my family. My Mum doesn't hate you. She had no right to look at you like that, but she was shocked. She can't hold that against you. If you would take the time to get to know her, and vice versa, you lot would get on great."

I shook my head. It wasn't that easy. He didn't get it. I wanted nothing more then to get along with Karen, but it wasn't that easy. I couldn't change the way she felt or thought. No matter how hard I tried, it just wouldn't work. You can't change another person. So instead of wasting my time trying to make her like me, I was going to subtract myself from the equation and stay away. After all, she wasn't in this relationship. I wasn't going to let her ruin what we had, so by me leaving it would stop any future problems. It was better this way.

Presley let go of my hand and ran back up the walkway, latching on to his legs. "You come with us, Daddy?"

"Pres—"

"Yeah, I'm coming with you. You wanna go help me pack?" She eagerly nodded, gripping his hand and trying to pull him to the house. "Liam, you aren't going with us," I snapped.

"I am," he snapped back. "And you can't stop me." The look he gave me almost made me want to slap him. It might've been because I was related to Harry or spent so much time around him, but I couldn't let Liam get his way, so I let my stubbornness make an appearance.

"Then I'm staying."

He smirked. "Good." Oh that ass. He did reverse psychology or whatever it's called. He knew what he was doing. See if I kiss him in the near future.


If my true love's gone
I will surely find another
And to her Iwill sing
Things that make her know I want her
So would you go, lassie, go
And we'll all go together
Where the wild mountain thyme
Grows around bloomin' heather
Would you go, lassie, go

Well, I don't know how, and I don't why
But when something's living, you can't say die
You feel like laughing, but you start to cry
I don't know how, and I don't know why

"So you aren't speaking to me?" Liam questioned. Looking to my right, I met his eyes briefly before he turned his attention back to driving. "I'm speaking to you, I'm just not kissing you," I replied. He tapped the breaks lightly.

"No kissing?"

I shook my head. "No kissing."

"Hugging?"

"No hugging."

"Showers?"

"Zero touching. Zilch. Zero. Nada."

Well, I don't have many, and I don't have much
In fact I don't have any, but I borrow enough
Cause I know those eyes, and I know that touch
I don't have many, and I don't have much

But oh, darling, my heart's on fire
Oh, darling, my heart's on fire
Oh, darling, my heart's on fire
For you

"Are you being serious?"

"Dead serious."

Well, I don't know where, and I don't when
But I know we'll be lovers again
I'll see you some day before the end
I don't know where, and I don't know when

But oh, darling, my heart's on fire
Oh, darling, my heart's on fire
Oh, darling, my heart's on fire
You know those love songs break your heart
You know those love songs break your heart
You know those love songs break your heart—

He cut the engine as we pulled into the garage. While he sulked out of the car I got Presley out of her carseat and carried her inside. All the while he got the bags from the boot and headed upstairs behind me, he shot me forlorn looks and let out pitiful sighs. I almost laughed. Instead of giving in like I normally would have, I kept to my word and acted as if I didn't notice.

"Mumma," Presley whined, as I laid her in bed. I pulled her covers over her tiny body and shushed her. "It's fine, baby. Go back to sleep. I love you."

"Love you too." And she was out.

I left her door cracked before I padded down the hallway to our room. Liam was in there dumping all our dirty laundry in the clothes hamper. Ignoring him, I went straight to our dresser and got out a shirt and pair of leggings to sleep in. I shed my traveling clothes and changed into my night clothes. My bra was tossed in the hamper along with my clothes before I crawled into bed.

"You're already going to bed?"

I nodded. "It's late."

"It's only eleven."

"It was a long day."

"Because you had to deal with my Mum, yeah?"

Que the sigh. "Not just that, Liam. I still feel like she doesn't like me and I felt like I was being fake and everything was forced."

At my words, he dropped down on the bed beside me and handed me his phone. On the screen was a text from Karen. And it was about me.



"She doesn't hate you," he murmured. "She actually quite likes you."

With misty eyes, I looked up at him. "She doesn't hate me?" He shook his head. "She doesn't hate you."

Without another word, I leaned over and pecked the corner of his mouth, then buried my head in his neck. His arms wound around my middle and pulled me closer to him. He placed his lips on my temple. It soothed me to be in his arms and know that no matter what, he would always be there for me. Even if the subject of our little fights involved his family hating me, he would always be there. It didn't matter if it was Christmas, he would leave with me if I didn't feel comfortable. He cared about me and would do anything for me, and I the same for him. We were a couple who worked well together. And I, we, would do everything in our power to keep it that way. Liam and Lennon were a thing, and would be for a very long time.

"I love you," he murmured, his arms tightening around me. "No matter what."