Canon

The next morning, I silently roll out of bed careful to avoid interrupting Niall’s slumber. I could hear his criticism now about me waking up so early. He’d lift me in the air and force me to lay back down with him until I eventually fell asleep. I glance over at him, sound asleep wrapped tightly in the thin white hotel sheets. It was somewhat mind-blowing that he actually had a son. I couldn’t wrap my mind around the idea. Niall, of all people – had a son. I stiff out a laugh, hearing my dad’s judging tone in my head right now. He would love this so much.

‘Baby?’ Niall mutters, giving me butterflies. He sits up in bed, stretching his arms. ‘How long have you been up?’

‘Not long,’ I shrug after dropping my night clothes into suitcase. ‘I just wanted to get dressed.’

‘Well, today’s our last day. What do you want to do?’ He questions, his voice was laced with sleep making his thick Irish accent that much more jumbled.

‘What ever you want to do.’ I chime back, as he pulls me down to him. ‘I just want to be with you.’

‘That can be arranged.’ He answers, leaning forward to leave a kiss on my forehead, ‘Just let me get dressed.’

Niall ends up taking me out to one of Mullingar’s nicest restaurants for breakfast, then spends the day showing me me all of the places he used to hang out when he was younger.

‘I just got a text from Tara. She wants to know if I want to spend time with Jack before we leave.’ Niall speaks aloud while we’re walking back to the black rental car.

‘That sounds nice.’ I plaster a smile on my face, so he wouldn’t feel guilty. I get plenty of time with Niall, I think Jack deserves some too.

‘I could ask if we could do something with him away from her house, if you want.’ Niall offers, sliding down into the car before fastening his seat belt.

‘Really, do you think she’d be okay with that?’ I wonder looking over at him from the passenger seat.

‘Yeah, I’m sure she’d be fine with it.’ He shrugs, giving my hand a quick kiss.

Niall’s Point of View

I give Lizette a quick kiss before rolling out of the car to walk to Tara’s door. She answers the door, slightly annoyed but I didn’t care – I just wanted to see Jack again before we had to go back to the states.

‘I was wondering if Jack could go with us instead of me just hanging out here – maybe take him to the zoo or something.’

‘Us?’ She makes a face before glaring at the car in the driveway, ‘I don’t know if I want her near Jack.’

‘What the hell did you say?’ I blurt, immediately getting defensive when it came to Lizette, ‘what’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I mean I don’t know her so I don’t know I want my son around her.’

‘You don’t know me.’

‘I knew you at your worst, remember? I miss that guy; he was a lot more fun.’

‘Look, you know that I leave tomorrow and I really don’t want to do this with you. Can you just send Jack out?’

‘Don’t keep him out late.’ She purses her lips in the tightest line before turning away. ‘Come get his car seat.’

‘Niall!’ Jack shouts, his tiny feet rushing down the hallway, ‘Wanna play dinosaurs?’

‘Actually, I was thinking that we would spend the day outside the house?’ I crouch down to look him in his bright blue eyes. ‘Does that sound good?’

‘Yes!’ He practically shouts in my ear but I let out an amused laugh anyway.

‘Come get your shoes Jack.’ Tara calls handing me a small green backpack, ‘Everything he might need is in here, including his cup and special toy.’

‘Alright, let me take the car seat out to the car while he gets his shoes.’

I make sure to strap in the car seat securely and hand Lizette his green backpack. When I make it back up to the door Jack was eagerly waiting beside Tara.

‘Alright, I’ll have him back in an hour or so.’

‘Bye Jack-Jack.’

‘Bye mommy!’ he waves frantically before running off to the car.

‘Take care of him.’ Tara murmurs before shutting the front door.

Lizette’s Point of View

‘Hey, Jack – this is Lizette. Can you say hi?’ Niall wonders, looking in the rearview mirror, talking to his mini-self.

‘Hi.’ The tiny, blue eyed boy whispers, lifting his small hand in the air to wave.

‘Hi, Jack.’ I smile back at him before settling in my seat.

‘Now we’re going to the zoo.’ I know that Niall just found out about his son but something’s happened to him overnight. It was sort of indescribable.

While we were at the zoo, Niall jogged to keep up with fast-paced Jack. He cautiously watched his son while keeping a hold of my hand. Niall leaves my side, to bend over tying Jack’s shoe. He smiled up at Jack, while carefully fixing his shoe. Here he was, covered in tattoos, kick-ass-now-ask-questions-later, yet so gentile and vulnerable with Jack.

‘Come on, baby.’ He calls, extending a hand out to me, keeping Jack beside him.

‘What a cute family.’ Some woman comments with a warm smile while walking past us.

‘Thanks.’ Niall mutters in return, not even realizing it. His eyes dart over to me to see if there was a reaction. I mask the oncoming smile, while giving his hand a tight squeeze.

‘I wanna stay!’ Jack kicks his feet as Niall buckles him into his car seat. ‘Stay! Stay! Stay!’

‘Christ be with me.’ Niall sighs as he walks around the car, ‘I know, but remember I have to get you back to your mom. I’ll stop by in the morning and we’ll play, alright?’

Jack doesn’t respond but he does relax in his seat. By the time we make it back to Tara’s, Jack was fast asleep cuddling his teddy bear. Niall throws the small green bag over his shoulder before lifting Jack in one arm and the car seat with his other hand. He silently slides into the car next to me, glancing back at the house as he pulls out of the driveway.

‘I don’t know how I can just go back miles away and not see him.’ Niall was opening up, which was rare but I was happy he was communicating with me. ‘I mean, I’m just getting to know him. Maybe after next term, I could take a gap year so I could spend more time with him.’

A gap year? I couldn’t possibly begin to understand how he was feeling, he just found out that he’s missed out on a solid three years on his son’s life. I knew that I was being selfish and irrational to feel slightly offended that he’s already forgotten the promises we made. If I loved him as much as I thought I do, I couldn’t stand in his way of spending time with Jack.

‘Baby, is everything okay?’ he wonders, noticing my silence. ‘You seem distant.’

‘Yeah, I’m just tired.’ I reply looking out the window, ‘everything’s fine.’

…

The next morning, Niall and I soundlessly pack our bags. Neither of us actually wanting to go back to everything we left behind. My dad. Damon. The last half of senior year. I was however, ready to get back to Rose. I hadn’t talked to her since I left, nearly two weeks ago. After checking out, Niall drives over to Tara’s place to say goodbye to Jack. He insists that I follow him inside, while taking the keys from the ignition. Tara hovers in the doorway when I follow Niall into Jack’s room.

‘Hey, Jack.’ Niall murmurs, getting down on the floor with the tiny boy playing with plastic dinosaurs.

‘Want to play?’ Jack attempts to offer Niall one of his dinosaurs, but Niall sadly refuses.

‘I wish, but I gotta go. I just wanted to tell you bye.’

‘Can I go?’

‘I’m sorry but you can’t. I have to go back to my house and you have to stay at your house.’ Niall’s deep voice slightly cracks as he talks. ‘But, I’ll see you soon, okay?’

‘Okay.’ Jack nods his head as he stands to wrap his small arms around Niall, ‘bye.’

‘Can you say bye to Lizette too?’

Jack wordlessly runs over to me and throws his arms around my legs. I smile giving him a quick hug cautiously glancing back at Tara.

‘Alright, see you Jack. Be a good boy.’

‘Okay.’

‘I’ll call when I get back if it’s not too late here.’ Niall says to Tara before leading the way back to the rental car.

As we’re driving to the airport, I could see that Niall wiped a salty tear from his cheek. ‘Just gonna miss him.’ He mutters, not taking his eyes from the road.