June 2014
"That is so sweet," Liam said as he snapped a picture. He quickly tweeted, "Harry, Tanalei and Louis asleep on the flight. They look like cats curled together."
"You just got Lou in trouble," Niall said.
"Thirty minutes to landing, boys," Paul informed as he passed by. He gently shook Louis' shoulder. He blinked up at him. "Landing soon."
He nodded, turning to his seatmates. He shook them awake. Soon Louis was bouncing in his seat. "We're going to Doncaster, right, Paul?"
"Yeah, Lou. We're heading there first."
"Finally someone has a brother besides Niall," Zayn teased his hyper friend.
"Two," he reminded. "Two brothers. I have Niall beat by one."
Tanalei kissed his cheek. "You're gonna be the best big brother to them, just like you are to the girls."
After they landed, they walked the puppies before starting the three-hour drive to Doncaster. Louis' spirits were still high.
"He's not gonna do this the whole time, is he?" Tanalei asked Harry as Louis and Niall sang and danced to the radio.
"Pretty much."
Louis phone rang. His face lit up even more, if that was possible. "Hey, Mum. We're on the road now." He glanced at Tanalei. "She's with us. She told you she was coming." His face fell. "She is? I know that, Mum. What picture? So we were asleep. You've seen pictures of us asleep before." He sighed, dropping low in the seat. "Yes, Mum. I love you too. Bye."
"What's up, Lou?" Zayn asked.
"Eleanor will be there before we will." He looked out the window.
"Um. Why?" Niall asked.
"A picture that was tweeted."
"I told you, Liam."
Everyone looked at the shorn brunette. His eyes lowered as he pulled out his phone to show the others. Lou sighed.
"What's wrong with it?" Tanalei asked.
"Look at our hands," Harry responded.
Harry was leaning against the plane, head back. Tanalei was sprawled across his chest. Louis was laying on her back, his head between her shoulder blades. One of his arms was thrown over her to rest on Harry's leg just below his hand. Harry's arm had fallen off the back of the seat to rest on Louis' shoulder. It was a very intimate picture.
"Oh." She bit her lip, glancing at Louis from under her lashes. "How bad will it be?"
"He tweeted Eleanor two minutes after the picture was posted," Niall said, checking his phone.
"She's on her way to Doncaster now," Zayn said. "And she'll be there until we leave for Bradford."
Her mouth fell open in surprise. "I know y'all told me, but y'all were serious?"
They all nodded. "Very."
"Grocery store tomorrow," Louis muttered. "Out with the girls on the weekend. Us with the new twins."
"So if I take the girls out?" she queried.
"I can't be seen with you. Or Harry. A group outing would be fine." He laced their fingers together, still looking out the window.
Harry laid his head on her shoulder. He was soon asleep. The others followed.
"Hey, Lou," she said softly. He met her gaze. She caressed the side of his face with her free hand. "It'll work out somehow. I'll talk to your mama." His lips tilted in a small smile before he kissed her.
He thumbed her lower lips. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too."
Tanalei stretched after she exited the car. A nine-hour flight followed by a three-hour car ride had put a kink in her back. She walked over to Liam. "Hey, Lee."
"Hey, Lei," he said smiling. She crinkled her nose at him.
"Pop my back for me." She turned and crossed her arms over her chest. He leaned down and wrapped his arms over hers. After wiggling for a moment, she nodded. He stood to his full height, dangling her off the ground by several inches. With a hop and a squeeze, her vertebrae realigned. He did it one more time before setting her down.
"Good?"
She nodded before popping her neck. "Very."
The door flung open and Johanna was running down the walk. Louis met her halfway, catching her up and spinning her around. They walked back to the car. She gave each boy, and Paul, a hug before she stood before Tanalei.
"I'm Johanna. Everyone calls me Jay," she said holding out her hand.
"Tanalei. Everyone calls me Lei." She smiled when Jay began to laugh.
"Come on in. Thank goodness school is still in. Otherwise there would be a mob here." She turned to the others. "Just take his bags up to his room and put yours in the living room. We'll get everything sorted later." Jay slipped her arm through Tannalei's. "I know we spoke over the phone, but thank you for taking care of my babies for me."
"It was no problem. I have five nieces who are busy with their own lives. It was nice to be around girls again." They stopped in the doorway. Tanalei swore her heart melted at the sight of Louis holding one of his brothers. A man placed the other baby in his free arm. With a wide smile, Louis looked up. Yep, ovaries explode, womb melted, she thought to herself.
"Come meet Declan and Robert," Jay urged. The man was busy taking pictures. Tanalei sat next to Louis and peered down at the baby closest to her.
"Are they identical?" she asked.
"Not exactly. Declan has a birthmark on the back of his left leg. Robbie doesn't have one."
"Can I?" At Jay's nod, she and Louis transferred the baby to her arms. "Oh my goodness," she said as he stretched. "You are just the most precious thing. You and your brother," she cooed down at him. She leaned down, brushing her lips on his forehead while inhaling. "I miss that smell," she told Jay.
Glancing up, she found everybody watching her. Jay had a small smile on her face. The man was still taking pictures. Harry was biting his lower lip. Liam, Niall and Zayn were smiling. Louis was just staring. Eleanor was by the stairs, her arms crossed over her chest, glaring at her.
"Hi, Eleanor. It's good to see you again. I didn't know you were gonna be here," Tanalei said, her voice dripping honey.
"Why wouldn't I be here? Louis is my boyfriend. What are you doing here?"
She bit the inside of her cheek. "I am aware of that. We're takin' a around about way of droppin' the guys off. And I wanted to visit with the girls."
"When are you leaving?"
"In a few days," Jay answered, looking back at Eleanor. In the past two and half years, she had never heard her talk like that. "I want to get to know Tanalei a little better. We have several things in common."
Eleanor pressed her lips together tightly before a rude comment could slip out.
"Great way of putting Eleanor in her place," Liam said a few days later. They were heading to Bradford to drop off Zayn.
Tanalei shrugged. "I decided to be nice. Let her show her true colors."
"Well played, love," Harry said, kissing her temple.
By the time Tanalei, Harry and Niall reached Holmes Chapel, she was so tired of traveling. They spent two days with each family. Trisha Malik showed off the house that Zayn had bought her. Karen Payne welcomed her with open arms. She met Nicola and Ruth, Liam's older sisters.
"Oh my God," she said as she looked around the backyard. This is what she always thought of when she pictured the English countryside. "Anne, this place is gorgeous."
"Thank you." She handed the younger woman a cup of coffee. "How's the traveling going?"
Tanalei groaned. "Ready for it to be over. Niall and I are leavin' day after tomorrow for Mullingar. I'll be there for four days before flyin' back to London."
"Have Harry give you a key to his house. You can stay there."
She shook her head. "I'm just gonna get a hotel room close to the airport since I leave early the next mornin'. So Sophia and I are goin' shoppin' after I land."
"You've hardly seen anything, except for a vehicle."
"When I get back with Alan and Eli, we'll play tourist."
"Oh my God. Look at that girl over there."
His companion looked at him funny. "Have you hit your head?"
