"I'm so sorry, Lou, I completely forgot about Phoebe's appointment."

"'S alright," Louis assures, mobile tucked between his shoulder and his cheek as he changes Frankie's nappy. "I, uh. I'll figure it out. Is Lottie around?"

"She's got classes until four. I could try to move Phoebe's appointment, but she needs a physical in before the end of the month."

"No, don't move anything," Louis says, fastening the snaps on Frankie's outfit and holding back a sigh. "Uh, my new neighbour, he offered to babysit if I need it, I could see if he's free."

"Your new neighbour? Do the girls even know him?"

"No, but my options here are really limited, Mum," Louis points out with a huff, lifting Frankie up and holding her on his hip. "I can't just reschedule Ang's chemo. I'll see if he's around and have him come over a bit while I'm still here so I can walk him through everything."

"Love, I don't really like the idea of you leaving the kids with someone you just met."

"What else am I supposed to do?" Louis snaps. "I can't bring them with me. 'M gonna need someone around when I figure out a job anyways." His mum sighs into the phone, but she doesn't say anything. He deflates a little. "'M sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright, babes. I just feel a bit guilty. You moved back here so I'd be around to help you out."

"Mum, don't feel guilty," Louis assures, smoothing his hand over Frankie's little baby wisps of hair. "Y've got kids of your own, I don't expect you to drop everything every time I need something."

"You know I would if I could."

Louis smiles wearily. "I know," He responds. He can't help but think about all the fights they used to get into, how he used to argue relentlessly that Mara was good for him, that they were good for each other, and that Jay didn't know what she was talking about. She did. Mums are always right, he's come to realise, and even though he never listened, she would still drop everything for him. "I love you, Mum, thank you. 'M gonna go see if Harry's around."

"Love you, babes, talk to you later."

They hang up, and Louis stuffs his mobile in his pocket. He keeps Frankie on his hip as he walks over to her wardrobe, picking out a little sweater to pull over her baby grow. It's not that cold out, he doesn't think, but September weather is weird. Better to be safe than sorry.

Once he gets Frankie ready and finds some shoes to slip on himself, he peeks out the window to check if Harry's car is there. Creepy? Maybe. But he doesn't want to go all the way next door if he won't even be there. Luckily his car is in the driveway, so Louis heads downstairs and out the door.

There's a chill in the air, he's glad he got Frankie into that sweater. She squints from the sunlight, and he uses his hand to shield her face from it. "I know, peanut, 's bright out," He hums. Frankie just leans into his shoulder, and he grins as he walks over to Harry's house.

Upon knocking on Harry's door, Frankie decides to turn her head into Louis' shoulder and spit up all over his shirt. Fucking perfect. Harry opens the door and sees what's just happened. "Oh, goodness."

Louis looks up, into Harry's eyes, and sighs out a weak laugh. "Um. Hi."

"Hi," Harry grins, showing off dimples in each of his cheeks. He motions into his house, saying "Here, I'll give you something to wipe that off with."

Louis just nods, following Harry further into his house, Frankie seemingly content now that the formula Louis had fed her is all over his shirt. He remembers Harry asked if he should take off his shoes at their house, and maybe that's because that's what he does at his house, so Louis kicks off his shoes upon entering.

He follows Harry into his kitchen, painted sunshine yellow, where Harry wets a washcloth from the counter in the sink. "Here," Harry hands it to him.

"Thank you," Louis nods politely, using his free hand to wipe at the spit up on his chest, but his shirt scrunches up underneath the washcloth each time he tries, and he sighs.

"Do you want me to-?" Harry holds his hands out towards Frankie slightly. Frankie usually freaks out when someone who isn't Louis holds her, but it's only for a moment, so Louis sighs again and passes her over.

It's admittedly much easier to get the baby spit up off his shirt with both hands, and when he looks up he realises Frankie isn't crying. In fact, she seems unusually content in Harry's arms, her little hand pressed into his cheek as he grins.

"Is it a bad time to admit I haven't held a baby in years?" Harry asks, glancing over at Louis. He makes a funny face at Frankie, and she giggles.

"She loves you," Louis observes. "That's so weird."

"Um," Harry furrows his eyebrows, laughing a little, and it's then Louis realises how that sounded.

"No, she just usually doesn't like when anyone holds her," Louis explains. He suspects it has something to do with separation anxiety, and the fact that her mother left her when she was only a month and a half old.

"Well, I'm honoured," Harry grins. He knows his mother was wary about him leaving the girls with this virtual stranger, but if there's something about Harry that soothes Frankie that much, he can't help but trust him.

"Um, I came over for a reason, actually," Louis says, clearing his throat.

"I figured," Harry nods, smiling. Louis can't help but think how pretty he looks with a baby on his hip.

"Yeah, I, uh, I'm sure when you offered babysitting services you didn't mean so soon," He laughs weakly, balling up the washcloth, only a wet spot remaining on his shirt. "But 'm kind of in a bind, here."

"I'd love to," Harry's smile widens. "When?"

"Tomorrow?" Louis asks sheepishly. "Um, my daughter has...chemo. My mum was s'posed to watch her, but something came up."

Harry's face softens a bit. "Yeah, for sure, 'm off tomorrow anyways," He nods. "Just let me know what time, and I can be there."

"Really?" Louis sighs. "Because, if you don't want to spend your day off like that, I get it. I don't want you to feel forced or anything."

"Louis," Harry says, warmth in his voice and the kindest smile on his face. "I wouldn't have told you I would if I didn't want to."

Louis gives him a small smile, and sighs again. "Thank you," He says quietly, taking Frankie back into his arms. "Um, if it'd make you feel more comfortable, you can come over a bit early. So I can show you what to do with Frankie 'n stuff."

"Would it make you feel more comfortable?" Harry asks. Louis smiles sheepishly, nodding a little. "Then yeah, that sounds good. What time should I be over?"

"'S one-thirty okay?" Louis asks. Frankie starts to fuss, whining, and he sighs. "Sorry, this one's due for a nap...Frankie too."

Harry giggles, dimples popping out, and Louis can't help but grin. "Yeah, that's fine," Frankie grabs the dirty washcloth from Louis' free hand, throwing it to the ground, and Harry laughs again. "You should probably get her to bed, huh?"

Louis sighs, glancing at the clock on Harry's oven. "Yeah, the other ones will be gettin' off the bus soon anyways," He squats down and picks up the washcloth from the floor. "Thank you so much, Harry, seriously."

"'S no problem," Harry assures, smiling. He never stops smiling, Louis thinks. It's contagious. He salutes Louis, confirming "Tomorrow, one thirty, I'll be there."