Marlene

Today was not a good day at all, today I felt hideous. It was as if all my insecurities were shining brighter than ever and no amount of makeup or clothes could hide them.

I had always worn pretty tight fitting clothes so when I woke this morning and my little tummy popped out, none of my skirts for work wanted to fit. "This is a fucking nightmare!" I said looking through my stuff.

"Baby I hate to rush you, but I have a meeting." I turned to Harry where he stood with Oliver already dressed. "Wear a dress." I rolled my eyes grabbing the first dress I could find. It was a light pink colored one that fits pretty nice but was a bit bright for work.

We dropped Oliver at daycare and drove to the office where Harry didn't even give me a kiss goodbye as he was already running towards his meeting.

I got to work and it wasn't until lunch when I heard Liam behind me. "Cute dress." He complimented.

"I don't feel very cute." I sighed. "What's the tea on the floor, I don't want anyone seeing me like this." He chuckled taking a seat.

"There's this new girl Brenda who's kind of a bitch, flirts with all the guys." I hummed.

"I saw her, looks like a bitch." He nodded.

"I'd watch her if I was you, she was eyeing your man." I raised an eyebrow. "I'll fight her if she sinks my ship."

I had a sudden urge to go see my husband. So I took a stroll over to Harry's office. As I made it I noticed his door was closed so I gently knocked and came in. He was alone working on his computer. "Yes?" He said without looking up.

"It's your wife." He looked over.

"Oh hi." He said casually. I took a seat in his chair and watched as he worked. "What's up?" He sat back in his chair looking a bit tired.

"Well it's lunch time and since you've been working through lunch for the past few weeks, maybe you can take this one off and come eat with me?" He looked at his computer and looked conflicted. He didn't say anything for a long time so I sighed. "Okay nevermind then have fun working-"

"Marlene, don't be ridiculous, we'll have dinner tonight, it won't kill us to have time apart throughout the day." I stared at him in shock.

"Well sorry for wanting to spend some time with my husband, here let me give you your space." I closed his door and walked out of the office.

*

I sat at a park a few blocks away eating my sandwich. I had never felt more unwanted by Harry. Perhaps I was being a bit extra but I was pregnant with his child and not feeling so hot.

I looked at the time and sighed, I had extended my lunch. Not that I cared, what were they going to do fire me? I don't give a shit.

I stood up and walked back to the office up to the elevator. As I walked out I went back to my cubicle and sat down to look at my work. I sighed seeing that I needed to make a few copies so I got up again and walked over to the copy room. Right before I walked in I could hear talking. "...I'm just saying that the men at this company are so attractive. I mean the head of the department-"

"Harry." Another woman spoke. "He is so fine, but so married."

I heard a small chuckle. "Hmm, that's never stopped me before." God is this what I sounded like? No, I wasn't a bitch.

"Yeah well, his wife is also the niece of Mr. Edmunds."

"You're kidding." She hummed. "I'm surprised she could get someone as hot as Harry, she's so basic-ugly." They walked out of the copy room right past me.

This wouldn't usually faze me in the slightest but right now all I wanted to do was to lay under my blanket at home and watch a sad movie.

I went back to Harry's office and opened the door coming in. He looked up at me and he was instantly worried. "What's wrong?"

"I um need to go home so just know that I'll be at home." I opened the door but he ran over and closed it pulling me in.

"Baby, you're crying, tell me what happened?" I sniffled but then there was a knock at the door. He sighed opening it and there stood Brenda, I could not get a break. "We're busy right now." He told her.

"Just came to bring you these." She handed him something and he sighed in relief.

"Oh thank you, I appreciate it." She smiled and then looked over at me.

"Are you alright?" I could slap that fake sympathetic look off her face, I could slap her and then beat her ass for even looking at my man, but I'm better than that.

"I'm fine, thank you." She nodded walking out. I looked down at my hands and then over at Harry as he set his work down. "I'm going home for the rest of the day, I can't be here." He seemed torn between trying to comfort me and getting back to work.

"Do you want me to go home with you?" It was as if he was being forced to say that.

"No." I thought we were fine but there was this tension between us that was beginning to freak me out. "I think I'm just going to take a cab home." He agreed, leaning over to try and kiss me but I walked out before he could.

*

Harry

I'm such a piece of shit.

I don't know what is wrong with me and I don't know how to show my emotions. I'm sad, I'm angry, and I'm annoyed. But the person that's causing all of these emotions is dead and I can't complain to anyone about it.

I could feel the tension between Marlene and me; I hated it. I thought we had fixed the problem, but in all honesty, we just pushed it aside. The other night she kept trying to cuddle with me but I feel so empty.

Of course, I love her that hasn't changed, but it was as if I was afraid of what was to happen next. It didn't make sense to me about how I felt, I just knew that I needed to get my feelings under control.

With this in mind, I went home. Oliver kept calling out for Marlene in the car and honestly, I felt like her cuddles could cheer me up today. We made it home and I slowly made my way to the room to find her asleep. She was in her favorite shirt of mine which was an old band t-shirt that I never wore because it fit me too small. Her make up was off and she was holding her body pillow.

I sat Oliver on the bed and he slowly crawled up to Marlene to lay down beside her. "Mama wake up." He poked her face.

Her eyes opened and she smiled at the sight of Oliver. "Hi cutie, I missed you." She pulled him in close.

I took off my tie and my shirt, kicking off my shoes to lay down beside her. "Hi princess." She looked at me with so much sadness in her eyes. "Can we talk?" She nodded. "I uh think I'm going through something right now, emotionally."

"Okay." She waited for me to continue. I had thought all the way here about what exactly I felt, but none of it made sense.

"I've been having nightmares where she's here and she's hurting us. Then I wake up and I get sad because she's gone, and I know you say it's okay to feel sad but I don't want to feel sad." Marlene held my hand to let me know it was okay to continue. "I really wish she had fixed herself, and I keep blaming myself for it because I was always there when it came to her abuse and her drug use- everything and I turned my back on her."

A soft hand came up to my face and gently cleared any sign of tears. "You did what you thought was best Harry, you had no way to know that this would happen." I nodded as she pulled me into her chest.

"I'm sorry for not coming home to you when you didn't feel well." I looked up to her and she seemed a bit annoyed.

"I felt fine physically, it's just that new girl called me basic and ugly. I was already having a bad day." My eyes widened.

"She said that? With her fake blonde hair and ten layers of makeup, please, she wishes she could look even half as beautiful as you do." Marlene looked at me and smiled.

"You mean that?" She said quietly.

"Of course, do you even know how beautiful you are? Literally the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen in my life." She blushed covering her face. I moved her hands and leaned in to kiss her, but was stopped by a little hand cutting between us. "Oliver don't be jealous." He giggled as I nibbled on his hand.

"I have a bump now." She suddenly spoke lifting up her shirt. There was a small bump where our child grew inside her. I immediately smiled leaning over to kiss it. "You are so cute." She scratched gently under my chin. Oliver looked between us and then down at Marlene's stomach where he leaned down as well to kiss her tummy.

"Oliver, look at how beautiful mumma looks." He nodded.

"Mumma beautiful." He mumbled a bit but it made Marlene smile.

*

With the new information on Brenda, I decided to be less friendly to her at work. I walked into my office on Wednesday and could feel someone watching me. I turned around and Brenda stood there holding a stack of papers. "Can I help you?"

"Just need a signature." I sat down and watched as she came over leaning on the desk to show me where to sign. I signed and she smiled. "How are you today Harry, how was your weekend?"

"That's Mr. Styles to you, and I would appreciate if you didn't ask about my personal life." Her jaw dropped but she quickly nodded.

"Yes sir, I just assumed we were on a first name basis." I looked at her.

"No." She nodded awkwardly and walked out of the office. I wasn't a mean guy but it really irritated that she made Marlene feel bad enough to leave work.

I decided that today I had enough time for lunch and quickly went over to Marlene's cubicle where she was sitting. She had a headphone in her ear and was dancing a bit in her seat when I went up behind her and kissed her cheek. "Oh, Harry!" She gasped.

"Hi, baby." She giggled. "Let's go get some lunch yeah?" She nodded standing up.

We decided on a burger place where Marlene got a big burger no onion extra pickles. She hated pickles. She bit into it and moaned. "Oh my god, this is delicious." I chuckled at her reaction. "I don't know if it's the pregnancy but last night I was reading this thing about cravings and stuff and they said how a woman has a weird craving like pickles and chocolates." She took another bite and a sip of her coke.

"You have cravings?"

"Well, that's the thing I thought it was a bunch of crap but then as soon as I began thinking of the vinegar and the saltiness I wanted some pickles." She leaned over and wiped my mouth. "I've also been craving other things." I hummed in response with a full mouth of my own burger. I didn't want Marlene to feel self-conscious about ordering a big burger so I got the same thing. "Just like fruits, sex, Twinkies."

"I'm sorry what?" I raised an eyebrow leaning in.

"Twinkies you know they have the filling-"

"I know what a Twinkie is Marlene." I shook my head making her laugh. "You said sex."

She nodded. "Oh yeah, I'm constantly horny like all day, but that's not really different from the usual." She shrugged. I loved Marlene's high sex drive, honestly, it was amazing how she could be awake from five in the morning until midnight and still roll over and ask if I was in the mood. I realized I was staring at her and quickly looked down at her empty plate. "Ugh I just want to nap now, can't you be my sugar daddy and just work so I can quit my job."

"What happened to your independence?" She rolled her eyes.

"True, okay then I'll work but you have to rub my feet when we get home."

"Stop wearing heels." This girl rolled her ankle moving into the house and still wore heels to work.

"Baby, you can take away anything, but not my heels." I shook my head cleaning up our table.

We walked down the street back towards the office holding hands. She swung our hands between us before switching hands to wrap my arm around her shoulders.

I kissed the top of her head and began thinking about how different our lives were now. "So this week I'm going to call my lawyer and start the adoption process of Oliver." She looked up and smiled bigger than I had ever seen.

"Really?" I nodded. "Aww." she smiled big. "I'm really happy." And she's crying.

*

On Friday morning we took the day off after dropping off Oliver at daycare for Marlene's doctor's appointment. She seemed off as we sat in the office.

She lifted her shirt up and rubbed her stomach. "I'm nervous." She whispered.

"Why my love?" She shrugged. "Maybe you just need a kiss." I leaned over and pressed my lips to hers.

I was nervous as well because even if she was farther along, anything could happen. I had this dream last night where I was in the doctor's office doing this exact thing but instead of Marlene, it was Emily. I didn't tell Marlene about it because this was her moment and whatever was going on with me could wait.

When the doctor came in and asked her questions, checked her belly, and everything in between, she told us everything looked perfect.

We heard the heartbeat that caused Marlene to begin crying. It was the due date that made me realize something, our baby was due three days after Oliver's second birthday. We left with a smile on our faces but it was cut short when we bumped into someone in the lobby.

Shane sat on a bench reading a magazine as we walked out. Marlene cursed, probably with the fear of him finding out and telling Marlene's parents. It's not that she wanted to keep it a secret, it's just that she wanted to wait until she was far enough. We tried getting passed him but he looked up doing a double take.

"Marley, how are you?" Marlene sighed but smiled politely.

"I'm good just getting meds from the doctor." As if on cue a nurse from our doctor ran out and sighed in relief.

"Mrs. Styles you forgot your ultrasound." She tried to be quiet but failed.

"Thank you." She took the photo and I awkwardly looked at Shane who seemed disappointed. "Well, we have to go." He nodded.

"Congrats." She looked down.

"Thank you, Shane." We turned to leave.

"Henry?" My body tensed, that son of a bitch knew my name and liked to act dumb. "I mean Harry." I turned and he called me over. He put his hand out and sighed. "I guess you did win after all."

"I'm sorry what did I win?" He looked over at Marlene. I scoffed at his choice of words. "Marlene isn't some competition, this isn't a game, she's my wife. So with all due respect, if you get near her or ever try to contact her, I will fucking ruin your whole life. Understand?" I turned around and walked back over to Marlene.

"Ruin me, okay then, enjoy my sloppy seconds." He said under his breath.

I had never been a violent man nor a petty man but I went red in the face. I turned and could hear Marlene calling my name as I grabbed him and pinned him to the wall.

"Run that shit by me again I fucking dare you!" I smacked him harder against the wall. He looked terrified so I dropped him. "This is your last fucking warning you prick! Watch that fucking mouth!" I turned and walked out with Marlene.

She was silent all the way home and I had begun to fear that I had angered her or scared her. Inside the house, she went straight to the bedroom and I felt guilty for what I did.

I followed her in and began thinking about what to say to make it better but was completely taken by surprise when I felt her lips on mine.

I kissed her back and took off her cardigan. She practically ripped off my t-shirt and began pulling off my pants. "Woah." I pulled back. "Aren't you mad?"

She laughed placing her hands on my face to pull me in again. As she pulled away her arms went around my neck to jump into my arms. "Are you kidding, do you know how turned on I was watching you lift that asshole up against a wall and stand up for me." She sighed. "Take me, Harry," she whispered the last part.

Well, this took a weird turn, I kinda like it.

"He fucking wishes he could see you like this huh princess?" I laid her down in the bed and pulled her leggings off. I had her stripped down to nothing in seconds and watched as she slid off the bed to get on her knees in front of me. "I love you."

She pulled my cock out holding it in her hand. "I love you." She looked at me as she slipped it between her lips and sucked gently on the head. It took me a minute to get fully hard and by then she was already taking me farther down her throat.

She was moaning so loudly and god the way her eyes looked at me made my whole world make sense. She pulled back and smiled at me.

"The way you look at me makes my heart want to burst." If she only knew how I felt about her. I didn't respond just simply laying her down on the bed and kissing her.

At this moment everything felt right.

The world was at peace...

And then the phone rang.

*

Someone once called me the queen of plot twists, y'all better hold on to your nipples.

Thank you for reading. Xx

-k