Young & Beautiful

“MUM. Maggie’s only FOUR. Get back inside right now. You need to look after them.”
“I don’t want to,” she says, beginning to cry, and Louis’ nerves fizzle as he brings a hand up to
massage his temples.
“It’s not about what you want. You’re their mum. You can do this. Just like you were a good
mum before Charles left…you can be a good mum without him. Come on.”
The line is quiet, filled only by the muffled sound of wind and deep breaths.
“You’re right, love. You were always wise beyond your years.”
Louis nods, his teeth gritting. “I had to be. Now get back inside, yeah? Please?”
“I will. I’ll look after them, Lou. Just wait, I’ll be a good mum. I’ll do you proud.”
“Do yourself proud,” he says, and tries his best keeping his own emotions in check, his voice
dangerously close to rising.
Niall looks up at him, brow furrowed, but Louis ignores him for the moment, instead walking over
to the row of low set windows that line the wall. He stares out into the sunny expanse of grass,
students milling about, and faintly notes that he’s in the very spot where Zayn had gotten sick all
over him just that short time ago.
“I will.” There’s another pause. “Miss me, Lou?”
Louis closes his eyes. “Yes, mum. Now get back inside, please. Please. I love you,” he adds as an
afterthought.
“Love you, too. Keep in touch.”
And then the line is dead.
“Fuck’s sake,” he mumbles, setting down his phone on the counter as he drops into the nearest
chair.
“Was that your mum?” Niall asks with surprise, staring at Louis from across the room, hands now
in his lap.
“Yeah.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Everything.”
Niall just stares.
With a roll of the eyes, Louis elaborates. “She’s not been right ever since Charles left all those
years ago. Sometimes she just takes off or forgets about us kids. All she does is cry and look for
the people who aren’t in her life. So I have to remind her now, since I was the one who took care
of everyone when I was at home.” Louis hears the bitterness that tinges his words and prays Niall
doesn’t ask for further details.
Thankfully, he doesn’t.
“Fuck. That’s rough, mate.”