The deflated tone of Harry's voice as he'd spoken to Nola last night had really struck a chord with me. I hadn't meant to make him sad, but then again he probably hadn't meant to upset me either.

I had let Nola babble and then I'd hung up. I hadn't spoken a word. It was the way it had to be while I figured out this mess. I didn't need distractions. I didn't need him clouding my brain and making me feel like this was about more than just our daughter. But I didn't want to be angry. I just wanted this to be easy.

After everything, I deserved easy.

As Nola managed to smear banana across her cheeks I removed myself from my dreary thoughts and went in search of the wipes. They were tucked inside the bag I'd taken to the party, which was also overflowing with presents and cards that I hadn't yet psyched myself up to deal with. I wasn't interested in discovering all the no doubt wonderful and horribly expensive gifts and cards that One Direction had gifted my daughter. If I was going to ignore Harry, then I was going to do it properly.

I dug my hands into the bag and began turfing the presents and cards out of it, resulting in a colourful and somewhat loopsided heap on the carpet. The contents of my bag was basically Christmas Day for Nola. I shook my head and made to get up from the carpet when one of the cards caught my eye. It was face down with only it's blank back showing, but in the bottom left hand corner there was a scribble of handwriting. Upon closer inspection it read"Anne" followed by a mobile number. Without hesitation I removed my phone from my pocket and dialled the number, my heart thumping as I waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" The warmth of her voice relaxed me immediately.

"Anne, it's Marnie." She let out a sigh of relief as if she'd been waiting for my call.

"I was really hoping you'd find my number. How are you feeling?" She clearly knew about the newspaper fiasco.

"Angry." I admitted. "Angry and disappointed."

"As a mother I wouldn't expect you to feel anything else, even if it is my own son caught up in it all." A part of me felt guilty talking about Harry with his mother and behind his back.

"The things is, Anne, I don't want to be angry with him. I think I am just because I wasn't really sure who else to blame. Sure, he's the reason that someone got hold of that photo, but I know that he wasn't the one who took it to the paper or wrote the story that went to print. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do about it now."

My eyes scanned the presents in the room and landed on a little green box of wipes. It dawned on me that Nola was still covered in banana and I stifled back a laugh. It was moments like these when I wanted Harry to be here with this daughter. I wanted him to see even the ridiculously small and yet hugely hilarious parts of her life, not be the cause of the more public and daunting ones.

"You've got to call him, Marnie." Anne instructed me. "He's absolutely miserable right now."

"And say what?" I huffed. "What on earth is anyone supposed to say when they are in the biggest mess of their life? And that's saying something considering I was a single teen mom at the age of eighteen with a support network that consisted of one Niall Horan obsessed blonde bimbo. Now that was a mess." Anne chuckled at the other end. 

"Well I would start with what you said to me about not wanting to be angry. He just has to know how you feel, Marnie. You've got to give him something to work with here." I squeezed my eyes shut as she continued talking. I wasn't going to cry. "You might think Harry's only in this for Nola, but he cares about you too. It's killing him already that he's had to go on tour and separate himself from his daughter, imagine how he feels knowing he's left everything in a mess with you and there's nothing he can do about it."

"How do you honestly feel about this, Anne?" I asked her curiously. "You're entitled to be somewhat bias towards him because he's your son. It's your job. But if you were just an onlooker, what would you honestly think right now?" 

"Probably the same." She told me sincerely. "I mean, I think he's an idiot for his stunt at the party and the fact he allowed himself to get drunk enough that he put his daughter's privacy at stake, but anyone can see he's trying, Marnie. Everyone knows how much effort he's putting into this. Everyone apart from you." 

My eyes flew open and my heart dropped to my stomach. I wasn't that mother. "That's not fair!" I snapped. "I'm trying my best too. Imagine being the only parent in her life to this. Any mother would be the same. Even you, Anne." 

"I know, Marnie, but it's time to show Harry that he's not the only one trying. He's fully aware of his wrong doing, just put him out of his misery." I wondered if putting Harry out of his misery would have the same effect on mine. 

"How can I trust him though?" I pressed. I certainly never wanted a repeat of Nola's party or her photo being leaked online and in the newspaper.

"You just have to!" Her voice was cheery as if she knew she was finally getting her message across. "If you spend Nola's whole life trying to figure out how to trust him then you never will. It'll ruin all of you." 

She was right. I had to think about how my friendship/relationship, whatever this was with Harry, was going to impact our daughter in the future. God I hated it when others were right. 

"Ok, ok. I'll call him." I groaned eventually. Anne wished me luck with a small chuckle and then ended the call. I didn't realise until after she'd hung up how much I missed having my own mother to talk to. We'd never really had the closest relationship, but she was still my mother after all. Sighing, I dialled Harry's number and waited. 

"Hey, Nola." Harry's voice was flat. My chest ached at the realisation that he'd come to accept that I was never going to be the person on the phone anymore. 

"Harry, it's me. It's Marnie." I said quickly. 

"Marnie!" Harry exclaimed, before coughing and composing himself. "I mean, Marnie, how are you? It's great to hear from you." 

"I'm sorry, Harry." I told him honestly. "I shouldn't have ignored you. I just didn't know what to say." He heaved a huge sigh of relief. 

"I'm sorry too. I promise to stop making stupid choices before at least thinking them through first." He laughed. "I really am sorry, Marnie."

"I know you are, Harry. I just worry...a lot, and I didn't know who to blame for the whole thing that happened so instead of just being mature about it, I flipped out and blamed you instead." I felt my cheeks flush with colour. 

"We're as bad as each other basically." He chuckled. "How is Nola?"

"Covered in banana." I admitted and headed towards the kitchen where Nola sat with a yellow crusty face. Harry burst out laughing.

"Is that something I could report for child abuse?"

"Possibly not," I smirked. "But you could probably do me for neglect. I was looking for the wipes to solve said banana problem, but ended up getting distracted on the phone instead."

"Definitely neglect." He said quickly. "You should be ashamed of yourself and your parenting skills." 

There was silence for a moment before we both burst out laughing. This was easy. This was how my co-parenting with Harry should have always been. Easy like breathing. 

"I promise to take part in all the future phone calls." I vowed, surprised to find myself grinning madly. Nola watched me from her high-chair with curious eyes and smiled. 

"I'm pleased to hear it." Harry replied. "Hey, listen - we were told today that they've added two London dates on at the end of the European leg of our tour. Zayn was obviously telling you about the experience the other week, but I was wondering if you might actually want to come along? Elenore and Nola can come too, of course. I can put tickets aside for close family and friends, you see, so it would be no problem. You'd love it."

I didn't even have to think about it before I answered. "We'd love too."  

"Awesome!" Harry said cheerily. "Gemma will probably come too and Lou will be there. It'll be great. Nola will get to see what daddy does!"

"Thank you, Harry." My heart was racing at the thought of going out in public with Harry and Nola. 

"It's no problem." I heard muffled voices in the background and knew that he was about to be dragged away from the call. "I'm really sorry but we've got an afternoon performance and I've got to go to the sound check." His voice was apologetic and i laughed.

"It's fine, Harry. I'm glad we've sorted everything out now. I'll speak to you tonight with Nola."

"Bye, Marnie. Give Nola a kiss for me." The call ended and I grinned at my daughter before swooping in and planting a sloppy kiss on her forehead.

"That was from daddy." I told her. Nola's eyes widened.

"Dada?" She squealed.

"That's right!" I confirmed before my eyes locked on the crusted yellow flakes on her cheeks. "Now, before daddy gets social services on my arse, it's time to get those wipes."