Larry's Cougar Ch. 05

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?"

"No. Just look. The one smoking, with her hair in plats and the hat on."

He squinted. "Yeah. So."

"The tattoo on her left wrist."

"Kay. And?"

"It's a swallow. The tat on her right is a trinity knot."

He squinted again. "You can see that from here?"

"She's being expressive. See?"

"Yeah. What's so important about her?"

"Who do you know that has tattoos like that?"

"Tanalei Granger. But the neck hasn't been mentioned."

"I'm going to speak with her." He quickly crossed the plaza as she finished her conversation with her companion.

"Hello," he said.

She whirled around. "Hi. Can I help you?"

"Jaymi Hensley." He held out his hand. She shook it.

"Tanalei Granger and Sophia Smith." She frowned. "You look familiar."

"He's from Union J, a pop band here," Sophia said. "I watched you on X Factor. I'm a fan." She turned to Tanalei. "You should see his band mate, George. People swear that if Louis and Harry had a kid, it would look just like George."

Tanalei looked at Jaymi in shock. "Really?"

He nodded. "Ms. Granger, Ms. Smith, can I offer you a cup of tea?"

"Make it a coffee." They walked to a little coffee shop. After ordering, they sat a table towards the back.

"I can see how you captured their attention."

She stilled. "Excuse me?" She glanced at Sophia.

"Louis and Harry. Look at you. You remind me of the bombshells of the 60s. Add in the glasses and the accent, I'm surprised they let you out the house."

She sat back and studied him. His arms were resting on the table. On his right arm was a swallow and compass tattoo. She met his gaze.

"Have you met Simon yet?"

"Not yet. I've done nothing but go from one hometown to the next. I actually just got off the plane from Mullingar."

"And hopping on one to America tomorrow. You're gonna get sick, Lei," Sophia warned.

"You actually just got back from England from visiting their parents and you're going back with the boys tomorrow," Chaske stated. "Lei, you know I love you, but don't you think that it's weird?"

Tanalei blew out a breath and sat on the edge of the bed. "Their moms invited me to go. This is my vacation time with the boys and we chose to go to England."

"Yeah. Hmm. There's something you're not telling me. Come on, little sister. What is it?"

"It's so wrong for you to call me 'little sister', Ke." She giggled then sighed. "I like him," she said softly. "He's been talkin' to the boys every day when I do."

"You had four weeks of hot sex and now you think you're in love with him? Lei," he lectured.

"It was six weeks of hot sex. I love you, but I don't feel like turnin' around to tell you somethin' and havin' my heart drop to my feet cause you're not there." She sighed. "I don't think I'm explainin' it right."

"You're doing perfect, babe. You're right though; we had chemistry, but not that spark that could turn into something more." A pause. "There's more. What about the other one?"

"Um, what other one?"

He sighed, dropping the subject. "Have you been reading the gossip columns?"

She grimaced. "A few. Both of us keep insistin' that we're just friends, that we're affectionate people that hug our friends often."

"I've said the same thing. So have the others. You received any other calls about it?"

"Gary Sinise called the other day. He and his wife were concerned." Crashes sounded from down the hall then she heard "Mom!" "I'll text after we land. Love you."

"Love you too, Lei."

"I swear I will leave you with your daddy if you don't get to bed right now!" she yelled as she started out of her bedroom.

Tanalei trudged down the gangway. Alan gripped her hand while she carried Eli. She could see the beginning of the terminal ahead. She could also hear the roar of a crowd.

"Aww, crap," she muttered.

"What is it, Mommy?" Eli asked.

"I think the guys came to pick us up instead of lettin' us go straight to the hotel."

"I'm hungry," Alan said.

"Me too," Eli voiced. The noise level rose. "That's loud."

"Yes it is. Listen, they're gonna be girls yellin' at the guys and some people with cameras yellin' at us."

"This is what happens when you're famous, Mommy?" Eli asked.

"Yeah, baby."

"I'm glad you're not famous."

"Not yet," she mumbled. This trip will change her kids' lives, more than any of them thought. A few yards into the terminal, she paused and looked around. An ear-piercing whistle sounded from her right. The crowd paused in volume long enough to hear her name. The guys, plus three bodyguards, came forward.

"Run towards Liam," Tanalei told Eli when she set him down. Raising her hand, she signed 'L' then 'M', as he took off running, screaming Liam's name. Liam nodded, catching Eli and spun him around. Harry pointed at himself. She nodded.

"Who, Mom?" Alan asked.

"Harry." She watched as Alan jumped into Harry's arms. Then shrieked when Louis and Niall raced towards her. Her face was peppered with kisses. Louis sneaked one on her lips as Niall kissed her cheek. When they joined the others, Zayn and Liam kissed the top of her head while Harry kissed near her mouth.

"Y'all didn't have to meet us here. We could've taken a taxi to the house."

"Nope, we had to give a proper UK welcome," Louis said. They steered her towards to exit.

"Wait. What about our bags?"

"Damn," Harry muttered. "You know, you could have let us buy you clothes for here. No luggage needed. And why did you take the suitcase back with you?"

"I needed to repack." She shook her head. "You ain't buyin' us stuff while we're here."

He passed Alan off to Niall. "Let's go get your bags. We'll meet you at the car, yeah?" he asked the others.

"Take Will with you. Preston and Robert will go with us," Liam said.

Tanalei kissed her sons. "Listen to them and be good. Harry and I will be right back." The boys nodded. "Don't teach my kids anythin' you don't want your mamas to know about," she told the others. They nodded.

On the way to baggage claim, Harry pulled her into an alcove. He pressed her against the wall. She opened for him immediately, her arms going around his neck.

"I've missed you," he said against her lips.

"I missed you too," she whispered. After a peck on the lips, they continued to the carousels. They had to wait a while. She laid her head on his arm. "This will be all over the papers tomorrow."

"What?"

"This little pose here, me with swollen lips, you with a hard-on. Then there was Alan runnin' to you."

"Who else would he have gone to?"

"Niall or Zayn."

"But not me or Louis."

She sighed. "I saw some pictures from the Memorial Day picnic we went to. Gail and Niall were clearly kissin'. Louis' leanin' in to tell me somethin' and it looks like he was ticklin' or kissin' my neck."

Harry smiled. "He was."

She swatted at him. "That's not the point. I'm bein' label a slut, Harry, sayin' I'm with you and Louis. I swear Eleanor is stalkin' me on Twitter. This one person is leavin' awful comments about me."

"How would it have looked if it were Louis and I who ran up to you if Alan went to Niall?"

"You're right. I swear our bags have to be the last ones off. Oh, here's Eli's." She pointed to a red suitcase.

He grabbed it as it went by. "Elijah Glenn," he read. "What's Alan's middle name?"

"Joseph," she said as she pointed at a green case. "They didn't want their bags to be missed."

"I'll say." The Granger boys' names were painted on their suitcases in bold colors. "Where's yours?" he asked, looking for the black one she was using a few days ago.

"It's that one."

He watched as a purple bag went by. "Montana Rose" was painted on the top. "Is that your real name?"

She nodded as they waited for it to come back around. "Montana Rose Harris Cooper."

He grimaced. "Can't you drop the 'Cooper' since you're divorced?"

"Only if I get married again."

Feeling eyes on her, Tanalei opened her eyes to find Alan staring at her.

"Mornin', baby."

"Mornin', Mom. Why's Harry in bed with you? Is he your boyfriend?"

"Um. Yes?"

"Like Daddy and Kirsten before they got married?"

"Exactly," she said to end the awkward conversation. "Is Eli up?"

"Yep."

Eli burst into the room. "Miss Anne and Miss Karen are here. They said get up."

"Y'all go get ready. I'm gonna take a shower."

"Kay, Mommy," they chorused. "Jinks. Double jinks. Mommy!"

"Alan, Eli, out." She sighed when the door slammed.

"Is that what your mornings are usually like?" Harry grumbled.

"Only on the weekends and durin' summer. Actually they crawl into bed with me. They couldn't do that this mornin'."

"Thank God. They would've gotten a bit of a surprise."

"Shut up," Louis groaned as he turned over, snuggling up to Harry. "Mmm. Hazza sandwich."

The door burst open. Tanalei and Harry looked up while Louis ducked under the covers. Niall quickly shut the door.

"The natives are getting restless. Get up. We're hungry."

"Order from room service," Louis said as he popped his head out.

"I did. By the time you three get up, along with everyone else, it will be time to eat again."

Tanalei stared at him. "I just realized where the Shire is."

"What?"

"You're a Hobbit, ain't ya? Only Hobbits eat like you do." He looked at her in confusion. "Breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses . . ."

"Luncheon, afternoon tea," Harry picked up.

"Dinner, supper," Louis finished.

Niall just stared at them. "You guys have watched that movie way too much. Get up." He smacked the blankets.

"You're lucky that was my hip, leprechaun," Harry muttered. "That would've been detrimental to my shower sex."

"No time for that. We gotta get up and go."

"What are we doing today?" Louis asked. "And there's always time for shower sex."

"Not with you three. We're going sight-seeing."

"We've seen London. We live here, for Christ's sake."

"The boys haven't. Now let's go." He swatted the three of them before heading towards the door. "If one of you isn't out there in fifteen minutes, I'm sending in a mum."

"Who takes the shortest time to get ready?" Harry asked.

"You do," Louis replied.

"And you take the longest. Go get in the shower."

"I'm wearing a hat today. You go."

Tanalei sighed. "I'll go. I don't wanna give your mamas the wrong impression."

"They already know we're sleeping together."

"But I don't want to flaunt it." She got out of bed and strolled to the bathroom.

Louis sighed and rolled onto his back. "I need call Eleanor."

"Why? She and Tanalei don't get along. Don't ruin her day," Harry pleaded.

"Perrie and Sophia are going. I don't wanna fight about it, Hazza. With you, her or management."

"Call her, Lou," Tanalei said from the bathroom door, toothbrush in hand. "Maybe she'll stop being a bitch and get that stick outta her ass."

"She does not have a stick up her ass," he protested.

"Towards Tanalei she does," Harry responded.

"Have fun, Mommy," Eli said, giving her a kiss.

"You look pretty, Mom," Alan complimented.

"She's absolutely gorgeous," Harry countered. He kissed her lips. "Go. We'll be fine."

Tanalei bit her lip, looking at three of the men in her life. She glanced towards Liam. "Don't let management get called by the neighbors. No wild party."

He smirked. "Yes, Mummy Wolf." He watched with the others as their sisters and girlfriends dragged Tanalei to the car. Closing the door, he rubbed his hands together. "Pizza's on the way and Zayn will be here soon with McDonald's. There's also a box of American candy. The biggest question is," he knelt down to the boys' level, a serious look on his face, "which is first: Transformers or X-Men?"

Tanalei had just taken a drink of her screwdriver when Nicola, Liam's oldest sister, threw her arm over her shoulders.

"You should marry Liam. You would have beautiful babies."

She choked. "Jesus, Nikki. He's got a girlfriend." She pointed to Sophia.

"I know. Look." She pulled out her phone. "We found this program online that combines pictures to see what your kids would look like." She scrolled until she found what she was looking for. "Here's James and Lizzy."