#rfw71

Harry wasn't sure how the kids would react the first time they'd told them.

James would likely be excited. Al bordering on indifference. But Lily was a toss-up.

Her ninth birthday was just around the corner--a fact that still shocked Harry to his core. And she was just as much of a daddy's girl now as she'd been the day she was born.

"She took that a bit...too well, no?" Harry told Abby that night, having finally shared the news of a baby to the kids.

Abby raised an eyebrow at him. "You've been stressed all week wondering if she'd be upset," she said, slowly. "And now you're stressed that she wasn't upset?"

Harry sighed as he settled back against his pillow. "I'm not stressed, I'm just..." he said, trying to find the words. "I mean--you'd think she'd care a little bit, wouldn't you?"

At this Abby put a hand over her mouth, clearly covering a smile.

"What?" Harry said. Then when she didn't respond, he tried again. "What?"

"You're upset that she wasn't upset!"

"What?" Harry said, looking at her as if she were mad. "Why would I want my daughter to be upset?"

"Well, not a terrible amount," Abby said. "But maybe just a teeny tiny bit."

She held her fingers close together in front of his face, but Harry pushed her hand aside and huffed loudly.

"Not true," he mumbled.

"She'll always be her daddy's girl, don't you worry, Harry."

"Leave me alone."

Abby giggled into his shoulder.

"Well, whatever. Let's just wait and see what happens if this baby is girl," he said.

Nothing happened.

Not then. Not when the gifts came pouring in. Not when the room was being set up. At no point throughout the entire pregnancy did Lily show any signs of jealousy or resentment--something that Harry was genuinely relieved about.

There was always that tiny niggling voice in his head asking why. But Harry ignored it. It was silly. He was being silly.

"Lily, do you want to say hi to your baby sister?"

Harry and Abby glanced at each other over her head, both of them waiting on baited breaths.

The girl ambled in, pressing against Harry's side as she looked at the baby in Abby's arms.

"She's so little," Lily said, holding Harry's hand in hers a bit tightly. "Can I hold her?"

"Sure, but we've got to be very, very careful, okay?" Harry said. "How about we hold her together."

Lily nodded, finally letting go of Harry's hand as he picked up the baby carefully and sat down.

"Can I hold her now?" Lily said, sitting down beside him.

Harry smiled before gently placing Lizzie in her big sister's arms, one hand still under the baby's head.

"Look at you three," Abby said with a tired smile. "Daddy and his little girls."

Lily glanced around, almost shyly.

It was uncharacteristic of her, and Harry and Abby made eye contact again before he leaned in close to Lily.

"My big little girl," Harry said, placing a kiss on her head. "And my small little girl."

"Small and little are the same thing," Lily said as if he were thick. "And how can I be big and little. You don't make any sense sometimes, Daddy."

Harry sighed, glad at least that the odd bout of shyness was gone.

"Give her here, Harry, and go call the boys in. I can practically hear James pacing from here," Abby said, holding out her arms. "Lily, come sit beside me, love."