Harry was coming home for two and a half weeks for a well-deserved Christmas vacation. I couldn't wait to have him all to myself for such an extended amount of time. And I couldn't wait to show him his birthday present. His birthday wasn't until tomorrow, but I couldn't wait another day to show it to him.

Charlie was gone to pick Harry up at the airport, so I was rushing the kids around the house, cleaning up last-minute messes and trying to put the finishing touches on dinner. It was feeling like arsenic hour when Grace came in screaming, saying that Rachael had shut her finger in the door and wouldn't apologize. Her finger was turning purple, so I rushed to the freezer to get some ice. I pulled out an ice tray that I had just filled, forgetting that it wasn't frozen yet, and I spilled it all over the floor. So when Danny came toddling in, he slipped and fell into the water. I got another tray of ice out and filled a baggie, giving it to Grace and trying to comfort her while Danny lay on the floor, crying much more dramatically than necessary.

I carried Danny upstairs to change his clothes, and when I got there, I discovered he would need a diaper change, too, so I yelled for Rachael to come and talk to me.

She came in, looking innocent, so I asked, "What happened with Grace's finger?" Rachael was very sensitive about being blamed for anything, so she immediately burst into tears saying, "I didn't do it on purpose. She's so mean!"

I tried explaining to her that, even if it was an accident, she had to tell Grace that she was sorry. And that Grace wasn't being mean, but she was hurt and had to tell me what happened. Rachael continued to cry while I struggled to hold Danny still to clean up his very smelly diaper mess.

Over the pungent smell coming from my two-year-old, I suddenly detected the odor of something burning. I had left dinner on the stove and my hands were literally full.

"Rory!" I yelled.

"Danny, hold still!" I snapped, causing him to start crying again.

"Rory!" I yelled again when she failed to appear the first time.

She came stomping down the hall and stopped in the doorway. "What?!"

"Don't use that tone of voice, Rory. I need your help. Please go down and turn off the burners on the stove."

She rolled her eyes and huffed off. That girl was nine, going on fifteen. Good heavens!

I got Danny cleaned up and dressed, washed my hands and hurried downstairs, running into Rory who was coming to tell me, "Mom, the big pot boiled over and there is sauce all over the stove!" And then she stormed past me.

"Dammit!" I muttered. I could still hear two children whining somewhere in the house, Danny was at the top of the stairs yelling for Rory to come and help him down the stairs, even though he had done it himself many times before.

"How am I going to clean this up?!" I mumbled, looking at the giant mess on the stove.

It was then that I heard the most wonderful voice asking, "Can I help?"

I turned around to see Harry's smiling face. I wiped my hands quickly and jumped into his arms. "Welcome home, babe! I missed you!"

"I missed you, too," he said, kissing my lips gently.

Just then, Rory came into the kitchen carrying Danny. They both cried, "Daddy!" and I let him pull away to greet his children. I went to find Rachael and Grace to let them know that Daddy was home.

After everyone had greeted Harry, I told him with a pout, "Dinner is ruined."

"Well, let's just order pizza then. We can go out tomorrow for my birthday. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," I sighed, hugging him again. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Me, too."

When all the kids were in bed, I poured two glasses of wine and brought them to Harry who was relaxing in the living room. We sat and enjoyed the silence for a bit, but then I couldn't contain myself. "I want to give you your birthday present tonight, okay?"

"Sure," he said, clearly surprised.

We set our wine glasses down and I led him to the basement. He actually hadn't seen any of the basement because I told him that his present was down there. So it was fun to show him the additional living space that we had literally underneath our feet. I had chosen a light brown carpet with flecks of blue in it. The walls were painted a light blue on the upper part, and the lower part was covered in a wooden wainscoting. I had put our sofa from the old house down there, along with a small TV. That was it for the time being, but I had grand visions of a game room or an exercise room.

"This looks great, Lise! I love it!"

"Good, but this isn't your present. Come over here," I said, leading him to the door to the studio. "Close your eyes."

I opened the door, flipped the light switch and then whispered, "Okay, open your eyes."

When he opened his eyes, his jaw nearly hit the floor.

"Welcome to your home recording studio," I said.

"Oh, my gosh, Lise. This is amazing!" He slowly walked in and started to inspect the equipment that I had carefully place in the room. He kept saying, "Oh, my gosh," and "I don't believe it." After several minutes of dumbfounded excitement, Harry whipped his body around and picked me up, squeezing me tight. Then he flopped me back and forth like a rag doll, saying, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Harry!" I laughed. "Put me down! You're going to make me sick."

He set me down gently and then placed a tender kiss to my lips. "Thank you," he said.

"You like it then?" I asked.

"Like doesn't even begin to describe this. Love doesn't even describe it. I just can't believe you did this for me." Harry choked on his words and then said, "It's the most amazing gift I've ever received. And you are the most amazing woman in the world." And then he kissed me so hard that I wanted to lock the door to the studio and test the acoustic panels.

Instead, I let him play around with his equipment for a bit, but I gave him a wink and a fair warning: "I'm going upstairs to get in bed, but I'm not going to sleep."

He just chuckled and said, "Okay."

That night was honestly the only night I can say we had any peace until New Year's Eve. We celebrated Harry's birthday the following day, of course, and we went out to dinner as planned. But as soon as we got home, our family was violently plunged into the most common ailment to afflict Minnesotans during the Christmas season: the stomach flu. It started with Aurora, moved to Grace and then Rachael, then poor Harry. I'm sure his immune system was compromised from his hectic schedule over the past several months. He had it the longest. He was down for a good four days before he really felt well enough to get dressed and participate in family activities. Somehow, Danny managed to avoid it all together. Lucky me, I waited until the day before Christmas Eve to succumb. I made Harry do all the last minute preparations, cooking and gift-wrapping. By the evening of Christmas Eve, I felt well enough to sit in the living room with everyone else while they ate Christmas cookies and listened to Harry reading "The Night Before Christmas." I had to sit far enough from everyone snacking on goodies, though, because my stomach still couldn't tolerate anything but saltines and water. I was okay by Christmas morning, but I just felt weak and tired.

A day or two after Christmas, the flu was finally gone and I assumed we'd still have ten days of peace before Harry had to leave again. Unfortunately, the stalker struck again, this time targeting both of us. She sent me a picture of Harry and myself in the crosshairs. It was taken right outside our house.

All doubt was erased in my mind that the stalker had some connection with the relentless member of the paparazzi who continually posted pictures and posts about Harry and me, if it wasn't indeed one and the same person. The tabloids had shown the picture of Zayn and me outside of our new house, and now the stalker had a picture of Harry and me in almost the exact same location. I felt sick to my stomach, and this time it wasn't a virus.

"Harry," I cried upon seeing the photograph, "please do something!"

He pulled me in for a reassuring hug and said, "Of course." He pulled his phone out and dialed Niall's direct line, but he reached a recorded message saying that Niall was out of the office until January 3rd. He was still given the option to leave a voice message, which he did.

"Oh, that's right! He went to Michigan with Hope, to visit her family," I told him. "Call the police!"

He smirked at me and said, "I was planning to do just that. Just calm down, okay?"

"Harry! How can you say that? Someone is threatening to kill us!"

Harry grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me to look directly at him. "Lise. No one is going to kill us or try to kill us. This person is just messing with our heads. Besides, I'm going to make sure nothing happens to you or the children. I promise."

"How can you make sure nothing happens to us when you're never here?!" I screamed.

He flinched a little at my words, but then he said, "I'm here now, aren't I? And I'm calling the police right now."

I listened to him on the phone and gathered that the police weren't being very helpful. At one point, he demanded, "Do you know who I am?!"

I bit back a laugh, thinking how funny that sounded coming out of my husband's mouth. He sounded like an arrogant celebrity insisting that he get special treatment, but he just wanted them to understand that we already had a history of being harassed by this person.

When he finally hung up, he told me in an exasperated voice, "They said they'll try to send someone over today."

"Ughhh!" I yelled. "They won't do anything til one of us dies!"

"Lise, darling. I really think you're overreacting."

I just gave him a dirty look.

"Would you like me to help you...relax?" He said, winking.

"Are you seriously trying to get me back in bed when our lives have just been threatened?" I asked, but I couldn't help it when a smile crossed my face. "I'm glad you're not worried," I finally said. "So, you can try to be calm for both of us."

The police officer never showed up that day. In fact, they didn't send an officer until two days later. During that time, I refused to go out with Harry and the kids, although he was dying to go out and do some family things with all of us like ice skating or looking at the Christmas lights around the city. I was too nervous, telling him I didn't want to be a moving target.

When we finally discussed the menacing text with the officer, he under-reacted more than Harry did.

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said.

"What do you mean it's nothing?" I screeched. "This person has been stalking me and threatening me for months now. This is not an isolated incident!"

"Ma'am, if you will please calm down, I can assure you that we'll do everything we can to put a stop to this. In the meantime, I think that you and your family are safe."

I rolled my eyes as Harry said good-bye to the officer. After he had shut the door, I scoffed, "The only thing I'd believe from that guy is that he's going to do everything he can to find a donut shop!"

Harry burst out laughing. "Be nice, luv."

"I know," I said, trying again not to laugh. "I just hate this, Harry. This is supposed to be fun and exciting for you, but it's becoming a nightmare for me."

"Me, too. I hate that you're worried about this all the time."

"Well, then, just kiss it and make it better," I laughed, puckering my lips.

He kissed me and I decided to do the best I could to stop worrying and enjoy the one week I had left with him before he had to go on tour.

I was absolutely dreading Harry's upcoming tour.

On December 28, Charlie called to tell Harry that he and Courtney would babysit on New Year's Eve so that Harry and I could go out alone and stay overnight somewhere. Harry gladly accepted without even consulting me, because he knew I could use the break. Well, that, and it was our anniversary.

"So where do you want to go, love?" Harry asked.

"Wherever you go," I answered, and I was quite sincere. I didn't really care if we ate at McDonald's and watched movies in a cheap motel room. I just wanted to be alone with my husband before we had to say good-bye again.

I was understandably nervous about leaving the children alone, even though I knew that Charlie and Courtney were more than capable. I just hated knowing that someone out there was watching us and was hell-bent on terrorizing our family, regardless of whether they actually intended to do us any harm.

Harry could sense my apprehension and he repeatedly assured me that everything would be okay. I finally agreed to let go of my worries and enjoy the much-needed time away.

When we were getting ready to leave, I must have showed Courtney how to set the burglar alarm at least three times. I made sure she had mine and Harry's cell phone numbers in her phone, in Charlie's phone, and written on the white board by our phone, along with the name, telephone number and room number of our hotel. I started listing my parents' phone number and my sister's phone number when Courtney took the marker out of my hands and pulled me into a hug. "Lise, everything will be okay. I promise. We love your kids like they're our own."

"I know. Thanks, Court." I kissed her cheek and then left for a night away with Harry.

When we got to the hotel room, my jaw dropped in awe. It was the most luxurious suite I had ever even seen, let alone actually stayed in.

"Oh, Harry, it's perfect. Can we just stay in tonight?" I asked, grinning devilishly.

"Do you really want to?" He asked.

"I wouldn't mind if I had you all to myself. Just you, me, and the jacuzzi."

"Ahh," he smirked at me. "That does sound nice. Why don't we go out for dinner and then come back here?"

"Sure," I smiled.

After dinner, we rushed back to our hotel suite, eager to enjoy the jacuzzi and each other. First, I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. When I came back out, Harry had removed everything but his dress shirt and boxers, and he was lying on the bed, flipping through TV channels.

"You're gonna watch a movie?" I laughed. "By the way, nice outfit."

"We have to watch Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. It's tradition, isn't it?"

"Harry Styles, the hottest new singer in the world, stays in his hotel room on New Year's Eve to watch Ryan Seacrest," I teased.

I turned toward the jacuzzi and started filling the tub with steaming hot water. Harry's eyes stayed glued to the television until I started to undress. I was almost naked when I heard the TV switch off and then I felt Harry moving behind me. He slipped his hands around my waist and into my underwear, slowly pulling them down.

"Naughty," I said.

"We're married," he insisted, lightly kissing my neck.

"You bet we are!" I laughed, and then I spun around and yanked his boxers down, earning a gregarious laugh from him.

"You couldn't have done that five years ago," he joked.

"I would have gotten arrested if I'd done that five years ago!" I laughed.

He yanked open the buttons on his shirt and stood before me stark naked, both of us laughing.

"I love you so much," he said, laughing lightly into my shoulder as he pulled my naked body to his, pressing us tightly together.

"I love you, too, babe. No matter what happens." I pulled away to step into the tub, but then I remembered something. "Can you get the champagne from the fridge? There are glasses in the cabinet next to it."

I slid into the hot water and watched Harry's naked backside as he followed my instructions. "Looking good, Styles," I giggled. He shook his backside a bit, making me laugh harder.

He joined me in the tub, champagne and glasses in hand. He popped the cork and poured the bubbly into the glasses.

"To us," he said, raising his glass. "Happy anniversary, darling."

"Happy anniversary, babe," I said right back to him. We both downed half our glasses in one gulp, so I poured a bit more.

"To our family," I said, raising my glass again. Then we both chugged our second glass.

Harry poured a third round and raised his glass. "To my career. May it always be rewarding and never tear us apart."

"Amen to that!" I exclaimed. Then we both downed our third glass and soon we were both quite tipsy and giggling about who knows what. I moved my body so that I was resting between Harry's legs, my back pressed to his torso. I leaned my head back onto his shoulder and closed my eyes.

We sat in silence, letting the alcohol take over, relaxing us, helping us to let go of all the stress of the past few months. Soon I felt like I was floating, which didn't seem too crazy, since we were in a tub of hot water. But I had to sit up to avoid feeling dizzy.

Harry slurred a little when he said, "Hey, come back here."

I turned around and faced him. "I have to sit up because we're drunk."

"That doesn't make any sense, love," he giggled. "But here," he said, handing me the bottle. "Drink some more. That will help."

I furrowed my eyebrows dramatically at him. Then I grabbed the bottle and took a huge gulp, but I held it in my cheeks for a minute as Harry looked at me, wide-eyed.

"You drank the rest???"

I tried not to laugh so that I wouldn't spit the champagne out.

"Give me some!" He yanked me over to him and put his mouth on mine. I tried desperately to swallow the large mouthful of alcohol, but he pushed his tongue into my mouth, pretending he was trying to get me to give him some.

I choked on what was left and started laughing and coughing at the same time. "Harry, you made me choke!"

"Oh," he whispered, leaning back in so his face was almost touching mine. "I'm sorry." He kissed my lips gently. Then he moved his mouth slowly along my cheek and down my jaw, planting small kisses along the way. He kept going, kissing along my neck, down along my collarbone and over to my shoulder.

As fast as someone flipping a light switch, I got so turned on that I couldn't wait for Harry to make love to me. I pulled his face back to mine and kissed him roughly. While I continued kissing him, I slowly climbed onto his lap. He didn't resist at all and we soon became one, enjoying each other completely and without inhibition.

I would have thought that when Harry became famous, we'd be spending New Year's Eve partying til dawn with other celebrities in the hottest nightclubs in the country. But as it was, I enjoyed our third anniversary more than I ever thought possible. I was alone with the love of my life and we spent our whole night focused only on each other, drinking champagne, celebrating three years of marriage. And, of course, making love.

And we watched Ryan Seacrest just long enough to see the ball drop in Times Square.