For Your Eyes Only [h.s.]

Ch. 79 - The Present

Adelaide Styles
August 19, 2022
7:45 pm
London, England

"I'll keep it safe, stop your worrying." I tell him as I help him rearrange the rings on his fingers, handing me his wedding band. 

"But you'll be out there, right?" He asks, nervously. It's been a month since we flew home to London and 'moved on' in a sense, and Harry has been attached at the hip ever since. It's like he's afraid if he takes his eyes off me, I'll be taken again.

"Of course, you'll be able to see me the whole night. Plus; Ben, Jeff, Niall, Macey, they'll all be there with me and we'll all be out there for you, ok?" I tell him, wiping the concern from his brow. He was a maniac when I suggested we go back to Vermont before leaving the states, but with some convincing I got him to agree. We spent only a night there, but it was good, a therapist's suggestion, to help us get back to normal. 

I had one nightmare, but we managed. I am glad to be home, however. We'll go back to Vermont when we both feel ready, and when we do the entire house is being redone. 

He takes a deep breath. "God I don't think I've been this nervous for a show since the 1 D days Ads." I grab both his hands, enclosing them between mine to settle the shaking. 

"Baby?" He looks at me, finally meeting my eyes. "It's so fair to feel nervous tonight, but I want you to go out there and have fun, yeah? Please, it'll hurt me to see you not do your best. I'm fine, we're all fine..." I say, cradling my growing belly. 

Harry leans down and whispers to Annie, "be nice to momma tonight, yeah, I love you. I love both of you." He says, looking up at me I run my hands though Harry's hair as Ben comes through the entrance we'll use in a moment to go to the family and friend's section of the arena. 

"We're ready bud." Ben has Ruby with him and she's chomping at the bit, her headphones nearly slipping off her head. Harry turns on his heels, remaining Ruby's height with a huge smile on his face. Completely disguising the fear I know is still coursing through his veins. 

"There she is!" Harry shouts, turning and throwing his arms out to her. She runs and jumps hard enough that he falls back into my legs. "Oh bug, you're getting to be such a big beautiful girl. You're not a baby anymore!" They roll around for a minute until Ben clears his throat to remind Harry he has a job to do.

"Ok, you two, let's go!" I tell them, helping Ruby up from the ground. 

"Hi cuzzy, I can't wait to meet you!" She says to my stomach, kissing its peak. I smile at Ben, so grateful Annie will have Ruby and Gracie as family relatively close to her age, since I have no siblings and Gemma has made it clear we are not to ask about her and Michal. 

"Hey," Harry says, pulling my attention to him now that he's standing over Ruby and I. "I love you the most, I'll see you out there." He says, hand on my stomach as he steals one final kiss before heading to his entrance to get into his iconic box to roll out to the stage. 

I walk over to Ben who throws his arm around me, "let's have a good night shall we?" We begin to walk in perfect synchronization with Ruby running up and grabbing my hand, not to be left behind! Before I can agree, Ruby chimes in for me, "Yes, yes! Let's go watch Uncle Harry dance!"

We walk through the oversized loading dock and as the crowd reveals itself the cheers grow enormous. I note that Harry's box isn't being rolled out just yet. The stage is still empty. 

"It's for you." Ben explains, reading my curious mind. 

I look around and notice, he's right. Every fan in the stands is cheering and waving at us, at me. Someone even has a sign, "Welcome Home Adelaide!" written on it in sparkly colors. I tear up just a bit as I wave back to them all. I put my hand over my heart, so grateful for all the love they've shown me over the last few months. Ben and I walk over to join the group, everyone having come out to watch the opening act. I'm so excited for life to find a sense of normalcy. We still have to testify in court, since Cynthia was arrested, but otherwise life can really move on.