I had some help

Twenty-three

Alex woke up to an empty bed. "Bailey?!" She called out, wondering where her boyfriend was. As she looked around the room, she realized her bags were gone. Panic started to set in.

"Bailey, where's my stuff?" Alex called out, getting out of bed and quickly putting on her robe to cover her body.

Just as she was about to leave the bedroom to search for him, Bailey appeared in the doorway with a tray of breakfast. "Morning, beautiful." He said with a warm smile.

Alex's panic turned to confusion. "Bailey, where are my bags? I need to get ready for the tour."

Bailey set the tray down on the bedside table and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Don't worry, I took care of everything. Your bags are in the living room, all packed and ready to go. I just wanted you to have a stress-free morning before you leave."

Alex sighed with relief, leaning into his embrace. "You didn't have to do that. I could have handled it."

"I know," Bailey said, kissing her forehead. "But I wanted to. I want your last morning here to be special and relaxing."

She smiled up at him, her heart swelling with love. "You're amazing, you know that?"

"I try." He teased, leading her back to the bed. "Now sit down and enjoy your breakfast. We have a little time before you need to leave."

Alex sat down, taking in the delicious spread Bailey had prepared: pancakes, fresh fruit, and her favorite coffee. As they ate together, they talked about the upcoming tour, their plans for staying in touch, and all the little things they loved about each other.

When breakfast was over, Bailey helped Alex get ready. He carried her bags to the car and made sure she had everything she needed for the tour. They shared one last lingering kiss before she got into the car, their fingers entwined until the last possible moment.

"I'll miss you." Alex said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I'll miss you too." Bailey replied, his voice thick with emotion. "But we'll see each other soon, and I'll be counting down the days until I join."

As Alex drove away, she looked back to see Bailey standing there, watching her with a reassuring smile. She knew the tour would be tough, but with Bailey's unwavering support, she felt ready to take on anything.

Alex made it to the office where the bus was already parked. She walked inside to see who was there. Hardy and Ernest were already lounging around, chatting and sipping coffee.

"Hey, Alex." Hardy greeted, raising his hand in a lazy wave. "Morgan's in the bathroom."

"Thanks." Alex replied with a nod. She pulled out her clipboard, ready to take roll call.

As she ticked off names, the bus slowly filled with chatter and laughter. Morgan emerged from the bathroom, flashing her a quick smile before taking his seat. The familiarity of the crew helped ease her nerves, but the absence of Bailey was a constant ache.

"Alright, everyone here?" Alex called out, scanning the faces. "Hardy, Ernest, Morgan... everyone else. Perfect."

Once everyone was on the bus, Alex called for the first team meeting of the tour. The group gathered around, the hum of anticipation in the air.

"Okay, everyone," Alex began, holding her clipboard firmly. "Let's go over the itinerary. We've got a packed schedule, 131 concerts, Each venue has specific requirements, so make sure you review the details."

She listed the starting concerts, highlighting the special guests and any unique aspects of each show. The team listened attentively, some taking notes while others nodded along.