2017 went relatively well and as expected. We toured and managed to visit as many places as we ever had put together, doing more than one show in only places as big as Tokyo or New York. Pretty much only one show everywhere.
Evangeline turned one and it was a small gathering, only 10-20 people. She enjoyed it, even if she didn't understand what was happening. When I first took her on a plane, I was definitely not going to keep the house in L.A. and would rather drive across countries and continents than take her on a plane. However, the second time we went on a plane -there was no other option- she giggled and smiled the whole flight. This was due to the window. Turns out if she can see out the window she'll be better than fine and if she can't she'll be everyone on the plane's worst nightmare.
Tour -as mentioned- went well and from March to October. After tour Ev and I decided to stay in L.A. until Christmas. I bought a new house and sold my old one, once again looking for something more family friendly. I managed to get a nice house that backs directly onto the beach in Venice California. It's lovely.
It's significantly less modest than my house in England but it's still a great family home. Three bedrooms, all with an ensuite and balcony -not that I'm sure an infant needs that-, stunning kitchen, extra toilet, substantial utility room, great entertaining spaces etc. It was quite expensive but I think a lot of that is to do with the fact it backs onto the sand.
When we were in L.A. after tour, I was just like any other single father -with a dating life. A little older than me and a very good friend of mine. We went on many dates in 2015 and were dating, albeit not publicly, but not officially boyfriends or a couple. He lives in L.A. so when I couldn't come over here for all of last year we drifted apart. We got back together recently and everything's been running smoothly. Casual dates and nothing over the top. He adjusted to Ev smoothly and easily, as she did to him. It's adorable how paternal he is.
The album we released in 2017 had the most varied song styles because they were songs we had written with a lot of different people over the span of two years rather than the usual one. We signed our management contract for another year -to do a 2018 tour. Again, rather smooth. Massive events included Zayn releasing another album, two years on from his first one, and winning our first Grammy. Only took us six albums.
We decided to not record in 2018, still write casually because that's just who we are, but not make anything. This led to no album -intentionally- being released. This led to not another tour. It wasn't the end of One Direction, I don't think that'll ever come, but we just all decided that we had gotten to a point where our family lives needed to overtake our work likes. Ev was talking and needed to start pre-school soon, Liam and Sophia had been wanting a child but decided they had to wait and were getting impatient, Niall had a serious relationship and Louis was engaged.
I've gotta say, the hashtag they did when we announced the overtaking of our personal lives was one of my favourites ever. #OurFamilyToTheirs was about them as a family supporting our families.
That was so long ago. Five years. It's 2023. Evangeline is seven, Xander and I have been married three years, we have twins that are four and I'm pregnant. All three children and the future one have the surname Styles-Ritz. The twins were adopted from a foster home right near Xander's hometown a year ago, their parents suffering from severe substance abuse. Maxine and Ashley, girl and boy, are amazing kids.
I haven't been pregnant since Evangeline and turns out, my womb still works. The father is technically Xander, as we felt he should have some biological connection to at least one of our children, however a solution established to fix the problem of the child not being mine is that we used Gemma as our egg donor. It sounds weird but I promise there's no incest, just my sister and my husbands child. It means this child gets both of our DNA, not heaps of mine but still similar genetics.
As much as I loved our last house in L.A. so much, yes that's where we chose to live, we had to move to make room for the twins. Now it's a five bedroom, thank goodness considering this child on the way, but doesn't back into the beach.
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One Direction drifted further apart and delved more into our personal lives ten years ago now. We all have children, are good friends still and have considered making more music together again but haven't fully arranged anything. As Louis and Liam run a music company as well as produce music together, Zayn and Niall both write music/songs and I'm a stay at home father who does some writing on the side; nothing has been locked in. Liam and Louis are definitely the closest, they would have to be considering they run a business together, but the rest of us aren't on that level. I probably see Zayn the most, as we're the only two that live in the U.S.A., and the two of discussed making more music but he's hesitant. I can understand why, he's made three solo albums since he decided to part ways from us professionally but there's just be so many advantages over last time.
We all have spouses and children, ranging from 12 to 1, so if we did make music we would barely be able to tour at all.
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We did decide to make music together again. Everything could be done the way we wanted it to be done because two fifths of the group, yeah we convinced Zayn to join us, are some of the most powerful people in the music industry now and there was no one to tell us what to do. We could make music that was us. We each wrote some songs ourselves them brought them back to the group, wrote some together and then decided what we liked and didn't like.
The fans were still plentiful but the biggest difference for everyone was that we weren't One Direction. We agreed not to have a group name and we made it work. We're just five mates, five lads, five guys, five blokes; or just Louis, Liam, Harry, Zayn and Niall. Or whatever order our names happen to be in.
We've done no tours or concerts, just shows where we aren't the organisers or only performer. We just perform how we feel or plan something between the five of us, wear whatever we want, look however we want and perform on a standard stage with no fancy extras. Our album was plain white with black writing that said 'Our new album by Zayn, Louis, Niall, Liam and Harry' because we didn't want to design anything extravagant or do a photo shoot. Right now we're all about the music and we love it. We all laugh about it and say 'we should never stop' because we're all doing what we love with no strings attached and nothing over the top. No photoshoots and minimal performances, generally only at awards shows and charity events.
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Evangeline Mackenzie Anne Styles-Ritz, Maxine Sarah Styles-Ritz, Ashley Harrison Styles-Ritz and Austin Levi Styles-Ritz. Two girls, 15 and 12; as well as two boys, 12 and 8. Evangeline recently started high school, the twins middle school and Austin is midway through elementary school. I love all four of my children unconditionally and so much. Xander goes to work, he enjoys what he does, and I'm a stay at home parent. Let me tell you there will definitely not be anymore children, there was a reason I held off pregnancy for seven years after the first time.
Xander and I are completely normal parents with four children but we both consider ourselves to be one of the luckiest families ever that has two fathers. I can't believe we have two children that are ours, that I gave birth to. That's something pretty special. I don't love any of my four children any more or less than one of the others, it's just a unique and amazing way I got two of my children. It's also amazing how I got the other two, Xander and I both feel special that we got to save and help them from an unhealthy environment. All the kids are equal.
They really do all grow up so fast. Even till the day I die I couldn't be more thankful that I was a test subject.
A/N: It's over! I loved this book but I'm not sure many others did, please vote/comment/promote. If you want any spinoffs or exerts then let me know. I don't think there will be a sequel at all but if someone comes up with a really good plot I might write it.
I have new stories coming as its now December and my work load decreased significantly for the summer and also in the new year you'll see some more stuff. My goal is to get No finished by 2016 and maybe Hidden Extras by the end of summer, end of February next year.
Twitter: @ _Grace_Williams
Ao3: Grace_Williams
Email: graceinsteadofx@gmail.com
Enjoy the new season (either summer or winter) princes and princesses :)
-Grace Williams xo
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Test Subject (Harry Mpreg)
FanfictionIt's another ordinary January, until Harry Styles manages to stumble upon something quite interesting. He's not quite sure how it happened, something to due with flicking through a 150 page booklet in the waiting room of the doctor's office. All he...
