Seeing Stars

19: Goodbye NYC / New Travels / Buggies to Limos /Tactical Antics

Goodbye NYC §

 New York, Sunday

We all wanted to sleep in but forced ourselves to get up this morning. All the kids (four of them in total ) must fly back home accompanied by staff and security, plus the guys have a flight later today too, and I am living with the guilt that I missed seeing Raquel off to the airport last night. Thankfully April would be here later to help me defuse and prepare for the upcoming week ahead. Shea along with more staff came in to help, and it was a madhouse around here. I swear it feels as if there are twenty-five people (at least ) running around. Perhaps I would feel even more guilty that HA and I haven't had any alone time for days now if only I had the time to. I'm trying to let the staff work and sit back and do their jobs, but as a mother, I find that hard to do sometimes. I am reminded that 'that is why I pay them' constantly. After seeing the kids off, Z and Lou head back to their hotels to pack for their trip to Japan. HA and I are now left to have a little quality time and we head back to the apartment. In the limo, we sit next to each other, hand in hand in silence. As our phones buzz, but we mostly ignore them. We seem depleted in which we in fact really are, and just stare out at the sights in NY one last time this trip. The silence is golden after the morning we just had. HA helps me out of the limo and we head back up to the apartment. As we enter the cool apartment HA sighs and flops down into a chair in the dining room. I put my hand on his shoulder and ask him if he wants a drink. He sits with his hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face. He looked exhausted already and they still have a gig to do out of the country. I feel for him, as I rub his shoulders gently, he relaxes his muscles and offers me to join him in a nice relaxing bath. After the bath; we order room service and lounge around on the sofas in the living room. Now we are feeling a little more replenished and are having a good conversation. 

April comes in while we're talking and states, "Both of you look exhausted!" We laugh as we try to prepare ourselves mentally for getting back to living in reality. 

After an emotional setting with seeing the guys off at the airport; April and I braced ourselves for the next phase in which we had much anticipation of new things to come. That evening was sobering; April retreated early to her room as did I. I recall lying in my bed alone, and all seemed quiet and still. It's amazing how we appreciate even the littlest things after we slow down and acknowledge that to which is around us. As I ran my leg wide under the sheets I felt the softness against my freshly shaven legs, I am shockingly aware that I am alone for the slumber that awaited me. 

New Travels§ 

New York / Chicago

Though I had a peaceful night and a great night's sleep, I woke to the sound of my alarm that had awakened me from a dream that I didn't want to end. April and I took our time and lounged around at the dining room table. As we sip our morning beverages we talked about all that was in store for these next days ahead. Our flight was in two hours so we didn't sit still for long. April took what seemed to be a million phone calls and was running room to room packing and computing on her tablet. John and Daryl working security escorted April and I onto our flight and for the first time in hours April took a breath. She asked me if I was prepared for the meeting but mostly wanted to know about my feelings about actually meeting Joe. 'Joe'- is a man I had followed on social media along while ago, someone I was initially attracted to from his appearing on a TV show years ago. Yes, another TV man, I seem to pick the men I pursue based on my choosing due to the many factors limiting me to actually find a man who wants the right things from me. On the show he was charismatic in his own way yet still humble; he was in his twenties and though he hasn't changed much; he was also very fit. Joe has these brown eyes that (in the pics, at least) melts your heart strings. He and I have had numerous chats and I am excited to meet him in person while in Chicago. April has arranged everything for him and I spend a little time together before we attend the gala together Tuesday (tomorrow ) night. April and I get checked into our hotel suites, and immediately the H&M team starts working on me. While being pampered, Z calls and I stop right away to receive his call and he sounds exhausted as he talks about how it is storming in Japan and all the guys are hotel bound for the moment. He says he's tired from travel, but as always it feels good for him to get back out on stage again. For him, he loves using his talent to entertain others; he says it brings him such satisfaction and joy. Z asks me my thoughts on the magazine meeting I am preparing for. I assure him I am hopeful that everything is lined to our standards, and can approve everything and that they too (Z, HA, and Lou) can sign off on the final layouts to ensure it's ready for the next issue. We end the conversation hopeful our day goes well and we will talk after the meeting. After my call with Z, it's a mad rush to finish getting ready and get to the meeting.