Something Infinite

Chapter 31

Jen's POV

The smell of fresh sea water, and warmth of the sun heated sand between my toes, gave me an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia. I missed home, and the feeling of being safe and secure in the familiar walls of my house.

Don't get me wrong, being with Harry and Mia was comfort in itself, and wherever they were was home to me, but being away for over a month, away from everything that was regular and normal to me, brought a feeling of longing to be back there.

There was nothing normal about the LA scene. You stepped outside your home and it was just normal to be welcomed by a camera, held by a middle aged man you knew the name of now, even though he was still a complete stranger. Being followed by people you didn't know was a given, and you almost felt like you brought it on yourself, by being in the spotlight.

People were friendly enough, they respected boundaries and didn't touch Mia unless I gave them permission to do so, which wasn't often. I understood why people wanted photos, and why I was asked question after question about Harry, I wasn't ignorant to the fact my boyfriend was extremely famous, and everyone knew exactly who I was.

I didn't always hate the attention. Not because I craved public recognition, but more so because I liked the company on lonely days. I didn't like being locked up in a house all day, and since the only family and friends I had here were working during the day, I liked to walk and enjoy the sun with my daughter, and talk to a few new faces along the way.

But home is where I was happiest, and where I was just Jenelle, and my boyfriend was just Harry. The western suburbs of Melbourne weren't like here, there weren't paparazzi around, and no one really knew where you lived, and if they did, they didn't make their presence known.

Celebrity status wasn't exactly important when walking around the parks and beaches there. You got a couple of looks, but no one ever really bothered to ask for photos. Here you go to a supermarket and you're asked for photos down every aisle, or you're greeted by yet another paparazzi outside the store, whereas back home was like a community, you knew the girl behind the check out, and she asked how your day was, not when the next world tour was.

I missed being unknown, and people not wanting something from me. I think Harry liked where we lived too, because it grounded him. He liked privacy, he was always bothered by the media here, so I knew he would be just as happy to get back home as I was.

"What are you thinking about?" Harry pulled me from my daydream of my location this time next week.

He had taken me to Santa Monica beach for the day- his reasoning was he wanted to take Mia for her first beach trip, but it was coincidental I had just bought some new bikinis while on a shopping day with Dani, to wear back home since it was Summer there. I wasn't quite comfortable yet with me post baby body, I wasn't at my goal weight, but he insisted I wear one, so I did.

"I'm just thinking about home, and how normal life is back there compared to here."

"I know, I can't wait to get back to our bed, make my own cup of coffee from my espresso machine, and just watch endless episodes of whatever you've got recorded," he sat back on the sand, letting the sun shine on his already bronzed skin.

"You love the simple life, don't you," I smiled at his fantasy of a perfect day.

"I like feeling normal. I've loved travelling all these years, visiting different cities and learning about different cultures, but I need a break from it all. I just want to do what the average man does- watch Bold and the Beautiful with my mother in law, obviously," he laughed at the last part, but sadly he wasn't joking.