The show must go on

The final chapter Pt. I

"And you tend to overpack," I say defiantly. "I'm just wearing merch all the time anyway."

"We're on the road for like six months at least," she reminds me.

"We're here every month though," I remind her.

"Do you have your bag with the important papers?", she ignores me.

"Yes, of course. Since when are you the responsible one?", I question her.

"I'm obviously not, otherwise you wouldn't have to take my passport," she argues. "I just want to be prepared and really make sure we haven't forgotten anything."

"We haven't, but we're going to miss the plane if we don't get going now," I'm serious.

"Your medicine bag?" she pretends not to have heard my objection.

"For fuck's sake, of course I have it!"

"Did you also pack the ones you took this morning?" she then actually catches me. And I'm too stubborn to admit it. So I say nothing at all.

"Jade," she admonishes me and I groan loudly and run to the bathroom to get the pack while still calling out, "Put your shoes on, we're leaving now!"

When I return, it takes another five minutes for Perrie to check her list before she even gets her stupid shoes on.

"Finally," I snort out and open the door.

"Stop," I hear her behind me and honestly lose it.

"WHAT," I ask through clenched teeth.

"How exactly do we get the luggage down?" she stares at me so aghast that I honestly wonder if she's serious.

"We carry it to the lift and... drive down?", I explain as if it's obvious...because it is.

"Absolutely not," she contradicts and I roll my eyes once more. "You're not allowed to lift anything heavy!"

And because it sounds so absurd, I have to laugh and clarify, "I'm not pregnant, Pez."

"No, but you are still...fragile," she then says carefully.

"So I can never lift anything heavy ever again?", I ask, startled.

"Not if there's another way!"

"Good thing the suitcases have wheels and we take the lift. Now cut the crap and let us go already!", I beg now and take the first step over the threshold, but she remains petrified in her spot. And I already want to grumble at her, completely annoyed, yell at her to move already, but a look at her face stops me from doing that.