Duality [H.S.]

Chapter Twenty-Five

Thursday, 14th April 2022

"Oh, fuuudge!" Eloise mutters as her phone rings off. "Come on, Dyl... Now's not really the time to show off your backbends."

Wrangling his squirmy, surprisingly strong little body one-handed, she should have checked the fastenings beforehand.

These poor babies have encountered more than their fair share of different high chairs, cots, and car seats by now. This one's as sleek a design as you'd expect from a Ritz-Carlton, but Dylan seems to have some feedback on the ergonomics.

With a deep breath, Eloise tucks her phone between her ear and shoulder, calling Jeff back whilst trying to distract Freya from tugging her silicone bib off.

She casts her eyes around their hotel suite as it rings, checking if there's anything they overlooked baby-proofing in their hurried flit around. Having only arrived with the twins and Nina an hour ago, bags and cases are still strewn about haphazardly.

The festival set them up with the opulent Ritz-Carlton suite - complete with a sprawling master bedroom, an ample open-plan living area, a meeting room, and a private terrace with panoramic views over the desert. There's a connecting room for Nina, too. And Harry's team and the Rowlands will be in the other rooms on this floor. With everywhere in such high demand, the rest of the band, horns players, and wider crew are spread across a few nearby hotels.

Eloise arches her back, stiff after that two-and-a-half hour drive. They'd been lucky to beat the worst of the traffic both in LA and here in Palm Springs, but still.

Harry, his team, and the band flew in early this morning to meet with the festival organisers and sit through a few briefings before getting the instruments and kit set up, ready for soundcheck.

She isn't sure if she was half-awake when he kissed her goodbye before dawn or whether she dreamt it.

After a COVID scare - Daniel ended up testing positive after the photoshoot and had to cancel some of his Macbeth performances on Broadway - they panicked awaiting a full suite of PCR tests, but were grateful for just a near-miss and the timely reminder to err on the side of caution.

Juggling continued early promotion commitments, meetings with Eon and her agency, additional fittings with Sinead, and also squeezing in time with Mer for the twins to hang out with Ruby and Grace, Eloise hasn't seen much of Harry, who has been sequestered away, rehearsing.

Her eyes flit to their suite's private terrace. She'll need to double-check with Luis that nothing is planned for tonight, but hopes to have the concierge arrange a private dinner for two out there for some timely quiet, quality time together.

Jeff finally answers. "El!" he cheers. "Our resident ray of sunshine! Sweetness and light, personified! Sugar and spice and all things nice! Halle-fucking-lujah!" Okay, so he sounds a tad desperate.

She scoffs a rueful laugh. "What do you need, Azoff?" The accompanying suspicious roll of her eyes is for Dylan and Freya's benefit. Overseeing their dinner, Eloise feeds them alternating spoonfuls between their own haphazard and notably messier efforts. Meanwhile, Nina scurries around, unpacking their things.

"Have you arrived?" Jeff checks. "Please tell me you have? How was the traffic? Everyone okay? Is the suite nice?"

He's not usually one to babble. "We're here. It's all good... What's up? Where are you guys? At the Polo Grounds, I assume? How's it going?"

"Yeah, we're here. And, to be honest, this wind is proving a real bitch... Look, El, I'm sorry to have to ask, and I know it's almost bedtime, but is there any way you can head over here? I could really do with H getting one of your pep talks right about now."