Night Changes [N.H]

Chapter 95

Getting off the plane was smoother than I thought.

Niall and I were escorted off first, before anybody else. We were led outside to a car with tinted windows with the promise that our luggage was at the hotel waiting for us.

We made it to the hotel and settled in with limited photographic distractions. It did get kind of crazy sometimes, we had to remind ourselves to take a deep breath.

"Hey, I know this really cool dinner place nearby, if you're interested," Niall asked as he changed Owen's diaper. "I went with my brother a few times over the past few years, and it's really good."

"Thank God, I'm starved," I said. "Now that we don't have to be cooped into our hotel room as much, we should take advantage of it."

"Are you hungry?" Niall asked Owen in his baby voice.

Owen smiled and started to roll on the bed in just his diaper.

"Silly, we have to put some clothes on you first!!" Niall added.

Owen began to nibble on his toes. "Oh, I know. Baby skin is just so soft!" Niall lay on the bed next to Owen, then lifted him up and placed Owen on his chest.

"I wish my toes were yummy enough to eat!!" Niall added.

I glanced over at him. What was this kid on?

"Niall, even if you wanted to you probably couldn't reach your foot to your face," I responded.

"I like to dream big," he said, tickling Owen. I heard a small giggle escape from his mouth.

"You two are just having so much fun," I said, putting away some of our clothes in the closet. "And to think that the real fun hasn't even started yet!"

Before we went back out, Niall and I went over some scheduling stuff for the next month. We determined where the shows were, looked at some of the hotels we would be staying at, and how long we were in each place.

I liked to be organized and know this stuff ahead of time. Niall usually just went with the flow, but I refused to be a pawn in management's game.

I had to admit that management hadn't interfered in a while, and it felt good to feel more independent. My family was none of their business.

However, I did receive a letter in the mail shortly after we made the announcement wishing us their best, and describing how they had met their side of the agreement we had settled earlier that year.

I felt as if I had succeeded.

Everything that I had stressed over the past year and a half were starting to not even bother me anymore.

I didn't want all of that pain to go to waste, though. So it became the fuel to my flame.

We had a nice night (with limited interruption from Owen) and left for the venue around noon, just like old times.

It was funny, leaving the hotel to get in the car, when there were tons of fans lined up to watch us.

They didn't just yell Niall's name, they yelled my name too. I even heard a few "Owen's" out there too, as if he would understand them.

Niall got Owen buckled in the car in the seat between us and I put the diaper bag in the trunk.

Owen was a little cranky on the way there, but Niall read him a book and he was able to keep himself under control so that the driver didn't murder us.

Just as I assumed, there were even more fans waiting for us at the venue. Luckily, with more fans comes more security, and we made our way inside and got comfortable.

"Do you want me to do your hair for tonight?" I asked Niall as we walked through the hallways looking for his dressing room.

"It's up to you," he replied. "If Owen's sleeping and you have free time then sure, but I'm sure Lou wouldn't mind either."

As if on cue, a blonde woman poked her head out from inside a room with the label "hair and makeup".

"Did somebody say my name?" Lou asked.

We both broke out in huge smiles and I put Owen's carrier on the ground to give her a big hug.

"It's been a while! How are you?" she asked, smoothing out my hair (it was probably an instinct).

"A LOT better now that we're finally public," I said, looking over at Niall who was nodding in agreement.

"I'm so happy for you two!" Lou responded, her eyes lighting up like stars. "I watched the livestream with Lux and you made it so special. I loved the photo collage, and i'm happy to see I made a few appearances."

She giggled and we walked inside the hair and makeup room and began to organize ourselves.

"How's this big guy?" Lou asked, looking into Owen's carrier. He was smiling, he must've had a special connection with her since she saved his life.

"You can unbuckle him if you want," I added. "Some days he sleeps, some days he doesn't. He's on Owen time."

"Boy can I relate to that..." Lou said, picking up Owen from the carrier. "Lux didn't sleep through the night until she was two and a half. And even then, most nights she'd leave her bed and come sleep with me."

I shuddered. "At least she's grown out of it."

I've heard so many horror stories from parents about their newborns, but luckily, Owen's episodes were rare and somewhat mild.

Lou told me that Lux was with her dad today but would be coming in later next week, and she would be so excited to see Owen. 

"How's it going in here?" A voice from outside said. A head popped in, and it was Lottie. "Alyssa! Oh my God!"

"Lottie! I haven't seen you in forever!" She ran over to give me a hug, and saw Owen in Lou's arms. 

"How did he get so big??" Lottie asked, running her fingers over his soft little head. 

"He's seven months, almost eight," I added with a giggle. It felt so weird saying it out loud. 

I lay out a blanket on the floor and let the girls watch Owen roll around while I got Niall ready for the show.

"Good looks," Niall said when I was done, running his fingers through his hair. He had thirty minutes until warm ups and show time, and I hadn't seen any other band members. It was weird. Usually I saw Harry everywhere, like he was following us around. 

"Let me go see Owen one more time before going onstage," Niall said, leaving the room with me. 

"It feels weird walking through these halls with you," I said, looking over at him. He nodded "hello" at another worker in the hallway and then looked back over at me. 

"Feels pretty good, not gonna lie," he said, sticking out his hand. 

I held it. 

A/N

Sorry this update is a day late but I've been super busy with homework and work and everything in between!!

Hope you like this chapter! Comment, vote, and keep reading!!

Thank you so much (:

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