Together

Secret Holiday

GUYS it's 95% official that I'm seeing Les Mis again!!!!!!! Oh my gosh!!!!! Literally I needed to hear nothing more than that good news today. I think I'm growing more irritable by the day lol. I'm so done with school- anyone else? Anyway, this chap is dedicated to my girl kath, as she had a hard day today, so she'd her some love and hopefully this chap makes you smile, sofaroffbway xxx. Don't forget to comment/vote, everyone!
-ab

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December 30, 2025

Patrick

I watch as Harper walks out of our flat to go to her matinee. Even though she doesn't usually have two shows on Tuesday, there is an extra show scheduled today so that she can have tomorrow evening off. It's New Year's Eve.

After I'm sure that she is out of our flat, leaving enough time to ensure that she is safely on the tube into the West End, I pull my laptop out and bring up Google. I got an idea a few days ago: I want to take her on a surprise holiday.

Her life has been pretty stressful lately. I want to give her some time where she is able to just relax and forget about everything scary that's going on.

This morning, I had the most wonderful idea of where to take her. All that I have to do now is find a tour company and book the trip. Since it's a very specific trip that I'm wanting to book, I figured that it would be easiest to go through a travel agency.

I want to take her on a castle tour of the British Isles.

It's a super easy Google search, and I find a tour that looks absolutely perfect almost instantly. It's a self-driving tour, so we won't have to deal with any other people intruding on us, but the tour company books everything and plans it all for us.

It would require me getting my hands on a car, but I could rent one quite easily. As the tour itself is very affordable, the extra money on a rental car won't break the bank.

Maybe we will still take a honeymoon- who knows? We did want to save our money for travelling. Right now, though, this is going to be perfect.

I book both of us on the tour. It only takes a few minutes, then, we are set for February 1-7th.

It's going to be an amazing trip. All that I have to do is be excited, and surprise Harper on February 1. The tourist agency is planning everything.

Picking up my phone, I send a quick text to Taylor.

Patrick: I just booked Harper and I on a little holiday. It's a secret. When the time gets closer, could you come and pack her a bag? I wouldn't be any good at packing for a girl...

Taylor: Wow! She's going to love that! I can totally pack for her. Excited for you two xxxx

Patrick: I had to get her mind off of everything that's been going on recently, especially with her dad. Since we haven't planned anything for a honeymoon yet, I figured that this would be fun.

Taylor: That's the sweetest. I love that.

Patrick: Thank you xxx

I set my phone down and think about what else I will have to do. I'll have to get myself some time off of work, as well as Harper. That's the hard part- how to make sure that she doesn't know when I go inform Luke that I'm snatching her away for a week.

I'll also have to secure a rental car, but that's easy enough. I'll do that in a few weeks.

Really, there's not much more that will need to be done, on my end of things.

Satisfied, I shut my laptop and sit back on the sofa, flicking on the telly.

When Harper makes it back home after her two shows, it's hard to keep the secret from her. I know that it'll just get harder with time, but I also know that it'll all be worth it in the end. I'll get to tell her that I'm taking her on her dream trip- a castle tour of the UK.

Nessa slipped the information to me once, that Harper really wanted to do a trip like this. Apparently, she always wanted to do it with Nessa and Katherine, but they were always busy and unwilling to take off of their work for it. There are few things that Kath hates more than missing a rehearsal, and Nessa's job isn't very lenient with giving her days off. On top of that, their money wasn't plentiful when the three girls were living together.

Now, I'm able to make her wishes come true. That's a nice feeling.

As I listen to Harper tell me a funny story from the theatre that day, I watch her smile and suddenly, can't even remember what my life was like before I loved her. I know that there was a time, but it feels like some sort of strange, distant memory. My life was forever changed during the moment when I first met her, and I didn't even realize it at the time.

I think that it took me this long, before all of it really sunk in.

I wrap my arms around Harper and pull her in, closer to me.

"So then," she continues to speak, not even paying attention to my cuddles, "Toby started cracking up onstage... and none of us knew how to cover for him."

"That's great," I laugh. "Never a dull moment, hm?"

"Absolutely not. But that's the magic of live theatre, I guess. And Luke wasn't mad. He was laughing, too. We were just told that we can't let it happen again."

"That's reasonable," I state.

She yawns in response.

"Love, you need some rest. You have a show tomorrow, and we are going to Tay's New Year's party, remember? I think that it's time to sleep."

"I think so," she laughs, pulling herself up, off of the sofa, to go prepare herself for bed.

Fifteen minutes later, we are snuggled up under our duvet, with the lights out, and Harper sleeping like a baby.

I'm really not very far behind her. Being lost in my own thoughts and excitement about the surprise that I've planned, I quickly find my eyes growing heavy. Then, I'm suddenly pulled into a dream world. I didn't even realize how exhausted I was from the day, especially considering that I didn't do too much.

When work starts again, bright and early on January 2, I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it. I've gotten used to these days off.

I know that I'll manage. The hardest part is going to be not getting to spend the days with Harper again. I've started to take that for granted, these past few days that I've been on break.