We're on a flight back home. And by home I mean my home in Sydney, not Harry's in London. He will be staying with me for three days before he flies to his next tour destination. After the show last night, we went straight to the airport and got on this jet. Harry has five days before his next show and thankfully three of those will be spent with me.
There hasn't been much conversation during this flight between Harry and I. We're not fighting, we're just enjoying some comfortable silence. Harry fell asleep first and while he was napping, I fell asleep too. I woke up to Harry on his phone. Every now and then he would show me a funny meme or a nice tweet. I'm catching up on emails. Politely declining so many interviews which Heather has forwarded to me because people are dying to know why I suddenly moved back home and chose to live life on the down low.
While I am in the middle of deleting a tonne of emails from my spam folder which I cannot be bothered to read, my phone goes off. A split second later, Harry's phone goes off too. We got synchronised text messages. Shortly after, my phone begins ringing and vibrating against my hand.
It's Heather.
When I look up, Harry is holding his phone with the screen facing towards me. 'Look' he mouths. Melissa from Modest Management is calling him.
We stare at one other with deep concern for a moment and I feel my heart skip a beat because the anxiety within me is growing by the second. Whenever Heather texts me a link, then calls me, it means there is a juicy article that has been written about me. The thing that is frightening me the most if that Harry got sent a link as well. I am assuming it is the same link as mine.
This means that it involves the two of us.
"Decline it, click on the link first." Harry says to me.
Doing as he says, I decline Heather's call and go into my text messages app. I open up Heather's messages and click on the link. I let out an audible gasp when I read the title of the article. Below the title is a picture from two days ago when Harry and I went to that restaurant just out of the city. We chose a place out of the city in hopes that it was more peaceful.
It wasn't.
In the picture, Harry is to my left and Travis is to my right. Travis is walking slightly in front of me as he tries to get fans to move out of our way. It was a little windy and we were walking quite fast, so my t-shirt sunk into my body. You can see a little bump. In this photo it does not look nearly as big as what it really is. It could pass as bloating. I am lucky enough to have my father's slim genetics and therefore have never been photographed before with a food baby despite getting them all the time, especially when I eat gluten.
My handbag looks gorgeous in this picture, but despite being large in size, it wasn't doing a very good job at hiding my stomach in this picture. I was so worried about making it to the car without anybody bumping into me, that I didn't place my bag very well.
"Fuck." Harry mutters under his breath. "Fuck me. This is all my fault. It's me who suggested going out. You told me your stomach would show through your shirt and you were right."
"This isn't your fault." I assure him because it's the truth. We should be able to go out and enjoy a pleasant meal together, but some people make that difficult for us. "We have been on our phone for hours. Why didn't we get any tweets about it or see it sooner?"
"Refresh your feed. I just went back on twitter. The tweets are coming in like crazy now. Are you still on the article?"
I nod.
"What time was it posted?"
"5:23am."
Looking at the top of my phone screen, it says that the article was posted at 11:21am. Heather and Melissa being our managers, got contacted with the news of the article almost immediately. Then they instantly forwarded us the link.
Then the texts start coming in from my friends.
Sophie: ARE YOU FUCKING PREGNANT!?!
Luke: Ummm have you been on twitter?
Sophie: THERE'S NO WAY. YOU WOULD TELL ME!!!
Sophie calls me on FaceTime but I decline her call because I am hyperventilating too much right now to speak to anybody. Heather calls me again but I decline her call too. I'll deal with this later. I am just grateful that we will step off this jet and get straight into a vehicle because I could not deal with walking through the airport.
"What are we going to do about this Hailey?"
I don't reply to him immediately because I choose to remain silent while I think deeply to myself. Once I have had a moment to process this, I come to a quick decision.
"Fuck it Harry."
He looks at me curiously. "That look on your face. Does it mean. ... You're not thinking about-"
He doesn't need to finish his sentence because I answer his question with a firm nod of my head.
"As much as we would like to, we can't keep her a secret forever."
Harry brings his hand up to his mouth and he breathes into it while he looks down at the carpeted floor of the jet. I give him a moment to think while I read more of the article.
The blonde wears an oversized black Harley Davidson t-shirt and black jogger bottoms. Hailey clutches onto her black Chanel bag with her pink manicured hand and looks to be shielding her enlarged stomach.
Yes I am having a girl, but that's not why my nails are painted pink. They were blue last week and yellow the week before. I get bored of my nail colours easily and change it up all the time.
Styles stands to her left with his his right arm around her, while a security guard is standing to her left and ushering nearby fans out of the way. The singer did not stop for photos with fans and quickly got into the black SUV parked at the end of the path.
One fan wrote:
"I mean, they just left the restaurant. Give the girl a break, it is probably a food baby. She's only human, we all get them."
While another responded with:
"No they didn't. My friend sat at the table behind and said they left before their food came out."
What is the reason for the loved up couple to leave the restaurant early?
After going off the radar and moving back down under, Hayes has been laying low. Each time Hailey has been photographed, she has been opting for an oversized style of clothing. Could that mean she is hiding her growing stomach from the world? Zayn Malik recently quit the band with fellow members Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles promising fans they will see out the rest of the tour. Will Styles be the next to quit the hottest band in the world right now?
"I guess you're right, but how are we going to do this? A photo, a tweet, an interview? I don't feel good about this. I feel like we shouldn't
"I want us to be the one's to announce this pregnancy, Harry. Not find out through a stupid article. Yeah we can cover up this article and get a 'close source' to say it was just bloating. But what if it happens again? What happens if I go into labour during broad daylight and somebody sees us walking into the hospital. My stomach is going to be so big when I reach full-term that I won't be able to hide it beneath a t-shirt."
"I know, but let's not rush into it. We will reveal the news eventually but not yet. You don't need this stress right now. You already have a high risk pregnancy. Once the news it out there, you can forget walking to the beach on your own of an evening in peace. You can forget going grocery shopping with your mum without somebody asking you about the pregnancy. I will be constantly worried about you and your safety because I don't trust people. People threaten your life now just because I'm in love with you. I don't have enough faith in humanity because I fear that somebody will try to harm you to harm our daughter because you're carrying my child."
I nod my head understandably. "Harry, I see where you're coming from and I agree with you. But this is what our life is going to be like. I'll get a guard if I need to. Or better yet, I'll just stay home. I will do whatever I can to keep her safe while you're on tour. We won't tell the world our secret yet, but there's only so much more avoiding we can do."
*
Harry's phone rings again and for the fifth time this minute, it is Melissa. "She's persistent, I'll give her that." He says while pressing the decline button with his thumb.
"Why don't you just turn it off? That's what I did."
"Because I am waiting for my mum to respond. She messaged me on WhatsApp three hours ago saying she was just popping out to hose the gardens and I haven't heard from her since. I'm worried."
I place my hand on top of his which is placed on the leather middle seat between us. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm alright. Are you? You're the one I am concerned about. I'll be fine."
"This isn't easy on you either. We're in the same position here."
Melissa calls again and Harry mutters profanities under his breath. His finger hovers over the decline button while he contemplates whether to answer it or not.
"I say bite the bullet. Hear her out."
He raises his eyebrow as he stares at me in disbelief. "Seriously? Says you, the one who turned her phone off and is yet to call her manager back."
Unable to come up with a valid excuse for my decision, I shrug my shoulders and let him win this time. Harry lets out a deep sigh and presses the accept button, followed by the speakerphone button. Now I get to listen in on the conversation.
"Harry, I've been trying to call you for hours. Why have you been declining my calls? It is my job to help you."
He rolls his eyes and mouths 'bullshit'.
"Hello Melissa, how are you doing?"
"Harry, I know you have read the article. How are you feeling?"
He scratches his head and leaves his hand in his hair while answering her question. "I am feeling a lot of things right now."
"Do you want to tweet anything about it? Have you and Hailey spoken about what you are going to do next? As you know, whatever you decide is your decision, however you do need to get our final approval first."
That's the messed up thing about being stuck with strict contracts. Every photo, tweet, comment and reply has to be approved of. Harry's contract is significantly more strict than mine. I still have control over a lot of my stuff, but as the years go on, Harry and the other boys get less control over their social media lives.
"If somebody approaches you, sorry I mean when somebody approaches you ... because they undoubtably will, how are you going to respond?"
"I'm not." He says blankly and drops his hand from his head, onto his lap. "I'll do what I do best. Change the topic."
"How so?"
"Well Melissa, if a man with an expensive, fancy camera approaches me and asks me if I am going to be a father, I will smile at him, then look down at his feet and point to his shoes. Then, I will say lovely shoes sir."
I place my hand over my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Melissa doesn't know that I can hear their conversation. Harry looks at me in the corner of his eye and I see him pull the slightest smirk. He has zero patience when it comes to speaking to Melissa. She is one of those people who agitates him. Harry is a patience man, but never with her.
"Now, moving on from that. We are currently organising your flight to Dubai. Hailey won't be accompanying you, will she?"
"No she will not."
"Right, and when you get back we need to discuss your travel plans because Harry, I know you want to be with your pregnant girlfriend, but you are in a band and you need to be with the rest of your bandmates. We have cancelled and declined so many interviews because you are not present with the other three. We are already down one band member as it is."
Harry presses the microphone button to mute himself.
"She says we as if she is apart of the band." He mocks Melissa and shakes his head displeasingly. He does have a fair point.
He unmutes the microphone and I can see by the look on his face, he is just about done with Melissa. I feel awful for finding humour in such a serious situation, but Harry makes me laugh whenever he speaks to Melissa. You can tell how much he dislikes her. Even Melissa herself has got to know how much he despises their conversations.
Tell you what, I am glad that Melissa has never come on a night out with us because drunk Harry and Melissa in the same room would not end well. He would for sure tell her everything he thought about her and drunk Harry is ruthless and doesn't hold back.
"I've got to go. We are about to go under the tunnel. Thanks for the call."
"We will be in touch. Oh, and Harry-"
He ends the call before she can finish her sentence. He holds his hand up and flips off his phone. "Fucks sake." He says while still raising his middle finger to the black device in his opposite hand.
I pat him on the shoulder. "You handled that quite well. I'm proud of you."
He lets out an exaggerated sigh. "Alright, your turn to call Heather."
*
"Hey Dad." I step into my father's open arms as he opens the front door for Harry and I.
"How was your flight?" He asks as we end our embrace and he reaches over my shoulder to shake Harry's hand. "Hey mate."
Before anybody else can answer, mum appears around the corner.
"You both have been all over the news."
She has her hands on her hips and a tea towel hanging off of her shoulder. By the state of my mother's baby pink t-shirt and the delicious scent radiating through the house, I know that she is cooking.
Dad turns his head and sends mum a dirty look while waving his hand in the air at her. "Let the kids walk through the door and get settled in before telling them that, Liz."
Kids.
Thanks Dad.
"Our home phone has not stopped calling. We have had people in the street knocking on the door. They're all wanting to know if you're really pregnant or not." Mum says to me while I walk inside and take a seat at the dining table while Dad and Harry bring in our luggage.
"And what did you tell them?" I ask her.
"You still have a home phone?" Harry looks around the room for the antique phone that is not so common in this century.
"You know I am a terrible liar."
"Jeez mum, you didn't spill the beans did you?"
"No, I said I am a terrible liar. Not, I cannot lie. I lied to our neighbours and our friends. I froze and didn't know what to say so I said the first thing that came to mind."
I see my dad face palm so I know that whatever she said cannot be good.
"I said no, I am and then I laughed and said that I was actually on the phone to you and I ran off and left them with your father."
I look over at my dad. "And what did you say to them?"
"I walked over to the fridge, grabbed out a beer and asked them if they wanted one. Then asked them which footy team was playing tonight."
I sigh in relief. "So nobody knows?"
Mum and Dad shake their head. I look over at Harry who is looking down at his phone.
"Is it Melissa again?"
"Who is Melissa?" Dad is quick to ask.
"It's Niall, I'll take this. Excuse me for a moment. Liz, Hank, it's great to see you again." Harry walks over and kisses my mums cheek before walking upstairs with his phone.
"Who is Melissa?" My dad takes the seat opposite me at the table.
I laugh at him being protective and concerned. "His manager."
I see relief wash through my father's frail body.
"Harry wouldn't cheat on me, Dad."
"He better not or else he won't have a dick to cheat on anyone again."
Mum swats dad over the head wit her tea towel.
"Elizabeth, I'm losing my hair as it is. Hitting me like that isn't doing me any favours."
Mum walks into the kitchen and picks up a large knife. She begins copping up something red that is either tomato or capsicum.
"So how are you feeling? How's my granddaughter? Giving you any grief?"
I place my hand on my stomach. "Actually, she's been really good. I've been feeling great considering everything."
Mum, Dad and I continue chatting about the baby and about Tori and Tyde. I have missed those kids, I cannot wait to see them. And of course Rachel and Aaron too. Rachel and I are back on good terms. Surprisingly so are my mum and I. We haven't spoken much since I've been away, but she is being nice to me now. I feel like my dad had a talk with her and told her that she needs to calm down before she loses me.
Mum made enchiladas and because Harry and I barely ate on the plane, we both have a huge appetite. I go upstairs to my room to check on Harry and tell him that the enchiladas are ready and they are best served hot.
Before I open the door, I hear his deep voice speaking on a quiet level. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I kind of froze on the spot when I heard the words leave his mouth.
"To be honest Niall, Zayn is the smart one for getting out. Maybe the rest of us should follow."
"Hailey, you two coming down? No time for romance." Mum shouts from downstairs.
When I open the door, Harry is lying across the bed with his phone pressed to his ear.
"I've got to go man but we will be in touch. Take care." Harry says to him. "Yeah .. okay .. I'll tell her. Alright bye Niall."
He ends the call and places his phone beside him and sits up. I am expecting him to ask me if I heard what he just said, but he surprisingly doesn't.
"What did she make? It smells good and I am starving." He says to me as he stands upright. When he passes me, he kisses me on the top of the head before heading down the stairs.
"Enchiladas." I say to him, following him down the stairs.
*
Later on that night, Harry rolls over onto his side and places his hand on my arm. "I know you're awake. Why can't you sleep? Is the time zone getting to you too?"
"No, it's not that."
He strokes my arm gently and kisses my bare shoulder. "What is it? Talk to me.""
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop but I heard what you said to Niall today."
He clears his throat and the gentle, comforting strokes of his hand on my arm come to a stop. "I don't think I want to tour anymore. I mean, not forever. Just for now. I need a break. We all need a break. I've been wanting a break for a while now. It's so exhausting Hails. Zayn leaving and the baby coming was the wake up call I needed to help me realise it."
I place my hand on his cheek and look into his eyes. Our faces are so close to one another, that I can still see the features of his face from the small amount of the moonlight that is coming through the open window in the room.
"If this is what you want then I will support you one thousand percent."
"Yeah, it's what I want. I need to have a chat with the boys when I get to Dubai to see where their heads are at."