"Harry do you have the car seat?"
"Uh..yeah I think it's in the car?" Harry called back with a laugh.
"Can you double check?" Ariana yelled back from upstairs. Ariana and Harry had taken some time off after giving birth, but now that Alexandria was going to be turning 2 in a couple of months, Harry had decided it was time to tour again.
Originally Ariana wasn't going to go, but Harry and Alexandria had such a strong connection that there was no way he could just leave for months without the two of them. Harry hadn't answered so you walked downstairs and smiled.
Harry was tossing Alexandria into the air. She was laughing along with him. "Haz.." Harry caught her and looked over with a grin. "The car seat...can you please double check. We can't forget that.."
"Yeah, I'll look." Harry handed Alexandria over to Ariana and wandered out to the car.
"Daddy.." she whined, reaching for him.
"He'll be right back..."
"Daddy!"
"Daddy is just going to the car then he will be back." Ariana hushed her and kissed her cheek.
Harry walked back in and took her back from you. "It's all packed and ready." He kissed Ariana's cheek and she smiled. "You ready for this?"
Ariana looked around and nodded. She had packed almost everything she thought that Alexandria would need. Toys, diapers, clothes, the car seat had been the last thing. "Ready as I will be." Ariana sighed and bit your lip. "H, are you sure this is a good idea?"
Harry nodded and pulled Ariana into his free arm. "Babe, this will so good for us. Plus think about everything she will get to do and see."
"I know...I'm just a little nervous."
Harry kissed Ariana and grinned. "Let's go, come on. Everything will be okay." Ariana took his hand and followed him out the door to the car where he drove you to the airport.
This is what you were nervous for. Harry attracted a lot of attention already, and the airport tended to be the worst. Ariana had walked in close behind Harry, carrying Alexandria. Harry dropped the bags off and Ariana followed him through security. People were already pointing and taking pictures.
Thankfully, no one had stopped Ariana yet. The three of you made it onto the plane without any problems. Alexandria slept the entire way on Harry's lap and was still snoring when the plane landed. Harry had carried her off the plane and wandered ahead of you through the airport.
Thats when the first craziness started. Alexandria had started crying, she didn't want to be carried.
The crying attracted the attention of pretty much everyone. People then noticed Harry. They crowded in, fans screaming and asking for pictures. Harry was gripping Alexandria tightly but looked around. Ariana had managed to push her way through and take her out of his arms.
Alexandria was screaming, scared of all the people trying to grab onto Harry and upset that Harry had handed her back to Ariana. Thankfully security had stepped in, creating a barrier and ushering you into the car. Alexandria calmed down, she was rocking her in the backseat and Harry was giving the driver instructions. Ariana and Harry had arrived at the arena and felt a little more relaxed that no one was here yet.
"Harry! Ariana!" Mitch yelled walking into the dressing room. He gave Harry a hug and turned to you with a smile. "Hey little one.." he said to Alexandria. She turned away and reached for Harry with a grunt. Harry took her and smiled.
"Lexi, say hi to uncle Mitch." Harry took her hand and waved it in his direction but she buried her face in his shoulder.
"Hey Mitch." Ariana said hugging him.
"I can't believe how big she's gotten. It's crazy. Last time I saw you, you were about to burst." Ariana laughed and nodded.
"It is crazy...I still cant believe it." The rest of the band walked in with smiles. They all waved to Alexandria and hugged Ariana and Harry.
"Alright we better get to rehearsing." Harry mumbled handing Alexandria over to Ariana again. "I'll be back okay?" he said bending down to kiss her. They walked out of the room and Ariana set Alexandria down on the floor.
"Dadda" she cried crawling towards the door.
"No...Lexi" Ariana grabbed her and pulled her back. "Daddy will be back but he has to practice."
She cried harder, not understanding why she couldnt go with him. In her defense, Harry rarely left her side. If he went out anywhere he took her with him. They were inseparable.
After screaming another 5 minutes, Ariana carried her over to the side of the stage to watch.
Ariana set her down as they finished up and she stood up, wobbling over to Harry. He smiled and tossed her up in the air. "Hi Lexi, were you watching daddy?" She snuggled into him and Ariana walked over.
"You guys sounded amazing." Ariana smiled. "Lexi loved it."
"Did you love watching daddy play?"
"She did. I think your first concert back is going to be insane. Fans are already lining up outside. Lexi, did you tell daddy what you want?"
Alexandria rubbed her belly, "ood".
"You want food?" Harry asked laughing. Ariana smiled and clapped, proud the baby sign language was sinking in a little more.
"We both want food." Ariana mumbled walking over and taking her from Harry. "Say yeah, we want food daddy. We are very hungry"
"Alright, let me just put on clothes and we can eat." He kissed Ariana's cheek and wandered off stage. Ariana let Alexandria wander around on stage for a bit. She walked over to the mic and picked it up and Ariana smiled pulling her phone out.
"Are you trying to be like daddy?" Ariana asked taking a picture of the baby liking the mic Harry had left on the floor. Harry walked out and laughed. He picked her up and smiled. "Harry, turn around."
Ariana took the picture of the two of them on stage and smiling with the mic. "She's already trying to steal the spotlight."
"She wants to be just like daddy." Ariana kissed his cheek. "Maybe we will be attending her shows one day."
"That would be crazy." Ariana and Harry ordered a pizza and ate backstage with the band.
Everyone catching up on what they had missed the last 11 months. Harry had shown everyone hundreds of pictures of Alexandria. Videos from birth, to rolling over, to crawling, to eating solid foods, even pooping.
Alexandria was asleep in her pack and play and Harry kept subtly trying to wake her up. When it came time for everyone to get dressed and ready, Harry kept wandering in and out. Finally when she had waken up, Harry came in and grabbed her. "Harry you better be careful, she just ate and the last thing anyone wants is for baby puke to end up all over that Gucci suit."
"It's fine." He mumbled kissing her cheek. "She's not going to puke on me, are you?" He hugged her tightly and handed her over. "Are you going to take her down to the front?"
"I don't know...."
"You should....please babe...I want you both out there." He looked at you and begged and Ariana smiled.
"Fine." Ariana kissed him and pulled him closer. "Did I mention how good you look." He pressed his lips on Ariana's and gripped her waist tightly.
"You could mention it more..." Harry was about to deepen the kiss when Mitch walked in.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah." Harry answered kissing Ariana one more time waving to Alexandria. "I'll see you two front and center." he said with a wink.
Ariana smiled and grabbed Alexandria's headphones to block out the sound and then carried her down to the front row. She was a little anxious, climbing to Ariana and crying.
Ariana just wasn't sure how long she would be able to hold her there but she wanted Harry to at least make it through a song. Harry came out and everyone screamed. Alexandria cried harder, and Ariana bounced her, trying to calm her a bit.
"Why hello everyone!" Harry yelled. He caught your eye and frowned seeing Alexandria cry. "Can you all do me a favor? This is my daughters first concert. She's just a baby but the noise is scaring her a bit. Hi Lexi." Harry waved.
Alexandria noticed him and reached, crying out daddy. Ariana walked her a little closer and he bent down and picked her up. "Say hi Lexi" he said into the mic. Harry held onto her as the band started singing. She snuggled into his shoulder, not looking at the crowd.
By the end of the song she was smiling and laughing at Harry. Ariana watched him perform, her in his arms. She was already so proud of Harry for accomplishing his dream, but seeing him as a dad had given her so much more to be proud of. From late night diaper changes, to cleaning up puke, to getting up early with her so you could sleep in. He did it all. Here he was now, singing his new album, her in his arms.
Everything he was proud of in his grasp. He finished up and had her wave to everyone before handing her back down to Ariana. She kissed her cheek and she yawned, tired from being out past her bedtime.
Being on tour with a moody 11- month old was going to be hard. But that moment gave Ariana hope for the rest of it. Everything was going to be fine. It was going to be fun. And she would do it together just like you had everything else.