Chapter 91
As much as I loved traveling, there was no place like home. Especially when you're by yourself with your six month old son.
We kept a pretty low profile for the rest of the summer.
It seems like a long time to do nothing, but it went by really fast. I cherished every moment I had with my baby, because he was growing so fast.
It was almost Niall's birthday, and Owen was now seven months old. He was learning how to use his hands and pick stuff up (which led to me having to baby proof the house again). He can sit up on the floor without my help, and can roll over on his own.
He's been a little more fussy lately as he's teething, but it's nothing compared to the amount of crying he did in his first months.
Owen has also started to eat some solid foods. I don't have to pump as much and he's not as reliant on me to always have to feed him.
Sometimes I can just sit him down in his high chair, throw a bib on, and give him some cheerios to nibble on.
We visited Niall at a few of his shows, as the North American leg of the tour was coming to an end.
It was bittersweet. Even though it was never said, we all knew that this was going to be the last One Direction tour for a while.
Niall told me that the album was finished and let me listen to it, but he said that he didn't think they were going to tour for that album.
Listening to the album, it sounded like a goodbye.
Even though their era was beginning to slow down, that would mean more time for Niall to focus on his family, and I have been waiting for that moment for a long time.
Also, Louis was going to be a father, and I'm sure that his responsibilities will be changing as well.
The last leg of the tour was in Europe, and I haven't decided if I wanted to go across the pond for a month. I was so adjusted here, and I hated the hassle of traveling. Also, it seemed like we were going to be sharing our secret soon, and it would be overwhelming to follow One Direction fans around.
I had organized all of the pictures from the duration of our relationship into a slideshow. And after visiting Briana, I was mentally prepared to expose my life.
Now all I needed was Niall.
Niall was coming home after the last show in Boston, just in time for his birthday.
I couldn't sleep that night, knowing that he could be home any minute.
I did the math in my head. If the show ended at about 10 or 11, it would take him about a half hour to get on a plane, another half hour to get here, give or take some time to drive to the apartment, that would mean he would be in my arms around 12 or 1 or maybe 2?
The anticipation was enough to keep me awake in bed.
Of all nights, it was a night where Owen was actually sleeping well. Why couldn't this be on a night where I was awake taking care of Owen anyway.
Around 1, I got up and made myself some tea. Sleep seemed impossible.
Just as I blew on the mug to cool it off, I heard a lock turning in the door and some murmuring from outside.
I nearly jumped in my seat at the island. I gently placed my cup on the counter, I was beginning to shake with excitement and I didn't want it spilling everywhere.
It seemed like an eternity that I waited, staring at the door with anticipation. I feared that if I so much as blinked, I would miss it.
Then, like a dream, the door opened, and I saw his silhouette.
I bounced out of my chair and slowly made my way to him. His back was turned as he quietly closed the door and said goodbye to the security guards who escorted him here.
When he turned around, I was the first thing that he saw, and he jumped a little, not expecting me.
He opened his arms for my embrace, and I planted a kiss on his lips.
"What are you doing?" He whispered, careful not to wake Owen sleeping down the hall. "I thought you would be in bed!"
I laughed. "How could I sleep knowing that I would be seeing you any minute?" I asked.
We sighed into each other, and nothing compared to being in his arms. Not traveling the world, not living in a penthouse, not being rich. None of it mattered to me if I didn't have him in my embrace.
"Besides, it's officially your birthday!" I added. "Happy birthday!!!!"
It was dark in the living room, but I could still see his smile.
"Can I help you with your bags or anything?" I asked, noticing the luggage he had behind him.
"Don't worry about it," he said. "Go to the bedroom, I'll meet you there."
"I'm not even tired," I said, following him to our room. My heart was beating out of control from all of my emotions.
"You know what, I'm not either." He said. "I took a nap on the plane and somehow I regained all of the adrenaline I had after the show when I saw you."
We were inside our bedroom and the lights were dimmed. "Hey, do you have my white Eagles shirt here?" Niall asked. "I was looking for it earlier to wear to the show but I couldn't find it."
I walked over to my drawers across to the bed and began searching through them.
"Here it is," I said, pulling it out of the top drawer.
"Thanks," he responded as I tossed it over to him. I went back to my drawer to close it, and that's when my eye caught something.
I traced my fingers over the red lacy lingerie that Perrie gave me for my baby shower. I had it for so long and only got to use t once.
It was always either that Niall wasn't around or we were too tired.
However, now seemed like a perfect time.
"Hey Niall," I asked as he was unpacking his bags. He turned around, and I held the lingerie up to my body.
"Are you still not feeling tired?" I said with a smirk.
I watched as Niall's eyes grew bigger and his mouth curled into a smile.
"I'm never tired for that," he added.
I began to push him out of the room and laughed, "give me a second to change."
It's been too long.
-
The next morning we ate breakfast in, ordering my favorite pancakes. Niall wanted to keep it low-key for his birthday. My mom offered to babysit if we wanted to go out, but it was just so hard in such a big city.
Plus, we spent so long keeping it a secret, all because of our special announcement. We couldn't just throw it away.
"I have your presents," I said, walking back to the living room with a bag in my hand.
"You didn't need to get me anything!" Niall said, with a surprised look on his face.
"Are you kidding me?" I asked. "It's your birthday! And it's nothing big so don't get your hopes up"
"Last night was more than enough enough," he added, giggling.
Owen was chilling in his jumper, watching the golf that was playing on TV and Niall and I sitting on the couch together.
"Open it," I said with a smile on my face. I was cuddled up to him.
Niall pulled the tissue paper out from the bag, and pulled out the contents, it was a booklet.
I watched as he flipped through the colored pages of the booklet with curious eyes.
"It's a booklet of different gift cards and coupons for different things to do all over the city," I said.
He looked up at me, at a loss for words. I knew what he was thinking.
"Niall, I'm ready," I began. "I know you are too. We've been hiding for so long and I want to go public with our family now. There's so many things that we could be doing and places we could be seeing together, all three of us. We've been trapped inside this apartment for so long and I know it's been nice to spend time together, but there is so much out there that we've been missing out on."
I looked over at Owen, who was smiling and laughing at us, his feet touching the ground in the jumper, ready to walk.
"Look at your son. He's not a newborn anymore and doesn't cry as much! We don't have to worry about the same things that we used to. He's beginning to eat solid foods and is starting to sleep more consistently, the timing couldn't be better."
I traced my hand on the back of his head, waiting for an answer.
Niall turned to me with a big smile on his face.
"What are we waiting for?" He said.
A/N
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