Life After Role Play

I walked back downstairs, only to have Gracey run up to where I was standing. It looked like the entire family had already left, and it was just us here.
“Mommy up. Up” Gracey said, sticking her hands in the air.
I lifted my sweet daughter, and walked around the corner to see Harry, Sophie, and Henry fast asleep on the couch.
I snapped a quick picture, and walked over to the counter to give Gracey some snacks. Once we were done snacking, Gracey walked back over to where they were all asleep, and watched the show while cuddling up to her daddy.
I answered a few more emails, and confirmed that I would be attending certain appearances. I also answered emails considering One Direction and their latest movie and tour.
Finally, I joined my family on the couch, and before I knew it fell asleep with Gracey in my lap.
The next time I woke up it was 3:30, and everyone seemed to be in the exact same spot as they were before I fell asleep, except Harry.
I heard him talking on the phone, and new that he probably had stuff to take care of as well.
He walked back over to where he was sitting,
“Hi my love” he said, lifting Sophie’s limp body up and placing her back into his lap.

He tapped on his phone answering emails, and texts. He was a busy man.
“Did you get everything you needed to get done done?” he asked, while still looking down at his phone.
“I did. Thanks for watching the kids” I said before reaching over to grab his hand.
I pulled it across Sophie and kissed his knuckles.
“I love you Harry, and I am so glad you are here with us for a few more weeks.” I said with a smile on my face.
“I love you too, and honestly there is no place I would rather be than here with my smoking hot wife and my adorable kids.” he said with a smile as well,
Harry and I chatted for a little while, before Sophie started to squirm, and eventually she woke up.
“Daddy” she yelled, a little too excited to see him.
Next thing I know, Henry and Gracey are waking up, but instead of waking up happy, they are whiney and crying.
Great.
Harry and I carry the kids into the kitchen, and he places them into their seats before I start to make them each a snack.
I put out on each of their plates ham roll ups and cheese cubes. I put an apple sauce squeeze by their plate as well.
Harry snacks on some chips and a coke while watching the nuggets eat.
“Are we still going to the aquarium?” Harry asks,
“yah mommy I wanna go to see fishies” Sophie asks
“Okay it’s fine with me” I said to Harry,
“but we do need to leave soon because we have to be back to open presents and we are going out to dinner tonight” I said, lifting Henry from his seat and starting to clean up everyones mess.
“Alright well once we clean up let’s head out” Harry said,
“I need to go freshen up and get the strollers out” I said,
“Okay babe. You go do that and i’ll watch the kids and clean up the kitchen” he said,
I smiled, and walked upstairs with Henry still on my hip.
I set him down on the floor and let him play with my phone while I put on some more makeup and re curled my hair.
Once I was done I packed up the diaper bag, and carried the stroller down. Henry followed after me.
“Henry hold onto the railing” I said, to which he ignored me.
Fortunately he made it down the stairs without falling.
Harry was just finishing the kitchen.
“Alright babe, are we ready?” Harry asked, lifting Gracey from her seat and setting her down and doing the same with Sophie.
“yep” I said, lifting Henry and putting him on my hip.
Harry strapped the two girls into their seats, while I strapped Henry in his, and loaded the stroller and diaper bag.
We were all piled into the Escalade and ready to go.
I turned on the radio and it just so happened that it was One Direction.
Sophie started to scream the words she knew and Harry just laughed along.
When we pulled up to the aquarium, I got out first and unloaded the stroller and set my diaper bag in the stroller. Next I grabbed Gracey and buckled her into one of the seats. Harry grabbed Henry and put him in the stroller as well.

Sophie hopped out and grabbed Harry’s hand.

We walked into the aquarium, so far not being noticed.

It’s when we were standing in line to get tickets, that a few people asked Harry for pictures.
Once we paid for our tickets, we started to walk around. Fortunately the lights were dimmed so that it would be hard for people to recognize us.
“Mommy look at the shark” Sophie said, running towards the glass window
“Look mommy” she said and pointed towards the massive shark in the tank.
I smiled, and took pictures of the kids.

Henry fell asleep, while Gracey held tightly to Harry’s hand as she walked around with him.
Once we were about halfway through the aquarium, only about fifteen or so people had noticed us, and were polite enough to not ask for pictures.
It seemed to me that Harry didn’t even notice the girls that were taking pictures of him or the moms who stopped in their tracks to get a better look. He just kept on going and put all of his attention towards Sophie and Gracey.

Finally when we were coming around the corner and towards the gift shop, we looked outside to see the fifteen photographers, and the thirty girls all lined up outside.

“Harry” I said,
He kept walking but made a sharp turn towards the gift shop.
“Soph and Gracey go find yourself a toy and pick one out for Henry too. Mommy and I will wait right here” Harry said,

The two girls grabbed each others hands and walked towards the stuffed animals.
“Aud, I’m gonna call my security team, but if I can’t get in touch with them then we will just have to walk out their. I’m sure this aquarium has security that could escort us to the car” he said,
I helped the kids pick out their toys, and paid for them.
“Mommy where Daddy?” Gracey asked,
“He went to go talk to someone, but he will be right back” I said, and lifted her back into her seat in the stroller.
Before I knew it, a very stressed out Harry comes walking back.
“My security team isn’t going to be able to get here fast enough, but I spoke to the aquarium security, and they are going to help you and the kids get to the car, and then escort me out separately, is that ok?” He asked,
“That’s fine” I said,
He pecked my cheek and walked over to where Sophie was standing. He bent down to talk to her, and I saw the paparazzi start to go crazy over their sweet interaction.
“You are going to hold mommy’s hand and walk out to the car, and I will be right behind you guys ok? Don’t talk to anyone except for mommy when you go outside okay?” he said,
“Okay daddy” she said,
He kissed the top of her head, and sweet Sophie walked over to grab my hand.
I shut the sun block cover over the stroller so that the paparazzi couldn't get any pictures of the twins.
Three men wearing security jackets walked over and opened the doors for us. The cameras starting flashing and Sophie moved closer to where I was walking.

“Excuse me” I said politely to the fans trying to take pictures with me. Some of them got a little too close to Sophie, and it stressed me out.
We made it to the car, but with the paparazzi still chasing after us. I quickly unloaded my kids into the car, and as I was putting Sophie in her seat, a swarm of paparazzi came and attacked the car.
Fans were bombarding Harry with phones, trying to get a photo.
Sophie started to cry, which triggered the twins to become upset.
I shut Sophie’s door before folding the stroller up and placing it in the trunk.
“Aud get in the car” Harry said, as he finished signing and taking pictures with the fans.
“Okay” I mumbled, before getting into the passenger seat.
I tried to calm down my kids who were freaked out by the cameras and the yelling girls.

A few seconds later Harry gets in the car.
He quickly places his sunglasses on his head, and pulls out.

“Why are you crying Soph” Harry said, turning around towards Sophie.
She was quiet for a minute before she spoke up, “those people scared me. I thought they would take Daddy away” she said, and rubbed her eyes.
“No those people weren’t going to take me away. They just wanted to take a picture of me, that’s all” Harry said calmly,
It broke my heart that my kids weren’t able to live a “normal” life, and probably would never be able to.
They would have to grow up in the spotlight, and that was going to be incredibly hard for them. Both Harry and I had the privilege of growing up normally, and being able to have relationships and heartbreak and acne without being picked apart by the media.
Harry and I tried as hard as we could to protect our kids from the media, but it was inevitable.
Harry reached over to grab my hand, almost knowing that I was upset.
He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles.

The drive home was pretty quiet, Sophie sniffled in the back before settling down.
The twins were watching a movie on their iPad and Sophie just calmly looked out the window.
“Mommy” Sophie said,
“Yes love” I answered, while turning around to see my precious daughter,
“Is Daddy coming home with us?” she asked, almost seeming scared as to what I might answer,
“Of course he is. It’s almost Christmas time.” I said with a smile on my face,
“And guess what Soph” I said,
“What?” she asked,
“When we get home, there will be a Christmas tree that we can all decorate. And there will be decorations around the house, and Christmas lights outside. And guess what!” I said,
“What mommy” she said looking excited,
“Lovie and Robin are coming after Christmas too! They are going to bring you presents and play with you!” I said,
She started jumping up in her seat, obviously getting excited.

I smiled at her reaction, and Harry turned around to see what she was doing.
The rest of the way home, Harry face timed his mom so that Sophie could talk to her and we could all catch up.
“Bye Lovie. Wuv you” Sophie said, and blew kisses towards the camera.
Since we were pulling up to the house, Harry told Sophie to say goodbye.
“Bye Anne, see you soon!” I said and gave the phone back to Harry.
He said his goodbyes before shutting the phone off.
Seconds later we pulled up to the house and I noticed that all of the cars were back in the driveway, so everyone must be back from the soccer game.
Harry grabbed the twins and set them on the ground. Gracey immediately started crying and yelling “up daddy up” but Harry was busy unbuckling Henry.
Gracey continued to cry until Harry scooped the tiny little girl in his arms.
Sophie held tightly to Henry’s hand while I grabbed my purse and diaper bag.
“Sophie help Henry up the stairs okay” I said, making sure she didn’t try to pull him up.

Sophie was very cautious and helped her little brother go up.
I got the door and let Harry and Gracey walk in first.
“We are back” Harry yelled,
To which the family stopped what they were doing to say hello”

Notes