Timing is Everything (Liam Payne)

The car pulls up to my complex and they are waiting for me there also. I sigh in aggravation. Security clears the way for the car to get through and the gates close securely behind us. I get inside and open up my computer and log in to Tumblr, pretty sure that’s where it was seen. Whether it was or not, its everywhere. Different pictures from different angles. I go to my news home page, yep there too. I also find a side by side of my hand with his, showing my diamond band and his band on the opposite picture. I don’t read it. I don’t care what it says, I know what happened.
I get comfortable and get my phone. I better get to my parents before the press does. I sit with a nervous stomach as the phone rings. My mom picks up just as cheery as she always is.
“Mom, is dad around? Bring him to the phone and put it on speaker please.” I wait while she gets him and hear them put it on speaker.
“I don’t know how to say this except to come out and say it. Liam and I got married a few days ago in Vienna”
I listen to the silence, it seems never ending.
“Are you pregnant?” my mom asks
“No, God no. It was just a spur of the moment thing. It’s the most impulsive thing I’ve ever done and I don’t regret it.”
I hear my dad clear his throat, “Were happy for you dear, though you know we wish you had told us. What about the wedding here?”
“We just plan on having a celebration. We’ll do the vows and everything if that’s what the family wants. We did our way, now we’ll do what y’ll would like.”
“I want the whole wedding” my mom says with a quiver in her voice.
“I’m sorry mom.” I start to cry. I know how bad she had looked forward to the wedding.
“No, no. I’m so happy. You did it your way. You’ve always been a pleaser. This time you did it for you. Where are you now?”
I tell them the happenings and the media downfall that is currently happening. They question if it will be on TV and I tell them probably but not believe what they hear with out talking to me first. I also instruct them to be on the look out for reporters. My dad says a quick shot in the air will take care of that. I nod my head, typical Daddy. I tell them I love them and tell them I’ll call them later.
My phone rings and it’s Liam. He asks how things are going and if I made it home safe. “Its going to get worse before it gets better. Just be prepared. If it gets too bad go to London. Get Jeff to fly you there. I apologize, you didn’t sign up for this.”
“No need to apologize, I’m in it now. I see how the rest of the week goes and if its too much, I’ll let you know. Have you called your parents. I called mine. They’re fine with it all and the ‘party’. Mom wants the whole nine yards, no skimping.”
“Yes, called mine also. My parents said the same. Sisters are a little pissed but they’ll get over it. Missing you already. We’ll have a short break the end of this month before we head that way.”
“So if I can hold out for the rest of the month.” I leave it at that.
“That would be good, but I’m not asking you to if you cant handle it.”
“I just miss you is all” I stop before I choke up.
“I know, I need to go, talk later, love you”
“Love you too”
The call disconnects and I sit there looking around. I have one day before I go back to work. I doubt I have anything clean to wear. Then I remember I left a weeks worth of work clothes in London. Shit.
I head to my closet and start puling things to the front, checking whats clean and putting in a pile what needs to go to the cleaners. I start a load of laundry while I unpack the rest of my things.
I go into the office and get a couple of boxes I had put in there and take it to my closet and start putting things in there I wont need for a while. Before I know it I have 4 boxes packed, labeled and sealed. I make a list of things I want taken to my parents or things my sisters can have if they want it, the rest give to friends or give to charity.
I order take out and it arrives. I sit down in front of the Tv and decide to whats being said about me. There’s footage of me getting off the plane, they zoom in on my finger. Next is footage of Liam singing in the concert last night, hands on the mic stand, left over right. Its just the way he stands. The footage of him getting into the SUV reporters screaming questions is what they go to next. Then they air pictures of us around the city the day before. The date was leaked or their investigators found it. It was never hidden. Thankfully nothing negative was said, if for no other reason, for my parents sakes Then I sit with my mouth agape, they show a crying Sophia. I turn it off. I wish we could have gotten along.
I turn the Bose on and crank it up, grab the wine, a glass and head to the tub. My tub. I light some candles and put lavender bath salts in. I go to my roots and blast some country music, singing right along. I can see the look Liam would give me right now if he were here. I slide in grab the remote to the Bose and put it on shuffle.
I wish I was sharing the bath with him. I pooch my lips out missing him. I look at the clock and know he should be asleep, though he probably isn’t. I grab my phone and send him an ‘I miss you’ text. He texts back a pic of him in the bed sending me a kiss. I take a pic of me in the tub before I think of the consequences it might get me. I bite my lip hoping it leads to something else. It takes a minute but I get a text. I open it and laugh out loud, a pic of his penis. Another texts follows, ‘you just had to go there’. I laugh again knowing I’m teasing him. ‘Guess its just me and my hand tonight’ I laugh again. And text ‘sorry not sorry’ back to him. ‘Fuck you’ he sends right back. Oh how I wish. He’s turning me on and were a world away. ‘I wish’ I text back.
No text back. I smile to myself. I give him a few minutes and text him, ‘feel better’. ‘Yes, thanks for asking. I’’m going to sleep now’. I put my phone down as I start to get out.
I wake up the next morning, yesterday a memory until the guard at the front calls and tells me to take the back exit. Before I arrive at work I call ahead and check on things there. I may be a step ahead of them. Not quite. I finally get in and Immediately go to my boss’ office. He welcomes me in and we discuss whats going on, in a friendly manner. I was going to take the month before my wedding off. That’s still two months away. We discuss different options. He calls the PR to come up and bring my files. They sit around and go over my file. I have accumulated quite a few days/weeks off. I don’t want my presence here to be a distraction or nuisance to those who also work here. I’m not to set to start in London until November. This is a big head ache. We come to the conclusion that I will close out my accounts or bring them up to date and train my assistant to take my place and help with the hiring of a new assistant. This should only take a couple of weeks at the most. I’m not happy about it, I love my job, but I hate putting others out on my behalf.
I want to run home to Liam. I want him to hold me close and whisper in my ear everything will be OK in my ear. I want him to make love to me and hold me in his arms as we go to sleep. I sit at my desk thinking all these things. I look at the picture of us on my desk and smile. Two weeks, just weeks and I can see him.
I decide to stop putting off the inevitable and call the wedding planner. I explain what happened and how everything is going as planned. As far as the plans are concerned, nothing has changed.
The next weeks are what my normal has been since I moved to Nashville, except for the press, which thankfully, has gotten smaller by the day. They’re still a pain in the ass.
I stand in the airport waiting for them to announce that his flight has arrived. It feels that it has been forever. No one knows I’m here and no one has spotted me. I’m safe for now. I hear them announce it and I stand back, watching, waiting. I see Paddy first then him. I see security coming my way. He sees me and a smile comes across his face. I’m bouncing I’m so happy. The moment I can get to him, I’m there jumping at him. My arms around his neck, legs around his waist. I don’t care if I cause a scene. I let go of him so we can leave. I wipe the tears away and grab his hand as we are escorted out. We climb in the car, Paddy climbs in behind Liam. Guess there will be no celebratory quickie on the way to my place. He looks so tired. Happy but tired.
We are dropped off first and the party is taken back to the bedroom.

Notes