11.7 | You're it

                                    

                                          
24th February 2019 (continued)
Harry and Eloise garner a fair bit of attention as they make their way through LAX - relatively busy, even early on a Sunday morning. Despite trying to keep their heads down, their beaming smiles, deep tans and tightly clasped hands don't help their cause much.
After finally retrieving all their suitcases, they're met by a security escort just before heading through to arrivals. With two burly guards in front of them and one behind, they take matching deep breaths as they head through the doors, as Harry surreptitiously tugs her left sleeve down lower.
The few camera flashes and calls of their names by eagle-eyed fans inside the terminal are shockingly magnified as they're shepherded outside.
The usual throng of opportunistic paps hanging around outside the airport is heavier than usual, and, having heard the excited shouts from inside, they're already swarming the exit.
Harry tugs Eloise just behind him to help forge a path through the scrum, but the paps soon close in, hollering and shoving at each other to try to get the best shots of their evident surprise reunion. 
"Hey, Harry! Eloise!". 
"Over here, guys!".
"Are you together again?".
"When did you guys get back together?".
"Eloise, why are you taking him back?".
"What happened to that other girl, Harry?".
Even with the inevitable line of their abrupt questioning, and as they press ever closer and jostle into them, Harry can't quite wipe the grin from his face. 
They're all just insignificant anyway. She's back here with him. And his ring's on her finger.
Peeking repeatedly back over his shoulder to check she's okay, despite the look of surprise on her face, he's reassured by the soothing rhythmic stroking of her thumb over his. 
Despite the mayhem - and, well, everything else - she's still smiling, and she's not going anywhere.
And, on the plus side, as it's so busy, he figures it's unlikely any of the paps will get a clear shot of her hand anyway. 
Finally making it to the black Cadillac Escalade waiting at the kerb, there's a delay trying to get the doors unlocked and the paps surge even closer. 
Harry tugs Eloise past him and cages her protectively against the car. Pressed right up against her, they start giggling and whispering to each other.
"What are you two so happy about?", the closest pap chuckles, trying to stand his own and stop from smacking into Harry's back. "Sorry, man", he apologises quickly. "Hey! Stop pushing, you assholes!", he shouts back to his fellow paps.
Finally pulling the car door open, one of the security guards steps back and knocks the pap over. 
Keeping one hand firmly on Eloise, Harry quickly leans down and offers his right hand out to help the guy up before he's trampled. "You alright, man? Is your camera, okay?".
"I'm okay, man, yeah... This is crazy! But that was just an accident. Thanks, Harry; always a gent!".
Huh? A polite paparazzo? Fancy that.
Popping back to his full height and stepping back in front of Eloise, Harry can't help but drop a kiss to her cheek as he leans in to whisper in her ear. "Let's go home, baby!".
Once they're safely in the car, as flashes continue popping through the blacked-out windows even as they pull away from the kerb, Harry throws his arm over Eloise's shoulder and pulls her in close. 
Finding her hand again, he lifts it to his lips, thumbing her ring back around before he peppers it with kisses.
"One-nil to us", he grins. "This might be fun, sneaking around a bit?".