It's Never Just Goodbye // Ed Sheeran

Hug Her like a Mother Would

Alice

"Hi." I said.

"Hello." He said.

His bag sat limp at his side. His sneakers were untied and scuffed at the tips. He usually wore old, broken in shoes on the plane to be comfortable. Instead of his usual sweatshirt garb, he wore a plaid button down shirt and khakis. The rest of him was slightly a mess; his face scruffy with a ginger beard that he had yet to shave, and oily unkempt hair.

He glanced around me, peering around the slight curve of my body. The crowded airport was free from paparazzi and his son. His cheeks warmed and grew a rose color. He scratched the back of his neck, waiting for me to say something. Besides a few minutes between Finley's naps or rushed conversations here and there, we were rarely alone together, and it was awkward.

"I just thought I'd pick you up." I explained. "In case there was anyone here, waiting for you."

"Oh!" He replied promptly. Bending down, I reached for his duffel bag. He shoved my hand away. "I've got it."

As we began walking, Ed took out a baseball cap and put it on his rough-looking head. I couldn't help the laughter that fell from my lips as my eyes caught the ugly thing. Biting his cheek, he tried to hide a small smirk as he glimpsed down at me.

I snorted, "Is that some sort of disguise?"

"What?" He asked me. His shoulders bouncing up and down as he lightly laughed along with me. "I don't want anyone coming up to me."

"Scared they might catch you with me?" I asked. It wasn't meant to be spiteful. In a sense, it was a playful remark between friends.

"No." He stammered. "I mean, sort of."

We continued walking on in silence for a moment. I thought about the small shrug and the sort of. In the last year, we hadn't discussed the crowds of people, the fans, or the paparazzi. He took a break from everything to focus on his son. He avoided everyone at all costs. It seemed easy. It never dawned on me that we could be found out because we are always so careful. We both want our son out of the limelight and we have taken all the precautions to do so.

"I'm just looking out for you."

"I don't care if they know who I am." I tell him. "People already fucking know my name. Might as well give them a picture to match it."

"No." He told me gently. "Nothing will ever be private again for you, Alice."

"It isn't like we're dating." I responded. "They have nothing to dig for. Or suspect..."

He stopped for a moment. He set his bag down by his feet once more. Biting his lip, he nodded casually. Ed said, "You're right."

"I am?" I asked jokingly, raising my eyebrows.

"Yeah. If they ever saw you, they'd think you were a friend." He replied, shrugging. "We've never held hands, kissed, or even hugged in public. If anyone caught anything on camera, it'd be worthless."

Grabbing for his bag, he started walking again. I had to jog to catch up with him; my shoes clicking against the tiled floor. We continued on in a sour silence as we pushed through crowds of travelers, searched through the parking garage, and reached my car.

"Still driving this shitty thing, I forgot." He asks.

"Hey, I like it!"

I popped the trunk for him and he threw his bag inside. He hit the roof and laughed loudly. "It's a piece of shit."

Smiling, I shook my head. "Shut up." I said before climbing inside and starting the engine.

He buckled his seatbelt as I played around with the stereo. Nudging me with his shoulder, he said, "Thanks for picking me up."