I push myself up off the bed and creep into Ben’s room. He’s sound asleep, curled up around his Iron Man toy, his broken arm stretched out in front of him. I pull the blankets he’s kicked off up over him and sit there watching him. Watching my sweet little monkey. Thinking back on all the joy he’s brought me, all the love, all the laughter. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.
I never thought that that would be tested, though. I just knew that when it came down to it, the only thing that would matter would be what was best for him.
He stirs as I press a kiss to his forehead. He pulls his toy in closer, then falls back into his slumber, free from worry. Safe. Loved.
And I vow to protect him. Always.
Brad
When I was eight years old, my father took me to small country fair. There were rides and food stalls and carnival games and all sorts of knickknacks that you could imagine. He gave me thirty dollars and told me I could spend it on anything I wanted. I’d never held so much money in my hand before. I bought a second-hand handheld game console. I’d never had one, our family not having much money at that time, and the very act of buying it was so exciting to me. I spent the rest of the day grasping it tight in my little hand. It was one of the happiest memories of my life.
Later that night though, sitting at the dining room table, my mom served us peanut butter and jelly for the third time that week. I complained about why we couldn’t have something else to eat, like steak or fish. I remember them sharing a look, and then my father gently telling me that steak was very expensive and we didn’t have enough money to eat steak…that day. But we would soon.
I remember looking down at my toy and wondering again out loud why he’d given me the money to buy it. My parents shared another look, this time with smiles on their faces. And my father said that when I had children, I’d find out that seeing my child smile for a second is worth a lifetime of steak dinners.
I might not have a child now, but I have the woman I’ve loved for as long as I’ve known her and her son, who I’ll love for the rest of my life.
And right now, I’d do anything to make them smile.
It’s been almost a week now since the visit from the police, and everyone is still on edge.
I know Emily spoke to Silas, but she won’t share much other than she says he denied calling the police and that he keeps offering her a job.
As far as I know there’s been no contact since. And I’m not sure if that silence is more worrying or comforting to her. I just know that at night, when she’s fallen asleep and I’m still holding her, her murmurs echo her nightmares.
I don’t know how to help her right now. But when I do, there’ll be no stopping me.
***
“Good news or bad news?” Dennis says as soon as he walks into the hotel suite.
We all groan at the familiar question.
After so many weeks on the road cooped up in our buses, getting in each other’s hair and incessant nagging, Dennis surprised us for our stay in Liverpool at the Hard Day’s Night Hotel. Who knows, maybe he’s hoping the spirit of the Beatles will cheer us up.
“Just tell us, D. Have pity on our poor souls,” Marius begs on behalf of all of us.
“Poor, my ass. But yes, I’m in a good mood today, so let me tell you this-there is no bad news.”
“Woot!”
“And the really good news is, you guys have been asked to headline at the RockFever Fest next month.”
“NO FUCKING WAY!”
“What happened to Coldplay?”
“Don’t know, don’t care. Their misfortune is our…well, let’s put it this way, our very sizably increased fortune. Big wads of rolling around naked fuck me fortune…”
“Aww Dennis, you’re just a softy in that heart of yours, aren’t ya?” Marius pats him on the chest. “Wait… where…” He moves his hand over the front of Dennis’s jacket, patting his chest and over his stomach. “Where…where’s your heart?”
“My heartlessness equals your paycheck, so feel away, cheese-dick.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe it. That’s two hundred thousand people. Have we ever played a bigger crowd?” Sebastian asks.
“Well, Glastonbury was about a hundred and thirty thousand, but we weren’t headlining,” Jez points out.
“Fuck,” I can’t help exhaling. The enormity of it dawns on us.
“Yeah, fuck,” Sebastian repeats. “Dennis, you did good.”
“No, and listen up, twiddle-dicks, because I’m not going to say this again. You earned it. What you’ve been doing the last few weeks? It’s getting noticed. How you behave, how consistent your shows have been, the absolutely amazing album. This is just the culmination of all that.” He reaches out and pats me on the shoulder. And I want to say, with a look of pride in his eyes. “Just don’t…”
“We know…” We all chime in, “FUCK IT UP!”
***
“So, the word on the street is that now Coldplay’s pulled out-you guys are taking over,” Sammy, the radio talk show hosts asks us at our breakfast radio interview the next day.
“Ooh, where did you hear that?” Jez asks.
“It’s not true?”
“We’re not saying that, we’re just wondering where you heard it,” Jez fires back, winking.
“So, it is true,” Sammy presses.
“We’re not saying that either, but it sure sounds like a good idea to us…if the powers that control that sort of thing are listening,” Sebastian replies.
“Ha-ha, tell us, is it true? Because I might just have a reason to come along!”
“Come along anyway, and if it’s not us, we can boo them together!” Marius suggests, causing Sammy to burst into laughter.
“It’s going to be huge is all I can say. If there’s anyone who’s been living under a rock and haven’t heard of you yet, they will after this concert, no doubt.”
“Haven’t heard of us! For shame! We don’t wear all this makeup just for ourselves you know,” Jez insists.
“Yeah, we wear it for each other!” Sebastian finishes.
“Come on guys, really, you can’t give us a tiny hint?”
“We do nothing tiny my dear,” I finally speak up.
“Fine. You heard it here first. The Rock Chamber Boys may or may not be headlining the first ever RockFever Fest. I know. Breaking news.”
***
“Damn, how’d she hear so fast? Someone’s got loose lips that’s for sure,” Jez wonders as we leave the radio station.
“Hey, I’m Princess Loose Lips to you,” Hailey pipes up, and gives us all a knowing wink.
“I knew it,” Marius says, clapping his hands.