75. Chapter Seventy-Five
I’m counting down the days until our reunion. Seeing the photo Poppy just sent me of her and Alex by the pool, I really wish I could be there with them.
Tonight”s our last concert, but I can”t wait to hop on the plane and head home. I can”t wait to wrap my arms around my girl and give my son a big hug. Introducing Alex to the guys is something I’m eagerly looking forward to. They”re curious about him, asking questions about home every time I hang up. While I love my job and it fulfills all my aspirations, my love for them surpasses everything.
I”ve thought about the future and how I see myself moving forward with my family and the band. Now it’s time to tell the guys what I want. Despite Ronnie”s annoying attention-seeking behavior, I’m willing to part with my beloved songs, even if it’s gonna hurt like hell. It”s important for us to venture out on our own.
Anita told Ace that the offer was really tempting, but the contract said Ronnie would stick around as our band manager. When Ace told Lionel again that we didn”t want her here, he just brushed it off, saying we got everything we wanted. Lionel also mentioned he’s keeping her in the role as a favor for an old college buddy and suggested he have some fun with her if she’s up for it. It hit me that she might be a cunning groupie, scheming to get close to one of us for her own gain, like some gold-digging hussy.
That”s why tonight, I”ve told Neil to stand guard at the green room door and keep her the fuck away, so we can have our meeting before the show begins. Theo and I are patiently waiting for Nate and Ace to join us at the meeting I requested today. Today Ace and Nate were off exploring, so Theo and I ended up at the cinema. It”s great to do normal things like everyone else. But when the lights came back on, I had to suffer through wearing that scratchy wig and cap again.
“It’s kinda sad that this is the last show, huh?” Theo says.
“Yeah, but I really want to go home.”
“I get it.”
The door swings open, and Nate and Ace walk in, all dressed up for the show. With the opening act nearing the end of their set, I know I have to hurry.
“What’s up?” Ace comes over and sits beside me on the couch.
“I want out.”
“What the fuck?” Nate says.
“Not the band, dumbass. I wanna quit the label. Let’s go out on our own. You guys only stuck around to help me get my songs back, but I”m fine with letting them go.”
“You sure about that?” Ace asks.
“Yeah. Just think about it.” I lean forward in the seat. “The label claims they’re meeting our requests, but they’re not really. We don”t want Ronnie, but we have to deal with her because Lionel owes someone a favor. He’s not giving us what we want. What if we need to make another change down the line for something else? Will he be on board with that or is it gonna be like the Ronnie thing where we don’t get a say?”
”There”s no guarantee he”ll listen to us,” Nate points out.
“Exactly. That”s why we go out on our own. Make a few albums. Get someone we trust to be our band manager and we have the final say in everything.”
I stop when I hear raised voices coming from the doorway, where I put Neil. Ronnie”s loud voice clearly shows she”s pissed about not being able to enter the room.
”So, what does everyone think?” I ask, bringing my focus back to the group.
Ace nods in agreement. “I’m on board with that.”
“Yeah, me too,” Theo says.
I turn to Nate.
“As I’ve mentioned before, I’m fully behind whatever decision you guys make. Broken Oasis wouldn’t be the same without any of us, so count me in.”
“Alright, it’s settled. We”re going out on our own,” I say, getting up. I head towards the table at the back, swiftly grabbing a bottle of water while still listening to the commotion coming from the other side of the door.
“When should I inform the label?” Ace inquires.
“Let them sweat it out,” says Nate. “They don’t give a fuck about what we want, so let’s make them wait a few weeks.”
Lowering the bottle after consuming half of its contents, I catch Ace’s glance and nod in agreement with Nate’s statement.
Suddenly, there”s a knock on the door, and it swings open. My attention shifts to see Kit walking into the room, with Neil still standing guard at the door, stopping Ronnie from entering.
“You guys are on in five,” Kit informs us.
“Thanks, Kit,” Nate replies.
Afterward, as she makes her way back to the hall, I see the smirk on Kit’s face before she closes the door behind her.
“Alright, guys, let’s go out there and give it everything we’ve got. Let’s make this the best performance of our lives. And then we can all go home,” I say, huddling with my brothers.
Grins light up their faces as we exchange hearty slaps on the back, fueling our adrenaline for the ultimate performance.
Advancing towards the door, we follow Nate, who takes the lead. With the door opened, we step out, guided by Neil as we make our way towards the stage. Despite Ronnie not being directly in my line of sight, given her persistent stalking qualities over these past days, I’m certain she’s nearby, even if she remains unseen.
After giving it our all, we’re left exhausted and sweaty as the show comes to an end. I”m cracking up as I see the crowd lose their shit when Nate throws his drumsticks - they adore those fucking little things.
Before I go into the green room, I quickly change my shirt and do my usual routine for this time of the night. I grab the phone and call home.
Alex’s cute face appears on the screen.
“Dad,” he says with a grin, sounding just as excited as he does every night when we talk.
“Hey buddy,” I reply. “How’s it going?”
“Good. When are you coming home?” he asks eagerly.
“I’m flying out tonight, so I’ll be home tomorrow.”
“Guess what? I have a surprise for you?”
“Really? What is it?” I ask, grinning.
“No, I can’t tell you it’s a surprise.”
”Hey,” Poppy says, leaning on Alex”s shoulder to get a good look at me.
”Hey, Princess,” I say, checking out her gorgeous face.
“I’m looking forward to you coming home,” she says.
“Me too.”
”Me and Mom are gonna go for a swim soon,” Alex says.
It brings me joy to know that they’re enjoying the house and making it their own. It was my intention all along when I had to leave - I wanted them to feel like it’s their home just as much as it feels like mine.
“You know what? Maybe I”ll join you for a swim tomorrow,” I say.
“Yes. I’ll show you my cannonball and how much water I can splash on Mom,” says Alex.
“I”m dying to see that. Then I”ll show you mine and you”ll see how much more water I can splash on Mom,” I say.
With a mischievous glimmer in his eyes, Alex turns his head towards Poppy, letting out a giggle.
”Oh yeah. Well, you better prepare to get wet when I show you how much I can splash you guys,” Poppy says, with a big grin on her face.
”Sure, Mom,” Alex says, rolling his eyes. “You hardly got me last time.”
Their playful banter brings a smile to my face.
Lifting my head, I catch sight of Kit standing not far from me, it’s time for me to join the band in the green room.
”Well, I gotta run,” I say, feeling sad about all the moments I”ll be missing with them. “I’ll see you both tomorrow. Love you,” I say, the words just now effortlessly flowing out. Every day, I make sure I tellthem that.
”Love you too,” they both say, and it never gets old hearing them say that.
I hang up, put my phone in my pocket, and walk toward Kit, who’s watching me.
”We”re almost home,” she says, and I can sense she understands how much I long to be with the people I hold dear, especially with all the times she”s been fetching me to come to the green room this week.
As I sit on the flight back home, I’m constantly glancing at my phone, counting down the hours until we reach our destination. But it feels as if time is crawling at a painfully slow pace.
Just trying to kill time, I strum a few chords on my guitar, but my thoughts are elsewhere. Theo looks restless like he”s trapped in his thoughts again. Chatting about random stuff has proven to be the most effective way to help him clear his mind. Since that day at the zoo, I’ve discovered the secret to helping him unwind.
“Let’s write a song together when we’re back home,” I suggest.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, why not?”
“What if it turns out shit?”
“No big deal. We’ll just write another one. I’ve got a bunch of crappy songs that will never get recorded.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
”Yeah, I”ll give it a try,” he says, getting comfortable in the chair and looking more relaxed. I notice that his legs are no longer bouncing up and down. “I can”t wait to meet Alex. Can we meet him when we get back?”
Theo, plus all the guys have been so keen to meet Alex. They’ve been bombarding me with questions about Alex since I’ve returned.
“Yeah, I was thinking of inviting you guys over as soon as we’re back home, so you can meet him and see Poppy again.”
”Yeah, I”m in,” he smirks in response. “You know, seeing Poppy again, and...”
“Alright, keep it to yourself,” I smirk back, knowing that Theo, always playful and ready to fuck with me, is back to his relaxed self.
”I might give you a hard time, but honestly, I”m really happy for you and I wish I had what you’ve got,” Theo confesses, his leg bouncing up and down again.
“One day, it might happen. You never know.”
“I doubt it. Especially when no one else even comes close, you know?”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“Thought you would.”
Hearing him open up deeply touches my heart. Could Theo’s fear of letting anyone in again be the reason for his flirtatious behavior? Is he afraid of letting someone in because of the pain he’s experienced?
Taking a moment to observe him, I offer some advice, “When you write your song, tap into that feeling. Feel it right here.” I tap my fingers against my chest. “That’s your song, man. Write it for Bianca.”
He”s giving me the once-over, obviously pondering the suggestion I just dropped.
”Do you think Nate can help?” he asks.
“Sure, you and Nate can come up with the lyrics and I”ll help put them together if you want.”
“Thanks, I’d appreciate that. Well, I guess I”ll try to get some sleep,” he says, getting up from the couch. “You should do the same. We still have a while before we land.”
“Yeah,” I say, fully aware of the fact that we still have over ten hours left until we touch down. “I’m just too excited to sleep.”
Theo walks towards the door, and as I hold my guitar, my fingers effortlessly start strumming. A melody emerges, carrying me away and causing time to swiftly slip through my fingers.
The moment I step off the plane, a surge of excitement rushes through me, reminiscent of the joy I experienced as a child before my mother passed away. It evokes memories of those exhilarating Christmas mornings when I would eagerly rush to see what Santa had brought. I can”t wait to see Poppy and Alex. It”s like my whole body is buzzing.
On the flight, I’m the only one who hasn’t slept.
The SUV ride home takes forever, but the second Ace puts in the security code to open the gates, I’m bursting with energy, ready to bolt out of the car just to get there faster. This overwhelming desire to be home is an entirely new experience for me, and the wait is driving me crazy.
“Hey guys, come meet Alex,” I say as we start moving through the gates.
”Now,” Ace says with a grin, showing how stoked he is.
“Yeah, let’s do it.”
“Hell yeah, I’m in!” Ace says.
Nate and Theo share excited smiles, eager to finally meet the little guy they always ask about.
As the car drives up our long, circular driveway, I can”t contain my excitement. Before the driver even opens the car door, I”m already out and rushing up the front steps. I don’t even look back to see if the guys are with me. My only focus is finding Poppy and Alex.
As I step through the front door, I leave it open for the rest of the guys to follow. The air is filled with the delightful aroma of freshly baked cookies, instantly evoking memories of our teenage years when Poppy would often indulge me with her homemade treats.
But I don’t get far into the house when I hear an excited voice.
“Daddy!” Alex shouts, sprinting towards me and leaping into my arms.
“Hey, little man,” I say, holding him tight.
As I peek over Alex”s shoulder, I spot Poppy approaching, rocking that beautiful smile.
“Hey, Princess,” I say, moving closer to her.
The sensation of coming back home now holds a deeper, extraordinary meaning.
I lean in to kiss her, wanting to give her so much more - more like the dirty thoughts that have been looping through my head since I left. But with Alex in my arms, I restrain myself and settle for a simple kiss. There will be plenty of time for that, because I’m not leaving anytime soon.
As Poppy takes a step back, her attention turns to the guys standing behind me.
Theo greets her with his usual grin. “Hey, Spitfire.”
She rushes over and I watch as she warmly hugs each of them, welcoming them home.
As I move closer, Alex stares at the guys, clearly wondering who they are.
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Alex,” I announce as I introduce them. “Alex, these are your uncles.” The moment the words escape my lips, I can’t help but notice the proud expressions on my three brothers’ faces.
Except for Nate, who grew up in a stable family, Theo and Ace have never been a part of a loving family structure. I know that being acknowledged as Alex’s uncles will undoubtedly fill them with a profound sense of pride, something they will treasure deeply.
Theo’s the first one to step forward. ”Hey Alex,” he says, offering his hand. “Just call me Uncle Theo.”
”Don”t freak out the kid,” Ace says, stepping up next to him. “Hey Alex, I’m Uncle Ace.”
”Yeah, like that”s not creepy,” Theo says, laughing.
The clicking sound of heels on the tiled floor instantly grabs our attention, causing all of us to turn and gaze towards the foyer. Ronnie comes forward, her wide smile giving off a feeling of being welcomed as if she’s an integral part of our family.
“How did she get past the gate?” Nate questions.
“I”ll call the cops. Nate, contact security,” Ace says, reaching for his phone.
Nate quickly grabs his phone and takes a step forward, attempting to prevent her from progressing any further into the house. However, she effortlessly dodges him and proceeds towards Poppy.
”We haven”t been introduced yet,” she says, offering Poppy her hand.
Poppy looks at me, raising an eyebrow like, ‘Who the fuck is this woman?’ I”m about to hand Alex to Theo, to protect Poppy from this crazy bitch. However, Theo quickly steps forward, positioning himself between Poppy and Ronnie, effectively creating a protective barrier.
“Why the fuck are you here?” Theo demands, his voice brimming with anger. In all the years I”ve known him, I”ve never seen him act like this before.
Ace and Nate both quickly turn around, holding their phones up to their ears, as if Theo’s loud voice has shocked them, too.
With Poppy safe with Theo, I turn Alex away from the commotion. However, he squirms in my arms, eagerly wanting to see what is happening.
“I want to introduce myself because I’m curious to know who has captivated the attention of our frontman. As the band manager of Broken Oasis, it’s my responsibility to stay informed about these things,” Ronnie says.
Nate steps forward, slipping his phone in his pocket. “They’re on their way,” he announces, moving towards Theo. No doubt the guys will haul her ass out, but then again, the crazy bitch might have them up for assault if they touch her.
“So, you’re the new band manager,” Poppy comments, stepping around Theo and Nate, before giving me a quick glance. “That’s her?”
I filled Poppy in on all her crazy antics—what went down in New Zealand, Ace sleeping with her, and her non-stop flirting with Theo. I”ve also filled her in on all the crazy shit this bitch has pulled trying to get into my hotel room.
“Yes, I’m their band manager. What other reason would I have to be here?” Ronnie confirms.
Poppy takes a step forward, positioning herself directly in front of Ronnie. Despite the significant height difference, with Poppy being a foot shorter, she maintains an unwavering gaze fixed on Ronnie.
”Alex,” Poppy says, not breaking eye contact with Ronnie, who”s still holding out her hand, waiting for a handshake.
Without skipping a beat, Alex responds, “Yes, Mommy.”
“Go to your room and get that surprise that you want to show your dad, okay?”
Nate and Theo watch with curiosity, wondering what is about to happen. Poppy’s piercing gaze, coupled with her confident stance, leaves me with no doubt that some serious shit is about to go down.
I carefully place Alex down, but Poppy remains motionless, her eyes locked on Ronnie. The room falls silent, except for the sound of Alex’s footsteps and the muffled voice of Ace coming from somewhere in the room.
As soon as Alex exits the room, a sharp gasp escapes Ronnie’s lips. Poppy seizes a handful of Ronnie’s hair and yanks her face closer, their faces now just inches away from each other.
“You seriously think you can hit on someone else’s man, bitch?” says Poppy, yanking Ronnie forward, completely ignoring her pleas for mercy.
”The cops will be here any minute,” Ace says, joining us guys as we watch Poppy drag Ronnie towards the front door.
“Fuck, this is hot,” Theo says.
I have to fucking agree. It’s so hot watching my princess put this psycho groupie bitch - wannabe band manager in her place.
The four of us move forward. No way we’re missing out on watching this. I look over at Nate and Theo and see them grinning like crazy.
Hunched over, Ronnie”s heels click on the tiles, filling the room with an echoing sound. ”Just so you know, I won”t hesitate to report this to the label,” she warns Poppy.
“Go for it,” Poppy says, sounding unimpressed. “And I’ll gladly expose you for the pathetic groupie you are.” Poppy reaches the door and forcefully swings it open. “Now get the fuck out.” With a strong shove, she propels Ronnie out through the open doorway.
Ronnie stumbles out but quickly regains her balance. Without delay, she proceeds to fix her disheveled hair, smoothing it back into its original style.
“If you dare touch him again, or even think about checking him out, you”ll regret it.”
I’ve never seen Poppy so protective before, and I have to admit, I fucking love it. I always sensed her unease whenever Jade and those other easy chicks would constantly hang around me. But she never did anything. But now that she is aware of my true feelings for her, everything has changed. She’s become possessive, and I’m totally into it.
Plus, it”s awesome to see Poppy dealing with a situation that I, as a man, couldn”t quite handle. Ronnie needed someone to be assertive, to speak up, and to tell her that boundaries were being crossed. She never listened to any of us, so hopefully now that this shit has gone down, Ronnie finally knows her place.
Making sure Ronnie doesn”t come back in, Poppy stands guard by the door.
“I’ll head out and wait for the police,” Ace states, stepping forward. As he approaches Poppy, a smile brightens his face, and he gently pats her shoulder to express his approval. Just as he makes his way out, two security guards suddenly appear.
“Holy shit, Spitfire, that was hot,” says Theo, his face lighting up with a wide grin.
As Poppy turns around in the foyer, I make my way over to her. “Fuck, I love you,” I confess, sealing it with a hot kiss that leaves her breathless.