Chapter 1 #5
“No, and I’m not saying anything to them. They’re like mother hens when someone isn’t feeling well.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen the mother of all hens until you’ve seen me in action,” she said with her hands on her hips.
“Promise me!” Storm said.
“I promise, Mrs. Trent.” I leaned in and placed a kiss on her soft lips.
When we arrived at the parking lot, everyone was standing around. What the fuck?
“What are you waiting on? Did you load your luggage?”
“Yeah,” mumbled Paulie, who looked like he was nursing a hangover.
“Everyone on the bus, now! We’re already behind schedule,” I told them.
I climbed the steps and stopped long enough to speak to Gib, our bus driver. He had a huge ass cup of coffee and a bottle of water in the cup holders. I hope he could hold his urine longer than Storm could. She stopped every fifteen minutes.
Jamie climbed on and whistled loud.
I had leased a bigger bus with more room and more amenities. We now had larger bunk areas, a full-size bathroom, including a tub and a full-size kitchen along with a fully stocked refrigerator and fully stocked pantry .
“There’s so much more room on here. It basically looks like a home on the inside," Paulie admired.
“What about our old bus?” Russ thumbed over his shoulder where it sat not far behind this one.
“That is for our equipment and the crew. I thought I’d treat them a little extra special for putting in such hard work and dedication for all these years. We’re meeting Paper Hearts just outside of Vegas and they’ll follow us from there.”
“I get to see Marcie!” Storm squealed, and Russ fist pumped the air. I’m sure he’d have Marcie on the bus with him and in his oversized bunk.
We’ll get to hear the girls nonstop chatter and laughter for a long time. My shoulders slumped, my back and my lower stomach ached, but I didn’t dare say a word to Storm.
“I’m going to catch some z’s if anyone needs me.
” I headed into the bedroom in the back of the bus and lied on the bed, praying the pain would stop, but it only seemed to be getting worse.
The next thing I know Storm was opening the door and ordering me off the bus.
“What?” I snapped, not meaning to. “I’m sorry. ”
“We’re not going anywhere until you see a doctor, so I asked Gib to stop at an urgent care.
Come on.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me to a sitting position.
She stood there staring with her hands on her hips with her right brow raised.
That was her ‘I mean business’ brow. I blew out a breath and shoved my feet in my boots.
When we walked down the aisle of the bus, the guys were watching but saying nothing.
“I can’t get anything over you, can I? ”
“Not when we have the connection we have. I know you’re hurting and too proud to admit it. I’m sorry, Rowdy, but it doesn’t make you any less a man to be sick.”
“I love you, Mrs. Trent,” I said, kissing her on her nose.
“I love you, too, Mr. Trent.”
“This can’t hit the press. If they saw us walk in here the next headline would be Storm from Styx and Stones was seen at the urgent care just outside Arizona today. Could she be pregnant? Could this be the cause of a wedding none of us were invited to?”
“See? I know how the press likes to spin things, and it won’t be pretty.”
“Screw them. This is your health we’re talking about. That kind of pain is not normal,” Storm whispered. So that no one in the other room could hear us.
After sitting in the cold exam room for at least thirty minutes an older gray-haired man walked in.
“Mr. Trent, I’m doctor Fillman. Looking over your paperwork it says that you’ve been having this pain for quite some time and it’s gradually gotten worse.
” I closed my eyes and swallowed hard when I heard Storm clear her throat.
My head swiveled in her direction. There was no doubt that she wasn’t happy. It was written in her expression.
“That’s right,” I admitted.
“Well, let’s get a urine specimen and an ultrasound of your kidneys,” he said.
I started to stand because I really didn’t have time for this. “Mr. Trent,” he said, “I highly recommend that you have these tests and with any luck it will be something easy like a kidney infection.” I broke out in a cold sweat. What did he mean easy? Was he expecting something else?
The nurse came in with a specimen cup with a sticker on the side with my name on it and pointed me in the direction of the restroom. When I came back to the room there was a machine with a wand looking thing attached to it and a paper gown laying on the table.
“Mr. Trent, please put on the gown, open in the back, and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Can I leave my underwear on?” I wasn’t about to let her anywhere near my dick and from the look on Storm’s face I’d say she felt the same way. I stepped out of my jeans and put on the gown and sat back on the bed.
There was a knock on the door and Dr. Fillman walked in wearing a pair of gloves.
Now I was sweating. He ran the wand along my kidneys and just above my hairline.
It took him a few minutes to look at everything and then he asked me to stand up, so I did.
Much to my surprise he cupped my balls and felt around on each one of them.
I can honestly say that was a first for me.
He pulled the gloves off and said, “You can get dressed and I’ll be back in a few minutes.
” And then he closed the door behind him.
“What are you thinking?” I asked Storm. This was the first time since we got here that I’d had time to look at her face. She was pale and had her fingers knotted in her lap.
“I don’t know. I’m scared,” Storm said. “Are you scared? You can tell me, I promise I won’t say anything to anyone.”
“That’s alright. Yes, I’m a little scared. I should have gone to the doctor months ago when the first pain hit, but I thought it was from moving equipment,” I said.
“Well, Mr. Trent,” Dr. Fillman said as he walked back in without knocking this time, “the knot on your testicle concerns me. I’ve written an order for a scan. If you can go now they’ll send the results to me this afternoon.”
“We’re on our way to Paris; the band is counting on me,” I told him.
“Doctor, could you give us a few minutes alone?” Storm asked.
Dr. Fillman gave a nod and closed the door behind him.
“Rowdy, I know you’re dedicated to your band, but I’m pretty sure they’d much rather have you healthy.
And we just found each other. You’re my other half and I couldn’t think of traveling this world without you.
You’re my number one cheerleader when I needed advice about my career.
You believed in me. I believe in you, too, but I’m afraid that if you don’t have this test done, we may regret it down the road,” Storm said.
That certainly gave me something to think about.
Something that churned in my gut, I couldn’t stomach the thoughts of not having children with her and watching them grow into their own.
Luckily, the hospital was connected to the clinic so all we had to do was walk through the glass tunnel to make it to x-ray. We didn’t have to wait. They took me right in and now we were back in the room waiting for Dr. Fillman.
“Mr. Trent, I’m not happy with the scan and MRI.
It only confirmed the symptoms you’re having and the results of your urinalysis.
It appears that you have some lesions in your kidneys and possibly in your right testicle.
I would like to admit you to the hospital for more tests and discuss options with you.
This is not something you wait around and hope it goes away. It could be cancer.”
With that, I heard Storm begin to cry.
“Okay. I just need to talk with my band,” I explained.
“They can all come to your room once you’re settled. The nurse will be in with your admitting orders.”
When he walked out, Storm launched herself in my arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“I hate that word.” Some people find it so easy to say the word, but it’s not easy.
It’s not easy when it’s happening to you or someone you love.
She wrapped me in her arms a little tighter and sobbed into my shoulder.
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me, Storm. Remember we talked about buying a little house with a big back yard for our children to play in?” She looked with watery eyes and a weak smile. “It’s going to happen for us. I promise.”
While I was getting settled in the room, Storm went to the waiting area and brought back my bandmates. “What’s going on? We’ve been worried sick,” Paulie said, with his hands shoved in his pockets.
“Guys, I’m sorry to let you down, but the doctor thinks I may have kidney and testicular cancer.” I heard Marcie gasp, and Russ wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “I’m not going to make the concert, but I know someone who could fill in for me and they know all the songs.”
“No way. I vote we postpone the Paris trip. We can reschedule. No one is taking your place at that Mic,” Russ demanded, and nods came from everyone in the group.
“When do you think you’ll have surgery?” Russ asked.
“Tomorrow if my labs come back good and my levels are where they should be.”
“Okay, let’s go guys and let him rest. I’m sure he and Storm need some time alone. But before we go is there anything we can get you?”
“No thank you,” Storm answered, wrapping her arms around Marcie.
“You know hospital food sucks. Let us grab you some dinner and bring it back for you and then we’ll be out of your hair for the night,” Marcie offered.
“Okay. That sounds good. Get ranch for my fries,” she said as the guys walked out.
STORM
“Come here.” Rowdy patted the space beside him in the bed. I crawled in alongside him. He hugged me to his side and kissed the top of my head. We lied there quiet for the longest time. Being together.
“After all this is over, I want to try for a baby,” he said, catching me by surprise. “Is that okay with you?”