Page 20

Chapter Twenty

Sikes

We’d taken a week off to be home with Dana and the kids, and I was glad we had. Not only had we all been emotionally overstimulated, but Gabe was having nightmares. The school allowed Gabe, Nicole, and Nolan to finish out their last couple of weeks remotely. Dana wasn’t about to let them out of her sight. She also hadn’t decided if she was enrolling them in the new school by the house or homeschooling them.

Easton hired Dana and she was officially on the payroll today as a Masterson employee. She’d be assisting River with social media marketing and Jeremiah with admin duties. Easton had his own team and with the new bands Masterson was gearing up to sign, Jeremiah had to build his own. River was downstairs now setting up the laptop she’d be using.

I, on the other hand, was having a tea party with my princess.

“No, Wyatt,” Nicole shook her head, exasperated with my lack of couth. “You have to hold your pinky out like this.” She had already done my hair and make-up after deeming it unacceptable for the party so why shouldn’t she guide me in how to eat and drink?

Oh, and I mustn’t forget about the bow clips in my hair nor the fluffy pink feather boa leaking tufts of itself that were currently floating through the room, either.

Should I be wearing a mask? Were they toxic?

Note to self, read the labels before I bought anymore toys for the kids.

I just hoped like hell nobody…

“Where’s Sikes?” I heard Jason’s voice but before I could react the door flew open and there he was…with Snipe.

“Oh. My. God.” Jason and Snipe whipped their phones out. “Are you wearing make-up?”

“And glittery lip gloss?” Snipe nearly pissed himself laughing.

“You’re both just jelly cause you don’t look as beautiful as me.” I batted my lashes at them.

“Jelly is it now?” Snipe managed to say between fits of laughter. “This is so going to be our Christmas cards this year.”

I’d never live this down.

“Did you guys need me for something? If not, please go away. We’re in the middle of entertaining guests.” They were stuffies, but friends just the same.

“Hey, old man, are you gonna be able to get up or do you need a crane?”

Snipe thought he was real fucking funny.

“I’ll show you what a crane is for.” I tried to get up, but my knees weren’t having it. Maybe sitting in these tiny chairs this long wasn’t a bright idea.

And cue in more laughter as the chair tumbled over and I fell on my ass.

By now, their cackles brought more bodies to the party as Dana and River pushed through the crowd.

“This is rich.” River took pictures of his own which I was sure would be included in the next company newsletter.

Yay me.

Though little miss attitude wasn’t happy with them.

Hands on hips, she brought the full diva out and scolded them. “What’s so funny?”

That shut them up.

“Little girl, when you’re older and we look back through these pictures, you’ll understand,” Dana told her, barely holding her own laughter back. “You’re likely the only person in the world who could take a nearly seven-foot wall of muscle and turn him into a tea party guest.”

“And in full drag.”

Fucking Jason. I may whip that boy’s ass later but knowing him he’d probably enjoy it.

The heathens left without stating what their purpose was in crashing our lovely afternoon, but the fire was gone in both Nicole and me. I wrapped the feather boa around her neck, kissed the top of her head and went straight to our bathroom for a shower.

What. The. Ever-loving. Fuck.

The glimpse in the mirror I could’ve done without and the clown mocking me from the other side had just as good of a time tormenting me as my family had.

I hope that sweet girl learned about make-up tutorials soon. Thank fuck the set we’d got her was all washable. Green eyeshadow, bright pink cheeks and over-glittered lips was a bit much. My eyebrows looked like giant caterpillars. The easiest things to take off were the bows in my hair.

Washable my ass.

Nearly scrubbed my skin raw to get it off.

Showered, lotion applied to my face, I drew in a deep breath in preparation for the teasing I was about to endure.

Though it wasn’t half of what just came across via text…

Fizzbo: How was the tea?

And it included a perfect shot of me. Pinky out, staring directly at the guys.

Fuck. My. Life.

Me: All good. What can I do for you?

Fizzbo: Nothing, just making sure you’re not running a fever.

Me: Healthy as a horse.

Fizzbo: Good to hear it. Please, continue with your party.

“All right,” I clapped my hands loudly as I hit the landing on the stairs and scared the shit out of them. Served them right. “Who thought it was a good idea to send a picture to Fizzbo?”

More laughter.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. “What did you come up there for anyway?”

“Completely forgot when we saw it was the Queen’s teatime.”

“Worst. British. Accent. Ever. Jason.” The smartass stuck his tongue out at me. “Really mature. Now, what did you want?”

“Wow, someone’s panties are in a wad. We need to finish out the tour and as much as I don’t want to leave Mom and the kids, Joey can’t keep filling in for me. It’s not fair to him.”

“You’re the talent and ultimately the choice is yours. When do you feel is the right time?” I didn’t want to leave anymore than Jason did, but this was his job, and mine and Snipe’s as well.

“As soon as possible but Mom, I’d like for Gabe to go with us.” Dana’s eyes widened. “He will always be with one of the three of us and never left unattended. He’ll get to experience new things and more than anything, he’ll get the break that he deserves. I know it’s hard to let go of your babies, but I really and truly believe this will be good for him.”

I agreed with Jason, but this was completely up to Dana.

“Wyatt, Hayden, you’ll have fifty percent of everything I hold dearly in your hands. Do. Not. Let me down.”

“We won’t.”

The gate to our housing community had been fixed immediately the day after the incident and the no-show guard for the shack was fired. Easton was going to be pitching our subdivision to high-end clients that were looking for affordable, comfortable homes that weren’t mansions. The up and coming, he called them. With that being said, he’d now deferred to Fizzbo and contracted our company to hire the new guards.

Non-armed but trained in conflict resolution.

There would be two on duty at all times effective immediately, which eased some of the insecurity about leaving Dana and the twins behind.

“I’m gonna take off,” River packed his messenger bag as he spoke. “Dana, I’ll be in touch tomorrow. Don’t forget to turn in your monthly expense report for your phone and internet so the company can reimburse you. Welcome to the team.”

Dana was all smiles. Masterson was paying her far better than the employer she’d worked with for years and she got to stay at home and work around the kids’ school schedule, whatever that ended up being.

“Thank you for everything, River.” Dana gave him a hug and saw him out. “Why don’t you call Gabe down, Jase, so we can talk to him about the trip?”

Jason ran upstairs and returned a few minutes later with Gabe and a backpack. What was he up to?

“What’s up, Mom?”

“Have a seat, Gabe, so we can talk to you.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“Quite the opposite, my love. Come, sit by me.” Dana patted the seat beside her. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?”

Gabe rolled his eyes though the act held no malice. “Only like a bazillion times. What’s going on?”

“Here,” Jason handed him the backpack with the familiar Minecraft characters on it. “Open it up.”

“This is so cool.” Gabe surveyed the outside then slid the zipper open. Collectively the group was engaged, having no clue what Jason had concocted. “A phone?”

“Keep going,” Jason’s grin lit me up and this wasn’t even my gift.

“A Switch?”

“Check the front pocket.”

Gabe slid out a familiar lanyard. Now I knew what else River had been delivering this morning inside the big box he arrived with.

“Backstage all-access pass for Chaotic Abyss and Embrace the Fear.” Gabe read it then the realization hit. “Wait, do I get to go on the road with you?”

“Mom?” Jason deferred to Dana.

“You do but I want that fancy phone charged and on you at all times. I want at least one call a day to check in and I want you on your best behavior. Listen to your brother and Wyatt and Hayden. Understand?”

“Yes, Mom, I promise. This is so freaking cool!” Gabe hugged Dana then launched himself at Jason. The two rolled back on the couch all happy smiles. What neither Snipe nor I expected were hugs as well. This trip was a great opportunity for us to build a better relationship with Gabe. What we had wasn’t strained, but we’d never really clicked as we had with the twins, and I wanted a better connection with Gabe, and I knew Snipe did, too.

“If I don’t answer right away that means I’m working but first chance I get I’ll call you back or text you,” Dana assured him. One thing none of us wanted to do was disappoint Gabe but at the same time our guilt over what happened to him couldn’t run the show. Love and boundaries were what our therapist told us when we first talked to her about this. Dana and Gabe had a video session with her and were in the process of setting up a follow-up appointment. May be a bit tricky with him on the road but Snipe and I made it work so I knew the same could be done for Gabe.

“River loaded your phone with all the important numbers you’d need. Mine, Mom’s, Wyatt, Hayden and he put Fizzbo’s in there, too, but only use it for emergencies and please do not give out any of our phone numbers. Got it?”

“Got it, Jase. And I can text everyone, except Fizzbo, when I want to, right?”

“Absolutely.” Jason clapped Gabe’s shoulder. “Now, charge up that Switch so we can check it out.”

“Easton said he can have the plane ready for us tomorrow morning at Seatac. Looks like we’re flying Masterson style, gentlemen. He’s sending a car to pick us up at ten a.m. We’re meeting the bands in Dallas to finish out the southwest leg of the tour.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll start dinner. Snipe, why don’t you get the laundry done then we can pack. Gabe, if you have any dirty clothes bring them down to the laundry room and Snipe can wash it with ours.”

“Will do. Wait, on tour do I call you Wyatt and Hayden, or Sikes and Snipe?”

“Great question. I’d go with Sikes and Snipe, or no one will have a clue who you’re talking about.” I loved this kid and couldn’t wait for this trip, though I’d miss the twins.

“Got it.” Gabe darted up the stairs to his room and returned with his laundry before Snipe came down with ours.

“The two of you have brought so much joy to our lives,” Dana opened up when it was just the two of us. “I’m so happy you’re part of our family.”

“Believe me when I say, so are we.”