Until The End Of Time
Chapter Ten
The drive home was silent. Mike and Erica were in the back of Aubrey’s car with Huw and Aubrey up front. Erica had fallen asleep on Mike and Huw was smiling at the sight of the two of them in the rear view mirror. He liked Mike.
When they reached the house, Mike carried Erica up to her bedroom, took off her shoes and tucked her in. He sat on the edge of the bed stroking her hair when he realised that Huw was stood in the doorway. “I was just saying goodnight” Mike said and got up to leave. “Wait a minute Mike, I want to talk to you for a minute” Mike was nervous but sat on the top step leading out of Erica’s room next to Huw.
“What is it?” He asked beginning to get a bit worried. Hoping he didn’t have to say anything about Leon. He didn’t want to keep it a secret, he wanted Erica to get justice but it was her decision and as much as he disagreed with it, he knew that couldn’t do anything.
“I’m not sure what is going on with you and Erica but I do know that she likes you, a lot. I haven’t seen her smile that smile she’s had plastered on her face the last 3 days since Caleb was alive. So please, whatever you do, don’t hurt her. She has been through enough shit in her life and doesn’t need someone that makes her this happy to fuck her over” He said with a stern but soft voice. He wanted to warn him but not scare him off.
“I like her a lot too. I didn’t realise you could like someone so much in 3 days but I do. I also don’t plan on ever hurting her. I want to work at this, whatever this is with her. I know she’s moving to America soon so we’ll be closer then. I want to make her happy” He said. “May I just ask though, who is Caleb?” Mike was curious, since he hadn’t heard this person mentioned.
Huw got up and pulled a picture off the wall that leads up to Erica’s room. He handed the picture to Mike and pointed at a small boy, no older than 3. “Caleb was Erica’s brother. He passed away when he was 3. She was just 14. They were inseparable. Erica was basically his mother, since theirs left just a month after he was born. She never got in contact, not even for birthdays or Christmases. He had a brain tumour and died rather abruptly, we didn’t know much about it until it was too late. Their mother didn’t even attend the funeral. Erica loved Caleb more than she has ever loved anyone. I also think that’s why she loves Peter Pan so much, because he reminds her of him. When he passed Erica’s happiness left with him. Yes she’s a happy person in general but it’s not as genuine as the smile that she’s had since you 4 have been around. So for that I thank you. But like I said hurt her and I will hunt you down haha”
Mike had begun to well up; he forced the tears to stay behind his eyes. “I promise to never hurt you daughter, sir” He got up, shook Huw’s hand and headed down the steps to go back next door. Huw looked back down to the picture in his hand and began to cry. He missed Caleb so much. He missed his daughter too. The real Erica, not the Erica she wants everyone to see. He went over to her bed, kissed her on the forehead and placed the picture on her bedside table.
NEXT MORNING
“Breakfast is ready” Erica heard Huw call up the steps into her room. She got up and noted that she was in the same clothes as the day before so decided to take a quick shower and get dressed into something more comfortable, her cow onesie.
When she reached downstairs she saw that everyone was already at the dining table eating their pancakes. She made herself a cup of coffee, without whiskey, and joined them. She looked so warn out. “Morning” She said as she sat between the Fuentes brothers. “Morning” Everyone replied. “How are you feeling pumpkin?” Jaime asked. They had started calling each other pumpkin the day of Stan’s party. Neither of them knew why but they didn’t stop doing it. “Better, tired but better. Thanks” She gave him an endearing smile and began eating her blueberry pancakes, her favourite.
There was a knock at the door, Huw got up and answered it. It was Stan. When he made his way to where everyone was eating there breakfast, he gave Erica a big hug and passed her a bunny rabbit teddy. “Get well soon” He said. “In order to get well soon, you have the next 2 weeks off. You haven’t had time off in ages and I’ve already sorted cover for your appointments. So I’m not taking no for an answer.” He knew that this would earn him an argument. Erica hated not being able to work. “What am I supposed to do for 2 weeks? The doctor said I could be back to work in 1” She was clearly annoyed. “I don’t care I’m giving you a holiday and you are taking it. You can hang out with these guys, eat a shit load of pancakes or maybe RECORD ANOTHER ALBUM” He knew Erica didn’t want the guys to know about this but he also liked to tease her.
“Wait, you have an album?” Jaime jumped in. “NO.” Erica replied sternly.
“She does and it’s great” Stan started laughing. “No, I don’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about” She was beginning to blush.
“Oh but you do, I have a copy” Said Huw. “So do I” offered Trent.
“Ugh, I hate all of you” Erica sighed out. Her father stood up and went over to the rack of CDs, taking out an orange case. “I have to get to work… see you in two weeks mrs” Stan gave her another hug and walked towards the door. “I hate you”
“I love you too” Stan chuckled “Thanks for the bunny” Erica said as she picked the teddy and her plate of pancakes and fruit up from the table. “If you’re going to play that at least wait until I’m upstairs” Erica moaned walking over to the stairs.
About 45 minutes later, Erica returned to the lounge to be greeted by everyone’s giant grins. “What are you all smiling at?” She huffed.
“That record was freaking awesome” Vic piped up. “Ugh” was all Erica responded as she took her plate into the kitchen, washing it up and putting it on the draining board.
“No, seriously I thought your covers were good but your originals are so much better” Tony joined in with the compliments.
“It doesn’t matter I’m not recording another album.” The boys knew that she was serious and decided to drop the subject.
“Hey, if you’re not going to record in the studio over the next couple of weeks, can Mike and I do some Whiskey Hands stuff over there?” Jaime asked.
“Sure, I don’t see why not” Erica laughed to herself knowing how silly the Whiskey Hands stuff was but laughing more at the fact that she actually enjoyed listening to it.
--
The next week was spent with Jaime, Mike and Erica in and out of the studio working on Whiskey Hands 2.0. They five of them had spent every day together, breakfast through to dinner. They did spend some time apart but they liked being around each other more than being alone.
The Whiskey Hands record was done and just in time for the guys to get ready for Reading Festival, which is the whole reason they were in this town anyway.
The boys were set to leave the Monday after festival and this made Erica really sad because she had grown so close to them, especially Mike. She was falling for him more and more every day and couldn’t bear spending 2 amazing weeks with them followed by 3 months apart. 3 months being the space of time between festival and Erica moving to Chicago.
It was the Wednesday before Reading Festival and Erica was at the studio house eating pizza and watching Wayne’s World with the boys when Vic chose to bring up something that would make Erica feel 100 times better about them leaving.
“Hey E, we were wandering, since you have nobody booked in to the studio for a while and we have grown to not want to leave you, EVER, would it be okay if we record our next album here?” Erica practically jumped with joy at this request.
“Hell yeah you can record here. I would have missed you too much if you went to record back in America” She said with a playful pout. “Well we’ll have to go back there for like a couple of weeks, ship our gear over and see everyone and what not. But we’ll be back as soon as you know it” He said pulling her into a hug. “GROUP HUG” Jaime, Tony and Mike all said in unison, bundling the pair that were already connected.
The festival weekend was full of music, alcohol and sex, on Erica and Mike’s part anyway. The gang had hung out, met up with a few friends in other bands and just had a real good time in general.
When they reached the house, Mike carried Erica up to her bedroom, took off her shoes and tucked her in. He sat on the edge of the bed stroking her hair when he realised that Huw was stood in the doorway. “I was just saying goodnight” Mike said and got up to leave. “Wait a minute Mike, I want to talk to you for a minute” Mike was nervous but sat on the top step leading out of Erica’s room next to Huw.
“What is it?” He asked beginning to get a bit worried. Hoping he didn’t have to say anything about Leon. He didn’t want to keep it a secret, he wanted Erica to get justice but it was her decision and as much as he disagreed with it, he knew that couldn’t do anything.
“I’m not sure what is going on with you and Erica but I do know that she likes you, a lot. I haven’t seen her smile that smile she’s had plastered on her face the last 3 days since Caleb was alive. So please, whatever you do, don’t hurt her. She has been through enough shit in her life and doesn’t need someone that makes her this happy to fuck her over” He said with a stern but soft voice. He wanted to warn him but not scare him off.
“I like her a lot too. I didn’t realise you could like someone so much in 3 days but I do. I also don’t plan on ever hurting her. I want to work at this, whatever this is with her. I know she’s moving to America soon so we’ll be closer then. I want to make her happy” He said. “May I just ask though, who is Caleb?” Mike was curious, since he hadn’t heard this person mentioned.
Huw got up and pulled a picture off the wall that leads up to Erica’s room. He handed the picture to Mike and pointed at a small boy, no older than 3. “Caleb was Erica’s brother. He passed away when he was 3. She was just 14. They were inseparable. Erica was basically his mother, since theirs left just a month after he was born. She never got in contact, not even for birthdays or Christmases. He had a brain tumour and died rather abruptly, we didn’t know much about it until it was too late. Their mother didn’t even attend the funeral. Erica loved Caleb more than she has ever loved anyone. I also think that’s why she loves Peter Pan so much, because he reminds her of him. When he passed Erica’s happiness left with him. Yes she’s a happy person in general but it’s not as genuine as the smile that she’s had since you 4 have been around. So for that I thank you. But like I said hurt her and I will hunt you down haha”
Mike had begun to well up; he forced the tears to stay behind his eyes. “I promise to never hurt you daughter, sir” He got up, shook Huw’s hand and headed down the steps to go back next door. Huw looked back down to the picture in his hand and began to cry. He missed Caleb so much. He missed his daughter too. The real Erica, not the Erica she wants everyone to see. He went over to her bed, kissed her on the forehead and placed the picture on her bedside table.
NEXT MORNING
“Breakfast is ready” Erica heard Huw call up the steps into her room. She got up and noted that she was in the same clothes as the day before so decided to take a quick shower and get dressed into something more comfortable, her cow onesie.
When she reached downstairs she saw that everyone was already at the dining table eating their pancakes. She made herself a cup of coffee, without whiskey, and joined them. She looked so warn out. “Morning” She said as she sat between the Fuentes brothers. “Morning” Everyone replied. “How are you feeling pumpkin?” Jaime asked. They had started calling each other pumpkin the day of Stan’s party. Neither of them knew why but they didn’t stop doing it. “Better, tired but better. Thanks” She gave him an endearing smile and began eating her blueberry pancakes, her favourite.
There was a knock at the door, Huw got up and answered it. It was Stan. When he made his way to where everyone was eating there breakfast, he gave Erica a big hug and passed her a bunny rabbit teddy. “Get well soon” He said. “In order to get well soon, you have the next 2 weeks off. You haven’t had time off in ages and I’ve already sorted cover for your appointments. So I’m not taking no for an answer.” He knew that this would earn him an argument. Erica hated not being able to work. “What am I supposed to do for 2 weeks? The doctor said I could be back to work in 1” She was clearly annoyed. “I don’t care I’m giving you a holiday and you are taking it. You can hang out with these guys, eat a shit load of pancakes or maybe RECORD ANOTHER ALBUM” He knew Erica didn’t want the guys to know about this but he also liked to tease her.
“Wait, you have an album?” Jaime jumped in. “NO.” Erica replied sternly.
“She does and it’s great” Stan started laughing. “No, I don’t. I don’t know what you’re talking about” She was beginning to blush.
“Oh but you do, I have a copy” Said Huw. “So do I” offered Trent.
“Ugh, I hate all of you” Erica sighed out. Her father stood up and went over to the rack of CDs, taking out an orange case. “I have to get to work… see you in two weeks mrs” Stan gave her another hug and walked towards the door. “I hate you”
“I love you too” Stan chuckled “Thanks for the bunny” Erica said as she picked the teddy and her plate of pancakes and fruit up from the table. “If you’re going to play that at least wait until I’m upstairs” Erica moaned walking over to the stairs.
About 45 minutes later, Erica returned to the lounge to be greeted by everyone’s giant grins. “What are you all smiling at?” She huffed.
“That record was freaking awesome” Vic piped up. “Ugh” was all Erica responded as she took her plate into the kitchen, washing it up and putting it on the draining board.
“No, seriously I thought your covers were good but your originals are so much better” Tony joined in with the compliments.
“It doesn’t matter I’m not recording another album.” The boys knew that she was serious and decided to drop the subject.
“Hey, if you’re not going to record in the studio over the next couple of weeks, can Mike and I do some Whiskey Hands stuff over there?” Jaime asked.
“Sure, I don’t see why not” Erica laughed to herself knowing how silly the Whiskey Hands stuff was but laughing more at the fact that she actually enjoyed listening to it.
--
The next week was spent with Jaime, Mike and Erica in and out of the studio working on Whiskey Hands 2.0. They five of them had spent every day together, breakfast through to dinner. They did spend some time apart but they liked being around each other more than being alone.
The Whiskey Hands record was done and just in time for the guys to get ready for Reading Festival, which is the whole reason they were in this town anyway.
The boys were set to leave the Monday after festival and this made Erica really sad because she had grown so close to them, especially Mike. She was falling for him more and more every day and couldn’t bear spending 2 amazing weeks with them followed by 3 months apart. 3 months being the space of time between festival and Erica moving to Chicago.
It was the Wednesday before Reading Festival and Erica was at the studio house eating pizza and watching Wayne’s World with the boys when Vic chose to bring up something that would make Erica feel 100 times better about them leaving.
“Hey E, we were wandering, since you have nobody booked in to the studio for a while and we have grown to not want to leave you, EVER, would it be okay if we record our next album here?” Erica practically jumped with joy at this request.
“Hell yeah you can record here. I would have missed you too much if you went to record back in America” She said with a playful pout. “Well we’ll have to go back there for like a couple of weeks, ship our gear over and see everyone and what not. But we’ll be back as soon as you know it” He said pulling her into a hug. “GROUP HUG” Jaime, Tony and Mike all said in unison, bundling the pair that were already connected.
The festival weekend was full of music, alcohol and sex, on Erica and Mike’s part anyway. The gang had hung out, met up with a few friends in other bands and just had a real good time in general.
Aw, thank you :) <3
8/13/13