I know it’s sad right now. I know you’ll feel things. But eventually you’ll remember the good times.”
I leaned down and kissed Lucy’s head.
As I started to walk away, Tyler caught up to me.
“Hey,” he said.
“Sorry, Tyler,” I said. “That’s so hard to go through at her age.”
“Mila. You’re amazing. Really amazing. You’ve always been amazing too. With Lucy. I went through so much after Kate left and you were always there. You raised her, Mila. You helped me raise her to who she is now. Her laugh, her sense of humor… her attitude… you’re going to be such an amazing mother. I feel lucky that I get to be your brother and watch it. I just hope I’m half the uncle to your son as you have been an aunt to Lucy.”
“Shit, Tyler,” I whispered. “Do you want me to drive home crying?”
Tyler hugged me.
My bottom lip quivered.
Great… more hormones…
I was halfway between Tyler’s house and the inn when I felt the first jab of pain.
It was kind of at my right side. Toward my back.
Enough that I straightened my back and sucked in a breath.
I touched my stomach. “Easy in there…”
The pain hit me again.
This time it was stronger.
So strong that I took my foot off the gas pedal.
I groaned and I felt the tightness move across my lower back.
Then it stopped.
“Whew,” I said.
I nodded.
I thought it was my body practicing. Some fake contractions to get my heart racing.
Which worked.
I touched my chest and took a couple deep breaths.
Once calm, I started to drive again.
The pain attacked me worse than before.
I gripped the steering wheel tight and let out a cry.
“Okay, what’s happening here?” I asked. “There’s no way I-”
I lost all words.
I shut my eyes.
My entire focus went to the pain.
This wasn’t a normal pain.
No way.
This was… deep…
I managed to whimper as I exhaled.
I grabbed for my stomach. Almost under my stomach.
Suddenly there were lights flashing in my head, telling me I needed to… push.
I opened my eyes, the pain worse than ever.
I saw flashing lights again.
This time, it was for real though.
There was a cop behind me.
It was either Finn Rohrick or my cousin Jace.
I really hoped it was Jace.
Then again, I didn’t care who it was.
I needed help.
I was in labor.
Chapter Thirty-Six
SILAS
Getting up on the stage with the club empty was like a symbol to me. Mila wanted me to play the show for my own good and her own personal gain. Which to me I took as romantic. What she didn’t understand just yet was that I didn’t need the shows to feel alive. I had her. I had my family. That’s all I cared about. That wouldn’t keep me busy throughout my life, which was why the recording studio was being built in our house.
Selling off my songs to someone else didn’t bother me one bit.
And maybe in time Mila and I would do something together. Maybe we’d record something for us. To show us off. Maybe we’d end up on a stage together.
Or maybe I’d be the kind of guy that would open a little music shop in the little town of Gardner and give out guitar lessons to little kids looking to chase a rock star dream.
In some way, being on stage was like being in a box.
I was contained to the moment up there.
That moment always seemed to pump me full of life. When the tank would start to dry out, I’d get back up on there and do it again. Over and over. Years slid by like they were days. That’s how guys ended up in a bottle and not able to get out. Drinking, partying, losing time and losing life.
Mila pulled me out of that without realizing it.
I wasn’t far enough into it that I needed to be pulled out.
But her doing so showed me a different kind of life.
I didn’t need the stage to feel full. I didn’t need to be boxed in.
I just needed her.
After the sound check, I thought about having a beer.
Instead, I called Mickey and he came to meet me at the club.
By the time he actually showed up, the place was starting to fill up.
We ended up sitting in the back, at a table, with a private waitress who was taking care of everyone in the backstage area of the club.
There was a young band playing first.
A three-piece band of guys who had long hair, clean cut faces, and wanted my autograph. I signed a guitar and took a picture.
Mickey grinned at