Chapter 31: Guy Talk

POV: Zac

July 26, 2008; Saturday

Andrew and Lucas were coming over in an hour to hang out and have another marathon video game day. Gabby was going to stay but Sarah called her and invited her over for the day, given she wanted to give her the pictures she’d drawn of Stephanie she agreed. I made her promise that if she got too sad being around the kids that she would call me to come get her, no more acting like she had at Stella’s. She promised before Sarah picked her up.

I went ahead and added extra drinks to the fridge, got the chips and snacks out and even straightened up. I made sure the bathroom had toilet paper, soap and even tissues and that was before Lucas showed up.

“Damn, it shows you have a woman living here. Everything is clean.”

“Hey, I cleaned before she moved in.”

“Yeah, but the dust bunny town behind the TV is gone and the cob webs are too.”

“Hey, shit happens. There are cold drinks and even beer in the fridge.”

He opted for a beer and we waited on Andrew, who showed up right on time but he looked around and then seemed disappointed.

“Where is Gabby?!”

“She’s with my cousin Sarah, she said she wanted to spend some time with them and give us some guy time.”

“She doesn’t mind?” Lucas asked.

“No. But, if she calls me to come get her I’ll have to go.”

“Why would she? Sarah isn’t that bad!” Andrew said.

He grabbed a soda and we sat down in the living room, I hadn’t told them about the miscarriage. I hadn’t had time really and it wasn’t really a concern if they didn’t know, neither of them had children. Yet, if Sarah called then I would have to explain why I needed to go right then and if they came with me they would question it.

“It’s not so much Sarah, it’s the kids.”

“Does Gabby not like kids? She hasn’t indicated not liking them.” Lucas asked.

I sighed. “It’s not that she doesn’t liked children. She miscarried in April, she was five to seven weeks along and there was no apparent reason. Gabby didn’t handle it well at all, like she was worse than my mother. So much that she overdosed on cocaine in May. She’d been clean for years but too much piled on.”

“When exactly did she overdose?” Andrew asked.

“End of May, she was here alone and her fucking friend sent her a bunch of edited photos from 2005, she just left and went to her friends, I didn’t know where she was. Thankfully, someone found her and got her to the ER. I just didn’t tell anyone about the overdose part. She hasn’t relapsed but she did go to my Mom not long ago. She felt like she deserved the miscarriage, she flipped the hell out on Stella. Michael was there and she didn’t know. She did hold Stephanie on the fourth, so I am hoping that this won’t be a bad day for her.”

“How did you handle the miscarriage?” Lucas asked.

“Uh..it wasn’t easy. Because there was no reason given it made it harder to accept and then move on, but I think I have because I know we can try for more in the future. Only if it keeps happening will it be a problem.”

“Hasn’t Sarah had one before?”

“Not that I know of, but she does know about the miscarriage and she knows to not push her. But, I made Gabby promise if she starts to feel too bad that she would call me. Anyway, enough about that. What game are we going to whip ass on?”

Lucas chose the game, good old fashioned army game with teams, least I didn’t have to worry about them blowing me up like I did with Gabby. We played for several hours before they both claimed they needed pizza to continue playing, so I called and ordered a couple. We took bathroom breaks and I checked my messages while we waited. Taylor sent me an update on possible openers, but reality said we have to contact Carrick and the band again, because no one was available and they had said they would be. Sarah sent me a picture of Gabby holding Stephanie and with Nickolas sitting beside her. She included that she was doing quite well with them. At least she was doing good this time.

When the pizza arrived we dug in.

“So, you’re touring again, is Gabby going?” Lucas asked.

“She’s not going to stay here. She’s cleared by all doctors so I think she plans to be our assistant roadie again.”

“You mean your assistant.”

“Well, if we want to be technical, she’ll just be a roadie. She loves to travel though, so I am sure she’ll be with us.”

“What about the opening band? Will they care?”

“Right now we don’t have one, Taylor and Isaac would like another band beside Everybody Else, but there the only ones available. But, if they come then Sierra will probably be coming too and I don’t know if any of us can handle her and Gabby on the bus at the same time.”

“Is she afraid Sierra will hit on you?”

“Sierra and Gabby have a bit of a past.”

“What kind of past?”

I should have known Lucas would ask about that and I didn’t want to tell them as much as I knew.

“Well, they um...kind of loved each other, but things didn’t work out well and this past tour they were not that great at being around each other. Lot of arguments, tension, nothing was worked out.”

“Loved each other as in they dated?” Lucas asked.

“They met, fell, but never officially dated. Gabby was actually dating someone else at the time, they had some encounters and things moved forward. I’m just not sure we can handle months on the road with two women who’d rather be elsewhere.”

They both looked at me but it was Lucas who spoke. “Did they have sex with each other?”

“I’m really not answering that question.”

“Which means yes, dude capture that! You could be in the middle of something very hot and erotic for your vanilla ass self.”

“I don’t want that Lucas.”

“Besides, if there not talking then odds are there not going to agree to anything hot and erotic. I’m sure you’ll figure it out though. If it is them, maybe you can arrange some kind of meeting with them and at least have them make peace.”

“I may have too.”

Once the pizza was gone we settled in for another few hours of mind-numbing games. Clearing several levels and it was good to work as a team when they were both here, made coordinating things much easier. About three Gabby sent me a message that said she was doing okay, she wasn’t sad but there had been a few moments, but she and I expected those. She was actually staying for dinner at their request and I told her I’d just order something. Odds are, pizza again. We took another break after that, we were in between levels of the game and Lucas was looking watery eyed, so bathroom breaks. I got a beer from the fridge for us all and sat down.

“She doing okay?”

“Yeah, she said she had a moment when Stephanie got loud, Sarah was showering but her husband was there to help.”

Lucas flopped down on the bean bag content now that he didn’t have to pee so badly.

“So, you two considering children?” Andrew asked.

“We really haven’t had serious talks about it, but I think we’re in agreement we do want them. I’m thinking a few years at least, I want us to get a house and be settled before that occurs.”

Lucas turned. “So you’re serious about her?”

Andrew and I both gave him a confused look. “I married her Lucas, how much more serious could I possibly get?”

He swiveled around on the bean bag chair. “Drunken marriage Zac, everyone knows that. I mean like you really want to settle down with her forever?”

“I did settle down with her, which means yes I do.”

“So, you’re done with blondes?”

“Where are you going with this Lucas?”

“I know you are capable of relationships but the last few years you’ve been very adamant that long-term wasn’t what you wanted. That sex was just when needed. You prefer blondes, you weren’t really afraid to state that that was your preference.”

“He has a point there Zac. You were talking that way when the tour began last year and even up through October. Yet, somehow in November you ended up married. Don’t get me wrong, she is great for you.” Andrew said.

“It takes the right person to make those changes needed.”

“So you are saying that since November 1 st, you haven’t wanted to go with any blondes? Not a single one?” Lucas asked.

“I didn’t go with any.”

“That wasn’t his question Zac, he asked if you wanted too. Have you?” Andrew asked.

I laid the controller down, clearly they weren’t going to just drop this subject and move on. I had friends that were persistent too apparently. They reminded me of Abby and Max really.

“You have haven’t you?” Andrew asked.

“Yes. There were three of them, really hot and totally blonde. It was on some of the walks that she didn’t attend before the miscarriage. I accepted the cards and when I did it was with the intention of going. I didn’t go.”

“Why didn’t you, she wasn’t saying yes or couldn’t, you could have covered it easily.” Lucas asked.

I really didn’t want to answer those questions, I wasn’t entirely proud of myself for accepting the cards anyway and certainly not under the premise that I was going.

“I wanted too because it had been more than long enough, but as much as I wanted that physical contact. It wasn’t her. After getting back and seeing her it reminded me that I would be cheating on her and I do want to remain married and committed to her. So, while one head said go fuck this girl, it would mean nothing. The higher up head said it was a bad idea and I needed to just handle it myself.”

“Did you think she would find out if you had gone with them?” Andrew asked.

“Lucas here thinks she wouldn’t, but there is no question there. She would have known before I even reached the bus, the girls would have posted it directly to her. Really, the idea of her leaving me actually hurts, I can’t handle that.”

“So, you were serious when you said no one else since, what…like September?”

“Yes.”

For a moment, Lucas was quiet. “So…you want to explain what happen with the girl in the car, you clearly have no issues?”

“Do you stalk our twitter dude?”

“I do when it comes to you guys, come on you never mentioned any problems to us. We’re your friends dude.”

“Sure Lucas, I was just dying to call my friends up and say I couldn’t get hard for a hot blonde.”

“Is that what happen?”

“It wasn’t Gabby. Plain and simple, nothing else was wrong it just wasn’t her. At the time she was still saying no and honestly I had to think about her before then, at that point thoughts didn’t work.”

“I can’t believe she said no more than once and you kept on.”

I smiled. “What can I say, she was always present and there wasn’t anyone else I wanted.”

“So, you feel like she is the one?” Andrew asked.

That was a really serious question and I looked at him. “I do. I don’t want anyone else but her, I can’t imagine being without her and I know there are issues concerning her past but I’m okay with that. I mean come on, she saw Philbrook and I nearly cried because that place isn’t going to be available in December.”

“What is December?” Andrew asked.

“Fuck! I never told you?! We agreed to have a formal wedding, December 31 st.”

“Dude! You never said anything.”

“Consider it said. But, we went to Philbrook to get a paper for Ike and Nicole and we went through. She really wanted to do the wedding there but unless we move it up we can’t. December those gardens will be dead as hell and it’ll be cold as fuck.”

“I’m sure you’ll find something.”

“So…you haven’t really bragged about her. You have about every other person you’ve been with but her. She can’t be that bad.” Lucas said.

He was right, I had done a lot of bragging about the blondes. Their abilities, sexual skills, looks, and many things but never a name because most of the time I didn’t know it myself. Yet, with Gabby I really hadn’t said much to my friends about those things.

“Gabby is…different.”

“We kind of figured that.” Andrew said.

“Well, I mean…there isn’t a lot to tell.”

Yep, that was a blatant lie.

“Bullshit, this girl walked into your life, told you no like a boss, and you married her. She has to be doing something worth it.”

“Beyond just she’s willing nearly every time I come on to her or she’s so much more open about things?”

“What is she open about?” Lucas asked.

“She’s not vanilla, she’s not even chocolate. She’s more a little bit of everything rolled into one nice sweet package. She liked different positions, places, even public locations.”

“There is no fucking way you two had sex at six flags.” Andrew said.

“Never said it was sex Andrew.”

“Where the fuck did you find a safe enough place for anything?”

“Gold river adventure, granted one must be quick because it’s like four or five minutes long. But, when you have her grinding on you the whole afternoon, quick is fine.”

They both laughed. “Sex at a theme park, not vanilla.”

“The studio, which we nearly got caught the first time.”

“Taylor and Isaac will skin you alive if they know that.”

“Theatre, which you’d be pleased to know was my idea and not hers. It’s just, sex with us is…different. There are times that it’s not rushed at all, I can do whatever I want. She has limits, of that I am sure of, I just haven’t found them yet.”

“Least she’s not boring and is she at least trying to break your vanilla ass?”

“Yes.”

Neither of them needed to know how or exactly what we have done and I’d been more careful with the whole neck thing, because Dr. Cortez may not understand it and I didn’t need to be accused of abusing her now or in the future.

“Good, you needed some decent experience. Now if you can get her and Sierra to agree to a three some you are set. Or even some guy.”

“She won’t agree to two men, she already told me never to ask. It’s something she has experienced and she didn’t find any of it likeable or even somewhat likeable. But, we agreed that right now those types of experiences are not what we want.”

“Why not? You are a typical red blooded male right? Seeing two women should be what you want.”

“Well, it’s more in line with where we are in the relationship it’s just not wise. She has fans telling her I’m fucking them, she had her friends telling her, one caused her to leave by using old photos of me with girls. Didn’t even know those existed. So, we need more time to build up our trust levels and confidence in this relationship. Not saying we don’t, I trust her and she does me. But, we would rather not complicate it.”

“Seems like sound advice to me. Okay, tired of hearing about your sex life. I wanna kill something so let’s get back to the game.” Andrew said.

I was honestly glad he suggested it, I didn’t want to keep defending our choices to them. It did help me realize how much pressure Abby and Max had put on her, because they were doing the same things and asking the same questions. Only they wouldn’t answer with positive stuff, it was always leave him and he’s no good.

I’m glad she never listened to them.

We played a while longer before Lucas left, Andrew decided to stay a bit longer though.

“Sorry about his questions, I told him when you went to the bathroom he didn’t need to ask.”

“I didn’t mind, just I don’t know why I don’t want to talk about us like I did them.”

He laughed. “Because she is your wife Zac, she’s not some random person you had sex with and didn’t bother with a name. She is here all the time, she is around us and let’s face it, you don’t want a bunch of your friends to know what a freak she is.”

“She is not a freak.”

“Come on, I heard you in the shower dude, blowjobs at six flags? She’s not vanilla for sure. It’s fine, you share her with friends and family, you just don’t want to share the details. I would imagine that she is asked as well and I would imagine her answers are just as tame. Because really, Sarah is your cousin and Nicole and Stella will be your sisters, she knows they don’t need to know details. Likewise, I am sure there is a lot this Sierra girl doesn’t know or even her best friend.”

“She said they talk about sex, but not details. Dude, she told my mother but thankfully when she was blabbering it was incomprehensible.”

“Oh god, your mother? What really happened Zac? I mean you gave minimal details and I’m not Lucas.”

Because Lucas wasn’t here and Andrew I had known my entire life almost, I broke down what went on and what happen. He understood far better and was more compassionate than Lucas was. By the time I finished telling him it was past dinnertime, so we ordered take out Chinese, which arrived about the time Gabby did.

“Chinese? Really? You better have ordered me soup.”

“I knew you’d say that so yes I did.”

“Hey Andrew.”

“Hey, how was your day?”

“It went really well, did you guys whip some ass today?”

“We did.”

We sat down in the living room and despite her eating with Sarah, she still had the soup. Andrew stayed a little bit longer before he left and headed home.

“Okay, did you really have a good day?”

She moved into my lap. “It was a little tough at first, Nickolas is so talkative. But, their dad took him and some friends to the park so we had several hours just us and Stephanie. She loved the drawing, already has a place picked out for it. It was…easier but not like I have to have her now type thing.”

“Did you find you were more comfortable with her and not hurting as badly this time?”

“Yeah. I did change a diaper. I put it on backwards but I got it on.”

I giggled. “That’s a start.”

“I think being around her is good. Maybe the next time Stella has Michael I’ll ask her to visit. I just feel bad how I reacted to him. I know it’s not her fault.”

“No, it’s ours for not telling her. She understands now why you reacted that way. I think Michael would be a good thing, he’s a little older and you can do more than sit and hold, but when you’re comfortable with that idea that’s when you ask.”

“Right now I am tired, I did play with Nickolas in the yard and that boy has energy for days.”

I nuzzled her neck and heard the slight purr. “Sleep could be a good thing, we can sleep in tomorrow too.”

“Good, I didn’t plan on getting up early.”

We got up and got ready for bed, eventually laying down about 10 because I found I needed a shower badly. Neither of us stayed awake long after getting comfortable.