Chapter 2: Seasickness

POV: Zac

Word Count: 3629

January 27, 2009

I was really wishing we could go back to our honeymoon. It was relaxing and pleasant and added, I loved seeing her face at each new spot. The little gondola rides and romantic evening at various restaurants. I had planned well and made sure that expense wise we didn’t go insane. She was really good at finding deals or coupons or even free attractions at places so that had helped. I loved those places but Japan was my favorite place, that trip may come later on because it would be more expensive. She had also said Japan in her interview, so maybe for our 5 year anniversary.

Five years…that was a long way off but I was confident we could make it. We were doing better and she was going to keep seeing Dr. Cortez. Things were hopefully looking up this year. She was serious about finding a house, so I’d sent an e-mail to a realtor who was looking around for us already. If we planned to leave the apartment this year we had a short time to find, buy, and move. Likewise, Isaac and Taylor were planning weddings, honeymoons, on top of our business.

I was meeting them for lunch today actually, our last show was tonight and we needed to fix some details. I got there after them and sat down, ordered my drink. Stella and Nicole looked around, but Taylor asked the question.

“Where is Gabby? I thought she’d be joining us.”

I shook my head. “She’s still pretty sick, she did ask me to bring back some soup or something. She wasn’t feeling good but the rocking motion of the boat is making everything worse. It’s like the sinuses is compounded by motion sickness.”

They all frowned at me.

“Did the medicine you got Saturday before we left not do anything?” Stella asked.

I shook my head no. “The Tylenol helped with her headache and it cut the fever temporarily. But, they’ve come back. It was like she was okay Saturday afternoon but once we hit open ocean it was downhill. She’s hoping the soup stays down.”

“That sucks, least she didn’t get sick while you were on your honeymoon. You are sure this is a sickness right?” Ike asked.

“Yes Isaac.”

“Positive? I mean come on throwing up, headaches…it’s possible.”

I was trying not to say anything as I wasn’t sure they’d even want to know but Isaac kept on, recounting her symptoms as ones Mom had when she was pregnant with me.

I finally looked at him. “She’s not pregnant Ike. On top of everything her period started Saturday. It’s the real reason I had to go to a store before we boarded.”

That shut him up and he and Taylor cringed. Nicole and Stella however just looked concerned.

“I can’t imagine dealing with both.” Stella said.

“Me either, I’d kill someone.” Nicole said.

Isaac paused mid-sip and looked concerned. But, didn’t say anything.

“She’d feel better if she could keep anything down, but she was asleep when I left the room. Hopefully she can rest and feel better. Hopefully the soup stays down.”

“Hopefully.” They said.

Our lunch was very nice and I stopped mentioning her throwing up and being sick for a bit, Stella and Nicole cut out when we started business talk, there were other performers and while Gabby had been excited she just didn’t feel like doing anything. Nicole said she’d sit with her during the performance even if she only slept.

We met with a few of the performers that were joining us tonight and got the plans right, including our plan for sound check. Once those were done I got Gabby the soup she asked for and went back to our room. But the moment I opened the door I knew it was pointless, I could hear her throwing up.

“Baby? It’s me.” I said.

I sat the soup down on the counter and went to the bathroom, she was sitting in front of the toilet, hair pulled up in a bun and she looked miserable.

“I figured it was you, only one with a key.”

“I guess you don’t feel any better?”

“I actually feel worse, I didn’t think that was possible.”

“Fever?”

“Fever came back, cramps, headache again.”

She flushed the toilet and I helped her up. “I brought your soup, do you want to try it?”

“No.”

I lead her back to bed and checked the fever which was over a hundred, but not super high. I did get her talked into trying at least a few spoons of the soup, I was rather worried that she wasn’t able to keep anything down. I had a few hours so when she laid her head on my thigh I didn’t complain or move her, instead I sat and played with her hair. It was Taylor that sent me the message.

Are you with Gabby?

I am. She’s was throwing up when I came in, she ate a few spoons of the soup so far, it’s stayed down but she is asleep..Why?

None of us had seen you, figured you went back there. Nicole asked if there was a gen doctor on board, there is but he said there were no kinds of medicine on board. So, he won’t be much help.

It’s fine, the symptoms say cold or flu, if she gets TOO bad then I’ll ask if there is a way to get us back to the mainland sooner but otherwise I’ll schedule something with her primary at home.

Okay – Nicole and Stella both are going to sit with her this afternoon while we’re playing. They said they can watch the show on the cruise ships channel so they’ll just watch with her.

She won’t mind if they want to watch you guys live, she understands dude. She knows they don’t get to watch us perform often.

I know she won’t mind, but they watched us the other day.

As long as they want to come here versus watch, Gabby won’t care if they chose you and Ike over her.

;-) believe me we all miss her. I’ve got a TON of pictures from the sunsets because she was so excited to see some spectacular ones for future drawing and stuff.

She’ll appreciate that.

Gabby moved and settled a moment before she was up and moving to the bathroom. I laid my head back listening as she threw up what little she ate. In sickness and in health, I’d vowed to take care of her so I got up and found a wet wash cloth and proceeded to dab and help.

“How are you not sick? I can barely withstand being near someone.”

“Bus life didn’t allow me the luxury of that.”

I felt her forehead which felt hot, but if it was the flu then she should be mending soon.

“Stella and Nicole are going to sit with you this afternoon. They said you can watch the show on the cruise lines TV channel.”

“They don’t have too, they can’t be sick.”

“They want too Gabby. I’ve already told Tay they didn’t have too.”

“When do you have to leave?”

“Four, about thirty minutes. Stella and Nicole will be here about six.”

“Okay. Can you sit here while I shower real quick? I was thinking cold shower might cool me down.”

“I can, if I’m a little late it’s okay.”

I got her clean pajamas and found her shower bag and since I needed one myself I just joined, despite the cold water it would help me too. Once showered, dried, and dressed I got her to try more soup and then lay back down. I then headed down to the sound check, making it ten minutes late but neither of them said anything.

“Any improvement?”

“She kept the soup down for a few hours before it came up, I got her to eat some more of it and then lay back down. She should rest until they arrive. She also took a cold shower, so it helped cool her off a bit.”

“That’s good.”

We got busy and got our sound check done and then headed for dinner, Stella texted me when they got there and I thanked her. Least I wouldn’t be as worried about her being alone.

“Are you coming to the after party?” Taylor asked.

“There is an after party?”

“Yep.”

“I probably shouldn’t.”

“Ask Gabby, see if she’ll mind if you entertained us a few hours.” Ike said.

I rolled my eyes but sent her a message and she said to have fun, that one of us deserved too. I promised I wouldn’t stay too long though. We finished up dinner and was on time for the show, shocking even us. I was so glad the show went well though. The after party started an hour after the show, so I ran back to the room to change into something that wasn’t covered in sweat and to check on Gabby. Stella and Nicole were joining them so they were headed to their room to get changed.

I found her awake just staring at the ceiling.

“Buttercup, are you okay?”

“It’s the only position where I wasn’t hurting or sick.”

I sat down on the bed. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I don’t mind.”

“I’m sure. One of us should enjoy themselves. I mean, I got to at least see the boat Saturday before I was confined to a room.”

“Do you want me to get you anything?”

“Stella said they had crackers and ginger ale, can you get me some of those before you head out? The soup’s not staying down at all.”

“Anything else?”

“Just that.”

I had to ask Stella where said crackers and ginger ale were and I brought back a few of the drinks, she was still laying in the same spot. I sat them beside the bed and she moved.

“Hate being female.”

I smiled a little. “I quite like that you are female. Even if you don’t.”

“I was the dumbass that didn’t mention Midol. But, you should change…”

“Yeah, any ideas on what to wear?”

“Black pants, t-shirt and maybe a bright button up.”

I got up and found the right clothes, going with a bright blue button up. I washed off a bit and changed and she was slowly eating a cracker when I came out.

“Did you get to watch the show?”

“I did. Went well. How long you planning to be down there?”

“Not long, couple of hours. I don’t want to leave you alone too long.”

She smiled some. “I’m safe here. No one knows I’m even on the boat.”

“That is true. But, still.”

I waited until she finished a few crackers and had some of the ginger ale before I kissed her forehead, which felt warm again.

“I’ll be back in a few hours.”

“I’m going to lay back down. I’ll probably be awake when you get back.”

“Probably.”

The after party was in full swing by the time I made it down. I found my brothers and let them know I was here before I just kind of mingled. Fans were here of course and even fans of the other bands. I had a few drinks I didn’t want many though.

“Do you want to dance?” She asked.

“No thanks, I’m not a dancer.”

“You can just rock if you want. I suck at dancing too.”

“I’m okay, but thanks.”

“Where is your wife? I figured with Tay and Ike’s being here she would be too.”

“She’s in our room, she hasn’t felt very good the whole trip.”

“Motion sickness?”

“Flu I think.”

She actually had a very decent conversation with me about the music, asking about potential ideas for the upcoming album. Her friends called her away though and I let her return to them to dance. I ordered another beer and I was waiting for it when I felt a hand on my back, thinking it was just Stella or Nicole I didn’t say anything.

“One for the lady too?”

“No beer for me, I’d like an apple martini though.”

That was not Stella or Nicole’s voice and I turned to her, the same blue eyes that I had fallen for, the soft features but those eyes. She was wearing a black mini skirt, showing off her legs and a tube top with a vest over it, showing both a lot of cleavage and stomach.

“Hello Zachary.”

“Priscilla. You can remove your hand from my back.”

She smiled. “You use to not mind.”

The bartender handed her the drink and she took a sip, there was a time in my life where I could watch her drink water and it was just erotic as hell to me, but even though I could see her tongue run across the rim, it wasn’t doing anything.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you, well, basically since you had that bitch tell me the neighbors were calling the cops.”

“That bitch is my wife Priscilla, she had every right to make you leave. I’d already told you to leave.”

Her hand came up my back and to my shoulders. “I really did want to have sex with you. I was stupid to lie to you and I was stupid to have sex with him.”

“Stupid was having sex with him in our bed, in an apartment we shared. That was stupid.”

I took a sip of the beer and she finished her drink completely.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

The bartender got her another drink, same thing and I looked at her.

“I’m actually glad you did, because had you not been so stupid then I would have asked you to be my wife, I would have made the biggest mistake of my life by doing that. You think Mikey didn’t tell me all the times you came to him during that tour?”

“Not like we were together Zac.”

“Like we’re not now.”

Her hand came down my arm and she got my hand. “We could be for tonight, she won’t find out Zachary. I’m really good at hiding things. I can come back to your room, have some real fun. You don’t look so happy.”

“She’d find out.”

“She’s not even on the boat Zachary, she won’t find out.”

She started to move my hand to her thigh, probably under the little dress she wore but I stopped her and pulled my hand away and backed up.

“No. You aren’t worth it to me.”

“I’ll be worth it. Come on, I wore your favorite pair of panties. None. You know what I can do to you, I can blow your mind and you know it.”

I moved away from her, she seemed to stay there so I found Isaac and Nicole, kind of stayed around them for a bit. I had a few more beers, they were free flowing everything and the few mixed drinks with Isaac weren’t helping much. I finally turned down the next round, I needed to be getting back.

“Hey Ike, I’m heading back to the room.”

“Okay, we’re gonna stay for a while.”

I nodded and headed to the door, little bit less steady than I would have liked. I made it to the right deck without much issues and was walking down to the room when I saw Priscilla walking up the hallway. I really didn’t want to deal with her right now, I thought she was just going to ignore me but nope, I couldn’t be that lucky. I was a little unsteady so when she pulled me around against the door I stumbled a bit, I expected the door to stop me but it didn’t, I stumbled into a room and fell backwards.

That didn’t feel all that great, tailbone to the hard floor?

“What the hell?”

I heard the door close and looked at her. “I’m only asking you for one fucking night.”

I slid back away from her, clearly it was her room. I felt the fabric hit my hand and looked down, the vest she had on. Oh fuck!

I got up as quickly as I could but a gentle nudge and I was sitting on the bed. She’d kept the other two articles on but she was right in front of me.

“You know you want too, you asked so many times.”

“And you said no every time, move.”

Logically, there were cameras in the hallway and I didn’t need to touch her at all. I wasn’t stupid and while I felt clearly drunk I didn’t want to be stupid here.

“Come on Zac, you wanted too and I’m right here. She’ll never know.”

I saw the tube top land on the floor, saw when she slid the bottom off too and I’d seen her naked more than once, yet at the moment the only thing I really felt was the metal against my chest where my wedding band was.

Her hands came for the button of my shirt and I stopped her and looked at her face. “I don’t want to have sex with you. I don’t want you to touch me, I don’t want to touch you. You’re wasting your time.”

“I’m not, I know what will work.”

She went for my neck and I moved, flinging her around onto the bed and pinning her down.

“Well, this is rather new. You were always a little meek in the bedroom. What do you wanna do to me?”

“I don’t want to do anything.”

“Oh come on, blondes are your favorite and you know mine is natural.”

I got up and started for the door, I had to get out of here.

“You want too, you know you do. You just want to fuck me and then go back to her. It’s all you’ve ever wanted Zachary, you wanted too the whole time we were together, but I said let’s wait. I know you weren’t faithful to me. Ruby told me about your little escapade with her.”

I paused. “No, I was faithful to you. Ruby came months after I walked out on you.”

“You didn’t even look sad, couldn’t have hurt that much.”

I glanced back at her. “It hurt so much, I didn’t want to ever find love again. I’m done with you Priscilla. I have a wife now and right now she needs me a lot more than you ever did.”

“She’s not even here!”

I didn’t owe her an explanation so I just left, boy was that sobering and how would I explain it to her? I used my key to get in and she was laying in the bed asleep. I took off the clothes I’d worn, leaving just my boxers on and climbed into the bed.

“Did you have a good time?”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“I heard you come in.”

I curled up to her, putting my arm over her waist. “I did until Priscilla showed up.”

“She was here?”

“Yeah…”

I told her exactly what happened, what was said, and what occurred at the room. She laid there quietly, but she wasn’t pushing me away or anything.

“If I felt like moving I’d go slap her. Maybe Thursday when we stop moving.”

“You believe me?”

She turned some. “Should I not believe what you told me? You left the room, even with her laying there naked and practically begging you. You left.”

I kissed her cheek, she’d slap me if I’d gone for the lips because that could get me sick. “I don’t want her.”

“I believe you. I believe that you didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I think I have some answer to the question of why you, why not a blonde.”

“I thought it was my sexual ability.”

“It was a lot more than that and you know that. I think I chose blondes because I wanted to hurt Priscilla like she did me. I never wanted to see their faces, never cared if they were taken care of or not. I guess somewhere deep inside my brain I was associating them with her. Trying to hurt them like she did me.”

“Still doesn’t explain me.”

I gently pulled her a little closer to me. Buried my head into her neck and just breathed her scent.

“I walked into that hallway to tell you to change bunks, because I thought Taylor hired a man. You really did take my breath away. I mean, sure the first thing I noticed was your perfect ass and breast, but when you looked at me. I was lost. You made me forget about Priscilla. It really didn’t hit me until the bar that you made me forget about her.”

I felt her hand over mine and she held it. “So much better than my sexual ability.”

“Are you ever going to let me live that down?”

“Nope. You should have told him it was totally the reason.”

“Maybe next time.”

“I really hate to ruin this perfect little moment, but that soups coming back up.”

I let her go so she could get up and clearly she’d tried food, I went and held her hair and even wiped her face off again.

“Did the crackers stay down?”

“Yeah, I thought yay I can eat. Boo. I’ll stick to the crackers.”

“I’m sorry your sick, I know you were looking forward to the cruise.”

“Maybe later on in the year or something.”

When she was settled back down we laid down for bed, in the same position as before and she’d had some crackers before laying down, I didn’t feel her move all night.