Swallowed in Grief, Healed by Time

Braden and I become inseparable very quickly after our conversation. Dad was always nearby us as well and we really were like a small family. The only thing missing was mom. As the days continued on I grew to miss her more and more. Especially now when I felt like I needed a woman in my life to help me through what was quickly becoming my own personal hell. Morning sickness woke me up and didn’t allow me any peace. I was always sick and slept more than I ever had in my life. Dad is taking me to another free clinic today that one of the crew members saw. It was due time for another check up and my vitamins were nearly gone. Both Braden and dad watched me like a hawk to ensure that I took those every day.

“Elise, you ready?” dad asked as he came into the bunk room where the boys were talking quietly and I was resting.

“Yeah,” I whispered getting up and rubbing my slightly showing tummy.

I was currently six months along and barring a small bump as proof. This made things a bit harder to go out in public with. The last thing I wanted was to be photographed with dad and have a baby bump. No doubt the press would get the wrong idea and run with it. I didn’t want to hurt his career or his relationships with that. He deserved better than that, especially after keeping me when he found out that I was pregnant.

Dad and I quickly found the clinic and proceeded through the doors. Very few people were there this early in the morning as they had just opened. Dad quickly sighed us up and soon enough we were waiting for a doctor. I did not like the doctor that walked through the door and I do not think that dad did either. This doctor was a younger gentleman, barely older than 24 and seemed to have taken an interest in me. Dad became very protective and refused to leave the room when he was asked. Personally I was very grateful as I did not feel comfortable being left alone with this man.

After a few pain staking moments the doctor finally left and refilled my vitamins for me. Luckily everything was still proceeding as usual so the doctor did not have to do any strange tests. Dad and I quickly left the clinic only to be greeted by a terrible sight. As we exited the front door we were mobbed by screaming people and bright flashes of white. Dad quickly grabbed me and pressed my face into his chest so pictures could not be taken as he pushed his way through the reporters. We did not have any body guards with us as we did not expect to have been stopped like this. I huddled into my father praying that no one had gotten a good picture already.

Somehow we made it to the car in one piece and quickly drove away. Tears slowly started to appear in my eyes as I thought about what had just happened. My worst nightmare just played out in reality, only it was far worse that I had imagined. No doubt the magazines would print the story quickly and my father would be made out to be something he was not.

“Elise,” dad whispered as we pulled up into the venue.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered as the tears feel from my eyes.

“Oh baby,” dad said as he pulled me into his strong arms. “Elise this isn’t your fault.”

“Maybe I should leave,” I whispered. “Go back, somewhere, I don’t know.”

“You are not leaving this tour Brianna Elise,” dad said. “Whatever they got we will work through later. I am not letting you out of my sight.”

“Dad it will be better for everyone if I just leave. They are going to assume that you are the father and that might ruin you,” I protested.

“It will not ruin me because we will tell them the truth,” dad stated.

“The truth?” I scoffed. “That what? I’m your daughter and the man who murdered the love of your life is the father of my own child? Yeah, they’ll believe that.”

“It doesn’t matter if they believe it or not, so long as the truth is out,” dad whispered. “I’m not going to let this ruin us.”

“It’s going to ruin you dad,” I told him.

“Baby girl, this will show who are the true fans and who are the teenies,” dad stated.

“I can’t believe you just said teenies,” I laughed a bit.

“Come on,” dad said releasing me from his grip. “Let’s go find Braden.”

Cautiously I got out of the car and stepped onto the grass of the venue. My eyes were darting everywhere, almost as though I was waiting for someone to jump out and push a camera in my face while screaming questions. The last thing I needed during my pregnancy is to be paranoid of the press, but they managed to do a pretty good job of making me that way. Dad saw my predicament and came over to me. Gently he placed his arm around me and pulled me close to him. Braden ran over to us and fired questioned as dad. He would make an amazing reporter. Ha, that’s the last thing that I want, a reporter in the family.

“Braden please,” dad said. “Go back inside and I will explain everything in there. She needs out of the weather. Looks like it’s going to rain.”

“Alright,” Braden said before running back to the bus.

“Elise?” dad questioned.

“I know,” I whispered. “I know they need to know.”

“We will put out a statement and get a press conference with a show we trust,” dad stated. “You won’t have to do anything, I’ll handle it all.”

“Thank you,” I whispered hugging him.

“Anything for my daughter,” dad whispered. “And my grandchild.”

“God that sounds weird,” I told him with a slight laugh.

“What?” dad questioned.

“You’re going to be a grandpa,” I told him. “Synyster Gates is a grandpa.”

“Nope,” dad said with a smirk. “Synyster Gates is a drunken rockstar. Brian Haner is a father and a grandpa.”

“I love you dad,” I whispered.

“Love you too baby girl.”