Radiant Eclipse

Johnny thought it was a bad idea, telling me to think rationally, and I just shook my head and laughed at him. “You're being paranoid,” I said, caressing his cheek with the back of my hand before kissing his lips. “Your band mate and friend asked me to do this. I'm crazy if I say no.”

He chewed on his bottom lip and sighed. “Fine,” he agreed, as I entwined my fingers in his and kissed them one by one. “But if you feel dizzy or sick in any way, you tell me right away. I don't need you giving birth on stage, got it? Not how I pictured my first child being born.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes as we pulled into the practice studios where I was attending their rehearsal for a concert the following night. Johnny wrapped his arm around my waist as I waddled along at a week less than one month and held open doors as we entered. The guys were already warming up a little bit when we arrived, and Matt was the first one to give me a hug and welcome me to the rat pack. “You're gigantic,” he said, as I giggled and rubbed my massive stomach gently.

Johnny rolled his eyes as he got his bass on, and he said, “Hey guys, grow some balls and stop ogling my unborn child already. Let's play.”

I left them to go play the piano in a back room for an hour before Matt ran in the room and smiled. “Ya ready, Momma Bear?” he questioned, as I nodded and got to my feet with his help. As we walked, he joked, “Ya sure you're not having twins? You're pretty big for carrying only one kid in there.”

“The doctor said it was one boy,” I explained, grabbing a microphone from Zacky as I stood near Johnny.

“So this song is new,” he informed me. “We just decided to add it to the bill when we found out Johnny and you were engaged. I thought it'd be perfect to have you duet with me. Pretty straight forward. They lyrics are on the stand in front of you. I'll sing the first verse alone so you get the meter and feel of it.”

“Fine with me,” I agreed, turning my mic on and allowing them to start a song called Dear God. I glanced over at Johnny, who had his eyes closed and was playing slowly, and I just smiled. It was hard to believe that a few months ago I barely knew him, and that I was just meeting him in that very spot. Had someone told me then that he was the one for me, I would have told them to get a reality check and then to leave me alone. Now I was madly in love with this man, and I couldn't wait to start my life with him.

I turned back towards Matt at my entrance at the second chorus, and closed my eyes as I sang along with the band. My voice added a harmony that surprised the guys. It surprised me too. I didn't remember ever having such a warm and lovely voice before. In all my screwed up life. Matt told me to take the breakdown by myself, where there was only an acoustic guitar playing, and I watched Johnny stare wide eyed at me and mouth, “Where did that come from?” I smiled and blushed, looking away nervously. I later added non-lyrical singing to the end of the song to enhance the chorus, and when we were finished, I took a deep breath and opened my eyes.

Matt grinned and Synyster joked, “We may replace you, Mathew.”

I rolled my eyes. “I think my band days are over, guys. So sorry to tell you to keep Matt, but I have bigger plans now than traveling.” I looked at Johnny and wrapped my arm around his waist as he kissed the top of my head. “I think I'm ready to be taken care of rather than be totally independent.”

“I can do that, too,” Johnny said, as I left them to wrap things up and go to the car.