From the Wreckage We All Rise.

“Adeline, Cha is on the phone!” said my mother as she handed me the phone. I took it, mouthing a thank you as I placed the phone between my ear and shoulder.

“Cha?”

“Hey Lyn! I was wondering what you were up to and if you wanted to spend some time with your best friend, if I’m still your best friend of course…”

I chuckled, “To answer your questions: I’m not doing anything at the moment, except for watching my mother trying to find a good recipe to make for the cook out at Matt’s tonight. Yes, I’d love to spend some times with you, and of course you’re still my best friend, I never replaced you!” I said, smiling as Billy was playing with Celia in the living room.

“Well, I’m expecting you in 15 minutes then… said Cha.

“Am I supposed to come alone or can I bring the boyfriend and the kid?” I asked, smiling as Billy looked up at me.

“As you want, but I think Zacky would be happy to see him and maybe they can take the kids out so we will be alone, and I can even call the girls…” she said.

“Let’s do that.” I said, waving at Celia and blowing her a kiss.

“Where are Aiden and Angelina?”

“With Brian. Well, I’ll talk to you later, I need to gather the troops!” I said and laughed as Billy glared playfully at me.

“Right, see ya!” and we both hang up.

“Mum, I’m going to Cha’s, I’ll see you in a few hours right? You don’t mind?”

“Yes Adeline, no I don’t mind!” she said as I kissed her cheek and hurried in the living room.

“Celia, come on we’re going to see aunty Cha and uncle Zacky.” I said. She jumped up and ran to the door, ready to run to the car. Billy got up but slower.

“Let me guess, once we get there you are going to kick us out of the house?” he said, taking his jacket from the hanger. I smiled and kissed his cheek.

“You know love me!” I said as I opened the door, and waving at my mother.

“And sometimes I wonder why!” he said, as he grabbed the keys from his pockets.

I gasp and smacked his chest as he smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, kissing my temple.

“You know I’m only joking, right?” he whispered.

“Yeah, I know.” I said, smiling as Celia glared at her father, waiting for him to unlock the car.

He unlocked it and Celia jumped in the backseat, buckling her seatbelt.

“Hurry up!” she yelled from inside the car as I opened the door. I fastened my seatbelt and Billy started the engine. Celia was singing along with the radio as I stayed silent, looking out of the window.

Aiden and Angelina had met Nathalie… I hope they like her, it’s already hard enough with Aiden hating Billy, I don’t want that to happen to Brian. He doesn’t deserve it, but do I?

Do I really deserve to be treated like shit by my own son? What did I ever do to make him hate me so damn much? I sighed, resting my head against the window and rubbing my face. Billy grabbed my hand and held it as he kept his gaze on the road.

I wish Aiden could understand that Brian and I aren’t going to get back together. He used to ask me this when he was younger, asking if his daddy would come back… I have the answer now, there’s no coming back, like the old song from Perfect Nightmare… I smiled faintly remembering the last tour, with Good Charlotte and Perfect Nightmare, before Avenged Sevenfold joined us.

The car stopped and Billy killed the engine.

“Here we are!” said Billy, letting go of my hand. I got out of the car and Celia ran to the front door.

I ran a hand through my hair and took a look at their house before shaking my head as images of our apartment in Baltimore sneaked their way in my mind. I’d love to have a house here in Huntington…

“Are you going to come inside or what?” asked Cha, as she stood at the doorway, a small smile on her lips and her arms crossed. Billy was waiting for me, holding out his hand. I took it and we walked up to the door.

“Cha!” said Billy, hugging her and kissing her cheek before he walked inside, in search of Zacky.

“Your husband is too cool for his own good!” she said laughing as Lily, Zacky and Cha’s 8 year-old daughter ran to Billy, almost tackling him to the ground.

“I know, my boyfriend is awesome, right?” I said, biting my lip and hugging her.

“Oh yeah sorry, forgot you aren’t married.” She apologized. I shrugged and walked over to Zacky.

“What’s up ZV?” I asked, pinching his cheeks.

“Lyn…” he whined, “Stop humiliating me will ya!”

I smiled and kissed his cheek.

“So guys, this is time for you to get out of the house!” said Cha as she kissed Zacky’s cheek and ushered him out of the house, along with Lily.

“And the same goes for you!” I said, kissing Billy’s cheek and then hugged Celia.

“Bye mummy!” she said, waving at me as Billy picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder, making her giggle and squirm around. “Daddy! Put me down!” she said between giggles. Billy shook his head, blew me a kiss and then Cha closed the door.

“Finally alone!” she said, throwing her arms in the air.

I laughed and followed her as she went to the kitchen.

“Let’s bake cookies!” she said, and then started to gather all the ingredients on the island.

“I’m going to watch you!” I said, taking a sit on a stool. She shook her head and started the recipe.

“When are the girls supposed to show up?” I asked, looking up at the clock hanging on the wall.

“In about…” she paused to look at the clock. “Now.” She said just as we heard a door slamming shut.

Seconds later, the front door opened.

“Hey ladies!” yelled Ash, running in the kitchen. “Oh cookies!” she yelled excitedly.

“Yeah, cookies…” agreed Cha, nodding shortly but still concentrated.

Ash went to sit on the stool next to mine, kissing my cheek and wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

“So what’s been up with you during all the time you spent on the East Coast?” she asked.

“Nothing much, working, trying to spend some time with the kids, working some more, and eventually, sleeping.” I replied.

“I have to ask, what’s your job?” asked Jess as she took a beer from the fridge.

“I work for a label, well actually, I own it.” I replied, playing with the hem of my T-shirt.

“Really? That’s great!” said Cha, a smile enlightening her face.

“At least you are still in the music industry!” added Jess.

“What’s the name of the label?” asked Ash.

“Blackout.” I said, “It’s just a small label, it’s not like Reprise or anything. We only got a couple of bands signed. But it’s great, I like it.”

“That’s cool!” said Cha, “Do you still play guitar?” she asked. I shook my head.

“I haven’t touched a guitar in years. No joke.”

“Jesus Christ! Is that even possible? You used to play every hour days and nights!” said Ash, her mouth slightly agape.

“It’s true Ash, I haven’t the time anymore. There’s always something to do in the apartment, and if not then I have to drive the kids to school or to the mall or go to work and whatnot.”

“Speaking of your kids, how are they coping with the ‘Brian-is-your-father’ thing?” asked Jess.

“They are quite okay with it I guess. Especially Aiden and I think Angelina is happy too, but she’s quieter and as for Celia, well she isn’t taking it very well you know, she misses her brother and sister. It has only been a couple days, but when they came back Celia is already asleep and when they leave, she’s still in her bed…” I explained, as I remembered what happened this morning when she woke up and realised that they were already gone.

“She’ll get use to it eventually…” assured Ash, squeezing my shoulder.

“I hope so, it’s already hard enough dealing with Aiden so I can’t even imagine if Celia starts to throw tantrum every now and then… And plus Billy is going back to L.A in a few days.”

“Really? That early? I thought he was going to stay a little longer.” Said Cha as she placed the cookies in the oven.

“And so did I… But Joel called this morning, saying that he had been working on new stuff and that they needed Billy sooner than they had previously planned.”

“But he will come back here every nights, right?” asked Jess. I shook my head.

“From what I’ve heard, they might spend the whole day in the studio and Billy doesn’t want to arrive at 2 am in the morning, waking everyone else in the house. He says it’s not cool for my parents so he will stay at Benji’s.”

“That’s sucks…”

“Yeap, it sucks indeed. But I can always go and see him in L.A, I don’t have anything better to do, and it can’t be worst than when he’s in L.A and I’m stuck in Baltimore.” I said.

“Are you going to stay at your parents?”

“Yeah, I still don’t know when I’ll go back to the East Coast. We hadn’t discussed it with Billy yet.”

“If you want, you can stay with me, Jimmy and Danger.” Offered Ash.

“Thanks for the offer Ash, but I think I’ll pass… I don’t want to walk in the kitchen with you and Jimmy about to fuck on the counter.” I said.

She pretended to be offended and smacked my arm.

“I still have my old house,” said Cha. “It’s not in good conditions because I haven’t been there in months, except to collect the mail every once in a while. My parents left to live in Miami. We were taking about transforming the house into a studio.” She said as she disappeared in the hall and came back seconds later. “But with the kids and all, we never got the chance. Here’s the key.” She said, taking my hand and putting the silver key in my palm. “If you ever need to go there, just go, it’s all yours.” She added.

“I can’t accept it Cha, it’s your house!”

“Bullshit, your part of the family, that’s what my dad said. And I think he’d rather know that you are living in there instead of seeing the house falling into ruins.” Said Cha. I starred at the key for a second before putting it in my pocket.

“Thank you Cha.”

“No problem Lyn!” she said, smiling. I smiled back. And Jess took the cookies out of the oven.

“Cookies!”

“Ash don’t! You’re going to burn yourself!” said Jess, glaring at Ash who was trying to grab a cookie.

“Ash, your phone is ringing!” said Cha.

“Oh shit!” muttered Ash as she grabbed her phone from her pocket.

“Yes?”

“Oh hey baby!... Sure, I don’t mind. No, no it’s okay. Yeah, I’ll tell the girls, just call everyone else to let them know. Oh okay. Yes, I’ll tell them. Sure. I love you too.” And she hung up, sliding the phone back in her pocket.

“It was Jimmy…”

“No really?” I said, cutting her off. She rolled her eyes.

“So, he said that Matt called him, the BBQ will be at mine and Jimmy’s house. Bring your swimming suit!”

“Or not.” Cha and I both said at the same time.

“And everyone is already there… We should get going!” said Ash.

We all nodded and got up.