From the Wreckage We All Rise.

Seize the day or die regretting the time you lost, it’s empty and cold without you here, too many people to ache over …

I tried to block out the sound of my brother’s voice as we were driving in L.A. We had just gotten out of the airport, and Billy had rent a car. We were on our way to Joel and Nicole’s house. Angelina insisted on putting this CD on, just my luck! Like it wasn’t hard enough to be here, she had to put City of Evil in the player…

I found it kinda funny though… I mean, Avenged Sevenfold, Good Charlotte and Green Day were like, the new Rolling Stones, only younger… They weren’t so young anymore… Matt was the same age Billie Joe was when 21rst Century Breakdown came out, around 37 or something… In all honesty, I couldn’t remember.

The car stopped and Aiden, Angelina and Celia got out of the car at the speed of light. I took my time, not feeling in a hurry. I got out of the car and closed the door, and waited for Billy. I linked my fingers with him and we walked up to the mansion, also known as Joel and Nicole’s house.

“Auntie Lyn!”

I smiled as Harlow and Beverley ran to me.

“It’s nice to see I was missed!” I said with a chuckle as I hugged the two girls.

Billy did the ‘man hug’ kind of thing with Joel while Harlow and Beverley dragged Aiden, Celia and Angelina into the house.

“Lyn!” yelled Joel after I released Nicole from the hug. I laughed.

“Joel!” he engulfed me in a tight hug.

“Long times not see!” he said, looking at me.

“You bet, last time was about 6 years ago or something, at your wedding, after Beverley’s birth.” I said.

I followed Nicole inside and to the kitchen while Billy and Joel went to sit in the rather big living room.

On my way to the kitchen, I looked at the pictures hanging on the walls, family portrait everywhere.

Joel and Nicole had been together for a little over 11 years and I have to admit that the first time I met Nicole, I never thought they’d last… but they did.

“So Lyn, how have you been?” asked Nicole as she sat on a tool, I mimicked her action and took a sip from the can of coke she had just gave me.

“Fine, a little tired with work and stuff like that, but other than that, I’m fine. And you, how is it going?”

“Everything’s fine. I’m just a little tired because of the pregnancy and all.” She replied, running a hand over her growing belly.

Nicole and Joel were expecting their third child and I couldn’t help but wish my life was as simple as theirs. I mean, Joel was the father of all her children, and they were still rather young, not teenagers yet… She didn’t have to worry about her son disliking her boyfriend… Because first, she didn’t have a son and second, Joel was her husband. I wasn’t married to Billy…

“It’s funny how Harlow looks more like Joel and Beverley more like you…” I commented, looking at a picture of them that was hanging on the wall in the kitchen. They were a happy family and were showing it to the world. I couldn’t blame them, I’d be doing the same…

The key word is would…

“You think so?” she asked with a small smile.

“Yeap.” I said, nodding. “It’s the eyes.” I added.

She chuckled and looked at the living room, to check on the guys before she turned back towards me.

“If I tell you something, will you keep it from Billy and Joel?” she asked in a whisper. I nodded, and leant closer so I could hear what she wanted to say.

“I’m expecting twins.” She said with a bright smile. I smiled and hugged her.

“That’s just awesome!” I said, trying to keep my voice low so the boys wouldn’t hear us.

She nodded, “I can’t help but wonder if they’d be like Joel and Benji, or more like Angie and Aiden…” she commented. “Because Aiden is just the spitting image of his father, whereas Lyn looks just like you.”

She was right, Aiden looked just like Brian in most ways… I was just lucky he didn’t notice yet.

“Girls! Why don’t you come and stay with us!” said Joel, waving at us from his place on the red couch. Their living room was the size of our kitchen, living room and hallway put together…

I took my Coke and followed Nicole to the couch. She sat next to her husband while I sat next to Billy, linking my fingers with him and setting my Coke on the coffee table.

“Come on, we’ll show you around the house!” said Joel, getting up.

**

The house was huge to say the least… Harlow and Beverley had a huge room full of toys! Joel and Nicole’s bedroom, along with their bathroom and their walk-in closet is half the side of our apartment, and it’s not small we have 4 bedrooms and all…

We were back in the huge living room, sitting on the red couch. Harlow was proudly showing her DVD collection to Angelina and Celia; Billy, Aiden and Joel were catching up. I exchanged an amused glance with Angelina as Harlow was enumerated all her DVDs, let me tell you that there was quite a few to name…

I heard the door opened again and the sound of something running shortly followed by a bark as something leaped on my lap and started licking my face.

“Eww!” I said, trying to push the licking thing off me.

“He missed you!” said the unmistakable voice of Joel’s twin. It sure wasn’t Benji who was licking my face at least.

“Cashdog!” I exclaimed. As an answer, he barked. I patted his head and finally got off me. He turned to sniff Angelina who was sitting next to me before he barked again and his tail beat my leg repeatedly.

“Good boy!” said Celia as Cashdog lay down at our feet.

“Hey uncle Benji!” said Angelina as they did the weird handshake he taught her a few years back.

“Hey yourself!” he said cheerfully, smacking his palm with hers.

“Hey Aiden!” he said before doing the handshake with him as well.

“So, what it’s like on the East Coast? Got any boyfriend yet?” he asked as he sat down between me and Angelina and wrapped his arms around our shoulder.

“Benji!” said Billy from the other couch, glaring playfully at his band mate.

“Billy!” said Benji on the same tone.

Nicole and I looked at each others before we started laughing at them. Soon Paul and Dean joined us and we spent the evening sharing pizzas and basically catching up before it was around midnight and we decided that it was time to sleep.

We went to the car to grab our bags before walking up the stairs to one of the many guestrooms in the house.