Daylight

Joe’s POV

I got up from me bunk the next mornin’, achin’ from every muscle, it seemed.
It also seemed I’d slept a bit too long, as I could hear Bryan, Glenn and Tom in the front of our bus, laughin’ at some shit.

I padded into the kitchen, if you can call it that, and me mates fell silent as I stood there, yawnin’ and scratchin’ me head.
Then they all burst out laughin’ at me.
“What the fuck?” I questioned angrily.
Tom stood and directed me to the loo by turnin’ me round.
“Go and have a shufti, brother,” he suggested as he chivvied me down the hallway. I looked at him like he was the mad one, and he just shook his head, still amused.

When I got to the loo, one look in the mirror told all I needed to know about the why of all the merriment on me behalf. In fact, for a minute I didn’t recognise meself.
“Bloody hell!” I yelled in surprise.
I looked like I had a small animal on me head—not the best look for me. Me eyes were bloodshot as well. Both were souvenirs of a very late and restless night.

Fresh laughter broke out toward the front of the bus, and I couldn’t bear it no more, stormin’ out of the loo like I’d kill them all.
They shut the fuck up when I reached them, but I knew they wouldn’t last long. Bryan in particular looked like he’d fucking explode with silent laughter.
I gave up. “Go on, then, ya fuckers, have at me,” I muttered. “I’m sure we’ve all seen worse.”

But instead of them all takin’ the piss with me again, only a few chuckles escaped, then died out.
I guess me in actual pain wasn’t as funny as it were just a few minutes before.

Bryan and Glenn left me and Tom alone straightaway. I watched them go, then finally sat down. Everythin’ ached. I could never recall such pain.
“Joe,” Tom began softly, “how long was you in the loo last night? Are yeh sick?”
“No,” I answered, “and long enough.”
He was confused. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
I shrugged. “Dunno. I’ve…I can’t even bloody think anymore.”
“Did yeh sleep at all? Or should I ask?”
“Not sure,” I yawned. “I might’ve slept, but it was like…dreamin’ about being awake, y’know? In and out all night, I was.”
“Hmmmm,” was all he said. “Now, tell me to fuck off if you like, brother, but would this have to do with a certain bird?”

I couldn’t answer him. I didn’t have to; he knew.
“I’ve not seen you like this for ages, Joe, not since…” Tom began, but I cut him off before he could say the name.
“No, not for a long time,” I agreed, “but this is—different.”
He cocked his head. “How different?”
I closed me eyes and rubbed them; they burned. “Aren’t dreams of a girl supposed to be sweet?”
I asked, tryin’ to focus on me brother’s face.
Tom raised his eyebrows. “Jay-sus, what happened with you and Pet anyway?”
I shook me head. “Nothin’…bad…just…I thought this’d be summat simple, ya know? Summat…without too much…complication.”
Tom grunted. “That’s usually what simple means.”
I glared at him. “You know what I mean: just a lovely bird, sweet…a distraction.”
“And this bird’s turnin’ out to be more than that?”
“Dunno,” I muttered. “All I keep thinkin’ is about things I can’t have with her.”
“And why not?”
I shook me head. “I don’t bloody well know,” I replied. “Me fuckin’ brain hurts.”
Me brother smirked. “Amongst other things.”
In answer, I just gave him me most evil look.
Tom put a hand on me shoulder. “Brother, tell me. S’alright, yeh know. I won’t tell them other two.”
“I know,” I sighed, “I just…dunno how to explain.”
Me brother waited.
I hung me head, which was a mistake, ‘cause the bleedin’ headache got worse. “Shite,” I swore, finally layin’ down on the nearest couch.
Tom moved to our refrigerator and pulled out two beers. “Breakfast drink?” he offered.
“Can’t make me feel worse,” I said, pullin’ meself up with a groan. “Give it here then.”

We sat for a few minutes, drinkin’ in silence. Tom’s a patient bloke when he needs to be.
I swallowed the last of me bottle. “Tastes like shit,” I remarked.
Tom nodded. “Agreed. Now tell me what’s goin’ on, Joe,” he persisted.
I set the bottle on the floor. “I can’t explain it,” I began. “She’s a lovely bird, and gorgeous, sweet, fun, a hell of a musician….”
“I can see why you’d be conflicted,” me brother put in.
I ignored him and carried on, knowin’ our mates’d be back soon. “I thought we’d have a bit of fun, y’know? Have a good time with each other, end it as friends and not look back.”
“Right.”
“No, not right—not even bloody close,” I hissed. “I think about her almost all the time. This isn’t fucking right, Tom. She’s…she’s…got under me skin, and I dunno why. And it fucking terrifies me.”
Tom was silent for a bit, thinkin’. “Does she know?” he finally asked me.
I shook me head.
“Maybe yeh should tell her,” me brother suggested.
“Tell her what exactly, then?”
He looked at me like I was bein’ a bloody idiot. “Tell her what you told me right now.” He leant closer and lowered his voice. “Look, brother, I know you had a rough go the last time with…” I cut him a sharp glance and he didn’t say the name. “I know it was bad,” he carried on, “but yeh know not all birds are like her.”
“Thank fuck,” I muttered.
Tom stood up and smiled at me. “You can do it,” he said sternly. “But there’s one more thing I must ask you first: Are we mice, or are we men?” It was an old joke off a cartoon.
I smiled back at him and recited the answer: “I like cheese.”
“None of that, now,” he chided me. “Go clean up, go get that bird, and do what you must.”

Just then, we looked out the bus window and saw…Pet!
“Jay-sus!” I hissed. “Tom, I can’t talk to her right now--”
He nodded. “Don’t worry, brother, just get yer smelly arse out of here. I’ll do the rest.”
I bolted for the bunks and waited.

Pet’s POV

I climbed up one of the bus steps, about to call out for Joe, when Tom suddenly appeared, making me jump. He laughed at me flinching.
“Sorry, Pet, didn’t know you was there!” he exclaimed. “How’s it with you this lovely morning?”
I smiled up at him. “Great, Tom. Hey, I’m looking for your brother, of course. Is he around anywhere?”
Tom looked over his shoulder and stepped down closer to me. “Actually, he’s asleep yet. Guess he feels poorly this mornin’.”
“Oh,” I said, disappointed. “I thought he’d wanna come have something to eat, or hang out for awhile. What happened? Why do you think he’s still sleeping?”
He lowered his voice. “Late night,” he explained. “Playin’ some sorta new game or summat like that. But I’ll tell him you were round.” He smiled brightly. “Where can he find you when we revive him?”
I glanced up at their bus windows just then, and I knew I saw movement. And since I’d just come from the catering tent and had seen Bryan and Glenn, of course it had to be Joe.
Tom was lying to me; but why?
I smiled back and played along. “Oh, I’ll be all over the place, but mostly at our bus. We’ve got some new stuff to go over so we can play it later this week. I’ll see you, huh?”
“Sure, darlin’,” he said. “See you at least at the show.”
I waved and walked away, still wondering what the hell was going on.

Joe’s POV

Tom stepped back into the bus and glared at me. I hadn’t been able to resist watchin’ him deal with Pet, and was crouched by the window.
“You’re an arse, y’know that?” he asked me angrily. “What the fuck was that about?”
“I—I just…wanted to see her,” I admitted, feelin’ about as pathetic as I sounded.
Me brother shook his head in disgust. “Do what I told you,” he said through his teeth. “Now.”
I shuffled off to the loo and went to clean up.