All These Things We Do

Brian placed his phone back down onto the table in front of him with a frown, trying to think why Eloise hadn’t answer his calls and then seemingly turned her phone off. He was trying to get hold of her to let her know that he was going to be home later than they’d first planned but she hadn’t picked up and now her phone was off. She never turned her cell off. He looked up to see Johnny and Matt both on their phones, presumably talking to Lacey and Val.

“Dude!” he called, holding his hand up to get Matt’s attention.

“Hold on a second babe.” Matt said before holding the phone away from his ear to listen to Brian.

“Ask Val if she’s seen El? I can’t get hold of her to let her know we’re going to be late.” He asked. Matt nodded and relayed the question to his wife. Brian watched as Matt nodded as he listened to Val’s reply.

“Ok babe, I’ll see you soon. Love you.” Matt said down the phone before hanging up and looking up at Brian.

“Val said she was just about to head over there, so she’ll get her to call you shortly.” Matt explained. Brian nodded in understanding.

“Thanks dude.” He replied simply with half a smile.

“I know what you’re thinking Bri, and she’s fine. This isn’t like last time, those two creeps are out of our lives.” Matt said quietly. “She’s fine.”

“Yeah, I know, I just can’t help it, she always answers her cell.” Brian replied.

Val stood outside Brian and Eloise's front door waiting for a reply. When none came she contemplated for a moment what she should do. She could hear at least one of the babies crying inside so she knew she had to be there. Deciding that she should go in she tried the door, when it opened she pushed Liam’s stroller through before closing it behind her. as soon as she was inside she was aware that it wasn’t only the babies crying she could hear; there was sobbing coming from somewhere in the living room but she couldn’t see anyone.

Briefly checking that Liam was still asleep in she walked over to the sofa where, to her complete surprise she found Eloise, holding her knees close to her chest as she sobbed.

“Eloise honey, what’s wrong?” she asked calmly as she rushed to her side, kneeling down beside her. Eloise didn’t reply, she barely acknowledged that Val was there; she just continued to cry, not bothering to even try to wipe her tears away.

“El, honey, it’s me, Val, come on sweetie, what happened?” she tried again, this time gaining a shake of the head in reply. Eloise opened her mouth made the shape of words but the only sound was a whispered mumble.

“Whatever it is honey, it’ll be ok, but listen one of the babies is crying up there, they need you.” Val said but again all she got was a silent shake of her head.

“I’ll be back in a second.” She whispered before standing up and heading up the stairs.

Both twins were awake when she walked into the nursery. While Katie lay in her crib happily, Nathan was the one making all the noise so Val took him in her arms and comforted him. With that done she bent down and carefully picked Katie up out of her crib and made her way back downstairs.

“This little man has a strong set of lungs hasn’t he.” Val said lightly as she set them both down in their bouncers beside the sofa before turning back to Eloise who was still in the same position.

“El, is that what this is about? Are you struggling with the twins?” she said quietly, kneeling beside her once again.

“I wish that was the problem.” Eloise whispered, still looking blankly ahead of her.

“El, talk to me, you know you can tell me anything, and its obvious that something’s got you in this state, please Hun.” Val pleaded in a whisper.

“She, he, intimate, got another son.” She choked out through sobs and tears. Val started at her with a confused look on her face.

“Eloise you’re not making any sense. You need to calm down and start from the be-“

“Calm down?” she yelled suddenly jumping up from the sofa making Val jump back with fright. “Calm down, I’ve just been told that Brian cheated on me and has a son with some whore!” she continued to yell, stomping over to the trash can and retrieving the crumpled up photograph.

“What? No, that can’t be true, Brian would never…” Val began to protest before Eloise thrust the photo into her hands.

Val was silent for a long moment as she stared at the baby in the crumpled photo.

“Try and tell me that that baby doesn’t look a thing like Brian!” Eloise demanded. Val remained silent, not being able to lift her eyes back up to Eloise.

“See, you can’t can you. He fucking cheated on me Val. He has a son.” She retorted. Val stayed silent for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on.

“There’s got to be some mistake. He wouldn’t have cheated, and on tour? The guys would have known, Matt would have told me.”

“Believe me Val, I don’t want to believe it either, but the evidence is pretty strong. Look at that kid; it could be one of Brian’s baby photos, hell if the twins were a couple of months older you’d think it was Nathan. And why would she lie Val? Why would she come here to tell me something that could effectively split up our family if it wasn’t true?” Eloise screamed.

“I don’t know El, I wish I did, I wish I could tell you, I wish I could make this all go away. You need to talk to Brian.” she replied calmly.

“No, no I can’t talk to him, I don’t want to talk to him, I don’t want to see him or even be around him right now.” She replied shaking her head back and forth continuously.

“El, you have to, you can’t just run away. You’ve got to give Brian at least the chance to explain. You know that he wouldn’t intentionally hurt you. Please, he’ll be home in an hour or so, just explain what’s happened and listen to what he has to say. For the twins at least.” Val pleaded.

Eloise was quiet for a long moment, contemplating Val’s words. When she finally spoke her voice was calmer and quieter, almost a whisper.

“No, I can’t bring myself to look at him. I need some time to think this over, I need to get away from here for a few days.” She said.

“Where are you going to go?”

“I think I’ll take the twins to see their grandparents, they haven’t seen them since they were first born anyway. It’ll give me a chance to think things over.” She said, standing up from the sofa.

Val could only watch in silence as Eloise climbed the stairs. She turned, sinking back into the sofa and picking up the photo again. She couldn’t deny the resemblance this child held to Brian, but she didn’t want to believe that it was his child. She knew Brian, he loved Eloise more than anything and she knew that he would never do anything to hurt her.

“Can you help me get the twins in the car?” Eloise said quietly as she reached the bottom of the stairs, three bags in her hands.

“Eloise, please, are you sure about this?” Val said as she stood up from the sofa.

“I just need time Val.” She whispered.

Val nodded solemnly before she turned to pick up the twin and followed her out to the car. She helped Eloise put the twins into their car seats before she turned and pulled her into a hug.

“Tell Brian. Tell him that I love him, but I need some time to think.” She said quietly before she turned and got into the car. Again, all Val could do was watch in silence as Eloise backed the car out of the driveway, wondering just what she was going to say to Brian. As she walked back into the house, Val sent Matt a message telling him to get off the bus with Brian.

Brian didn’t know what to think when Matt told him that Val had said for him to get off the bus at his place.

“Something’s wrong, I know it.” Brian muttered running his hands through his hair.

“Dude, you don’t know that, Val might just be hanging out with her and –“ Matt began.

“So why can’t I get hold of Eloise? If everything’s ok, and Val’s at ours then why hasn’t she told Eloise to call me.” Brian retorted.

Matt sighed. Brian had a good point. Something wasn’t quite right about this situation. Thankfully they would have less than half an hour to wait to find out what was going on.
Before they had even turned into his street Brian had grabbed his backpack and thrown it onto his shoulder and was heading down to the front of the bus. Jason had barely had time to pull up to the curb before Brian was pressing the button to open the door and was jumping out onto his driveway.

He burst through his front door to find Val sat on the sofa with Liam in her arms as she stared blankly at the TV which was keeping her son entertained.

“Val what’s going on? Where’s Eloise?” he said throwing his bag to the ground as he made his way to the sofa. When she looked up at him, his heart almost broke there and then from the look of sorrow in her eyes. “What’s happened?” he asked sinking down into the sofa next to her.

“I’m sorry Bri, I tried to stop her, I really did, but she said she needed time to think.” Val said quietly, glancing up briefly to see Matt walking through the door.

“Think? What has she got to think about Val? Where has she gone?” Brian replied his voice rising slightly. Val was silent for a moment, gesturing for Matt to take Liam off her.

“A woman turned up here a few hours ago Brian, she told Eloise that, well that you’d slept with her on tour last year.” She began quietly.

“What no way.” Matt yelled in disbelief as Brian started open mouthed at Val.

“Val I promise you I would never, Eloise has to know that too.” Brian replied.

“I know, and if it was only that what this girl told her she may still be here now, but, well, she told her that you got her pregnant and showed her this photo saying that it’s your son.” Val explained with tears in her eyes as she leaned across to take the photograph off the coffee table and passed it to Brian.

Brian was silent as he stared at the photo in his hands. He couldn’t deny the similarities, of how familiar this little boy looked. “Val I promise you, I haven’t cheated on Eloise. The thought has never even crossed my mind. I love her more than anything, I would never hurt her; you’ve got to know that. She’s got to know that.” He said lifting his eyes to meet hers.

“I want to believe you Brian, really I do, and so does Eloise. But even you’ve got to admit that the evidence is pretty convincing.” She replied pointing at the photo that he still had clutched in his hands.

“She believes it doesn’t she? She thinks this is my son.” He replied, his voice shaking as tears emerged from his eyes.

“Right now Bri, I don’t think even she knows what to believe. She wants to believe that it’s a lie, and I’m sure once she’s calmed down she’ll come back and listen to what you have to say but until then -“

“Come back? Val where is she?” Brian interrupted his eyes wide.

“She said she needed some time to think, she’s gone to her mom and dad’s for a few days, she’s taken the twins with her.” she replied quietly.

“I’ve got to get to Sacramento, I’ve got to talk to her, tell her it’s all a lie.” He said standing up quickly, dropping the photograph to the floor.

“Brian, wait, I really think it’s for the best if you leave her calm down for a few days. She’s upset right now; she just needs some space to think.” Val said standing up with him.

“And what if she decides she can’t be with me anymore Val. She’s got to know this is all a lie, I can’t risk loosing her.” he replied.

“Bri, I think Val is right, you need to give her time.” Matt spoke as he came to Val’s side.

“But-“ he started.

“Bri, she loves you, we all know that, please, just give her a few days. Call her by all means, reassure her, I’m sure she’ll be back by the end of the week.” Val said softly, taking a step forward and laying her hand on his arm as a gesture of support.

“Do you really think she’ll be back?” he asked quietly.

“Bri, she loves you, and you’re the father of her babies, she would never keep them away from you no matter what happens between you.” Val assured him as he suddenly took a step back away from her.

“Val, do you think that I cheated on Eloise?” he asked quietly.

“Brian, I want to believe you, I know how much you love her, but-“

“Val I would never cheat on her. You need to know that. This woman, whoever she is, is lying and breaking my family apart. I promise you that.” He pleaded.

“Ok.” Val nodded. “I believe you, I just hope that Eloise can too.” she replied calmly.
“What am I going to do to convince her?” he asked running his hand through his hair as he sat back down on the sofa.

“I don’t know Bri, I really don’t know what else to tell you.” Val replied quietly.

“Thanks anyway. Listen I don’t want to be rude, but I think its best I’m left on my own for a while. I’ve got to figure a way of getting my wife back.” He replied.

“Ok, of course honey, but you know where we are if you need us.” She replied. Brian nodded, placing his face in his hands. He had no idea what he was going to do or what he had done to deserve this. Yet again he was close to loosing the woman he loved more than anything, that he’d loved most of his life; the mother of his babies. and he didn’t have the first clue of how to make it right.