Devour

“We got this better bus a few years ago.” Ville said as he led me onto the large tour bus. We’re leaving on tour in two days. First around here, then overseas (America). We packed yesterday and today we’re moving in.

At first sight it was really nice. At second glance, it was nasty.

“Ville! Don’t you guys ever clean?!” I gasped at the sight of water bottles full of piss, miscellaneous cans thrown about and general manly mess.

He stopped rummaging through cabinets and gave me a guilty look, “What?”

I just shook my head and laughed.

“So, this is where we spend some of the time. Mostly when we eat and…I don’t know. It’s just this place.” He explained awkwardly. I listened intently as he gave me a tour through the rest of the bus.

“This is the bunk area, we all sleep here.” He snickered as he realized the tone that his voice held. He sounded like a real estate agent. “Anyways, Gas snores horrifically bad, Mige talks in his sleep and the rest of the guys just snore.”

I laughed, “I’ve lived with boys my whole life. I know men.”

He smiled bashfully, “Where did you get that?” He asked as he pointed towards my shirt.

“Bam bought it for me.” I said, referring to the white shirt that read ‘Bombing for peace is like fucking for virginity’.

His eyes lit up, “I’m gonna tell him to get me one. Those are wise words.”

“I know it.” I said as he pulled me into the back.

“The bathroom is right there and this is the back lounge. We have fun here.” He beamed.

“Baby, I’ve been in one of these…I don’t exactly remember you being this courteous the first time we were on a bus together.” I said causing him to turn a light shade of pink.

“I didn’t know you then.” He said then sat down on the, I suppose you could call it a couch, and pulled me down with him.

“It’s weird how a bad first impression made all of this happen.”

He smiled and absent mindedly ran his fingers through his hair.

“I know.”

“Why is this door unlocked?” A vaguely familiar voice asked. Ville held his pointer finger up to his lips to signal me to be quiet. I smiled a geeky smile.

The man continued to walk through the bus, he rattled bags and opened and closed doors. Eventually he arrived at the door to the back of the bus. The door creaked open and a man with very long dreadlocks walked in. Ville jumped out causing him to stagger backwards into the wall.

Ville broke into his signature laugh, “I got you!”

“How could you let him do that to me, Alice? I nearly had a heart attack.” The man I remembered to be Linde said. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t I see a car or something outside?” Linde asked as he sat down on the ‘couch’.

“We’re taking taxi’s now.” Ville said quietly.

Linde looked confused, “I know you drive illegally but Alice has her license right? Most Americans do.”

“Mr. Sensitive doesn’t want to be held responsible if we get in a wreck.” I said sarcastically before pulling a granola bar from my bag.

“That’s stupid.” Linde said with a girlie flick of his dreads.

“Hey guys!” A skinny woman said as she walked into the room.

“Hey Manna.” Ville said then put his arm around me. I munched cozily on the granola bar.

“That’s Alice, remember me telling you about her?” Linde said as she sat next to him.

“That’s his wife.” Ville whispered in my ear. I smiled and nodded.

“Hello Alice.” She said happily. I smiled.

“Anyways, why are you spending extra money on a taxi when you can drive?” Linde asked.

I rolled my eyes and swallowed my food, “I’m pregnant and he doesn’t want to be responsible for killing the baby when he can’t drive that well.”

I thought it was sweet in a childish sort of way.

Linde rolled his eyes, “If you guys don’t stop you’re going to end up like that one American family with fucking 19 kids.”

My heart nearly stopped at the idea, “No way in hell.”

----

These sleep deprived eyes craved the feeling of that soft pillow. But that was out of the question due to morning sickness. Ville was sleeping peacefully. I ran downstairs so I wouldn’t wake him.

We’re leaving in an hour or two. I prayed that I would be able to make it the rest of the morning without puking. Feeling that my stomach was completely empty I wandered out of the bathroom.

We still had some packing to do and I had to make breakfast. I walked up the stairs slowly, so as not to rattle my stomach.

“Shh, baby, it’s okay.” I spoke to the child as if it could hear me. I knew it couldn’t.

I tip-toed into my bedroom. Ville was lying on his stomach, his arm folded underneath his head, snoring lightly. I smiled as I made my way to the closet.

I ran my hand over the maternity clothes that still hung perfectly in a row on my side of the closet. I bought gigantic band-shirts to wear over my soon to be huge stomach. The funniest one was bought by Bam, it read; does this alien symbiote make my butt look big?. He has a knack for buying clothes that say it all without really saying anything.

I pulled a few shirts off the rack, a few pairs of pants and grabbed other necessities. I threw them in the already open duffel bag, then zipped the lid. I opened the bag next to it and then it was on to Ville’s side. He wore unusual shirts as well. I threw some t-shirts, button up shirts and jeans in his bag. It was very likely that he didn’t pack for himself. When I finished packing I went into the bathroom and grabbed my vitamins and other things. I packed those as well.

“Good morning.” A very groggy Ville said. I smiled.

“Have you been up all morning?” He asked as he went to get his toothbrush. It wasn’t there, he turned around and pulled it from my small hand.

“Yes unfortunately, but I got all the packing done. Except for these things and I still have to make breakfast.”

“I’m assuming you’re going to sleep the entire way to the venue.” He smiled with the end of his toothbrush sticking from his mouth. I laughed.

“Yes I am. I’ve never seen you guys live though. So I’m not gonna miss that.” I smiled happily.

He looked around the room like he were searching for a tangible answer, “You mean to tell me…”

I shook my head, “Nope, remember I was pissed at you.”

“I see.”

“I’m gonna go front row and pose as a fan-girl.” I giggled then smacked his butt as I walked out of the bathroom.

“That’s my money maker.”