Devour

My first night on the bus was miserable. My stomach would lurch with every bump in the road or steep curve. I sat in the back lounge with my arms wrapped protectively around my stomach.

The interstate was a lonely place at night.

“Alice?” Ville asked groggily.

I smiled a sympathetic smile but couldn’t muster the strength to speak for the fear of vomiting. He stood in front of me wearing pajama bottoms and no shirt.

“Sick?” He asked simply before running his hands through his short hair.

I nodded, “Very.”

“Are you going to be able to do this? Touring is pretty rough.” He said as he sat next to me. I laid my head on his shoulder and shrugged.

“Last time you went on tour with us you weren’t pregnant.”

“I know but I really want to do this. I don’t want to be away from you.” I said, tears crept to my eyes at the thought of being away from him for so long.

“I don’t want you to be miserable.”

I groaned, “I’ll go back to West Chester, I guess. Under one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“I rent my own apartment. I don’t want to live with Bam.”

He laughed softly, “Okay.”

“Tomorrow we’re in a hotel though, right?”

“Yep,”

“I guess I’ll go home tomorrow then.”

-----

And there we were once again, apart. Except this time it was under better terms. He hugged me for the final time.

“I love you more than anything, Alice.” He said with a small smile on his face though he sounded like he was going to cry.

“I love you too. I’ll call you when we land.” I said then kissed him softly. He rubbed my stomach then grinned.

“Take care of her.” He smirked at his reference to the baby. He kissed my forehead.

The announcer came over the loud speaker in year another language I didn’t understand.

“That’s your flight.”

I nodded, then wrapped my arms around his skinny body. I had a death grip on him. He kissed the top of my head.

“You have to go now.” He said causing me to let go. We kissed one last time. He waved bye to me as I walked away. I didn’t want to look back for fear that I would want to stay there with him forever.

I put my headphones in and pressed shuffle.

Come put a little love in my glove box, wanna dance with no pants on.

Did not match my mood but made me want to dance. I boarded the plane. In a few hours I would be landing in Pennsylvania, the last place I actually wanted to be.