Girl I Know

Melody and Dante pulled up behind the bus in the lot at the venue. The drive on the way up was nice as the two of them made pleasant conversation the whole way up. When they got out of the car everyone else was coming off the buses and Melody excused herself to go find her dad.

When she spotted Brian she ran right up to him.

”So?”

“So what?” he asked tapping her nose with his finger.

“So, did you talk to her?”

“She’s here so there is some progress, but it isn’t going to be fixed with one conversation Melody.”

“But you love each other” her face bore sadness and confusion and he tried to be understanding of her wanting to have her parents back together.

“Melody, I would love nothing more then to rewind back to before this tour started and do it all over, but unfortunately life doesn’t come with a rewind button and sometimes love just isn’t enough”

Defeated, she walked away and headed towards Seven and Legend who were on their way into the venue.

Fiction had sound check first and Melody stood by the side of the stage watching. Blade knew she was there, but she never paid him any mind. All her attention was focused on Dante.

“It’s not nice to break someone else’s heart just because you got yours stepped on”

When she turned around she saw Johnny standing behind her. “What do you mean?” she asked not understanding where he was going with that little comment.

“What I mean is you should be careful. You may not mean to do it, but you are going to break that man’s heart over there” he said and with a gesture of his hand motioned towards Dante.
“I am not going to break his heart” she smiled politely.

“Can I tell you a story?” he asked as he pulled a cigarette from his pack and lit it.

“Ok”

“When I met Kelli, I loved her after only knowing her for five minutes. It was the kind of love that is natural and pure in its truest form. When I lost her part of me died inside. I couldn’t get her back; there was no second chance for me. She died. Yes, I love Riley and I honestly believe that Kelli handpicked her for me. She’s patient and kind and loving and I couldn’t ask for a better mother for my baby girl. I almost lost her because of my own stupidity. I know now that if love is meant to be, it will be. You know as well as I do that you are not meant to be with Dante. He likes you a lot and when you wake up and realize where your heart truly lies, he’s going to be hurt. So, be careful.”

She nodded and suddenly felt like shit, but she wasn’t ready to give Blade the satisfaction of crawling back and apologizing when she wasn’t the one who did anything wrong to begin with.

“I’ll be careful” she said and silently thanked him for the subtle hint of a warning of what could happen if she continued to use Dante for her own personal gain.

Johnny nodded and walked off to find his wife leaving Melody all alone. She turned back to the band and her gaze went straight to Blade. He was to tuned into what he was doing to even notice that she was looking at him, but Dante couldn’t take his eyes off of her even though he noticed she was staring at his competition. It was time for him to step up his game and he knew it. When the sound check was over, he walked off the stage and right over to where she stood.

“Hey pretty girl, you come here often?” he asked her the same teasing question she asked him at Matt’s party.

“Sure, every night” she laughed.

He laughed with her and put his hands in his pockets. “So, we’ll be home for good in three more weeks” he noted.

“I know” she winked.

“So, I was thinking maybe when we get back into town I could take you out” he rocked back on his heels as he spoke.

“I think maybe you could” she nodded.

“Well, all right then.” He winked. “I guess we have a date”

“I guess we do” she winked back flirting with him. She should have said no and she knew it. She was playing a dangerous game, but she had no idea how dangerous it was going to get.

When it came time for the show to actually start the band started for the stage and Melody walked with Dante.

“how about a kiss for luck?” he asked bluntly.

“you don’t need luck” she laughed

“true, so how about a kiss just because I’m really hot!”

She laughed and stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I guess it’s impossible to argue with that” she smiled and watched as he ran out on to the stage with the rest of the band.

--

Stormy waited back stage in the dressing room, as Brian got ready for the show. He was standing in front of the mirror putting on his eyeliner when there was a knock at the door.

“Can you get that?” he asked stormy as he traced the black kohl pencil under his lash line.

“Yeah, sure” she got up and answered the door. There was a man standing on the other side of the door. Someone she didn’t recognize. He was short and stout and wore a beige trench coat with a cap on his head which from what she could tell was bald.

“I have a package for Brian Haner” the man said with a slight smile.

“I can take it” she reached out her hand for the package but the man declined to give it to her.

“Sorry, Mr. Haner needs to sign for this himself.”

Brian walked over to the door and stood before the man with a questioning gaze.

“Are you Brian Haner?” the man asked.

“Yeah, that’s me” he nodded and the man handed him the package.

“You’ve just been served” he said and walked away before Brian or Stormy could say another word.

“What the hell is that about?” Stormy asked, but Brian was just as confused as she was. Obviously he was going to have to appear in court, but for what neither had a clue.

When Brian opened the package he read the papers inside and when he saw the contents he closed his eyes and leaned back against the counter in front of the mirror.

“What is it?” Stormy was nervous. Judging by the look on his face, this wasn’t going to be good.

“I’m being sued”

“For what”

“Child support.” He couldn’t even look at her when he said it.

“What?”

“That groupie from last month, the one I…. you know. Apparently she is pregnant and is claiming that the kid is mine.”

Stormy put her hand over her mouth and shook her head. Just when she thought they were going to be able to start working things out, once again fate stepped in and proved her wrong. Unable to control her emotions, she turned and ran from the room leaving him there alone.