Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

“You ready to go, baby?”, Johnny called.

“Yea.”, I replied. I tried to sit up on the couch, but my efforts turned out to be an epic fail. I leaned back sighed. “Johnny, come help me up. I can’t stand up.”

Johnny laughed as he walked over to me and held out his hand. “Having problems already?”, he asked. “You know I’m not going to be here to help you for three months.”

“I’m not helpless.”, I huffed. “And besides, Emmy and Callie will be here to help me.”

Johnny tugged me off of the couch and into his arms. “I guess I feel a little better about leaving you for three months.”

“Only a little?”, I questioned, smiling.

“Yes.” Johnny wound his arms carefully around my expanded waist. “I’m going to be practically overcome with guilt because I left you here.” I simply smiled at him and kissed him softly on the lips. He pulled away and stared at me suspiciously. “Stop that.”, he whispered. “Or I won’t want to leave.”

“In that case...” I placed my hands on the back of his neck and kissed him again. Johnny groaned into my lips.

“Okay.”, he mumbled. “Not that I’m not enjoying this, but I’ve really got to go.”

“Alright.”, I whimpered. “Let’s go.”

. . .

“Okay guys.”, Larry, the guy’s manager shouted. “Get your shit and get on the bus. We’re leaving in ten minutes. If you’re not on the bus when we leave, your ass stays here.” The guys instantly scrambled to collect their things. I laughed. Larry didn’t look like the type of guy to be managing a kick-ass band like Avenged Sevenfold, but he sure did a damn fine job of it.

I walked over to where Johnny was loading his bass onto the undercarriage of the bus. I snaked my arms around his waist, latching on tight, and buried my face in his chest. “I’m going to miss you.”, I whimpered. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“I wish I didn’t have to go, too.”, Johnny agreed. “But we both know I have to.”

“That doesn’t mean I won’t miss you.”, I whispered. “I love you, Johnny.”

He smiled. “I love you, too, Hayliee.”, he murmured. He laid his hands flush across my stomach, and as if drawn to Johnny’s touch, the babies kicked. “And I love you, too, Madelyn and Isaiah.”

“Alright, guys. Let’s go!”, Larry called.

Johnny looked at me sympathetically. “I got to go, Hayliee.”

He started towards the bus and I seized his hand, suddenly scared to be alone. “Don’t go.”, I begged.

“Hayliee, I have to.”, Johnny explained.

I felt tears burning the backs of my eyes. “Please. I want you to stay.”

“I can’t.”, Johnny stressed. He leaned down and kissed me. “But I promise, I’ll call you every night. Now, I’ve got to get on the bus, okay?”

“Okay.”, I mimicked.

“Yo, short shit. Get your ass on the bus!”, Zacky called.

Johnny wiped the tears from my cheeks and kissed me again. “Don’t cry. I’ll see you in three months. I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too.”, I said. “Bye, Johnny.”

“You have to let go of my hand first.”

“Oh.” I dropped his hand. “Bye again.”

“Bye.” Johnny ran to the bus and jumped on as it started to pull away.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and found Emmy standing beside me. “God, I miss him already.”, she said.

“You think you miss Zacky?”, I scoffed. “I think I’m going to die without Johnny.”

“You are so dramatic.”, Emmy admonished. “You’re not going to die.”

“Ugh. I feel like I might.”, I grumbled. “Let’s go home.”

. . .

“You remember where the guest room is, right?”, Emmy asked.

“Yea.” I dragged my bags down the hall and dropped them in the doorway to the guestroom. Plopping down on the end of the bed, I sighed dejectedly. God, if I can’t stand to be away from Johnny for a few hours, how am I going to be able to be away from him for three months? Suddenly, I picked up my phone and dialed Johnny’s number. It had only been a few hours since he’d left, but I needed to hear his voice.

“Hello?”, he said.

“Johnny?” I fumbled with the phone. “Hey.”

“Hayliee? Is that you?”

“Yea.”, I whispered. “I wanted to talk to you. I miss you.”

Johnny laughed. “Baby, it’s only been a few hours. How can you miss me already?”

“I just can.”, I stated. “Is that a crime?”

“No. I’m flattered that you miss me already.”, he said.

“Do you miss me?”, I whimpered.

“Of course I do, baby.”, Johnny cooed.

I laid back on the bed. “Where’s your first show?”

“Uh...Los Angeles.”, he answered.

“I’m coming.”, I said simply.

“Baby, no. It’s too dangerous.”, Johnny explained. “Especially with you being pregnant and all...”

“I’ll watch from backstage.”, I compromised. “But I’m coming. I want to see you.”

Johnny sighed. “Alright.”, he conceded. “You can come.”

“Yay.”, I cheered. “I can’t wait.” Suddenly I yawned. “I’m tired.”

“I’ll let you go, then. So you can sleep.”, Johnny said. “I love you, Hayliee.”

I grinned. “I love you, too, Johnny.” I paused. “I wish you could kiss me.”

“I wish I could kiss you, too, baby.” I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was smiling, too. “Here, I’ll blow you a kiss. Will that work?”

“A little.”, I admitted. “It would be better if you were actually here.” I felt an odd sensation as the babies kicked again. “Madelyn and Isaiah want you here, too.”

“God, I wish I was there.”, Johnny pouted. “Now I’m glad you’re coming to our show. I’ll let you go now. Get some rest, baby.”

“Okay. Bye, Johnny.”

“Bye, Hayliee.”

“God, you two are so mushy.”, Emmy said, causing me to jump. I looked up and saw her standing in the doorway. “Couldn’t stand not talking to him?”

“No.”, I mumbled. I laid my hands across my abdomen. “I want him here.”

“Yea. I know you do.”, Emmy sympathized. “I want Zacky here, too. But...at least I’m not pregnant. This must be torture for you, Hayliee.”

I nodded, starting to cry. “It is. God, it is. I’m scared, Emmy. So fucking scared. Because sometimes all I can think about is how hard it’s going to be to raise these two babies. But when Johnny’s here, he tells me everything is going to be fine, and I believe him.”

“Two babies?”, Emmy asked incredulously. “Hayliee, you’re having twins?” I nodded me head, half-way smiling, and she continued, “Do you know what they are?”

“A boy and a girl.”, I said, my voice soft. “We’ve decided to name them Isaiah Jonathan and Madelyn Marie.”

“Twins...”, Emmy said again. “I bet Johnny’s happy about that.”

“Yea.”, I replied. “He’s all ‘it’s going to be great’ and ‘I’m so happy’ and I am, too, but...I’m still scared. And I-I just wish J-Johnny was h-here.”

“Hayliee, calm down.”, Emmy fretted. “It’ll be fine.”

I wiped my tears away, angry at myself. “God, I feel like an idiot. I shouldn’t be acting like this. I shouldn’t be crying over Johnny like this. It’s just, this past year. I’ve spent so much time with Johnny, it’s weird being away from him.”

“Yea, it seems like ever since you met him, you’ve spent like every minute with him.”

“I can’t help it.”, I hedged. “He makes me feel special.”

Emmy poked my stomach jokingly. “Yea, he certainly does.”

I slapped her hand away. “You know, it almost hurts to think of what might’ve happened if I hadn’t gone to the bar with you guys that night.”

“Oh my God, you’re right.”, Emmy said in awe. “If Callie and I hadn’t dragged you to that bar, you never would’ve met Johnny.” She smiled. “So, you should probably thank us.”

“Thank you, Emmy.”, I repeated sarcastically. “Thank you for dragging me to that bar against my will, thank you for leaving me alone, thank you for sort of helping me find my soul mate, and thank you for this.” I splayed my hands across my stomach.

“Actually, I think you should thank Johnny for that.”

“Ha.”, I laughed. “I guess you’re right.”

“But what I’m wondering...”, Emmy pondered. “Is how you let this happen? I thought you and Johnny were super careful with your...relations.”

“We were.”, I stated defensively. “But when I was packing for our honeymoon, I forgot to pack my birth control pills. And Johnny, er, forgot to use a condom.”

“I’m surprised you let him sleep with you.”, Emmy remarked.

I looked at her, partially shocked. “You actually think I’d stop him?”

“Why? Is he that good?”, she asked. I nodded and we both laughed. Then Emmy clasped her hands together nervously. “Does Johnny, you know, ever...pressure you for sex?”

“Yea.”, I mumbled. “But he’s never forceful. Why? Does Zacky pressure you?”

“Sometimes.”, she admitted. “After the first time, he just kept asking. Sometimes I feel like that’s all he cares about.”

“Oh, Emmy.” I hugged her comfortingly. “I’m sure Zacky cares about more than just sex. I think he loves you.” I paused. “By the way, how many times have you slept with Zacky?”

“Twice.”, she whispered shamefully. “Do you really think he loves me?”

“Yes.”, I stated genuinely. “I think Zacky loves you very much. Why, do you love him?”

Emmy nodded. “Yea, I do. I love Zacky. A lot. And I want him to love me, too.”

“He does.”, I assured.

“We haven’t talked like this in a long time.”, Emmy whispered. “You know, about guys.”

“Well, I never thought that the next time we talked about guys, I’d be talking about my husband...and be pregnant with his babies.”

“And I never thought my boyfriend would be a rockstar.”, Emmy added excitedly.

“Yea, things really have changed.”, I remarked. I rubbed my stomach thoughtfully. “I just hope they’ve changed for the better.”