Welcome to the Family

“Are you sure that you’re not in any pain?” Dad asked for the millionth time.

“Yes! I’m fine Dad!” I replied getting annoyed.

For the past three days in the hospital my Dad had been asking me every five minuets if I was in pain. I knew that he was worried but it was getting on my last nerve! I knew that the plane ride was going to be even worse.

“Oh my god Joey you have no clue how much fun it is to have a teenage girl to shop for.” Val said as she came into the room with Michelle and Leana behind her and then Johnny, Matt and Zacky trailing behind with loads of bags.

“Holy shit did you guys buy half of the mall?” Dad asked as the guys sat the bag on the floor of the hospital room.

“Yes.” Zacky replied.

“And there’s more back at the hotel room bro.” Matt said sympathetically as he handed Dad the credit card he’d given Val to get me some clothes.

“Then there’s the fact that you know Lacey and Gena are buying shit in California too.” Johnny chimed in.

Dad just shook his head, “Well it’s not like she has clothes so I guess that it’s worth it all.” he said with a smile.

“Good. Now when are we leaving? Lacey sent me pictures of Joey’s room and I’m dying for her to see it!” Michelle said.

“As soon as the doctor gives me the papers to fill out.” Dad replied.

“And when will that be?” Matt asked.

“Well according to the nurse the doctor is stuck in traffic and won’t be here for another half hour.” Jimmy replied.

The others sunk into chairs, well except for Johnny who walked over and plopped himself beside me on the hospital bed and helped himself to my Jell-O.

“Excuse you!” I said with a laugh as he popped one of the cubes in his mouth.

“What? You weren’t going to eat it!” he replied.

“How did you know? Maybe I was saving it for later!” I said.

“Short Shit! Quit eating my daughter’s lunch!” Dad said with a smirk as he said the word ‘daughter’.

Johnny opened his mouth to reply when the doctor came in, “I’m terribly sorry to be late. There was a large wreck on the way here. Now Mr. Haner if I could just get you to sign these papers you and your daughter can be on your way.” he said and handed Dad the clipboard with papers on it.

Dad filled out a couple of things, signed a sheet or two before handing it back to the doctor who smiled, “Everything looks good. Just stop by the nurse’s station to pick up Joey’s prescriptions and then you can leave.” he said and left.

“Yay! Now we get to go home!” Leana said jumping up and down as much as the little girl growing in her stomach would allow.

“And you get to try on your new clothes. Now I think that they’re the right sizes. I got the ones Tyfany told me to get.” Val said and started rummaging in a bag.

I watched as he pulled out a few things from a couple of the bags and handed them to me. It was hard for me to move with my ribs broken so Matt and Dad helped me up and I made my way to the bathroom. Michelle came in behind me to help me since I couldn’t bend over.

I pulled off the crappy hospital gown and tossed it into the corner of the bathroom. Michelle handed me black and white bra and panties set. I pulled them on before being handed a gray cami and black lounge pants. Once those were on my body I pulled on a long sleeved shirt with a little help from Michelle and walked out.

“What’s with the layers?” I asked as Leana handed me a hoodie.

“Well it’s cold as hell here, the plane will fluctuate and then it’ll be warmer in Cali than it will be here.” she replied.

“Now for one more thing. I remembered how much you were like this bunch, so I got you these.” Val said and pulled out a white rectangle box.

She handed it to me and I read ‘Sunglasses Hut’ on the top. I pulled off the lid and laughed. Sitting in the pink paper were a pair of aviator sunglasses.

I took them out of the box and put them on and turned to everyone else, “How do I look?” I asked with a smile.

“I hate to tell you this kid but you look just like your dad. I’m terribly sorry.” Johnny said.

Dad reached over and smacked him upside his head, “Boys play nice.” I scolded and pulled on the Ugg boots that Michelle were shoving at me.

Once I was dressed the guys picked up the shopping bags and we headed out. Dad handed the nurse behind the desk the release forms he’d filled out and she gave him a few back before walking around he desk with a wheelchair. I sat down in it and let her push me downstairs.

Once outside Jimmy helped me out of the chair and into the huge black Escalade that was parked out front of the hospital. I buckled the seat belt and once everyone was in we headed off to the hotel.

We got there fifteen minuets later and I waited in the car with the girls as the guys went up and got the bags.

“Hey Joey do you want to feel your cousin?” Leana asked with a smile.

“Yes!” I replied and she took my uncasted hand and laid it on her stomach.

I felt a little bumping thing under my hand and I smiled, “She’s gotta play drums. With those kicks she’d probably be wicked with a kick drum.” I said with a smile.

Leana shook her head with a smile, “You and your uncle. He tells me the same thing.” she said.

“So are you ready to be a big sister?” Val asked with a smile.

“Wait, weren’t you a big sister before?” Leana asked.

“Yeah but Charlotte wasn’t exactly a little sister to me. She was a complete bitch, like Satan incarnate.” I said.

“So she was just like Brad?” Michelle asked.

“Correct.” I replied.

The guys came out of the hotel, their arms full of bags. I watched as they shoved them all in before joining us in the car. We drove to the airport and all climbed out of the car. I offered to carry a couple of the bags but everyone told me that I was in no way to carry anything with my broken ribs and wrist.

We went through security before heading to get something to eat. I grabbed a chicken sandwich at the Chic-Fil-A and sat down beside Michelle who was only having saltines and sprite since she was having morning sickness.

I had wanted to talk to Michelle all day but I wanted to do it when we were alone.

“Hey Michelle can I ask you something?” I asked.

“Sure honey anything.” she said with a smile.

“Well…I mean I never really…what I…she wasn’t…if you don’t want me to it’s fine…but…” I stuttered.

“Joey honey breathe. Now tell me what you want to ask me.” she said with a smile.

“Would it be okay if I called you Mom?” I asked.

“Y-You want to call me Mom?” she asked her eyes wide.

“Yeah. I mean you and Dad have been better than Rebekka and Brad ever were to me. I mean I feel like you’re my mom more than she ever was. If you don’t want me to it’s fine I mean-” but I was interrupted by Michelle pulling me into a hug.

“Oh sweetheart! It’s perfectly okay!” she said her voice thick with tears.

“Okay…Mom.” I said testing it out and before I could stop myself I was in tears too.

We sat like that in the airport, our arms wrapped around one another and the tears flowing.

“Uh…is everything okay?” Dad asked.

I looked up and saw him standing in front of us holding a muffin and cup of coffee, “Yeah everything’s fine.” I replied wiping my eyes.

“Then why are you crying?” he asked.

“Because Joey asked me if she could call me Mom.” Michelle replied drying her eyes with the sleeve of her hoodie.

“Really?” Dad asked looking at me.

I nodded, “She’s been a better mom than Rebekka ever was.”

“That’s great baby.” he said and kissed the top of my head.

“Here now you’d better take one of these for the flight.” Dad said and handed me one of the pain pills the doctor had prescribed for me.

I downed it with a sip of my coke. A second later my phone rang and I saw it was a text from Tyfany. I had said good-bye to Tyfany early that morning when she’d stopped by before school. I knew she was in Biology right now but that she didn’t give a shit about it since she had straight A’s in school.

From: Tyfany
Hey honey hope u have good flight. Mr. Richards is so boring :P

I smiled and typed a message back.

I kno rite? Anyhow imma miss my bestie! I promise that as soon as I can I will get u out to LA.

From: Tyfany
You better girly. Anyhow loves you will ttyl.

I put my phone back in my pocket and sighed. I was going to miss that girl. However I couldn’t forget what I had now. A family.

They called us to board and we walked to where the lady was taking the tickets. We handed ours in and headed down the breeze way. We were in first class and I was sitting next Zacky. Behind us were Dad and Mom, Uncle Jimmy and Leana were next to us and Johnny sat in front of us next to some hairy dude with a bad comb over.

Thirty minuets later the plane took off. I pulled out the new Ipod that Dad had surprised me with and found ‘Little Razorblade’ By The Pink Spiders. I leaned my chair back a little, put my sunglasses down over my eyes and within moments I was asleep.

The next thing I knew someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes and found myself with my head resting on a pillow on a sleeping Zacky’s lap and Dad trying to wake the both of us up.

“How’d I end up like this?” I asked sitting up, flinching a little as the meds I’d take before the flight were wearing off.

“You dozed off about ten minuets into the flight and Zacky thought you looked uncomfortable so he asked the stewardess for a pillow and I helped him lay you down.” Dad replied.

I nodded and ran my hands though my dark hair, straightening it up a little so that I wouldn’t look like a freak when I got off the plane. They told us a short time later that we could get off the plane. I stood up and the lot of us lined up and walked down the aisle.

As I walked down the breezeway I knew it was going to be warm outside so I pulled off my hoodie and long sleeved shirt and stuffed it into the bag I’d had all my stuff in for the flight. The moment we stepped into the terminal I saw a bunch of people waiting for us. It was mostly teenage girls but there were a few reporters there with cameras.

They started snapping pictures as soon as we appeared and the girls started screaming. I stood by Mom, Val and Leana as the guys signed stuff for the fans. The reporters started yelling questions at the guys, most of them I noticed were about me.

“Who’s the young lady?” One asked.

“Zacky, Johnny is the girl standing with the other girls one of you two’s girlfriend? If so when did you break up with your other girlfriend?” another asked.

Both of them shot him a disgusted look, “She’s 16 and she’s a friend of the band.” Zacky snapped.

“She’s my daughter.” Dad said suddenly and that’s when all hell broke loose.

The questions came faster and faster now and it was getting out of hand. Dad walked over and took both Mom and I’s hands and walked as fast as he could through the crowd and to baggage. We found our stuff quickly and headed out of the airport.

“That was insane.” Jimmy said as we climbed into the huge SUV.

“Seriously. Freaking vultures. You’d think no one had ever had a kid before.” Matt replied.

The car took off and we headed to my new home. However I was soon confused as to where we were going. I guess Mom saw the look in my eyes.

“We moved.” she said.

“Oh okay I wondered.” I said and she laughed.

Soon we pulled up to a house that was bigger than the one that Dad had lived in before.

“It has four rooms and your room has your own bathroom.” Dad said, catching me looking at the house.

Suddenly the front door flew open and Gena and Lacey came running out. They both hugged me and apologized for not being at the hospital. I told them it was okay.

“So you wanna see your room?” Gena asked.

“Hell yes!” I replied and they both grabbed one of my hands, Lacey being careful not to disturb my broken wrist and pulled me into the house.

We walked up the stairs and came to a door that had a huge pink bow on it.

“Ready?” Lacey asked.

I nodded and she pushed the door open. I smiled looking at my room. It was awesome. The furniture was done in dark wood and white and there was white rug on the wooden floor. The bed had a patterned bedspread with white, green and pink accent pillows. Above the headboard the wall was decorated with records. That’s when my eyes fell again on the bed. Sitting directly in the center looking at me was Boogie.

I let out a small scream and ran over to the bed picking up the stuffed elephant and holding him close. I thought I’d lost him forever. I’d missed him something awful since we’d left Cali.

“I see you found Boogie.” Dad said walking into the room.

“Where did you get him? I left him at my house when Brad and Rebekka took me from Johnny’s.” I said.

“Michelle and I went over to your house after you left. We found him and this.” Dad said and from behind his back pulled out my guitar.

I started crying as he walked over and handed it to me. I sat Boogie beside me and took the guitar in my hand. It felt warm under my fingers and I carefully began to play the opening to ‘Buried Alive’. Dad smiled and sat down beside me.

“I missed you so much. I’m so glad that you’re home now.” he said pulling me into a one armed hug.

“Me too Dad.” I said.

“Oh there’s one more thing that I got from your old house.” he said and pointed to a frame sitting beside my bed.

The picture in it was one that had been taken by my Granddad right before he died. I was playing the guitar in his back yard. I noticed the lines in the picture like it’d been folded.

“What happened to it?’ I asked.

“It’s been in my pocket for the past year.” he said with a smirk.

“Really?” I asked.

“I never gave up on you Joey. I love you.” he said.

“I love you too Dad.” I replied.

“Well I’m going to leave you to rest. It’s later on the east coast so you’re probably jet lagged.” He said.

I nodded and laid down on the bed holding Boogie to my chest.

“Welcome home baby.” he said and shut the door, leaving me to rest.