Shattered Secrets

"Hey, Greg." I smiled and stood up, making my way towards the front door.

He smiled as well and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on my lips. "Hello Beautiful."

I pulled Bronx from his arms and held the blonde in my own as he squirmed. "Greg! Do you want to watch the murder show with me?" Bronx questioned as I placed him on the floor.

Greg nodded. "Sure, bud."

The two of them wandered into the living room and I could hear them laughing at something happening on the T.V. I went into the kitchen once again and pulled a box of Macaroni from the cupboard and hotdogs from the fridge.

"You don't have to cook tonight," his voice startled me as arms wrapped around my waist as clasped in front of me.

I bit my lip and shook my head, "It's alright, it's easier this way."

"Yeah," He murmured, "But we can go to that place downtown, a true sit down dinner, my treat," he offered, turning me around in his arms to meet my eyes.

I pulled away from him and smiled. "I'll go ask Bronx."

Greg nodded, his dark locks falling into his green eyes as he followed me back into the living room, where the four year old was sitting on the couch, his game cube controller in his hands.

"Bronx," I called quietly, leaning on the back of the couch.

He spun around to face me, "Yeah, Mommy?" he asked, getting on his knees so that we were face to face with only the back of the couch in between us.

"Do you want to go to Johnny's pub?" I questioned, smiling at him, already knowing his answer.

He nodded his head rapidly and jumped up onto the couch, "Yeah! Maybe Avenged Sevenfold will be there, Mommy! Let's go!" he shouted before he jumped off of the couch and landed on the floor with a thud.

I grinned, pleased that he was so excited.

The whole reason we moved to Huntington Beach from L.A had been because of the fact that Avenged Sevenfold grew up here. It seemed like following our favorite band had been the right thing to do at the time, the right way to start over. So I took my three month old son and moved away from the crime of downtown Los Angeles, California.

I walked around the couch and over the the door where Bronx's shoes were tossed there next to my own. "Come on then, Bronx." I called, waving him over.

He shouted happily and raced over as quick as he could. He sat down on the ground and slipped his shoes onto his feet. I bent down to tie them for him and pulled my own, previously tied ones on too.

Greg walked over and took my right hand as I cradled Bronx to me with my left. We left and locked the apartment before we made our way to my red Nissan. I strapped Bronx into his booster seat and then hopped into the drivers seat as Greg got into the passenger's.

It being only a five minute drive to the pier and then a five minute drive to Johnny's made it a quick trip to the little bar and grill that sat just off of the coast, facing the ocean. Both Greg and I got out of the car and slammed our doors simultaneously as Bronx fumbled rapidly with his seatbelt and then the child locked back door.

"Mommy!" he screamed as I pretended to walk away at leave him locked inside, "Let me out!"

"What?" I called playfully, "I can't hear you!"

"Let me out! Let me out! Let me out!" he pleaded, pushing on the door over and over again.
I pretended to lean my ear against the window as he shouted and then I nodded and pulled the door open.

"Geez," I sighed, "All you had to do was ask!"

Bronx glared at me as he slid out from the backseat. "You're mean."

I laughed, as did Greg, and took Bronx's hand as we walked into the building. The walls were filled with pictures of the band from back in the day and each of their signatures was framed and hung up. Bronx pulled himself free from my grip and raced over to the corner of the bar where most of the pictures of early Avenged was taken. He sighed disappointed when he saw no rockstars sitting there with musical instruments.

"They're not here," he sighed as he walked back over to me slowly, like all his energy had suddenly disappeared.

I put an upset look on my face. "I'm sorry, baby."

"Can we go home now?" Bronx asked, his little face crestfallen as he looked up at me.
Greg and I tried to hide out laughter as I replied, "Why don't we just eat, first? Plus, the longer we stay the better the chance that one of them will come walking through the door." I told him, almost feeling bad as I knew that not one of them would come in, seeing as they were on tour and wouldn't be back for another week, on the day that I was going to see them in concert.

"Okay," Bronx sighed, "Let's eat."

Bronx and I both scarfed down a hamburger and Greg had steak with some fries. And about an hour after our food showed up at our table it was gone and the three of us were playing pool.

"Mommy! Hit the brown one with the stripe!" Bronx shouted, jumping up and down and pointing.

I shook my head, "I can't! We have to hit the solid colored balls or Greg will win!"

Bronx pouted and folded his arms. "But I don't like that one!"

Greg won the game and we hung around for a little while longer as Bronx held out on the hopes of the band showing up. After far too long, we decided it was about time to go home, seeing as I would have to help Bronx with the little bit of homework that he got every night and give him a bath and have him to bed by seven.

"Time to go, Bronx." I said as I walked over to him where he stood looking at all the pictures.

"No, I don't want to," he stated loudly, catching some looks from the others in the bar and grill.

"Bronx," I warned, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to me, "Time to go."

"No, Mommy," Bronx pleaded, "The band didn't come, yet."

"Baby, they are probably on tour right now. But they'll be back," I cooed, pulling him into my arms as his eyes began to water.

"You said that they'd come!"

"I'm sorry," I murmured as he buried his face in my neck, "I thought they might."

I carried Bronx out of the door, gaining sympathetic looks from those that I passed. Two similar looking men wandered into the pub as the three of us exited, the smiles on their faces were directed at Bronx as he sniffled and whined about various things that all contained something along the lines of wanting to meet Avenged Sevenfold.

"Sorry, excuse us," I apologized as I yanked the little boy through the doorway, holding onto him so he wouldn't accidentally run into one of the men as they slipped past us.