Beneath the Northern Lights

Everyone stumbled back to their beds miraculously. Bam didn’t sleep all night. Ryan and Nicole were asleep in their room, Bam volunteered himself for the cough. He knew he wouldn’t sleep. Every once awhile he would text Lauri to make sure he hadn’t done anything stupid. Lauri hadn’t done much of anything. He passed out when he got home. It was hard to be devastated over something that was never his, but he managed somehow to let his heart break anyway. He rolled over and read Bam’s latest text at 6am. “I’m thinking about moving here. Ali wouldn’t follow me. I’d be safe in West Chester too though, ZV would never move there.” The Rasmus singer read the text and then sighed. Reality was becoming more and more obvious. Ali would get married and live in Orange County, California for the rest of her life. Lauri and her would never cross paths again, unless it was some kind of tour. He laid in bed thinking about it and slipped into a dark place in his mind. The kind of place where award winning albums came from. Lauri was not in anyway ready to slip into a studio. If Lauri got out of bed it would be a miracle. He vowed to himself that if Ali texted or called, it would not be answered.



Ali woke up at noon. Her hair was a mess. Clothes, bottles, papers and other items were everywhere. She smiled and looked over at her fiance. Fiance? Shit. She looked down at her hand. The ring was still there. She smiled and admired it for a bit. 


“Did I do well?”


Ali Was caught off guard and then looked at the other and smiled as she grabbed his jaw and kissed the other softly.


“Amazingly….It’s what I would have picked out.” She whispered and then bit her slip laying back down in the bed. She rubbed his side. “I just can’t believe we are engaged. It’s only a matter of time before everyone hears about it” She laughed.



“I’m sure enough Finnish reporters got wind of it already.” Zacky laughed and then leaned over to light a cigarette. Ali sighed, she hated smoking. Zacky took a puff and then sat up pressing his back to the headboard. “Hey, why don’t we get out of this dump. Let’s go to France for a weekend before we go home.” Zack smiled looking at the opposite wall. Ali thought about it and then turned on her side to watch him. 



“It’s not a dump. It is a beautiful country. With amazing people” Ali’s mind slipped to Lauri. She was somber for a moment. Zack blew smoke out the side of his mouth and then rested his hands in his lap. 



“You sure there was nothing with that singer? You’ve acted differently since you met him, kind of tired of that shit.” He stared at her taking another big breath of toxins. Ali was caught off guard. She shook her head,



“Lauri? No….no, he is not my type. He plays games, uses people.” Ali hung her head as she thought about the whole situation. “I can’t even trust him to be a friend.” She stayed silent as memories of the way they touched, the kiss, the night up at the lodge beneath the northern lights. She wanted to cry, but Zacky would be angry and this was suppose to be a happy time. She sighed and then closed her eyes. 



“You never answered my question.” He raised a brow keeping his eyes on her. “I could have a hotel set up in a matter of moments.” He whispered. Ali’s heart raced. She would have to leave Bam. She hadn’t even spoke to him since the engagement. Nicole had Ryan, and Ryan had Nicole. They would be fine. She would miss time with Ville, but she had a new fiancé, and this was her conentration. She smiled and nodded. 



“I’d love to go.” She whispered and then leaned up to kiss Zacky’s cheek. 



“Get up, get dressed and packed. We will leave as soon as you are ready.” Zacky said reaching for his phone. It had been unusually quiet all night long for becoming engaged. Ali thought the guys would be curious to see what her response was. She didn’t say anything though. She got up and got an outfit together to change into. 



“Can I at least go see Bam before I leave?” Ali asked.



“Yah… that’s fine…..” Zacky said as he half listened to her. He was texting and looking up numbers on his phone with the cigarette still hanging out of his mouth. She sighed and nodded and thanked him. Whether he heard her or not, was another story.




—————




“Hello?….Yes, this is him. Well not H.I.M., but one of them…Oh you don’t care for my jokes?…Not answering? How unfortunate for you…I’m sure you are worried sick.” The receiver of the call paused his pacing, “Well that is quite rude…Yes, I agree, the sooner we got off the phone the happier both of us will be… France? Well, I am slightly insulted….You think I am having an attitude?” The receiver stomped his foot then paused for a moment. “3pm?… Yes. Dually noted. What is her request?…..I can arrange that as best I can….Farewell.” Ville hung up the phone and then looked straight a head of him. He was saddened. He did not want to be the bearer of bad news. He looked at his cell phone and then hesitantly dialed the numbers “Bam, my friend, I just got a phone call you need to know about.”



An hour later, Bam was sitting in Mr. Valo’s house. He listened carefully.


“France? Why France?”


“I don’t know…. I just know they are in a hurry. I don’t have any personal issues with the man that I know of, I was trying to be pleasant, but he just wanted to get the message to you and be done.” Ville Paused and looked at Bam. “Said he called you several times.”



“He didn’t call me once…” Bam snapped and then glared at the floor. “Something is up. Of course, my sister thinks she died and went to Rock heaven and would be oblivious to anything that man does right now.”



“I do need to tell you of the request…..” Ville said slowly. Bam looked up at his friend and then slouched a little more as he waited.



“What could he possible want from me?”



“Well it’s not his request. Ali wants Lauri to be here for the ‘going away’ party of sorts. She wants to say goodbye.” Ville whispered before sitting down across from Bam taking a cup of coffee in his hands. Bam looked at Ville and then paused before dialing Lauri’s number. 



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The message was relayed, but Lauri was not quick to get out of bed. He stared at the window debating all the positives and negatives of staying at home or going to say goodbye. He wasn’t going to go. It would hurt him too much. He would show emotions he wasn’t ready to show. He called Bam back and briefly told him he wasn’t going. Lauri got up and looked at the clock. One hour until she’d be there. He still had time to change his mind. He sat in the window ledge and watched the birds fly around. Their light spirits made him smile for a moment. There was nothing more Lauri could have done in his power to protect Ali. Her outcome was in her hands now. He knew she would be happy and make the most of any negative situation that the unfortunate human being she was engaged to would get her into. The silence and darkness of the room was broken by a door opening.



“Lintu, my brother, what has happened. Ville said you were not in the best of spirits.” Lauri turned to look at his friend in glasses. He rested his head against the window and then pointed to the edge of the bed. 



“Sit, please, I have a lot to tell you, Aki.” Lauri got out of the small window space and sat on the edge of the bed and explained his emotions, the night before, the engagement everything.



___________




The time came. The clock struck 3pm. Ville, Bam, Nicole and Ryan sat in the living room. No one was really talking. Ryan and Nicole passed some conversations back and forth with Ville, but Bam stayed out of it. His anger was unmanageable at the moment. The best he could do was to do nothing at all. Ali got out of the car and then took Zacky’s hand.



“Please stay with me…. I know it won’t go well, and they won’t understand. I don’t want to be alone with their emotions, please, my love.” Ali whispered up to Zacky as he walked quickly to the door. Ali stayed close and frowned a little when the other didn’t respond. She knew that her family and Zacky had a mutual hate for each other. He walked inside not knocking or anything. Ali was going to yell at him if it wasn’t for the fact that she could already hear Ryan’s voice. Zacky let go of her hand and let her walk over to hem by herself as he stood well behind her. She looked back at him and then walked towards Nicole who was the first to great them. She hugged her tightly,
“I will call you as soon as we touch down in France” Ali whispered kissing her cheek. “Thank you for being my support” He smiled and touched her cheek. The girls laughed and embraced again. She thanked Ville and Ryan and like fashion. 



“Make sure you always eat at a family own bakery. The commercial bakery’s don’t quite have the perfect baguette mastered yet.” Ville said kissing her forehead.” Ali smiled and then hugged him. He pressed his lips together and played with her hair, “You will always be the little sister I’ve always wanted. Come back and visit soon.” Ali nodded and agreed with Ville before moving to Bam. He was quiet and he stood to the side. Ali walked towards him and then ran to hug him tight. He held onto her and Ville saw something he never did from Bam. A tear streaked down his cheek. Ali couldn’t hold back her emotions as her brother held her. He whispered in her ear to avoid anyone hearing. 



“I don’t trust him, If he does anything and you get nervous I will be on a plane by the time the phone call ends. I love you and want the best for you, brat.” Bam whispered stroking her hair and the other arm firmly around her neck. Ali nodded,



“I promise, Bam….I am happy. Don’t worry about me.”



“It’s my job….but as long as you are happy, I guess I have nothing to worry about..” Bam whispered. They finally let go. Bam kissed her forehead and then back up taking a deep breath. Ali looked around and then looked at Ville then Bam. She didn’t have to even ask. The two men shook their heads. Ali couldn’t get her request. She didn’t expect Lauri to come, but she hoped he would. She looked down and then back up at everyone and then locked eyes with Bam and waved, 



“I will see all of you soon…I promise” Ali smiled and then took Zacky’s hand. In a matter of moments they were out of sight from everyone and in the car heading to the airport. Ali and Zacky hardly spoke on the way there. Most of it due to the fact that Zacky was texting. Ali looked at the Finnish landscape. Ali saw the festival grounds. The fountain where the sailboats raced. Ali smiled and then thought back to the time she spent with all the band members. Ali stayed silent the whole way. Thoughts going in and out of her head.



—————



The whole gang stayed sitting in Ville’s living room. Almost in a state of mourning when the door flung open. Lauri ran in and looked around and then at Bam.



“God above, tell me I’m not too late.” Aki ran in behind him looking around as well. Ville stood up and folded his hands in front of himself, 



“She left about 15 minutes ago.” Ville sadly informed the other. Lauri’s heart broke all over again.



“I can’t let her leave like this. I have so much to tell her. I want…I need to say goodbye.” Lauri bit his lip, “Aki, we need to go. I’m going to the airport.” Lauri summoned. Aki smiled and shook his head and threw the keys at Lauri.



“Go ahead….this is your plane to catch, not mine.” Aki smiled and saluted Lauri. The other Finn smiled and then took his friends keys and headed back outside and then stormed off to the Helsinki airport. Aki turned and smiled looking at Bam, “Us musicians…we can get a little emotional. Took him much longer than I thought to realize the mistake he was making by letting her leave with no goodbyes. I am sorry I couldn’t get him here sooner.” Aki replied.



“No, it’s fine, it wouldn’t have been the most ideal time anyway. I just hope he just gets there in time, That is all.” Ville said looking at the window and then taking in a deep breath. He had no hopes that anything would change, but being someone who has traveled the words and spent moments with amazing people, he knew the importance of fully closing door. Any door left halfway open was a recipe for heartache, confusion and uncertainty. None of that was healthy for Lauri or for Ali. Ville knew the connection those two had and the magic that can only be found in Finland. “Godspeed, Lintu. Godspeed….”