Two Kids, No Consequences

“Baby, you know that I can’t come home right now. We’re in the studio and I still have to lay down my first track so that Alex can say it’s not right after final mix and we have to do it all over again. I know it feels like it’s been forever and you miss me; I miss you, too. I’ll be home soon, baby, I promise.”

“Okay, Zack, but just know that if it takes as long as it usually takes, I’ll probably be zonked out on the couch when you get home. Your kid is draining all of my energy.”

“Aww, I’m sorry, babe. Can I talk to him?”

“Yes, you can talk to her. Why you want a son so bad is beyond me.”

“Because boys don’t talk back or need to borrow my credit card. Let me talk to…it.”

“Okay,” I say, laughing at Zack and putting my phone next to my belly. “Go ahead,” I say loud enough for Zack to hear. I have no clue what he’s saying to our future child, but it’s probably something about that it better be a boy but if it’s not, he will still love it just the same. But he expects it to want to be in a band just like its daddy and he’s going to teach it to play guitar and football no matter what. I give him a couple minutes but I don’t want to interrupt, so I wait until I hear him say, “I’m done now,” loud enough for me to hear him.

I put the phone back to my ear and hear movement on Zack’s end. I also hear muffled voices, kind of like someone is trying to take Zack’s phone and he isn’t letting them.

“Just let me talk to her!”

“No, Jack, you can’t talk to her.”

“What about me?”

“No, Alex, you can’t talk to her, either.”

“And me?”

Zack sighs. “Yeah, Rian, I guess you can talk to her. At least I know that you won’t make inappropriate comments. Here,” Zack says, and the next thing I hear is a whooshing noise as if Zack had tossed the phone to Rian, then Rian’s voice.

“Before you ask, no, you can’t come over. I know it’s somewhat ridiculous to be just down the street and not able to see Zack, but you know how Alex gets when we first start recording. He doesn’t want anyone other than us four to hear stuff until he’s absolutely sure that it’s worth it.”

“Yeah, Rian, I know.”

“And Zack might be home in record time today because Alex seems to like what we have so far. Of course, now that I say that, he’s going to change his mind and scrap it. Whatever; how are you? I forgot how far along you are.”

“I’m a whole lot better than I thought I would be at this point, to be honest. All of the women in my family have had difficult pregnancies, and I’m at five months and haven’t had a problem yet. Even though my doctor said I was fine, I still go every two weeks just for a check-up.” I laugh. “I’m pretty sure they’re getting sick of seeing me, if not already.”

“I’m sure they know you’re just being cautious. Haven’t all of your sisters gone to the same doctor you go to?”

“Yeah, so they know my name and know that I’m being safe, but I ask so many questions that I’m sure they will definitely be tired of me by the time this little one decides to grace us with its presence.”

“I’m sure they’ll get over it.” I hear muffled sounds in the back that sound like Alex yelling, and Rian sighs. “In case you didn’t hear that, Alex is yelling at us to get back into the studio to lay down more stuff. I’m not complaining, though. This album is gonna be great.”

“Okay, you go be a famous drummer. Could I talk to Zack again before Alex kills him?”

“Yeah, sure; I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Okay. Bye, Rian.” I hear muffled noises as Rian passes the phone back to Zack, and I smile as I hear his warm voice again. I know it’s been, like, two minutes, but I just love hearing his voice and the way it changes so slightly when he talks to me.

“I know you heard Alex yelling, so you know I can’t talk long. I miss you.”

“Babe, you’re right down the street. We all live in the same neighborhood. It’s like Desperate Housewives except with a punk rock band. And we don’t sleep with each other’s husbands/boy toys.”

That makes Zack laugh. “I’ll try to be home soon, okay? I miss my baby mamma and I want to take good care of her and my baby.”

“That would be our baby, Zachary. It takes two to tango, you know.”

“Baby, you know you don’t have to stay with me after the baby is born.”

I was just kidding, and I know Zack knows that, but ever since I got pregnant, silly Zachary and his paranoia about me leaving him has come out. I could not be any happier than I am right now, living with him and having his child, our child, growing inside of me right at this very moment. I keep telling him that, but I don’t think he fully believes me.

“Zack, I want our baby. I want you. I want us to become a family. I want to be happy, and you know what? Each day I spend with you makes me the happiest person in the world. Now you go be a rock star and make me and your future child proud.”

“Okay, babe. I’ll see you later tonight, okay?”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He ends the call and I put the phone down on the table by the couch. I sit there for a little while, just thinking. I subconsciously start rubbing my belly, playing with my belly ring. It sticks out now because of my baby belly (I got a flexible ring for it when I found out I was pregnant). I’m keeping all my piercings in once the baby is born, and I’m going to show my tattoos proudly. Just because I have tattoos and piercings doesn’t mean I’m going to be a bad parent. It’s the same thing with Zack touring; just because he’s a rock star and touring all the time doesn’t mean he’s going to be a bad parent. Hell, there are parents who can be in their child’s lives and choose not to be. The way I see it, if Gerard and Lindsey and Frank and Jamia can do it, why can’t we? Gerard and Lindsey are both in bands, and Frank was in a band while My Chem took a break, and I’m pretty sure their kids are fine.

My Chemical Romance is my favorite band, can you tell? All Time Low is a close second, and it’s not only because I’m carrying the bassist’s child.

Anyway, Zack and I are going to be great parents.

I turn on the TV, surfing through the channels, trying to find something for me to watch. I’ve already done everything that I needed to do today, so I need something to occupy my time and make the time until Zack gets home go by faster.

I don’t have to go too far until getting to a marathon of Say Yes to the Dress. I think around the third or fourth episode, I start to doze off, and I fall asleep and dream about wedding dresses and tour equipment.

-------------------------

“Baby?” I hear Zack whisper, feeling him kiss me on my forehead and rub my side. I take in a deep breath and stretch my arms above my head, letting the breath out through my nose. He is kneeling beside the couch where I was sleeping, and I try to untangle myself from, well, myself. I’ve been sleeping in the most awkward positions since I’ve had to accommodate for the baby bump.

“Hey baby. Did you get anything productive done in the studio?”

“Yeah, Alex actually liked most of the stuff we did.”

“That’s unusual,” I say, stretching my arms above my head, trying to get the kinks out of my back. It doesn’t work, and I make an uncomfortable face, one that Zack has seen plenty of times. “Zack, would you mind terribly rubbing my back?”

“Not at all; you know that. Let’s go up to our room and lay down. I’m pretty tired after today but I can make time for my beautiful girlfriend. Plus, we can cuddle,” he adds, smiling.
I love him so much.