Hang Me Up To Dry

It was Friday, March 16th and John was holding Effie as we sat together in the terminal.

“How did your parents not kill you when they found out you were pregnant?” He asked as he tossed her in the air, giggling all the way.

I shrugged. “You were there. I guess my mom has been cool with a lot of stuff ever since the divorce. If my parents were still together, it’d probably be a different story.”

“Like what, shipping you across the world to live in a convent?”

He laughed but couldn’t be closer to the truth. “Probably! I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Would they have wanted you with someone more stable?”

“They would want me with anyone that makes me happy. They couldn’t care less what your occupation is, but if you’d treated me like shit, they wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“So then they’re okay with us getting married?”

My heart fluttered. “My dad pretty much gave us his blessing. How are your parents handling everything?”

He breathed out. “Well… Like every boy’s parents, they couldn’t have been more disappointed when I told them that you were pregnant. Especially since they think I’m some sort of rock star, they were thinking that I’d never see my child and I wouldn’t want to. But over the next month they came to terms with it, particularly when they saw us together.”

“They saw me keeping you in line?”

“That, and how happy we are together.”

“I think we’ve established that we’re a happy couple. You know, when I’m not running away every chance I get.”

“Yeah, stop doing that.”

He gently pulled my head to his with his hand on the back of my neck and kissed me, slightly sucking on my bottom lip.

“Get a room!” I heard Sam yell from across the terminal, then we started laughing, ending the kiss.

“Just for that, you’re sharing a room with Poopy Pants,” I said.

“But I don’t want to share a room with John.”

He smiled and hung his head. “Thanks, Sam.”

“Love you, John.” She smiled and took Effie out of John’s arms. “Oh my goodness you’re getting so big!” She situated her on her hip and kissed her forehead. “She’s almost six months now?” I nodded and John enfolded his arm around me, bringing me closer. “Dang, I haven’t seen her since she was born.”

“Time flies when you get no sleep.”

“Oh, you parents and your problems.” She carefully handed Effie to me and I straightened up her short hair. “Ri, are you sure she’s even yours? She looks exactly like John and nothing like you.”

“Everyone keeps telling us that, but obviously she has brown hair.”

“Yeah, that’s it,” she said sarcastically and laughed.

Once at the apartment, Kennedy, Garrett, Pat and Jared were sitting on our couch, all with their legs crossed. They looked intently at us, not smiling, like they’d been waiting on us.

“Well, hello there,” Jared said mystically.

Sam propped her bag up against the wall then turned to look at them. As many times as she’s hung out with me here, I don’t think she’s ever spoken to anyone else in the band besides John. So naturally, she became petrified.

“And who is this fine specimen?” Garrett asked in the same tone as Jared.

“Guys, this is Sam. Sam, these are the guys.”

She laughed nervously as they continued to sit there. It was definitely a way to make things more awkward than they already were.

“Please, have a seat,” Kennedy said and motioned to the seat in between him and Garrett.

“Guys, stop freaking her out,” John said and took Effie back into her room since she had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

Instantly, all four of them loosened up and Sam wasn’t as nervous as before.

“Hey Sam, I’m Garrett,” he said and hugged her awkwardly.

“I know who you are,” she laughed and Pat got closer to her by sitting in Kennedy’s lap. Sam’s nervousness came back once she was around the love of her life.

The evening continued on once everyone was getting comfortable with one another and by the end of the night, Garrett and Pat had fallen asleep on the couch which was where Sam was scheduled to sleep.

“Here, let’s just go over to their apartment. You can sleep in Pat’s bed, if you want.”

The next morning, John and I had ended up spooning and around eight o’clock, Garrett busted in our room. “There’s a girl in my bed!”

“It’s just Sam. Go and lay next to her or something,” I said groggily, upset I was woken up so early.

By the time I figured out exactly what I had suggested, he’d just shut the bedroom door so I got up to go over there with him, leaving John patting the bed, searching for me. Garrett got in bed with her and wrapped his arm around her, resting his head on her shoulder then she started stirring into consciousness. Pat and I were spectating, wondering what would ensue.

She turned around to look at him but didn’t freak out. “Good morning, Star Shine,” he said to her and Pat and I giggled quietly.

“The earth says hello!” She finished and bound her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. Da fuq did I miss? Pat and I looked at each other, confused as he put his head on top of hers.

Later on that day, Sam kidnapped me and drove around in my car until she found a David’s Bridal. “Oh yeah, Sam I’ve been meaning to ask you: what the fuck was that about this morning?”

“Oh with Garrett?” She unbuckled and got out of the car.

“Yes.”

“Well last night we were talking and he told me he liked me and I felt the same way so he kissed me.”

“And where was I?”

She shrugged. “I guess nowhere in sight.”

“Oh God, Sam. You slay me.”

She smiled cheekily as she held the door open for me and started talking to the lady at the table. “Yes, she’s a dress size 4, likes the sweetheart, A-line style with not too much in the skirt. Simple, but not too simple.”

“Thank you, Sam,” I said calmly and the lady stifled a laugh.

“You’re very welcome. Oh, and in the bright white color.”

She took us back to the fitting area and set us up with some tea to drink while she was bringing me selections that fitted my specifications.

“Oh my God this one is so beautiful!” I said and walked out of the changing room. Not only was Sam there, but my mother was.

“Ri, how dare you try and do this without me.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know I was doing this today.”

She got through glaring at me then looked at the dress. “Oh, Ri, honey… That is precious.”

Indeed, it was precious. It was a good one to start out with. I walked out with tons of other dresses on, but someone always found something to pick on. Nothing was as good as the first one.

I plopped down in the seat next to my mom and took a much needed break. “So y’all went ahead and got engaged?” She asked, glaring at me again. I keep forgetting to tell my mother important things.

“Yeah back in June-ish. Then, you know there was the whole separation ordeal.”

“I’m glad you found him, Rianne. You’re good together.”

“We better be good together! I’m not wasting my time anymore on pieces of trash like Jake!”

“Calm down, now when are you two getting married?”

“We’re looking into August.”

“…Any special reason?”

“That’s when we met,” I said softly. “And then almost two months after we get married, Effie will be one.” I died a little inside once I said it out loud.

“Oh my God, Rianne. Time is going by so fast.”

She looked away and pondered the moment. “Are you disappointed in me?”

“For what? Effie?” I nodded and she sighed. “Well I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed when I found out. I had just met John when you told me and I thought that you were throwing your life away. But once I got to know him and see how you acted around each other, I knew it would work out. Little did I know my daughter was a little runner.” She smiled and squeezed me in a hug and I continued trying on dresses that didn’t live up to the first one.

By the end of the day, I had chosen one. Behold, the dress.

“Babe, I wanna take you somewhere,” John said when I cuddled on the couch next to him when we got home.

“But Effie just got settled down…” I groaned. I didn’t know a child would keep me from having a social life with my own husband. I mean, uh, fiancé?

“Go. I’ll watch her,” Sam said. I never doubted why we were best friends.

We were through with dinner at around nine o’clock and far from ready to go back home.

“So, what do you wanna do?” John said, sitting there stiff as a board.

I got a sudden spark of spontaneity and climbed in the backseat. I pat the space next to me, inviting him to join me.

“What are you doing,” he said as he climbed over the armrest.

I didn’t say anything, just pulled him close and started making out with him. He was caught by surprise, but quickly got on his game. I was in his lap, giving him a run for his money, until his aggressive side took over and I was pinned to the seat. He moved down to my neck as I looked up at the foggy windows.

“Wait a second, I’ve always wanted to do this,” I said and put my hand on the glass and he laughed at me. “Every girl needs a Titanic moment.”

“Does that mean I’m about to die?”

“No.” I pulled his face down to kiss him intensely. “Because I wouldn’t let anyone tell me you couldn’t get on the boat with me.”

He kissed me again and the next thing I know, our shirts are off. Right before we started really getting into anything, a beam of light came in through the window followed by a knock. I reached for anything to cover myself up and the closest thing was John’s pants, then I cleared the foggy pane with my hand.

A cop greeted me on the other side. “Hello, Officer. What can I do for you?” I didn’t think I sounded promiscuous until after it came out of my mouth.

“We got an anonymous tip saying there were two people in the back of a car up here. Ma’am, are you aware that this kind of behavior is frowned upon in the great state of Arizona?”

“I sincerely apologize, Officer. I just couldn’t wait until I got home.”

He stared at me, unfazed by my humor. “Yes, well next time you’ll think twice before satisfying your urges in public.” He handed me a ticket through the window with a fine for $100 for public indecency.

“I was unaware we were in public.” John chuckled, grabbed my sides and kissed the side of my head.

We got dressed and sped home, luckily without getting pulled over by another cop for speeding, only to find Sam and a shirtless Garrett making out on our couch.

“Can we get the couch cleaned?” I said obnoxiously, seeing as they didn’t notice we were in the apartment.

Garrett literally jumped ten feet in the air and two seconds later, his shirt was back on his body. I couldn’t help but laugh at how awkward he was being. Sam sat up on the couch, looking at Garrett with puppy love eyes. I remember those days. The only difference now was that I was actually in love with John and I couldn’t wait until I tied my life to his.