Twice as Bad

Both guys were kicked into over drive. They both started working every shift they could get and applied at every place they could find. Valary started working more too because Michelle couldn’t. The morning sickness was just too rough and she didn’t want to be working at a bar anyway. For two weeks she laid in bed with a bad migraine and stomach pains.
“Babe, I brought you some soup.” Synyster says coming in with a large container. She turns towards him. Her face is pale and under her eyes are all red.
“I don’t want to eat. I feel so bad.” She sniffs. He sets the soup on the bedside table.
“You need to. Do it for me and the baby.” He tries to smile but he’s so overworked and tired. She bites her lip and grabs the Styrofoam container.
“How was work?” she asks sipping it slowly. He rubs his head and closes his eyes.
“Long. We got another letter from a record label. Shadows is waiting to open it. I wish we could hear back from some these places we applied at.” He grumbles. She rubs his back softly.
“It will all be okay.” She smiles. He turns to her. He liked her optimism but he was too stressed at the moment to believe her. He sighs and lies back on the bed. She silently sips her soup and looks down at him. This new odd tension between them made both of them uncomfortable. She quickly jumps up and grabs her purse. “Guess what I got today!”
“What is it?” he asks putting his head up. She smiles and bounces back on the bed. She pulls out a picture, which to Synyster looks like TV static. He turns his head and looks up at her.
“See that little black mark that’s the baby!” She shrieks hugging him. He smiles but also looks like someone just smacked him. This just got so much more real.
“How big is it?” he asks turning the picture all around. It just looked like a black spot not a human or even something that would become human.
“Well not very big, about the size of my pinky nail because I am 2 months along.” She says counting back on her fingers. His eyes grow wider.
“Two months? You have known for that long?” he snaps. She’s taken back by his tone.
“We have known for the same amount of time. I told you the day I found out. I certainly would not keep this from you.” She says, attempting to stay calm. The tears are burning her eyes. He gets off the bed and pulls her into a hug.
“I didn’t mean to sound angry but I’m stressed and I didn’t like thinking that you were keeping this from me.” He softly says rubbing her back. She sighs against his shoulder.
“No woman ever finds out she’s pregnant the day of conception. It takes a couple weeks. And I would never hide something like this from you even if I was scared of your reaction.” She mumbles. He pulls back a bit and looks at her, pushing her hair behind her ears.
“I know baby.” He kisses her forehead. Then grabs her hand and looks at her pinky. “Our child is only this big?” A smile slowly spread across her face and she nods.
“It will grow so don’t worry.” She giggles sitting back on the bed. He sits next to her, and she picks up the bowl of soup, smiling at him.

Meanwhile, Shadows and Valary were taking a walk. The weight on her shoulders made it feel like there was actually something there. Shadows was just happy to get a day off, even if he has to work tonight. He smiles down at her and she half smiles back. He can tell something is wrong and squeezes her hand. They had been together long enough that he could easily tell when her moods changed.
“Val is there something wrong? Did something happen at work?” he asks as they walk to the edge of the pond.
“No, nothing at work.” She sighs sitting on the water’s bank. He sits next to her and puts a large arm around her tiny frame.
“Are you worried about Michelle and Syn?” he asks looking out over the water. Valary gnaws at her lip and pulls her knees against her chest.
“Well somewhat.” She mumbles. He doesn’t understand why she’s acting this way. All reserved and nervous was not her normal demeanor.
“Val you can tell me. I can tell something is very wrong. How am I going to focus on work and band practice later when you’re upset?” he asks turning towards her. Her mocha colored eyes meet his hazel ones. She can see they are worried. He was so protective of her, and she loved it. He always put her first, making sure she had everything she needed and more before he took care of himself. Unless it came to tattoos and piercings, he loved them and would always find a way to either get his chest piece filled in or get some other random ink somewhere.
“Will you run away like Synyster did?” she asks in a small voice. His brow furrows and he looks at her, then shakes his head. He doesn’t fully understand. “I’m pregnant too. I’m almost 4 months, so farther along than Michelle.”
“Valary!” Shadows yells jumping up. She looks up at the beast of a man towering over her. He also always found time to work out. “Are you kidding? Because if you are it’s not funny!”
“No Shadows.” She says shaking her head. He picks up a stone and hurls it across the pond. He goes for another but Valary grabs his hand, knowing that he will start doing serious damage if he doesn’t calm down. She glares at him, which is always her first warning that he better sit and listen.
“Why the hell did you keep this from me? When did you find out?” he asks sitting next to her again. She looks at her hands, heaving a big sigh.
“On the fourth of July. Right before we left for the fireworks. I was going to tell you on your birthday but you were having so much fun…” she trails off biting her lip. His jaw drops.
“You have known for 2 whole months!” he shouts. She can see sweat form on his forehead. “When the fuck were you planning on telling me? When you had it?” She shakes her head. He just gets up.
“Please don’t leave.” She begs reach for his hand. He yanks her to her feet. “I just wanted to do it at the right time. Everything was all calm and you seemed at ease.”
“How about when you found out? You could have told me then.” He snaps. She hangs her head as they walk back towards their house.
“You were drunk by then.” She says. He glares at her then digs his keys out of his pocket. “Where are you going?” They stop in the drive way.
“To see The Rev. I’ll be back later.” He spits getting in his car and jerking it out of the drive way. She goes in and plops down on the couch. There’s bills and letters scattered all over the table. Michelle comes out of her bedroom.
“What’s wrong sis?” she asks sitting next to her. Valary starts to open her mouth but all that comes out is sobs. She had been holding this in for so long. Plus now she was starting to get a tiny bump. Michelle rubs her sister’s arm and hugs her.
“Her and Matt fighting again?” Synyster asks coming out. Michelle gives him a stern look.
“No. Valary finally told him.” She sighs. Synyster cocks his eye brow. “She’s 4 months pregnant.”
“Holy shit! Fuck!” he snaps. Valary’s sobs get louder and he calms himself down. He knows freaking out will not help and, seeing that Shadows wasn’t here, he should be the level headed one. “Where did he go anyway?”
“The R-Rev’s” Valary chokes out. Synyster just sighs and grabs the phone. No doubt Shadows would miss work. Synyster loved The Rev, they were best friends, but he had no concept of time.

Shadows sped off to meet The Rev at his new home, the local Laundromat. They guys thought he was joking when he first told them but he couldn’t keep an actual job which meant no money. His old school buddy owned this place and said Jimmy could crash there. Shadows pulled up in front and walked in. There was The Rev, sitting in a rolling basket drumming on the dryers as clothes spun around.
“Playing a masterpiece?” he laughs sitting next to him. He nods and finishes drumming.
“What’s up Shadows?” he asks spinning the basket around. He’s pretty much folded in half in the thing. Shadows was tall but The Rev was taller.
“Just decided to come hang out.” Shadows smiles. The Rev looks at him a bit skeptical but then shouts excitedly.
“Awesome! How’s Synyster? Is he off breaking his back at work again?” He steps out of the basket. His long legs pop as he stretches them out.
“I have no clue. He was at home with Michelle earlier.” Shadows says. His head felt heavy and he rubs it with his fingers. The Rev sits next to his friend and pats his back.
“Tell me Shadows. Then I’ll find us some beer.” Shadows had to laugh at that. The Rev didn’t buy stuff, he found it.
“Well you know about Michelle right?” The Rev thinks for a minute then nods.
“Oh yeah! She’s pregnant. That’s a fuckin scary thought.” The Rev laughs. Both men nod and laugh.
“It gets scarier. Valary is pregnant too.” Shadows manages to get out. The Rev’s crystal blue eyes grow as wide as a cymbal.
“Fuck man. You sure?” The Rev turns to face him. Shadows nods and heaves a big sigh. His friend claps him on the back. “It will all be alright. Don’t worry about it. Things have a way of working out.” Shadows smiles at the optimism of his friend, even though The Rev lives in a laundromat.
“It’s hard not to worry when you have no money and a shitty job.” Shadows grumbles. The Rev shakes him a bit.
“A job is good, and look what I got.” The Rev pulls out an envelope. Shadows actually smiles and grabs it. It is from the same people as the one at his house. He hungrily tears it open and scans it.
“Oh fuck. Oh my god.” He licks his lips.
“Dude let me see!” The Rev rips the letter away. He screams and jumps up. “Holy shit!” The other customers are staring at them.
“We go signed!” Shadows screams shaking The Rev.
“I fucking know! Let’s go tell the guys.” He shouts. They both run out to the car and Shadows yanks it into drive.

The loud screeching of tires makes both girls jump. They had been sitting there talking, crying, and examining Valary’s “bump.” They know it’s Shadows but they hear more voices. Shadows comes in followed by The Rev, Johnny Christ and Zacky Vengeance. All of them are beaming. They laugh at Johnny who is clearly shit faced and being dragged by The Rev.
“What happened?” Michelle asks. Valary is wiping her eyes quickly.
“Read it!” Shadows beams. “Where’s Synyster?”
“He went to work for you.” She flatly says looking over the letter. She then screams and hugs him. Val gets up and takes the letter.
“Oh baby! You got signed!” she gasps. He pulls her into his arms and hugs her as tight as he can without hurting her.
“You guys know this company is in Sweden right? I mean they have an office here but it’s based in Sweden.” Michelle says.
“We don’t fucking care! We got signed!” Zacky yells hugging her. They all laugh. “And we heard Shadows good news too!” Valary blushes a bright red and covers her face. She looks up at Shadows. He looks a bit nervous but then smiles.
“Yes!” she smiles wrapping her arm around Shadows middle. The guys shout again. The Rev rushes up to her and squeezes her. She had known him the longest, besides Shadows. They all met in kindergarten and Shadows punched her then The Rev gave her a flower to make up for it.
“Both Dibenedetto sisters knocked up!” Johnny laughs slumping in a chair.
“He was drunk when we picked him up.” Shadows grins. “We have to call everyone we know and this label to schedule a meeting.” They all dive for the phone. No one had enough cash for cell phones so they relied on whoever had a house phone. The girls laugh and watch the guys wrestle for the phone.