Symphonies of the Damned

“Andy, stop!” I ducked, laughing.
“I’m not doing anything!” Andy protested, while wiping the edge of his paint brush against my cheek.
“Andy!” I complained.
“What? That color looks nice on you, just saying.” he shrugged, turning his back to me and brushing the walls.
“Really?” I mused, dipping my brush in the paint bucket. “I think it would look better on you, you know?”
Flinging the dripping paint towards him, I laughed as it splattered across the front of his shirt.
“Ashley!” Andy whined. “That was my favorite shirt, you fucker!”
“Why would you wear your favorite shirt while painting the walls?” I questioned in disbelief.
“I don’t know!”
Shaking my head, I kept painting.
It was silent for another half hour, save for our steady breathing and the sound of bristles scratching the walls.
“I think we’re done.” I announced, setting the brush down.
Looking around the previously blank walls, I smiled in spite of myself. We had decided to turn the storage room into the nursery.
The walls were a pale violet color, while black butterflies were patterned along the window and ceiling.
“Do you think she’ll like it?” Andy asked, quietly.
“Babe, she’s going to be an infant. Even if she doesn’t like it, she can’t voice her opinion on it, you know?” I laughed.
“I’m serious.”
“I think she’ll love it.” I nodded, wrapping my arms around his waist. “She’s going to love the room, she’s going to love her mom, she’s going to love her uncles, she’s going to love our music, and most importantly, she’s going to love us.”
“I hope so.”
“Don’t worry about it, Love.” I mumbled, whispering against his neck. “Everything will work out, alright?”
“Yeah.”
“Hey, it’s worked out this far. Just think about everything that’s happened since we got back from tour.” I pointed out. “You made up with Juliet, and got legal custody of your baby girl. You moved in with me...we’re working on a new album.”
“Don’t forget everything that happened on tour.” Andy smiled. “We, we fell in love and I’ve never been happier.”
“Neither have I, babe.” I agreed. “I wouldn’t give you up for anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

[Time Lapse; Five Months Later]

It was nearing the end of December, and the scent of cinnamon and peppermint had become a permanent smell in the house.
The Christmas tree was beginning to droop, and colorful wrapping paper littered the living room floor.
“You’ve gotta love Christmas.” I mumbled, kicking a stray bow to the side. It was the day after, and I was the only one up.
Padding into the kitchen, I opened the fridge and took out the nearly empty carton of eggnog; finishing it off.
Searching through the fridge, I pulled out the carton of eggs.
Wiping the sleep from my eyes, I started making scrambled eggs, bacon, and chocolate chip pancakes.
Hell, I even brewed a pot of coffee.
I was setting the table, placing a fake poinsettia in a vase and an unlit candle in the center, when Andy strolled in.
“What are you doing, Ash?” Andy asked, yawning.
He was wearing a pair of snowman-themed pajama pants, with a bare torso.
“Good morning, babe.” I smiled.
“Morning.”
“Happy birthday!” I announced, pulling him into a hug and kissing his forehead. “I made breakfast.”
“Aw, you didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to.” I insisted, guiding him towards a chair.
Setting a plate piled high with egg and pancakes, I turned to the dishes that needed to be washed.
“Come on, Ash.” Andy called out. “Sit down and have some pancakes, I’ll do the dishes later.”
“I don’t want any.” I shrugged.
“Fucking hell.” Andy joked, smirking. “Why are you always shooting down the idea of pancakes?!”
“I’m not!” I laughed, stealing the bite he was about to eat.
“Hey!”
“You know I love you.” I mumbled, kissing his nose.
“I love you too.”
“I love you more...” I smirked, heading towards the sink. “You’ll agree, after our date tonight.”
“We’ll see.”

***

“Where are you going?” Andy asked me.
He was sitting on the couch, his hair dripping from a recent shower - eating ice cream out of the carton.
“Well, we have a date tonight.” I hinted, holding up the box I was holding. “And, I need to get everything ready.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.” I smiled. “Just remember, meet me at the park at seven tonight.”
“I will.”
Kissing him goodbye, I climbed into my car and drove towards the grocery store where I needed to pick up a few things.
After purchasing a few bottles of fancy wine and a white rose, I drove to Juliet’s to pick up her batch of peanut butter brownies.
The one thing Andy misses about Jules, are those damn brownies.
“Are you going to need any help?” Juliet asked, handing me a china plate artfully piled with the chocolate squares.
“I don’t think so, but I’ll call if I need help.”
“Alright.”
“How much longer?” I asked, taking in her bulging stomach. She had gotten so big, the day was getting close.
“Any day now.” Juliet smiled. “You’re taking the baby a few weeks after it’s born, right?”
“Yes.” I assured. “You need a break. Then, we’re going on tour in late March, so she’s all yours until we get back from Warped.”
"Alright.”
“Thanks again, Jules. Andy fucking loves these.” I laughed, holding up the plate.
“It’s not a problem. Tell me again, what exactly are you planning on doing for his birthday?”
“I’m meeting him at the park, we’re going to dinner, and then we’re driving to this little cabin up in Meniffee, where we’re spending the weekend. You know, cuddling around the campfire with wine and brownies.”
“That’s cute.”
“Yeah, well, I need to finish packing our stuff for the weekend. Jinxx and Jake are helping me too.”
"What about CC?”
“Are you kidding?” I laughed. “We’re not even sure if CC is alive. Ever since we got back from tour, he’s locked himself in his house with Kayla and that damn cat. I don’t think he’s left once.”
“Wow.”
After wishing her well and leaving, I drove towards Jinxx’s place, where the suitcases had been packed.
“Ashley!”
“Hey, Jinxx.” I smiled, hugging him.
“Make sure you tell Andy happy birthday, from us.” Jake called out, carrying two duffel bags from the house.
“Of course.”
They helped me pack the car for our weekend trip, and soon it was after six-thirty.
“Crap!” I exclaimed. “It’s time for me to go, but thanks a lot.”
“No problem.”
Hurrying towards the park, I scoped the picnic table we had agreed to meet on and threw a tablecloth over it.
Then, I set the rose, bottle of wine, and a carefully wrapped package on top of it and waited.
...and waited.
Checking the time, it was nearly 7:10.
“Damn it, Andy.” I groaned. “Where the fuck are you?”
Eventually, the minutes turned into an hour, and it was after eight. Sighing, I pulled out my phone and called him.
Nothing.
“Fucking hell.” I groaned, packing everything up and driving home.
“You better have a good fucking reason for this, Andrew.” I muttered, parking the car and getting out. “Andy?”
Nothing.
The house was completely empty.
The shirt I had chosen for him to wear was still resting atop the bed, his flat iron unplugged and left carelessly behind.
“Fuck.”
Calling him again, I threw the phone when he didn’t answer.
I didn’t know what to do.
Taking out the bottle of wine, I unscrewed the top and chugged half the bittersweet liquid and frowned.
It wasn’t strong enough.
Casting it aside, I marched downstairs and pulled out the bottle of Jack and started drinking rapidly.
“Fuck you.” I slurred, throwing the empty bottle. “I didn’t want to spend the weekend with you anyway.”
Stumbling into the living room, I tripped over myself and crashed onto the floor. “Fuck it.” I decided, falling asleep.

***

All I knew was, it was after midnight.
There was a splitting headache and the room was relatively dim, but my phone wouldn’t stop vibrating.
“Fuck.”
All the memories came crashing back; Andy stood me up.
Feeling around for my phone, I let out a mumble of satisfaction when I felt the cold plastic underneath my fingers.
“Finally.”
There were eight missed calls; all from Andy.
“Oh, so now you call me back...bastard.” I grumbled, still slightly wasted.
It started ringing.
“To answer, or not to answer.” I mused, watching as Andy’s name flashed on the screen for the ninth time. “Fuck it.”
Clicking call, I sighed heavily.
“Ashley?”
“What the fuck do you want?” I slurred slightly.
“Ashley!” he seemed to let out a sigh of relief. “My batteries dying, so I can’t talk. But, hospital, now-”
“Wait, what?” I asked in alarm, sitting up suddenly. The motion left me both sober and dizzy. “Andy, what happened?”
I was talking to an empty receiver; the line was dead.
“Andy?!” I tried again. “Fuck.”
Throwing my phone into my jeans pocket, I hurried up the stairs so I could change my shirt and grab a jacket.
Hell, I even grabbed his present.
I just needed to make sure my Andy was okay, I didn’t care if I was supposed to be mad at him.
I just needed to know what happened.