Make This Go on Forever

Fuck. I thought to myself, as I screwed up a chord for the fourth time tonight. Usually it was rare in an entire tour I mess up once, but in this past hour I've blown all personal records away. Vic looked over to me as he sang the next verse of our last song, worry in his eyes. I shook it off and tried my best to get back into the song but I couldn't.
Too much was on my mind.
It was only yesterday that Ana had left with Eloise to be home. I had already skyped twice with both of them, and talked on the phone three times. But something inside me did not feel okay with the idea that Ana was in that house all alone with our sick child. I felt like a failure of a father, being on tour while my family is away from me. No, they needed me. But so did the band.
As the song ended I smiled to the crowd my biggest grin, tossing the rest of my guitar picks as people fought over them. All I could think was that it was just a tiny piece of plastic, what was the sense in fighting over something so irrelevent?
We all took our bows and were off the stage, accepting towels and water bottles from the crew. I thanked the man who passed them to me, before I was off and back into my bunk. I had no interest in even showering. I just wanted to lay in bed and sleep until it was the morning and I could talk to Ana and Ellie again.
Walking onto the bus, I grabbed a bun off the counter and shoved it into my mouth as my dinner, before I traded in my clothes for a new pair of briefs. Without hesitation I instantly slipped into bed, sighing to myself as I pulled up my phone to see my messages from Ana.
Good luck tonight, baby.
Wish you were here to say goodnight. 22 more days.
And the third message was a picture of her and Eloise, Ellie curled into Ana's chest as she slept and Ana giving me her shy smile. I couldn't help but feel the guilt welling inside. Angered at myself, I rolled onto my back and put on a pair of noise cancelling headphones, cranking the loudest volume to my iPhone. Closing my eyes, I listened to the shouts and screams until I felt a little numb.
I hadn't realised I drifted asleep until the light of the hallway was shone into my eyes as the curtain of my bunk bed was pulled back, revealing Vic. He looked upset, his eyes casted as he sat on my bunk and took my headphones off.
"Uh, hey..?" I said groggily, wiping at my eyes. "What's up?"
Vic took in a deep breath, giving me a smile. "Time to go home buddy."
I raised an eyebrow at him, confused. What was he talking about?
"Tour isn't over-"
"We know. We talked to Jesse, he'll cover for you. You can't be here right now Tone. The guys all agreed it's better, we know you're needed back home. And it's okay." He smiled, patting my knee.
I sat up, flabberghasted. "No, I can't. I can't just leave."
"Of course you can, you're going to hop on a plane first thing tomorrow morning when we get to Texas. Jaime booked it for you, it's all ready."
"Vic I-"
"Tony, it's fine. If it were Jaime or Mike or me in your situation, we'd do the same. And seriously, dude, you can't play when you're mind is elsewhere." He chuckled, shaking his head. Before he got off the bed, I threw my arms around him and pulled him in for a hug.
"Thankyou."
****
The next morning I was awoken as the alarm on my phone rang painfully early. I groaned as I opened my eyes and turned on the bunk light, blindly dressing myself with my eyes closed from the clothes I set on my luggage last night. Once I slid on my glasses, I noticed the time was 6:08 am, giving me 42 minutes to get ready and go to the airport.
I went through my daily routine much quicker than usual, with a hint of a grin on my face knowing I was on my way home to surprise my fiance. I couldn't believe how lucky I was, that the band was so willing to help me out. They were my family. I could hear Jaime awake, groaning as he stretched and got out of his bunk.
"Why are you up?" I whispered to him.
"Wanted to make sure you were all set. Excited? Everything good?"
I nodded, grinning. Jaime returned the smile, patting on my back. "Thanks, Hime. For everything. We'd do it for you one day."
Jaime looked nervous, reaching for his arm and scratching it to the point it became red.
"Hime?" I asked, trying to pull him back.
"Ali's pregnant." He blurted out. The grin bursted on my face and I attacked my best friend to the ground, internally and externally losing it.
"YOU'RE GOING TO BE A DADDY TOO! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?" I shouted, shaking his shoulders. All I could hear behind me was the patter of feet as Mike and Vic ran out of their beds, joining the attack on Jaime.
"MORE BABIES!" Mike shouted, his voice cracking as he just woke up. Vic's eyes were still closed but he laid his head on Jaime's chest, smiling like a sleepy child.
"Babies." He whispered. I laughed, shaking my head at the strange scene unfolding in front of me. I suddenly remembered where I needed to be and sprung up, kneeing Mike in the process.
"Gotta go!" I shouted behind my shoulder, running at top speed. To my luck the airport was an easy 10 minute walk away and I was in the airport in 5, excitement fueling me.
****
I stood on the porch, taking the key from underneath the rug. With a sly smile on my face I quietly unlocked and opened the door, tiptoeing in. I greeted Clotaire with a pat on his head as he purred around my ankles. Leaving my things by the door, I decided I'd deal with it tomorrow. I snuck up the stairs until I came to Ana's room, and almost cried at the sight. Ana and Eloise both slept together, Ellie curled in her arms. The room was hot and smoky from the air ventilator for Eloise's lungs and I stripped down immediately, crawling into bed. By my two favourite people in the world's side, I slept peacefully with a smile on my lips.