Even After All This Time

“Okay Princess, Mommy has to go to her interview now. But when I get back, we’ll go get ice cream.” I said, bending down to kiss my two year old daughter, Beau Madeline. Yes, at 25, I still lived with my mother but I was successful in my life. I was raised by a single mother and for the past two years, I was raising Beau as a single mother. I got pregnant on a trip to Baltimore to see my sister, Jade, who was in college. I got drunk, hooked up with some random guy, and six weeks later found out I was having Beau.

“Good lucky honey.” My mom said, picking up Beau and giving me a hug. “I hope you get this job, even though it would take you and Beau all over the country and settle in Baltimore.” I had an interview to become the new tour manager for All Time Low, which my cousin, Matt, had held for years. He had assured me that they were going to ask me questions like “What are your favorite bands?” and “Do you like the band”

As I pulled up to the office where I was being interviewed, I took a deep breath and looked at my phone, smiling at Beau on the background. I fixed my hair and walked in, smiling and confident.

“May I help you?” The woman at the desk asked.

“I have an interview at 11 with All Time Low?” I said.

“Yes, right this way. They told me to send you right back. No one has worked out yet, I’m afraid. Good luck!” she said, leading me down the hall. I hadn’t dressed up too much so I hoped they liked me. She knocked on the door and stuck her head in.

“Mr. Gaskarth, Mr. Barakat? Your 11am is here” she said. Then turning back to me, smiled. “Good luck honey.” I nodded and fixed my shirt before walking into the room.

“Hello.” I said. “My name is Tori Arterburn.”

“Right, Flyzik’s cousin. He said you were the most promising one he’d seen.” Jack said. “So Tori, tell us a little about yourself.”

“I’m 25 and I live in Towson with my mother and daughter, Beau. We just recently moved there. I graduated with honors from Western Boone High School in Thorntown, Indiana and went on to graduate with honors from Purdue University with a major in Music Theory, minor in Business. I love your band, and I want to prove to my shithead father that me and Jade, my sister are good for something” I said.

“So you like the band then?” he said. I nodded.

“How about Beau’s father, are you on speaking terms with him?” Alex spoke up.

“No, but that’s because I was stupid and twenty three when I slept with him. I was drunk, he was gone the next morning.” I said. “However, I seem to be doing a pretty damn good job of supporting myself and my daughter, Mr. Gaskarth”

“Right. Can we see a picture?” he said. I nodded, reaching into my pocket and pulling out phone, finding my favorite picture of her.

“Ms. Beau Madeline” I said. In the picture, she was covered in icing from her birthday cake grinning at me.

“How old is she?” Jack asked.

“Two as of two weeks ago.” I answered.

“You know what?” Alex said. “I think you’re who we’re looking for”

“Honestly. You give me that vibe Flyzik gave me.” Jack said.

“Awesome.” I said, smiling.

“So you’ll start in two weeks on the House Party Tour, which is Flyzik’s last, as you know. So he can train you how to deal with 4 giant toddlers, then we’ll be off for the holidays, and then in the spring we have another tour.” Jack said. I nodded.

“Oh and, we’ll need your number.” Alex said. I quickly raddled of the number and he put it in his phone, sending me a text to make sure he got it right.

To: Tori
From: Alex
Msg: I need to talk to you? Go out for lunch with me?

I caught his eye and smiled, nodded. He grinned and soon we were all walking out of the building together. Jack walked off to the parking garage while Me and Alex decided to go down the street to the pizza place that was fabulous. While Alex ordered our pizza, I texted my mom that I got the job.

“Right, they said it’ll be about 20 minutes, so we have time to talk over our pepsi.” Alex said, chuckling.

“Right. You wanted to talk to me. So what’s up?” I said.

“This is going to sound really weird, okay but hear me out. I think I might be Beau’s father.” He said.

“Okay. Explain?” I said.

“Well almost 3 years ago, I went to this party with my now ex-girlfriend, Lisa. She was in school with your sister, Jade – that’s how I realized this, when you said Jade was your sister, and we went to Jade’s 21st birthday party and there was alcohol, a lot of it. Well I was having a really good time, and she left early because she had to work the next day. I’m assuming we flirted quite a bit and I wouldn’t be surprised, because I’m a flirty drunk. Then one thing led to another and bam, I’m waking up the next morning naked in Jade’s apartment. I panicked, I ran. I wasn’t expecting the girl to get pregnant. If I would have known, man I would have been there every step of the way. That’s the way I was raised.” He said. I took a drink of soda and stared at him.

“You want to get a paternity test then? Listen, I’m going to have to bring Beau on tour. She’s too little to be left alone for that long.” I said. He smiled.

“That’s fine.” He said. “I don’t even think we need the paternity test, Tori. Here” he pulled his phone out and flipped through them until he came to some very old ones of him.

“This is my baby picture.” He said. “Let me see Beau’s” After a minute he held our phones side by side. It was clear, she looked just like him.

“Okay. I believe you.” I said. Just then, our order was called out and while Alex went to get it, I said I was going to the bathroom. When I got in there, I automatically dialed Jades number.

“Hullo?” She said, clear she had just woken up.

“Jade. I found Beau’s father.” I said.

“How??” she said.

“He came to me.” I said.

“Well who is he?” she said. “Do I know him.”

“He’s Matt’s boss.” I said. “Alex Gaskarth”