Time for a Sign

Our boys had been on tour for a week so us abandoned wives (or fiancées in Rebekah's case) decided to all catch up for lunch at my house. I had forgotten that I hadn't told anyone about getting a cat until I was preparing a salad and Jessy looked towards the hallway with a weird look on her face.

"Uh, Alecia? I don't mean to alarm you, but there's a cat in your house."

Rebekah and Tessa's attention directed towards the hallway as Lola stepped tentatively forward, mewling as she was unsure of these strange new people in the house.

"Yeah, that's my cat, her name's Lola."

Jessy looked at me, dumbfounded. "You got a cat?"

"Well, technically Eric got it, but he bought it for me because he thought I would get lonely while Pat was tour," I explained, scooping up the kitten as she bolted towards me.

"Wait, Halvo thought you would get lonely during the three weeks Pat is away so he bought you a cat? He does realise you're having a baby, right?"

I sighed. "That's what I told him, but he didn't care. Anyway, Lola has been good company the last week, haven't you baby?" I said, nuzzling the kitten as she purred away in my arms.

"That's just a little bit creepy," Jessy said, turning her attention back to our meal preparation.

I put Lola down and continued making lunch as she stood in the doorway, watching us carefully. Jessy kept glancing over to her and finally put her knife down with a sigh.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but your cat is creeping me out." I just laughed and picked Lola back up.

"She's just curious, she probably wants you to pet her," I said, walking towards Jessy with her. Jessy looked hesitant, but reached out and stroked Lola's head, causing the kitten to close her eyes and purr.

I put Lola back down and she ran off while we continued making lunch, reappearing once we were sitting down to eat.

"So, we were discussing this on the way here, but how long do you think it'll be before the band stops touring?" Tessa asked me.

I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, with you and Pat having a baby, Jessy and Garrett having Connor, Rebekah and John getting married and Jared and I thinking about starting a family, we think it'll be a year at the most until they decide to stop touring and just make music here at the studio."

"Well, I reckon they'll finish off the last leg of this tour and then call it a day," Jessy predicted.

"As much as I would want them to do that, I don't think they'll stop touring for a few more years. They'll probably just do what they're doing now but cut it down a bit more. Maybe do a couple of shows here and there, but I don't think they'll stop being on the road for a while. They all love it too much to stop completely."

"Yeah, I agree with Alecia," Rebekah said, "I don't think they'll ever stop playing shows. They'll play here in Arizona until the day they die."

"Speaking of dying, has anyone heard from Rachel since the dinner fiasco?" Jessy asked.

We all shook our heads. "Eric said that he saw her walking down the street the other day, so she's still here, but he didn't talk to her or anything. It's probably a good thing the guys are away right now, hopefully she'll get the picture and move on."

Jessy scoffed. "Are you kidding? This is Rachel we're talking about, she's the most scheming and conniving little bitch I've ever met, she won't leave unless we run her out of town or kill her."

"I say we just kill her." Everyone's eyes swivelled to Rebekah as she continued eating. "What? She's trying to get back with my fiancé who wants absolutely nothing to do with her."

"I can assure you that she'll be gone before your wedding. I still need to figure something out, but her days in Arizona are numbered."

* * * * *

I was glad I was still working and catching up with Eric, or else being away from Pat would have completely driven me crazy. I found myself making the house absolutely spotless while I was home and I was quickly running out of room to put the new things I was buying for the baby.

"Holy shit, where did all this come from?" Eric asked with wide eyes as he entered the nursery. I sighed.

"I think I'm nesting. I just keep seeing all these really cute things and I just buy them. I have nowhere to put them since the nursery isn't set up yet," I said, leaning against the door frame with my arms crossed. I really had bought a lot of things for the baby.

"Well why don't we paint it and start setting it up before Pat gets home?"

"Eric, I can't paint anything in this condition, the fumes aren't healthy for neither me or the baby."

Eric bit his lip while he thought. "Come stay at mine for a few days and I'll get a couple of friends to come around and paint it and get all the smell out before you come back."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to cancel any plans or anything because of me."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Please, it's seriously the least I could do after how I've treated you the last few years."

I pulled him into a hug. "Thank you Eric, seriously. You're the best cousin I've ever had."

The next day I packed a bag while Eric, Nick and Max showed up and I ran them through the vision Pat and I had for the nursery.

"I'll draw up where we want the furniture and leave it with you so you can do all the heavy lifting," I said, picking up my overnight bag and Lola's carrier with her inside of it.

"If we have any questions we'll call you, but we should be fine. Here's my keys to get in, text me when you get home from work so you can let me in," Eric said, pulling a couple of keys off his key chain.

I carried Lola and my bag out to my car, stopping off at Eric' apartment to drop them off and let Lola roam around before heading into work.

Just before lunch time, Eric sent me a text message.

'Just finished base coat, need to let it dry for an hour or so before we start colour. Do you have any food for us?'

I rolled my eyes. Typical boys.

'Should be sandwich stuff in the refrigerator and bread in the bread box. Help yourselves to anything in there that might go off in the next few days.'

I made a mental note to pick up groceries before I went back to Eric's since I had a feeling he was basically living off beer.

I received another message from Eric just as I was walking out to my car.

'Just finished up first coat of colour. You heading to mine soon?'

I quickly replied, letting him know I was just going to get some groceries for dinner then I'd be on my way.

He was leaning against the building when I pulled up and he rushed over to help me carry the grocery bags inside. Lola rubbed herself against my legs as we walked in and Eric began putting the food away as I kicked off my shoes and slumped onto his couch.

"Pfft, don't act like you did anything strenuous today, you got to sit in an office while I was slaving away getting high from paint fumes," Eric said, sitting down next to me.

I sent him a look. "Eric, I have an entire human being inside of me. Give me a little credit, please."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Do you want me to start on dinner?"

I nodded. "Just put a couple of cups of pasta on to cook and cut up the chicken, I can handle the rest."

He mock saluted me then disappeared into the kitchen, leaving me to relax a little. It wasn't until I could feel him shaking my shoulder that I realised I had fallen asleep.

"Alecia. Wake up. I made dinner, hurry up and eat it before it gets cold."

We ate dinner together, cleaned up and went to bed, too tired to do anything else.

* * * * *

I pulled up at Eric's apartment the next evening after work, seeing him leaning against the building again.

"All done," he declared, pulling me into a hug as I neared him.

"Seriously? It's done?" I asked incredulously.

"Yep. Walls painted and furniture put together. I'll spend tomorrow getting the paint smell out of it so you can head home tomorrow after work. What do you want me to use?"

"There should be a couple of large scented candles in the back of the wardrobe, you can use those. Anything left in my fridge?"

"Not much. Sorry kiddo."

As much as I liked being around Eric, I couldn't wait to get back home to my own bed and the ability to keep food in the kitchen longer than a day.

I could tell Lola was excited to go home too, when I opened the carrier to put her in before I went to work she just about leapt inside.

The entire day I was fidgeting and anxious to get home and see how they went with the nursery and I had to stop myself from speeding home once I had finished.

Eric greeted me at the door. "Once we're upstairs, you need to close your eyes so you can get the full effect when you walk in."

I walked upstairs and as we got to the landing, Eric covered my eyes and lead me to the room. "Ready?"

He removed his hands and I opened my eyes, bringing my hands to my mouth in shock.

The boys had done an absolutely fantastic job. The walls were a gorgeous apple green colour with a cream baseboard and white ceiling. Glow-in-the-dark stars were stuck to the ceiling and the floor was covered with the soft, white rug I had bought a week earlier. They had even set up the crib and chest of drawers I had bought, ready for me to fill with the clothes I had. The room smelled of the two vanilla and musk candles that were burning, giving the room a cosy feeling.

I turned to Eric with wide eyes that were starting to fill with tears.

"You like it?" I couldn't speak, nodding my head as he pulled me into a hug.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," I managed to get out.

"It was my pleasure. If there's anything else I can do, just ask me."

"You've done so much already. Honestly, thank you. It's one less thing for us to stress over while Pat is home briefly."

"Well, I did get you one more thing."

"Eric, you weren't supposed to get us anything! The funds the band are putting into the account are our present from everyone."

"That's from the band though. Uncle Eric is not part of that band. Besides, I still feel really shitty about being an ass to both you and Pat over the last few years, so I got you a little something. Besides, my mom would kill me if I didn't get you anything, since we are family."

He disappeared into my room and came out pushing a brand new baby stroller, big enough that it could probably fit Pat if he tried hard enough.

"Eric you take that back right this moment. I can't accept this." I was on the verge of tears again.

'Well, technically it's from the whole family, but it was my idea and I put in the biggest contribution. Sorry I haven't been the best big cousin the last few years."

I pulled him into a hug as I started to cry and he rubbed my back soothingly. He pulled back suddenly, his eyes wide.

"What the fuck was that?"

I giggled as I wiped my eyes. "Just the baby kicking. I'm so used to it now that I barely notice it."

"That was fuckin' weird. It's not gonna claw its way out like in Alien right?"

I laughed again. "No, you idiot. Now go home so I can shower and relax. I left you a couple meals in the refrigerator."

His eyes lit up at the mention of food and we hugged goodbye after I gave him back his keys.

I took another look at the nursery and smiled before blowing out the candles. Sometimes I still didn't believe that this was finally happening.