Timebomb

It's hours after we've gone to bed when my phone blares to life from under my pillow, making me jump about a foot in the air. Answering with a harsh, "What!?"

"YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED AGAIN!!"

"Garrett?" I mumble, my eyes still shut as I fumble trying to turn my bedside light on.

"OH SO YOU REMEMBER YOU HAVE A BROTHER THAT'S NICE OLIVIA!" Garrett all but yells down the phone.

"Liv?" Alex asks, only half awake blinking in the stark light of my lamp.

"It's my brother, I'll go in the living room." Alex nods sleepily already curled back up in the sheets, I huff in amusement pressing a kiss to his tousled hair before climbing out of bed.

"Liv you still there?!"

"Of course I'm still here you just woke up Alex I'm going in the lounge one second."

I flop onto our plush black leather sofa dragging the blanket my mom had given me before I moved out to Baltimore off the back wrapping myself up, "Okay, whats up?"

Garrett splutters down the line making me chuckle. "What's up?! WHATS UP!! I have to find out my big sister is getting remarried through a three sentence email that caused John to throw his brand new phone the length of the bus and go missing for four hours."

I wince. Shit. An email probably wasn't the best idea but, how could I ring him? I could barely think about him anymore.

"Sorry G, I should've rung you first but I was waiting till you were off tour to ring you, we're having an engagement party this Sat at The Wolf, mom and dad can't come because of work but they were gonna tell you when you got home tomorrow. Then I freaked out about John and yeahh.... I'm sorry." I close my eyes, panicking slightly that I'd upset Garrett too, I couldn't bare my baby brother being sad.

Garrett takes a deep breath and I know for a fact he's rubbing the back of his neck with his hand anxiously.

"I'm happy for you sis. That's the main thing, and I'll fly out Friday and crash at yours for this party. Alex is great and I'm glad you're happy."

I smile softly to myself. "Thanks G, I miss you."

Garrett sighs, "I miss you too Liv, I wish you'd come home and see everyone. I know for a fact Kenny's gonna want to come with me on Friday."

"Oh my god yes bring him!! We have two spare rooms! I mean one is full of music shit and merch but there's definitely a bed in there somewhere!"

Garrett laughs and warmth floods my chest. We stay quiet for a moment, content in just knowing the other is there. It hadn't been that long since we'd spoken on the phone, probably about a month, we whatsapp more regularly, and only just yesterday he'd sent me a funny cat video on facebook, but it had been months since I'd seen him, or the rest of the band, in the flesh.

"How's John?" The words are out of mouth before I can stop them. Shit.

Garrett sighs and he sounds about 80, the world on his shoulders.

"He's been alright, better lately, still hasn't dated anyone, he wears his wedding ring on a chain and we all pretend we don't notice."

It feels like there's a hand clutching my heart, squeezing painfully and making tears fill my eyes.

"Did he say anything?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

"Yeah he said he had mailed the divorce papers straight after he got them so everything should be good."

I let out a relieved huff, some of the tension draining from my muscles.

"Anyway sis, I didn't realize it was 3am, get back to your fiancee and I'll see you in a week."

"Love you lil bro."

"Always big sis."

I hang up the phone with a bright grin, untangle myself from my blanket and pad barefoot across the carpet to mine and Alex's bedroom. He stirs as I climb onto the bed, his arms seeking me out straight away and hugging me to his chest.

I fall asleep smiling.



Garrett and Kennedy turn up at our door Friday morning with two backpacks and a single suitcase between them.

"Congratulations!!" They both shout in unison almost knocking me to the floor as they both try and hug me at once. The hug swiftly turns into tickling which quickly turns into play fighting. Alex enters the room just as Ive got Kennedy in a headlock whilst Garrett tries to sweep my leg from where Kenny tackled him to the floor.

"Sup guys!" He greets warmly, getting two "Heys!" back, he laughs and strolls right past us to the couch firing up our flat screen.

"Oooh! Is that Dying Light?!" Garrett screeches, jumping from the floor and flopping onto the couch next to my fiancee who silently hands him the spare xbox controller. I laugh releasing Kennedy who gets one last tickle to my ribs, "I give up, I give up!" I surrender, puffing like I've ran a marathon.

"Wanna go get lunch?" Kennedy asks glancing over at Gary and Alex, " These two loser are lost to us forever now."

I nod solemnly, grabbing my bag from the arm chair and linking my arm through Kennedy's.

"We'll be back later."

Alex and Garrett both mutter a 'Bye', but we're already out the door.



The day of our engagement party is stressful as fuck.

I get to The Wolf early to make sure everything's being set up right, our friends, Boys Like Girls, had decided their engagement gift to us would be to perform at our party and I was stoked.

The bar was fully stocked, my staff were ready to rock, Tay wasn't in as she had the day off to 'get ready to meet all my hot single guy friends' I'm pretty sure her and Jack have gone for a spa day.

I was just on my way home to get ready when my phone rang, an unknown number flashing on the screen.

"Hello, Olivia speaking." I answer using what Garrett calls my 'phone voice'.

"Hello, Ms O'callaghan I'm Ian Hurn, I'm the person processing your marriage license."

"Oh, yeah, of course! How can I help you?" I ask confused as to why he was ringing, we were gonna go pick everything up Monday morning.

"Unfortunately, your previous marriage hasn't been terminated so we cannot approve a new one until your husband has signed and sent the proper forms."

My heart fell into my stomach. What the fuck?? John hadn't signed the papers? That was two years ago. Why wouldn't he?

"Ermm, oh that's.... Confusing. I'll get in contact with him and get it sorted as quickly as I can, thank you." I hang up before he can even answer, my brain whizzing like crazy.

I have to tell Alex.... But not today, I don't want to spoil this for him. I'll tell him in the morning everything will be fine.