Almost Easy

Liz’s POV

I was center stage, staring up at Matt, rows from the barricade as he continued singing. He was nearing the middle, Brian’s solo, the breakdown section, of A Little Piece Of Heaven, the song they were closing out with after a set of me trying to avoid eye contact. My heart was thumping in my chest. He began shouting to the crowd.

“How the fuck are you doing tonight Indianapolis!” He shouted as Brian shredded, still looking in the crowd with a disbelieving look on his face, “I’m going to need a little help on this next part,” He shouted and the crowd screamed, “Now there’s been this little rocker over here all night that looks like he might just know what we need to hear.”

I gulped in my throat as Matt walked off towards the left side of the stage, towards where Danny and Colton and Jeff had been. I froze still, my stiff body inhibiting the motion of people cheering around me as Matt managed to somehow get Colton on stage.

“How old are you?” Matt asked, Colton froze and stared at the microphone as the music continued.

“Five!” He shouted, tears sprung in to my eyes

“Well, how do you feel about helping us sing a little bit tonight?”

“Ok!” Colton smiled, “What do I say?”

Matt chuckled in to his mic and handed it to Colton, whispering something to him as Zack and Brian approached their microphones and they all continued. Matt carried Colton with him towards Brian’s microphone and kept singing.

Each time they sang “Eyes over easy!”

Colton shouted in to his microphone “Eat it eat it eat it!” I clapped my hand over my mouth as he continued the words over and over as the song went on, Matt gave him small cues now and then to help out and he honestly looked as if he was having more fun than the rest of the night.

The end of the song was coming and Matt had cued Colton once more to help, “Everybody's gotta die sometime!” Colton sang out and then saw me, his eyes saw mine and he smiled wide, leaving Matt to sing the last words himself as Colton screamed, pointing at me, “That’s my Mumma! Hi Mumma!” He pointed and smiled, causing Matt to chuckle as he sang.

“But baby don’t.. Cry... aye, aye...” Even though stringing out that last notes of the word were normal, I could see the shock in Matt’s eyes as he followed Colton’s extended finger towards me. The mics cut and Matt’s lips formed a fuck. I had never felt my skin go so cold as when Zack walked over to push Matt’s shoulder, saying something to him while thumbing over his shoulder to where Jeff was standing by the stage. Matt stayed staring at me and Zack finally looked out, his bright green eyes quinting as he tried to see.

:.:.:.:

Zack’s POV

Matt was standing center stage, holding this kid, staring out as if he was stroking out. The kids dad, I’m assuming, was still standing at the side of the stage. We had already kept this kid up here for our more vulgar song of the night and I figured he wanted him back.

“Matt? Dude we have to give the kid back..” I grabbed his arm, but the blank stare he didn’t flinch made my stomach flip. I looked out in to the crowd, not having heard what the little boy had said over the microphone I squinted, looking directly in the spot they were. My heart dropped, “Liz?” Her piercing eyes were staring directly at Matt, locking on to him as if a fighter jet was about to obliterate an entire nation.

“Mumma! She saw me singing!”

The little boy shouted out and smiled.

I turned and looked up, looking between Matt and the child in his arms, I could see Matt’s muscles flinch as the words left the kids mouth, “Colton?” I asked.

He turned to me and smiled, “That’s my mom, she’s going to be so excited!”

Matt was still staring blankly out at her as the lights cut, “Come on we have to go, we have to get off stage man.” Johnny walked up and pushed Matt, “You have to give the kid back, you’re being weird dude.”

Matt eventually managed to stumble, while holding on to his son, off the stage. Jason Berry instantly met us with two men by his side, “Danny! Danny did you see me?!” Colton shouted and wiggled from Matt’s arms, sprinting over to the blonde haired man beside Jason.

“I did.. I saw.” He looked up at me, he knew that I knew who he was. I nodded.

“So that was totally not how any of this was meant to go.” Jason stared between us all as Brian bombed off stage towards us, his skin whiter than normal.

“Shit, fuck-… oh fuck sorry-… Guys,” He shook his head and ignored the awkward situation he just rushed in to, “I swear to god-”

“That you saw me tonight.”

I closed my eyes as her voice lilted through the room, a screech erupted from Colton’s mouth. I opened my eyes to see Danny set him down and the small set of Converse carried Colton to Liz’s arms. She lifted him up, holding him on her hip as she smiled.

The room went silent, “Alright let’s uhm...” Jason looked around, “Dressing room. Let’s go.”

We all filed behind him quickly to the room, my mind flickering around the room, we were missing two bodies, Johnny and Jimmy. Jimmy was going to lose it.

“Liz?” Brian asked as the door shut behind all of us.

“No, fucking Virgin Mary.” She rolled her eyes and smiled, handing Colton to the other guy beside Danny, “Hi.”

“I am so... I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to react like..” Brian stumbled on his words and blinked a few times. My heart seemed to start beating again when it stopped hitting me so hard that my sister was standing in front of me again.

“What am I doing?” I shook my head and wiped my eyes, running to her and holding her tight, “Fuck... Liz... I miss you so fucking much.” I pressed her head against my cheek, kissing the side of her head, “My baby sister.”

Her body softened against me, her arms finding their place back around me, holding tight under my arms that had captured her, “Stop you’re going to make me cry.” She laughed a little in to my chest and the wet spots forming on my shirt, that I could feel through my sweat, told me that she had already begun crying. I let go and pulled back, holding her face in my hands and staring at her.

“Your hair.” I widened my eyes a little, “You finally stopped seeing that psycho.”

“I stopped seeing a lot of psychos.” She laughed a little and stepped back, “Uhm, so I should introduce you guys.” She gestured to the man beside her which I already knew, “This is Danny, my husband. Not that you didn’t know that.” She glared at me.

“Still chills my blood.” Brian mumbled from behind us, “Nice to meet you.”

“Names Danny.” He spoke up and smiled, giving a small wave.

“Mommy, who is that?” Colton asked.

“Well..” Liz squinted a little, “Colty this is my brother. Like Uncle Jeff is Danny’s brother?” She smiled, he nodded, “So this is also your Uncle. Uncle Zack.”

“Wow! I’ve never met him before!” Colton smiled, “Hi. I’m Colton Baker.”

Liz winced slightly, “Uhm, Colty... He knows, his last name is Baker too.”

“Oh! That’s cool. Danny, I’m tired.” Colton yawned, “That was fun.”

“I know bud, I’m kind of tired too.” Jeff nudged Colton’s side, “Wanna go find some water and a bathroom?”

“I really need to pee.” Colton perked up and looked at Jeff.

“Uh, I’ll show you guys were they are.” Matt spoke up, “Come on bud.”

Jeff gave Liz a look and she nodded, shooing them to follow Matt. The door closed behind them and she sighed, “He didn’t react like I had anticipated.”

“How’d you anticipate?” Brian asked, walking up and standign beside me.

“I figured he’d lose it.” She mumbled, “I mean...”

“It’s his son and it’s been five years.” Danny spoke up, “I think he understands that Colton’s too young to get it, but he obviously likes the idea he’s here. I could see that look in his eyes when we all came back stage. Even just being around Colton is probably a win for him.”

“Shit.” I laughed a little, “I like this guy.”

“Yeah, he has sense right?” Liz rolled her eyes.

“Which is an odd choice for you little Baker.” Brian smirked and nudged her side, “Or Heely.”

“Exactly.” She smiled, “So... where do we start-”

“Hey, anyone notice Matt pretty much adopted some random... little kid...”

The door swung open and Jimmy’s voice immediately boomed through, but stopped and trailed off as Brian and I moved out of the way, opening his and Johnny’s line of sight up to Liz, “LIZ?!” Johnny shouted.

“LIZZY!” Jimmy ran over, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, “That’s it! Run guys! We have her lets fucking go-…" Unlike his usual antics, Jimmy dropped Liz on the spot and grabbed her shoulders, holding her a short distance away and starting at her dead in the eye, “Was that him with Matt? Was that your son? Colton? Was that him? And was that your husband?” Jimmy pulled back a little, “He doesn’t seem like your type at all,” His face contorted as Liz smirked, “He’s... Not your type. He’s too short, honestly. And he looks way too old for you. He also was with Matt so he might not come back alive... Is that really him?”

Liz laughed a little, “Yes that was Colton and no. This is my husband Danny. That was his brother Jeff.”

“Oh.” Jimmy looked up and scanned Danny, “I guess. Still doesn’t look like your type.”

“Liz fucked anything with legs I don’t think she has a type.” Brian mumbled and then looked at Danny, “Sorry. She probably left out her entire life to you.”

“Actually we only talked a small bit about her past because I knew how hard it was for her,” Danny spoke up before Jimmy could open his mouth, “She’s had a really hard time living here. I met her when she moved here, actually when she was still pregnant. She worked for my dad, I helped move in all the nursery stuff for Colt. She was in a bad place. I kind of hung out and hung around because I knew she needed someone to talk to, she had just left everything she knew and needed someone. So I figured why not. Then when Colton was born we started hanging out, my parents watched him and it just started from there.”

My eyes moved halfway through his explanation to Liz’s eyes, she was staring up at him with a smile, tears present in her eyes, “Yeah he didn’t know the full deal until recently. Uhm actually right after Vegas,” She looked at Jason, “Thanks for spilling the beans by the way Berry.”

“You’re welcome.” He smiled, “Fuck, Liz, it’s so good to see you.”

“I’m just glad to see Zack.” She smiled and looked at me, “God, I had this fucking dream years ago... actually right when I went in to labor with Colton. It was about you, Jacky, Lid, and Ethan-”

“Ethan?” I asked.

“Yeah, I don’t know. That’s what you were yelling at your other kid in my dream-”

“That’s my sons name.” I stared at her as she sucked a breath in.

“That’s fucking weird.” Danny mumbled, “You’ve told me that dream before too.”

“What the fuck, you two are the most in tune siblings I’ve ever known. And my wife has a twin.” Brian rolled his eyes.

“Mich!” Liz smiled, “Fuck... How is she? How are all the girls? Holy fucking shit Liddy...” Liz slapped her hand over her mouth.

“Everyone’s good.” I nodded, “Uhm so are Penny and Jack, and Tom.”

The confused expression on Liz’s face met a beaming Brian and Jimmy, “Oh-… OH MY GOD.”

“Penelope and Jackson, twins.” Brian rolled his eyes, “Lucky us.”

“Tom’s an only, but he’s enough trouble to be several.” Jimmy laughed as I nodded.

“How old?” Liz pointed between the two.

“The twins are two, Tom’s five.” Jimmy nodded, “We found out Leana was pregnant right around when you left. He’s only a few months younger than Eth.”

“Acts older,” Johnny mumbled, “Beats the shit out of Ethan in school and gets them in trouble.”

“Holy shit.” Liz shook her head, “We’re... we’re going to have to go somewhere and catch up.” She mumbled, “I... I need to get Colton home to bed. It’s so late.”

“We can go back to the house?” Danny asked, “I can put him to bed and we can all hang out?”

“When do you guys leave tomorrow?” Liz asked, “Or are you flying?”

“We’re flying so our flight is late. We can if you want.” Brian shrugged.

“Come on,” Liz nodded, “We’ll go. He needs sleep.”

I looked over at Brian, who was standing watching as Liz and Jason mapped out a way to her house. Brian shook his head, his face just as confused as I was.