You Are More Loved Than You Know
Chapter 9: Tonight
“So here we are again
Throwing punch-lines and adlibs
As the morning sun begins to rise
We're fading fast
Wanting to work this out
(CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna wait this out
So I'll give a kiss and say goodbye
[blow a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not gonna work this out tonight
Every single words been said
[wuh uh ohh]
Broke each others hearts again
[woah oh oh]
As the starlit sky begins to shine
We're going down
She screams loud
CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna make this right
[oh]
So I'll give a kiss and say goodbye
[blow a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not gonna work this out tonight
We don't have to fight tonight
We just gotta try
Wanna work this out
I don't wanna shout
I don't wanna cry tonight
We just gotta try
TONIGHT
(CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna wait this out
So I'll give a kiss
and say goodbye
[give a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not going to work this out tonight
And all the empty spaces will fill
[Tonight]
We're gonna try and get it down and baby your gone
[Tonight]
since you've been wrong
And all that ends
Tonight.” I sung the song quietly to myself, trying to see if it sounded alright. For some reason, I was all alone on the bus, except for Steph, who was in the shower. I had gotten done with my interviews early this morning, so I thought I spend the day with my girlfriend, whom I haven’t been much of a boyfriend to. I knew that her sister was coming to visit, but I was surprised that Steph hadn’t gotten nervous yet about it. Then again, Steph doesn’t want others to worry about her, so she was probably hiding that fact. If I knew her well enough, she has probably called and texted her sister at least 4 times today to check on her. I heard her leave the bathroom and she came and sat next to me.
“What are you doing?”
“Last night when we performed, I thought that we were playing something wrong in this song, so I am fixing it.”
“It sounded fine to me.”
“Steph...” She playfully pushed me and smiled.
“Shut your face, you know what I meant.”
“I know, I just like teasing you.”
“Ally should be here any minute! Your parents went to get her. I hope she remembered everything. I mean, she assured me she did, but she is so forgetful, that she probably forgot stuff.”
“Stephanie, relax.” I started rubbing her tense shoulders and she slowly relaxed. We heard the door open and Steph ran towards the front of the bus.
“ALYSSA!!!” Steph ran and hugged her sister. You could tell how much they care for each other. Joe stood behind Ally and was mocking Steph. Alyssa elbowed him in the stomach and I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but we all started laughing as Joe clutched his stomach and Ally smirked. Ash sat down on the couch and Ellie grabbed a red bull.
“You know, those things can give you a heart attack.”
“Ally, you are being paranoid.”
“No, I’m not. Steph, isn’t it true?”
“Well, you both are right.” Ally smacked her sister in the arm and sat down. Steph gave me a pouty face and I kissed her lips. She smiled and all four girls hung out while Joe, Nick and I went into the back room.
“So, Ally told me something interesting.”
“What Joe?”
“Stephanie has been raising her by herself for a few years now.”
“All by herself?”
“Yep, she told Joe and I that none of their relatives were willing to help them, so Steph got a full time job and went to school full time and took care of Ally. She was a straight-A student who worked her way through college and raised a kid.” That, I didn’t know. I was wondering about her life.
“Why didn’t Steph tell me?”
“Well, she doesn’t want people to feel bad for her, so she doesn’t mention it. Ally is staying with Ash’s family until Steph comes home. She rarely does anything for herself, Ally always came first. I feel bad for her- having to grow up so fast.” Joe sat there wondering as Nick did the same. I don’t know who decided it, but we knew we needed our dad for this. Joe ran to grab him as Frankie joined us in the room.
“Kevy! Ally plays the violin! Isn’t that so cool?”
“Yes it is. Maybe we can have her play something for us later.”
“Kevin? Joe and Nick were telling me about Steph. What is your plan?”
“Ask her to live with us. They need help dad and Steph needs to be the one being taken care of. She needs to be loved.”
“Kevin, I know you love her, this isn’t a plan to keep her with because you are dating her, right?”
“No dad. They need a family. We are getting a new house- we can get one with two extra rooms. Ash and Ellie’s families can move next door.”
“Alright, but do you think she’ll say yes?”
“Nope, which is why we need you and mom to persuade her.”
“Well, get your mom and send her and Steph in here. You four stay out there and keep everyone else entertained.” We nodded and sent mom and Steph to the back room. I sat next to Alyssa and she smiled at me.
“So you are the boy who has seemed to won my sister’s heart. I have never seen her this happy before. Thank you. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her smile this much and act like she is 20, not 45.”
“She helped me. We saved each other.”
“I’m glad. I doubt you would hurt her. Let’s say that I am pysic and know these things.”
“Okay...” Steph suddenly stormed into the room with my parents on her tail.
“I AM NOT A CHARITY CASE!” Uh oh, that didn’t sound good.
“We don’t think that you are. You are like a daughter to us and we want to protect you. We love you.” My mom’s eyes pleaded with Steph and my dad put his hand on Steph’s shoulder.
“Steph, you need a family. Please let us do this for you.”
“Fine, but I am not happy about this.” We all cheered and I knew that this would be perfect for them. Know she’ll see that she is more love than she knows.
Throwing punch-lines and adlibs
As the morning sun begins to rise
We're fading fast
Wanting to work this out
(CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna wait this out
So I'll give a kiss and say goodbye
[blow a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not gonna work this out tonight
Every single words been said
[wuh uh ohh]
Broke each others hearts again
[woah oh oh]
As the starlit sky begins to shine
We're going down
She screams loud
CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna make this right
[oh]
So I'll give a kiss and say goodbye
[blow a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not gonna work this out tonight
We don't have to fight tonight
We just gotta try
Wanna work this out
I don't wanna shout
I don't wanna cry tonight
We just gotta try
TONIGHT
(CHORUS)
No we're not gonna work this out tonight
No we're not gonna wait this out
So I'll give a kiss
and say goodbye
[give a kiss and say goodbye]
Cause we're not going to work this out tonight
And all the empty spaces will fill
[Tonight]
We're gonna try and get it down and baby your gone
[Tonight]
since you've been wrong
And all that ends
Tonight.” I sung the song quietly to myself, trying to see if it sounded alright. For some reason, I was all alone on the bus, except for Steph, who was in the shower. I had gotten done with my interviews early this morning, so I thought I spend the day with my girlfriend, whom I haven’t been much of a boyfriend to. I knew that her sister was coming to visit, but I was surprised that Steph hadn’t gotten nervous yet about it. Then again, Steph doesn’t want others to worry about her, so she was probably hiding that fact. If I knew her well enough, she has probably called and texted her sister at least 4 times today to check on her. I heard her leave the bathroom and she came and sat next to me.
“What are you doing?”
“Last night when we performed, I thought that we were playing something wrong in this song, so I am fixing it.”
“It sounded fine to me.”
“Steph...” She playfully pushed me and smiled.
“Shut your face, you know what I meant.”
“I know, I just like teasing you.”
“Ally should be here any minute! Your parents went to get her. I hope she remembered everything. I mean, she assured me she did, but she is so forgetful, that she probably forgot stuff.”
“Stephanie, relax.” I started rubbing her tense shoulders and she slowly relaxed. We heard the door open and Steph ran towards the front of the bus.
“ALYSSA!!!” Steph ran and hugged her sister. You could tell how much they care for each other. Joe stood behind Ally and was mocking Steph. Alyssa elbowed him in the stomach and I don’t know if it was on purpose or not, but we all started laughing as Joe clutched his stomach and Ally smirked. Ash sat down on the couch and Ellie grabbed a red bull.
“You know, those things can give you a heart attack.”
“Ally, you are being paranoid.”
“No, I’m not. Steph, isn’t it true?”
“Well, you both are right.” Ally smacked her sister in the arm and sat down. Steph gave me a pouty face and I kissed her lips. She smiled and all four girls hung out while Joe, Nick and I went into the back room.
“So, Ally told me something interesting.”
“What Joe?”
“Stephanie has been raising her by herself for a few years now.”
“All by herself?”
“Yep, she told Joe and I that none of their relatives were willing to help them, so Steph got a full time job and went to school full time and took care of Ally. She was a straight-A student who worked her way through college and raised a kid.” That, I didn’t know. I was wondering about her life.
“Why didn’t Steph tell me?”
“Well, she doesn’t want people to feel bad for her, so she doesn’t mention it. Ally is staying with Ash’s family until Steph comes home. She rarely does anything for herself, Ally always came first. I feel bad for her- having to grow up so fast.” Joe sat there wondering as Nick did the same. I don’t know who decided it, but we knew we needed our dad for this. Joe ran to grab him as Frankie joined us in the room.
“Kevy! Ally plays the violin! Isn’t that so cool?”
“Yes it is. Maybe we can have her play something for us later.”
“Kevin? Joe and Nick were telling me about Steph. What is your plan?”
“Ask her to live with us. They need help dad and Steph needs to be the one being taken care of. She needs to be loved.”
“Kevin, I know you love her, this isn’t a plan to keep her with because you are dating her, right?”
“No dad. They need a family. We are getting a new house- we can get one with two extra rooms. Ash and Ellie’s families can move next door.”
“Alright, but do you think she’ll say yes?”
“Nope, which is why we need you and mom to persuade her.”
“Well, get your mom and send her and Steph in here. You four stay out there and keep everyone else entertained.” We nodded and sent mom and Steph to the back room. I sat next to Alyssa and she smiled at me.
“So you are the boy who has seemed to won my sister’s heart. I have never seen her this happy before. Thank you. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her smile this much and act like she is 20, not 45.”
“She helped me. We saved each other.”
“I’m glad. I doubt you would hurt her. Let’s say that I am pysic and know these things.”
“Okay...” Steph suddenly stormed into the room with my parents on her tail.
“I AM NOT A CHARITY CASE!” Uh oh, that didn’t sound good.
“We don’t think that you are. You are like a daughter to us and we want to protect you. We love you.” My mom’s eyes pleaded with Steph and my dad put his hand on Steph’s shoulder.
“Steph, you need a family. Please let us do this for you.”
“Fine, but I am not happy about this.” We all cheered and I knew that this would be perfect for them. Know she’ll see that she is more love than she knows.