Be My Escape

Chapter Fifteen

(The song Eddie dedicated to Billy is Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon. I'm aware that song didn't exist yet, but if Eddie 'wrote' it, then it shouldn't matter Also! All the songs are rock covers; I found some really good ABBA covers from Sinergy, as well as Swedish Hitz Goes Metal, so picture those covers for the instrumentals.)

It was Thursday now. Eddie and Billy had picked up Wayne at the airport on Wednesday, and they spent the day showing the man around town, seeing the sights, showing him the best places to get a good meal and some good booze. Billy was right; it was good for Wayne to get out of Hawkins for a few days. He seemed happier, less stressed. That may be from the retirement, though. They weren't sure. They wouldn't question it.

Eddie was off from work today, the day he would perform for the bar. He was nervous, the excited energy practically buzzing off of him. He spent the day with his uncle, Billy coming along, but leaving when he had to go into work for six.

"I'll see you before your performance," Billy said, giving his boyfriend a gentle kiss, "Break a leg, baby. I love you." He left then, going downstairs for his shift.

Eddie smiled, watching the man leave, before turning his attention to Wayne. "I'm nervous," he admitted.

Wayne shook his head. "Don't be, son. I've heard you play countless times. You're going to do great as always." He paused, "You look happy. I can't remember the last time I've seen you smile this much."

Eddie looked down, a little embarrassed. "He's just..." He sighed contently, "He's great. This place is great. Everything is perfect right now, Uncle Wayne. I even told him, I'm nervous something is going to just knock it over, and everything is going to fall apart. It's going too well, do you know what I mean?"

"I do," Wayne nodded in understanding, "But thinking like that is what's going to do it. One small thing will happen and you'll have built it up in your head to be this big thing and that's what's going to make it unravel. You have to learn how to roll with the punches, kid. That's how you survive in this world. And even if something does happen, you're resilient. You're going to get back up, dust yourself off, and you're going to go on with your day. That's what you do. I've seen you go through so much shit, and you did that every time. You got back up. Don't be in your own head all the time. Think about your boyfriend. He loves you. He's not going to leave because you do a small thing that you think will fuck everything up. It's not. That's how relationships work. If something happens, you talk about it. You work through it together. I know for a fact that you two are going to make it. I can just feel it. I can see it. You two are the most in love people I've ever seen in my life. I know it hasn't been long, but he's going to marry you someday. And I'll be walking you down the aisle, or I'll be by your side when he walks. I'm not sure how it works, but you two are in it for the long run. I know it."

Eddie just stood there, absorbing the words. "You always know what to say, Uncle Wayne. Thank you." He hugged Wayne quickly, letting go after a moment.

"It's what I'm here for, son," Wayne replied, "Now, when are you going on?"

"Not until ten," Eddie responded, "But I have to be there thirty minutes beforehand to get my stuff set up. If you want, I can take you downstairs to the bar. Or we can do something else. I can show you a few more sights."

Wayne shrugged. "I don't care what we do. I'm just excited to hear you play. It's been so long. Do you remember the time your band played in that dive bar? The one near the police station? Your band went on and afterward, a cop arrested a member of the other band for doing a drug deal in the bathroom?"

Eddie laughed, clapping his hands together. "Yeah! The bar never allowed that band to play there again."

They sat there, reminiscing for hours, laughing the entire time. Soon, it was time for them to do downstairs.