Miss Jackson {b.u.}

{60}

No. No, this can't be happening. This can't be right. Please, tell me this is all just a sick dream. Mom's not gone. She was fine a month ago. She was just with me, feeling as good as she could be. This is not real.

I jolted up in bed. Sweat dripping from my forehead. The pale moon light lit through the blinds of the bus. I placed my hands over my forehead. I heard the blankets rustle and hands fell over my shoulders. I turned my head and Brendon's face was just in front of mine. I could tell he was exhausted, "you don't have to get up every-time this happens."

His forehead rested against the side of my face, sluggishly. "I need to make sure you're okay."

"Brendon-"

His hand caressed my cheek and brought our noses together. His eyes finally fully opened. His tongue lathered his lips, "you've been havin' real bad dreams, Joanne. I rather get no sleep with you than to sleep and you're up all night by yourself."

He kissed the side of my face and laid down, pulling me down to lay onto his chest. His hand fell to my mid-back, rubbing it gently. He laid flat on his back, with his right arm above his head, his head flat on the pillow and his head was slightly turned—where his lips were pressing gently against my forehead, "get some rest. You need it."

"Actually you do, but whatever floats your boat."

"Shh."

——————————-
I had woken up earlier than Brendon and everyone else. I needed a minute. I'd taken a lift to a coffee shop to pick up coffee for everyone who drank it—but that was over thirty minutes ago. I held the holder in my hand, opening the bus door. I cleared my throat and stepped onto the bus. Hearing music playing and it had to have been Brendon.

When I fully walked onto the bus, Brendon was in the kitchen, cooking Breakfast. He was pacing around, trying to do ten things at once. I furrowed my eyebrows and walked next to him, setting the coffee's on the counter. I took Brendon's out and held it out for him and he glanced over and took it, setting down quickly before he took the bacon out of the pan, "baby grind on me..."

My eyes widened and I turned around slowly. My finger was already out and pointing. And I pointed at Daphne, who sang that lyric. My eyes glanced around and Clover was bouncing on the ground, dancing and shaking her butt. My head turned to Brendon, "Is she-did she just-"

Brendon turned around with a plate in his hand and a rag thrown over his shoulder, "Babe.."

"Brendon," I began and shut my eyes for a moment, "how do our daughters know this song for them to sing and dance to it so well?"

Brendon walked over to the table and set the plate down, sighing. He turned back around and took the rag off of his shoulder, "I played the kids playlist and that song must've slipped on there."

"How many times did this song supposedly slip?"

"Well," He began, "never."

I shook my head and smiled softly at him. I turned back around and grabbed my coffee. Then, I walked to the table and sat down next to Clover. Daphne sat across from me and River sat in the high chair. Brendon turned back around with a plate of pancakes and I heard a soft sigh escape his mouth. He walked over to the table and set the pancakes down, then glanced at me, "did you sleep, doll?"

I pulled my hair behind me, tying it in a ponytail. I grabbed two pancakes for Daphne, one for Clover and ripped half for River, "Mm. Yeah."

Brendon turned back and opened the fridge, scanning it, "anyone need syrup or butter?"

I set three pancakes on Brendon's plate and two on mine, "grab both of them."

Brendon quickly grabbed syrup and butter, then his coffee and sat down across from me at the table. I picked up a piece of River's pancake and fed it to him, then leaned across the table and took the rag off of Brendon's shoulder, setting it next to me. Clover was trying to get underneath the table and I let her. Brendon sighed and peered underneath the table, pulling Clover up onto his lap and grabbing her food and bringing it close to him, "what did you give her this morning?"