"Still Just A Screw Up, Carver" - Eddie Munson & Y/N Sequel

Prologue ~ D.I.V.O.R.C.E

~ August 1992 ~
Sitting in the living room surrounded only by the sounds of the ticking clock on the wall, I sit on the couch as I wait for Eddie to get home from band practice. Today I'm giving him some news that will either make or break his day, praying it's been a good rehearsal and he's already coming home in a joyful mood, not that Eddie's ever really in a bad mood anyway. During a rare 5 minutes to myself, I'd hidden away in the bathroom and didn't emerge until I'd confirmed the source of my recent recurrent waking nausea - I was pregnant with the third little Munson, a blessing of course, but Ronnie was only a year old so the timing was a little unfortunate. Plus, Eddie had been sending sample tapes to everyone and anyone who would accept them since Corroded Coffin started to gain greater word-of-mouth publicity, he was becoming more and more desperate for fame and success since the auto shop wasn't doing so good. Pinning his happiness and hopes on every single package he'd send out.

"Baby, I'm home!" his voice was light and cheerful as he crossed the threshold of the house, throwing his keys onto the counter in the hall on his way, whistling merrily as he entered the living room.
"Hello, husband!" I greeted him with a bright smile as I tried to hide the nerves of my impending news,
"Hello, wife!" he chuckled, kissing my head. I took a deep breath as I readied myself to speak,
"Eddie, I have some news-" I started before Eddie jumped in with his own announcement.
"Oh, me too!" he finally stopped pacing and took a seat on the couch beside me, "So I've been sending out tapes like 4 times a week, and today I got a call at work from some guy from Capital Records in California saying how much they loved the demo tape! They saw us playing in Chicago last month and want to meet us and sign us, this fucking weekend!" He was so excited, I'd never seen him this happy before, his smile rivalled even that of the one on our wedding day.
"C-California? But that's thousands of miles away?!" I couldn't believe it, I mean, I'm happy for him... but California? Now? Fuck. He was about to tell me how amazing this opportunity was until I stopped him, "Eddie- I'm pregnant!" I blurted out. Of course Eddie was happy, just as shocked as I was, but happy.

Being early on in the pregnancy, we'd agreed that Eddie could go to California and explore the opportunity offered by the record label as it was just for a weekend. Returning home with a signed contract for a 2 record minimum deal and a tour across the states, Eddie had a new spring in his step that I hadn't seen in years. Everything was going perfectly.

~ January 1993 ~
8 months pregnant with two young kids and a husband away on tour since right after the new year was not what I'd had in mind. Wayne pitched in whenever and wherever he could, as did my parents, my friends and my brother, Jason. Together we'd formed an army of people who could help me with shopping, cleaning and childcare, Steve being exceptionally helpful and spending nights in the guest room so that I wasn't alone the closer I got to my due date. Corroded Coffin were huge in the US and there was talk of making them globally known later in the year, releasing their first record across the world over Christmas and adding overseas dates to the tour schedule for next year. Eddie would write often and call every night and day to speak with me and the kids, but the busier he got, the harder he was to get ahold of, even the letters started to dry up. Eddie had missed scans and appointments, Arwens Christmas play, some of Ronnie's most precious milestones, birthdays, anniversaries - you name it, but he was happy and that mattered so much to me.

~ February 1993 ~
"Where the fuck is he?!" I growled through another harsh contraction, they'd been ripping my body apart for the last 7 hours but still no sign of my fucking husband.
"Wayne's trying to call him, he'll be here!" Steve assured me but it was useless, I was in pain, angry and scared, going into labour without my husband by my side. My parents had taken the kids very early this morning when contractions started and agreed to keep them until the baby was born, my father making some snide remark about their "part time father" as he left. Finally welcoming the damp socks from the broken waters, Steve took me to the hospital whilst he repeatedly assured me Eddie would be there soon.