The Darkness Of Healing // Ruel // English

Chapter 78

The week has flown by. It was one blink and I'm at the airport in Washington D.C. waiting for Liam and June at 10 AM. I was one of the first to wake up this morning and agreed with Steve that he would drop me off as close to the airport as possible. Ruel was still sleeping and so far has no idea that his friends are coming to visit him and spend the whole day with us. They stay for a total of four days, but only with us today and after that they need to find company with eachother.

June lets go of her carry-on and bounces into my arms as they round the corner and she sees me. She chirps with enthusiasm. Her arms wrap tightly around me. It's a good feeling that she missed me so much. The same goes for me.

When June has finally let go of me, I briefly take Liam in my arms, who has meanwhile intercepted June's rolling suitcase.

Liam: "Good to see you again," Liam says as he lets go of me.

I pull out two backstage passes from my back pocket so they can enter whenever they want and avoid hassle with security. They're on the list of people allowed in, but Nate's ramped up security, so there's a chance they'll make a fuss just like what happened with Mark and Layla. Nate eventually had to go get me himself.

June: "He still doesn't know we're coming?"

I shake my head at June.
Yasmine: "He just texted me to ask where I was, but I don't think he has a clue."

We walk out of the airport and hail a taxi to take us back to the venue. The driver loads the bags into the trunk and I hold the door open for June to climb into the backseat.

June: "How are you holding up?" she asks as she slides her ass to the other side of the car so I don't have to open the other door, which seems impossible with all the traffic passing by.

Yasmine: "Well, it's a lot and absolute chaos at times, and I might be a little sleep deprived, but it's fun. I'm enjoying it."

I get in after her and slam the door shut. Then both front doors close and Liam reaches out to June to give her a bottle of water from the co-driver's seat.

Liam: "I think we are going to mess up today's schedule a little bit." Liam's smile fills the car.

Yasmine: "I wish you the best of luck with those two managers walking around, but I'm sure Ruel wouldn't mind."

I give the address of the venue so the driver can leave and let myself catch up on everything that's happened back home in Sydney. I'm sure they'll need longer than this ride to tell me everything. The enthusiasm they have and the way they tell their stories always leaves me hanging on their every word. They hook me around their fingers. And I love every bit of it.

A joy blooms inside. It's only now that I realize that I really missed those two. Now I feel that void being filled. It is that cheerfulness that only our group of friends can fill in and make alive in that way. It makes my heart skip a beat.

If Ruel isn't happy with them, I'm glad they came to Washington. They could have come to the show in Houston or Atlanta, but they liked this place better since they were going to make it a mini vacation. I may take the whole group to the monument and memorial if there is time and space. The monument especially for the reference to Spiderman when it catches Ruel's eye.

Liam and June have an Airbnb close by and need to drop by in the afternoon to check in and drop off their bags. That will not work tonight since there is a good chance that they will not arrive until midnight. If they get really bored tomorrow, they can always arrange transportation to Philadelphia where Ruel is playing that night. It's just a bite out of their day when they're on the road. Then they must have really messed it up for each other if they want to make that choice. I'd rather be somewhere else for that two and a half hour drive.