Finding Jaime

Chapter 86

Jaime slept through the show, at least according to Thomas and Don, he was asleep when they were there. Thomas wound up staying out there most of the show and Don stayed with Jaime after the show while Thomas helped with breakdown and before we came back to the bus.

I checked on my son before getting myself ready for bed. He was fast asleep and while he still felt a little warm, Don assured me he was fine. His temperature hadn't gone over 100.5°, and he'd checked frequently.

I thanked Don and he went to do what he needed to do before heading to his own bus. He'd check in at any stops along the way.

When I woke up in the morning, I heard voices at the front of the bus. They weren't loud and I couldn't tell who it was or what was being said but I got out of my bunk, used the toilet and went up front to see what was going on. Joe was teaching Jaime to play the guitar. I looked over. My son was sitting on one of the couches with Joe's guitar while Joe was showing him a couple of chords.

"Hey Dad," Jaime said as I walked in.

"Hi yourself. How are you feeling?" I asked, reaching out to feel his forehead. Jaime moved his head away.

"Fine," he said simply.

"Did you take your meds?" I asked.

"Yes," Jaime said.

"Have you eaten?" I asked.

"No. I'm not hungry yet," he said.

"How's your shoulder?" I asked.

"It's okay," he said.

I smiled. I could be annoyed by the short, information-less answers but my son is a teenager. And he was acting like a regular teenager. And that's all I could ask for, considering everything.

Jaime's phone rang and he frowned. Who would be calling him at eight in the morning? He picked it up and answered.

"Hello?" He answered. I watched him as his frown turned into a huge smile.

"Hey Mar!" He said. "You're up early!"

I could only hear Jaime's side of the conversation, but it was sweet.

"Yeah. I was a little bit sick. But I'm okay now. Are you being good for Mama? Yeah? No. I didn't know that. Really? Okay. When? Tell her happy birthday for me, okay? Okay. Have fun. Love you too! Bye!"

I looked at my son and smiled as he smiled at his phone.

"Marvel's been upset you've been sick or sleeping when they've called," I said. "I guess Meagan figured you wouldn't answer if you were still asleep and Marvel would leave you a message. She must have been over the moon that you answered."

Jaime smiled up at me.

"She has Bethany's birthday party today and they're going up to the observatory apparently. I think a kid I went to elementary school with had his birthday there once."

"Meagan told me Marvel really misses you. I had a thought. We have two nights in LA. Sometimes I stay at a hotel because it's easier to get to the venue that way. Do you want to sleep at home? Come back to the bus after the second show?"

"Maybe," Jaime said. He didn't look upset, or like he thought I was sending him home. I'd promised him he could stay for the whole leg if he felt well enough.

We drove through to our next stop. Joe and Jaime kept playing the guitar. Jaime wasn't too bad at it. He seemed to be picking it up fairly quickly.

"Yo, Pete, let Jaime play tonight. I'm gonna take a break," Joe said. Jaime looked panicked for a second.

I laughed.

"Sure, Joe. I'll bet Jaime's totally ready. This is what, your first guitar lesson?" I asked Jaime. He nodded. "Oh yeah. He's totally ready."

Joe laughed and Jaime relaxed realizing it was a joke.

Jaime stayed side stage for the whole show this time. And allowed me to bring him out again. More stuffed animals came flying onto the stage. We'd managed to make arrangements with most of the hospitals we'd be visiting to bring them the stuffed toys. Jaime and I would hand them out before his chemo sessions. The guys, we said, we're more than welcome to join us.

Jaime's next session would be in LA with his regular doctor and clinic staff. And because we had two nights, the first day he'd have the new port placed. Meagan was going to stay with him while they did that. They were going to do it as an outpatient procedure as long as Jaime didn't have any problems after.

He'd have chemo the next morning and we'd be back on the road that night. I thought he'd like his own bed at least after the surgery. It wasn't major, but it was still pretty serious surgery.

But tonight, he was smiling, enjoying the show, and watching not only us, but the sound techs. I saw someone hand him a pair of headphones and show him how they adjust levels and make sure the lights and effects happened when they're supposed to. I smiled at my son as I played my guitar and spun around the stage. Jaime smiled back. No. Scratch that. He grinned back at me. He looked like a kid who'd been told he could buy out the whole candy store.

After the show, Jaime hung around backstage with us for a while. He stayed in the dressing room and we had some meet and greets, which he poked his head in on once but quickly went back to the dressing room.

He was talking with Don when I came back to the dressing room.

"Everything okay?" I asked, wondering if Jaime was feeling alright.

"Yeah. We're just talking. I told Jaime I'll take a look at his new port when he gets back and I'll be sure to keep an eye on it while we're on the road," Don said. Jaime shrugged.

"Well, we'll be in LA in a few hours. Jaime's appointment is at six tomorrow morning. Meagan's going to meet you at the hospital, okay? I've got to work.

You can go home with her for the afternoon and decide if you want to sleep there and come back the next night. Depending on how you feel after chemo," I said.

"I want to come back after chemo. I want to stay . I'm learning so much more here than I would in school anyway."

"You still have to do your coursework anyway," I said.

"Yeah, yeah," he said.

I smiled at Jaime. He really is a great kid. I still wish I'd known him when he was young. I have so much to make up for and who know how much time we have?