Ace Huxley's Daughter

28

She shuffled in her seat again. Staring at the menu that didn't have prices on. I know what she'd been playing so far this trip and I was just about done with it. There wasn't a budget. Her dad was funding this trip. Anything she wanted was hers. The world? Done.

Ace Huxley

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She's hating the menu not having prices tonight.

She'll get over it.
How's she doing?

Good. Really good.
She's been talking about wanting to paint some
of the pictures we took today.

"You know I can see you taking pictures of me a million times a day right?" I looked up from my phone buried in my lap.

"Your dad asks for a photo and I have 5 minutes to send one so he knows I've not murdered you." She rolled her eyes.

"I thought it was weird he hadn't checked in on me that much."

"He's checking in babe, don't worry. Just not with you." I pushed my phone away. "Decided what you're getting?"

"I can't decide. They are all sound really good."

"Get them all then."

"What? No." Another shift as she sat up in her chair, pulling her shoulders back. "I'm not ordering 3 desserts. Are you mad?"

"Okay fine. What are you stuck over?" She pointed them out, telling me about them all and I nodded, helping her decide on the Crème Brulé. She nodded, sitting back in agreement. I waited until the waitress came over and ordered all 3 anyway, ignoring her trying to interrupt me and refuse. I looked at her almost empty glass and ordered another before thanking the waitress and watching her leave.

"Sonny-"

"You wanted them all."

"I-" Her mouth sat slightly open. "You-"

"Keep going Pops, you'll get them out." Her nose crinkled. "I've told you this entire trip, whatever you want, you get princess. You want all 3 desserts, you're getting them."

"Sonny."

"I'm not hearing it Callie." She looked too good tonight. I was struggling to keep my hands to myself. I had 2 days left before her dad was here and this little world we'd built ourselves was back to being infected with all of her worries. I was just praying our running riot has been enough. 4 countries in 12 days. The most random conversations, walking around Amsterdam high in hunt of food, drinking until we passed out, sleeping on a hotel roof top. No rules. Whatever she wanted.

"You're a mystery."

"What?"

"Every time I think I know what you're going to do, you shock me. The book and the necklace and when did you know a damn thing about wine?" I reached across the table, grabbing her hand and pulling it a little closer, drawing tiny random squiggles all over her skin.

"This isn't my first rodeo Callie. Drinking Tequila straight from the bottle in a fancy restaurant isn't going to cut it here and I have to impress you somehow."

"You don't need to impress me Sonny. You have me."

"Just because I have you doesn't mean I can stop trying though Callie. You're not some girl I want to half arse this with and as much as I haven't done this before I really don't want to fuck it up." She lowered her eyes down to our hands. Too soon to tell her Sonny. You'll scare her off. Just keep quiet.

"So, Um. You've been talking to my dad? You two are close now huh?"

"I mean, I wouldn't class him threatening me multiple times a day as talking." She chuckled.

"What's he threatening you with now?"

"He said he'd have my head on a spike and make it the new band logo as a warning to anyone else willing to hurt you," She laughed loudly, head falling back on her shoulders. My favourite sound ever. "Which, you know what, is quite imaginative so I'll give him that one. He's told me he will string me from one of the lighting rigs."

"He's mental."

"I'm not saying a thing." The desserts were carefully placed between us, empty wine glasses being removed. "He just wants you to be happy Pops. Not much else matters to him, that is blatantly obvious."

"What is happiness really though?"

"What do you mean?" She sighed, spoon pushing into the first of our trio.

"These past 2 weeks have been like I'm walking on a cloud. But there's this like thunderstorm hanging over it and it's just getting darker and darker. Happiness is only temporary. There's always going to be something to steal it away." She said it so confidently. Like it was factual and not utter bullshit. "Like you get married, have kids, have a family you love and a career you adore and millions of fans across the world and then one day you come home and your wife is pregnant with some guys kid from her job and you only find out because you came home early. Or you go to a party with someone who the world deems as perfect and you end up drugged in a bed unable to move. Or you get back to your best friend and he kisses you when you tell him you don't want it. The list goes on. There's always something, out of your control that' going to ruin your happiness so what's the point in that being what you're striving for. Comfortability, being able to breath. That's what matters."

"I think you're wrong." She looked up. "Sure, there's always going to be things that out spanners in the works but the things you're talking about, they are anomalies. They're not normal. Happiness should be the baseline that everything returns to. There is always going to be moments in life that aren't great. But you've not really had that side where everything is good Pops. You keep your guards up because you're worried things are going to happen again and that's fine. You're allowed to protect yourself. But you can't be like that with everyone. You can't live life terrified of being happy because something's going to come along and steal it. You have to experience the crap to see how beautiful being happy is." Her shoulders slumped.

"You should quit touring and become a motivational speaker."

"Nah. That's just my job for you."