Everlasting Love

Chapter Nine-Back Home

Luke's P.O.V.:

We are finally back home in Tennessee. I've got a lot of things to sort out with Til and Caroline. I've got to find a way to make amends with them and earn Caroline's trust back. But, that is up to me to do. I want to stop drinking believe me, but I've been dealing with so much shit lately, that alcohol seems to be the only probable solution to my agony that is never ending. Ever since dad died and then finding out that Til's going to be a father, I've been hitting the bottle pretty hard. Caroline keeps telling me that I've changed. The old me, would've never done this. The old me, would've talked about my feelings and sought out help. But, lately that doesn't seem to be happening. The night that Caroline and Mama came looking for me, I promised Caroline that I would schedule an appointment with a grief counselor and an AODA counselor. I've got to get my life back on track, so that I can be the father and husband, I'm supposed to be. The one I used to be, before my world came tumbling down around me.

"Luke!" Caroline hollered upstairs. I had been in my home studio all morning working on a song idea. My new album will be released sometime next year, if all goes as planned. Since I'm getting older, there won't be as many drinking and party songs, instead there will be songs about love and my real life experiences growing up. Basically, this album will incorporate my life story. "Yeah, baby?" I replied, sitting my guitar back in its stand. "I'm taking the boys to Riley's house!" I stood up from my camo recliner. I insisted on purchasing the $15 dollar treasure at a yard sale a few years back. Caroline was not to thrilled about the idea of having the chair sit in our living room, clashing with the rest of our ivory colored furniture, but she put up with it for my sake. Being in love, made you have to sacrifice things and make compromises. But, now that we were in a bigger house with a studio, she told me I "could keep the damn thing," as long as it wasn't in our living room. See what I mean about making compromises?

I walked into the kitchen, where Caroline was packing snacks for the boys. I snuck up on my beautiful bombshell of a wife, and wrapped my arms around her waist. I nuzzled the crook of her neck with my scruffy cheek and planted a soft kiss on her neck, just below her ear. "Hey love," I whispered into her ear, before proceeding with a soft nibble. She gasped. I chuckled, remembering that was a huge way to turn her on. "Baby!" she shrieked, as turned towards me and reached behind with her hand and playfully smacked my ass. "You know that gets me horny!" I chuckled. "Well, I could fix that right now," I replied with a smirk. She rolled her eyes and laughed. She shook her head and finished packing little sandwich baggies with Pepperidge goldfish snacks and M&M's. "I've got to finish getting things ready for the boys," she stated, as she opened the fridge door and pulled out two fruit punch flavored Gatorades. "They're sleeping over at Riley's this weekend, remember?"

Truth be told, I didn't. I had been so stressed lately and trying to plans things for my next tour, come January. Needless to say, attempting to plan things wasn't easy when I was grieving the loss of my dad, dealing with Til, and trying my damnedest to stay sober on top of it all. I've become so irritable since I've quit drinking. Going through withdrawal is hard, let me tell you. It doesn't take much to piss me off lately. Since being sober, I've been pushing the Lexapro a lot more, which Caroline frowns upon, because I'm only supposed to take it when I need to. But, lately I've been feeling the need for it every day.

"Oh yeah," I replied guiltily. "I guess I just forgot." Caroline frowned at me, her eyebrows furrowed. She let out a long sigh, and ran her fingers through her hair. "You've been doing that a lot lately," she said, exasperated. "What's with you these days?" She questioned me with a concerned expression. I swallowed hard to get rid of the lump that was forming in my throat and took a deep breath. "I've been stressed, Caroline!" I snapped, mindlessly unaware of how irritable I sounded. Because in that moment, Caroline began to tear up. "Baby, I'm sorry," I said softly, as I brushed away the tears that had begun to fall. I caressed her cheek, but she turned away. "I have to finish getting things ready," she whispered. I sighed and walked back upstairs.