Love in the Shadows ~ Dean Portman x OC

Ch. 24: What Did I Say?

Pov: Morgan Tibbles, January 3rd, 1995, Chicago, Illinois

We had to drive out of Chicago instead of fly because the snow was grounding the airplanes. Phone lines were down all over the city and I still hadn't heard from Dean. I tried to call Fulton but he didn't answer so I was left in the dark. We drove for 6 hours through the cold to Detroit, Michigan for my next stop. The whole ride there all I could think of was Dean and his family. I contemplated calling CPS but I'd rather know where Dean is than have him flip through the foster care system.

Nothing remarkable happens in Detroit, or Lansing. Not in Cincinnati or Columbus or Frankfurt. Not an exciting thing for over 2 weeks. Nothing until we get to Louisville, Kentucky.

- Time Skip: January 18th, 1995, Louisville, Kentucky -

Louisville is the last leg of my tour where all we do is cover the deep south. I have ten stops left and then I'm free to be a teenager again. Or until my label wants a new album.

My song, the one I wrote about Dean, is set to release in March. I had to beg and plead with my label to let me release this as a single and not build a whole album around it because I haven't been able to write anything since I heard Dean was in the accident so the song wouldn't be released for god knows how long. I hope he hears it and knows it's about him.

I gst done playing the encore of "Goodbye Goodwill" and the second I get off stage and into my dressing room, I hear my phone buzzing from my counter.
"Hello?"
"Hey sorry it's been dark here so I wasn't able to call" It's Dean. He's ok!!
"God you have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear your voice"
"I know. I'm sorry I shouldn't have let you stay. You didn't need to see all that and now you-"
"It's ok you didn't know"
"See but that's the thing. I did know. He always does this when we have people over but it's never been this bad before"
"...Speaking of that, does you dad hit you... often?"
"I didn't call you to talk about my dad"

Touchy subject. Good to know. I get it but on the other hand, he needs to find help or at least comfort for what his father does. He's just a kid and no child should be subjected to this kind of treatment.

"i I uh heard your new song is gonna come out soon" Dean breaks the silence
"Yea I'm really excited about it. I think you'll love it"
"Well I like all of your music so probably"
"Ok well this one is about you so I think you definitely love it"
"Really? When did you write a song about me?"
"After my concussion went away. I missed you and the team so much so I just wrote music. That's when I wrote 'Goodbye Goodwill'"
"Oh I like that one. It has me in it"
"So does this one idiot" We laugh and life is good again (famous last words)
"Well what's it about? My beautifully muscular arms" I can practically hear him flexing through the phone as I giggle. I don't know if it's because it definitely was a factor but he's also just so goofy

"Morgan!" My mother calls from the distance
"Alright I gotta go. I love you, bye"
"Bye" And we hang up.

My mom comes in and talks about random finances and sales and crap a 25 year old broker would get off on. "Alright I've gotta go talk to your dad so I'll meet you at the hotel. I love you, bye"
"Ok bye mom!"

...

"I love you, bye" ~ My mother
"I love you, bye" ~ Me to Dean

...

ME TO DEAN?!! No this can't be real. What did I say? Surely I'm not that insane to say "I love you" within like 2 seconds of us confirmed to be liking each other. Surely.

Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit
Shit

I have never called someone faster in my life than I called Julie.
"Come on come on pick up!!" As if it's my phones fault I may or may not have said the worst thing ever
"Hello?" Connie sounds groggy
"Connie thank goodness you answered I need help"
"With what"
"Dean"
"What about Dean"
"I love Dean"
"We've established this"
"I told him"
"Told him what?"
"That I love Dean"
"Wait-"
"Uh huh"
"You told Dean... that you love Dean...?"
"Yes that is the synopsis"
"You told Dean you love him?"
"Yes"
"And what'd he say?"
"I-" I hadn't really thought of that. I raced through my head trying to find the memory of that conversation. "I love you, bye" "Bye"
"Bye" I answered
"Huh?"
"He said 'Bye'"
"Bye?"
"Yeah"
"Oh I'm so sorry"
"Well it's not that bad. Granted I did say 'I love you, bye' so maybe (hopefully) he didn't hear me"
"Wait so you didn't mean to say I love you?"
"No. Way too soon"
"Oh lord"
"What?"
"He definitely heard you"
"How do you know?"
"Fulton's knocking on my door"

W/C: 881