Dave and Charles were sitting in the bus writing some new lyrics as Charles looked around to see if Hillary was still with them “she went to bed an hour ago Charles” Dave told him “I didn’t even hear her come in” Charles was worried about her. Ever since Chris lost his life in the accident she had been a ghost of herself. Charles sighed “what are we gonna do about her?” He asked his friend “I don’t know man, give her the space she needs and take time off tour when she asks for it. Right now we need to do things her way” Dave laid the pen down on the table “I think we might need some sleep to” “yeah, you are right” Charles laid his work down and headed to his bunk bed. “Night man” he said to Dave who blew him a kiss and they both laughed.
Charles woke by someone talking in the bus hang out room and he got up from bed to check it out. He saw the TV was on and it was the wedding video of Hillary and Chris was filling the screen. He noticed some whiskey and spirits on the table, half empty “Hillary” he whispered and went in and found her sleeping with head down on the table. “Hillary” he shook her and she lifted her face and looked at him “go away Charles” she took the glass on the table and filled her mouth with the last drop of alcohol in it “and leave you like this, come on, come to bed” “why? So I can sleep there alone? I rather stay up” Hillary gave him a deadly look “I know you miss him Hillary, but it’s been almost 3 months and I’m sure he wouldn’t want you to sit here and drink yourself to death” Charles raised his voice and Hillary just looked at the screen where Chris lifted her up and spun her around because she stepped on her wedding dress during their first dance as man and wife “you know Charles, all I want is to be with him so that really doesn’t matter” Hillary’s voice was indifferent and it made Charles worry even more “Hillary please, go back to bed and we can talk about this tomorrow” he stroke her over her head and finally she got up but the alcohol rushed to her head so fast she fell into his arms and he picked her up “Chris” she said and stroke his cheek and laid her head on his shoulder.
“I found her in front of the TV, with head down on the table really soaked looking at her wedding video” Charles told Dave as they sat down having breakfast “this is the third time this week then, I found her earlier like that, when you were at the hotel with Cassie” “you also had to persuade her in to going to bed?” “Yes, but I poured out the alcohol in the sink and turned the TV off, she got really mad but she fell a sleep like a baby as her head hit the pillow” Dave picked up his guitar “I hope she’ll be up for the show tonight. And I wonder if she is giving this new drummer a hard time, like she has given the two other ones we’d had since Chris” “we have explained the situation to him?” Charles looked at his friend “he knows, he is a friend of Chris, so I really hope this goes well” “either it goes well or this will be hell” Charles took his plate to the sink and as he turned around Hillary was next to him “good morning” he said kissing her forehead “yeah” she mumbled before she grabbed a slice of bread “you’re not having anything on that?” Dave asked “no, is there any coffee here?” She opened a cabinet and the whiskey bottle flashed “any coffee to go with this?” She grabbed it and Charles immediately took it from her “a little early for that” “mind your own business Charles” Hillary said and took the bottle again and poured some in her coffee cup “if Miranda Lambert can drink in the morning, I can” she sat down and Dave sent Charles a worried look “so, writing are we?” She nodded towards Dave’s guitar “we just jammed a little” “I got some lyrics for y’all” she said and took the pen and paper on the table and started to write; “I wish I was cold as stone, then I wouldn’t fell a thing, wish I didn’t have this heart, then I wouldn’t know the sting of the rain. I could stand strong and still, watching you die away from me, I wouldn’t hurt like this, or feel so all alone, I wish I was cold as stone” Charles read the lyrics as they were created from the pen and Hillary’s hand. The words hit him hard and he could feel her pain. “There you go” she said and left the boys “where are you going?” Dave yelled after her “OUT!” She screamed back “don’t worry I’ll be back in time for everything” she was back with them now and all dressed up for a walk “I just need to clear my head” she stood in her yoga pants and trainers, hair up in a pony tail, tank top and no make-up on. “You want some company?” Charles also needed to clear his head and go for a walk, and deep down he wanted to look after Hillary “no thanks” she smiled “afraid I’m gonna do something stupid?” She said in a sarcastic voice “I was just wondering if you needed company” he tried to not seem too keen on going with her out of the reason he was worried “don’t you worry Charlie-boy, I’m a big girl and I can go for a walk by myself” “that was not what I was saying, that you can’t” Charles tried “never mind Charles, I’ll be back and I have my phone with me” “ok” Charles sat down, he didn’t want to start a fight with her.
“What are you doing here?” Hillary opened the door on her way out and almost ran down the new drummer, she smiled and hugged him “I’m going to be your drummer tonight” Mike answered “you are?” Hillary was surprised to see her beloved husbands best friend, who she hadn’t seen since Chris funeral. “Good to see you, talk later then” she said and disappeared. “Sure she is al right with this? She seems weird” Mike said as he sat down with the boys “we don’t know. We don’t know anything anymore when it comes to her. We are worried sick about her, she is up late at night, watching the wedding video and drinking, she is even drinking early mornings, like now she had whiskey, coffee and a slice of bread for breakfast” Dave rolled his eyes “I know how she feels” Charles said and pointed to the lyrics she had written before she headed out “she is a mess” he added. “I can try talk to her when she comes back” Mike read the lyrics “It’s been 2 almost 3 months and she still hurts. I mean I get that, those two were meant to be and loved each other so much and ten weeks is nothing. She needs time guys, just let her grief, because she is obviously hurting still, and who can blame her? I miss him a lot, I have called his number a lot of time during these past weeks to tell him our basketball team is winning, and I let it ring for a while before I realize he is never going to pick it up” Mike looked at the boys “you are right” Dave said “but still, we can worry about her, she has never been much on alcohol and that is what worries us” “so let’s get rid of the booze now when she is out” Mike suggested and they started to search the bus for liquor.
“I’m back boys” Hillary announced as she walked inside the bus “we’re in here” Mike answered and she walked in to the hang out room of the bus “I need to take a shower” she smiled “when are we doing soundcheck?” “in an hour and a half” Dave looked at the time as he stood up “so take your time, we were thinking about getting some take away, you want something?” “Sure, I’m starving, bring me back anything eatable” she seemed in a better mood than earlier and the guys let their shoulders down “okay ma’am”.
All of the band and Lady Antebellum were gathered outside the bus, sitting by some outdoor furniture eating take away and singing. Hillary sat in the middle of Charles and Mike, holding Charles hand. “I wish we didn’t have soundcheck in ten minutes” she said and laughed “cos sitting and jamming like this is just so perfect” she held Charles hand tight and he knew she was missing Chris and she was trying to stay strong “we are ready for soundcheck then?” Slim asked and took his guitar “we are” all got up and took their gear and headed for the arena.
Charles got up and still holding Hillary’s hand he dragged her up, as she bumped in to him they were standing inches from each other and he could see the pain in her eyes and all of a sudden he felt a feeling he once had the day he met her, that she was the most beautiful woman in the world. “Thank you for being here Charles” she whispered.
