Snow

Chapter Thirty One

The cut I'd had done was pretty different too. I usually just had a few inches off, new layers put in, and my side fringe redone. This time, however, almost half of my hair had fallen to the floor. My hair usually fell just above my hips, but I'd had it cut to just below my shoulders. My layers were short - with the shortest being just below my ear - and my side fringe was more subtle that it had ever been. Instead of being side-swept and covering both my eyes, it now came from a less-drastic parting and only fell in front of one of them.

Admiring the work the hairdressers had done, I continued to apply my makeup for the gig. We were going for a more natural look this time around, but with our usual ripped up skinnies and dark colours. As I applied my usual bright red lipstick in my compact mirror, I felt a pair of hands touch my waist. "Andy?" I asked, recognizing the grip as that of my husband. Spinning and capping my lipstick at the same time, I smiled. "Hey, Batman."

He still hadn't spoken, but his eyes were wide and jaw slack as he looked at my hair. "You had your hair cut." I laughed a little at his shock, nodding. "Don't get me wrong, it looks great, it's just... it's really different."

"Flynn dragged me and Tia to the salon Sammi and I used to go to." I said, my voice soft now. "It helped, you know, to go somewhere we'd been so often together. It was different, and I missed her like hell the whole time, but I feel better for it." His shock had cleared up by the time I'd finished talking, and he gave me a smile.

"I'm glad. And, Lala, you look absolutely gorgeous." I smiled and leant in to press a kiss to his lips. "When do you go on?" He asked as I dropped to my knees to say hi to Willow.

"Sound check just finished, so we have half an hour." He didn't respond, just knelt down next to me as I cooed at Willow. "Hiya, Will. How've you been?" She smiled widely as she touched my face, seemingly pleased to see me. "Have you been good for Andy?" She giggled as I unbuckled her and pulled her from the seat, hugging her to me.

"She's been very good." Andy said with a grin, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my head as he looked at Willow. "Absolutely angelic - and adorable, mind you." I laughed, kissing the top of her head and poking her nose.

"You are an angel, aren't you Will?" She giggled again as I bounced her in my arms. "We need to talk when we get home by the way." I said, glancing at Andy with a sad smile. His grin fell at my words, his forehead creasing with concern instead. He immediately went on to ask if something had happened and I shook my head. "I'm fine, Willow's fine, you're fine and everyone else is fine. It's not like that." I could see the exact moment where he clocked on to what I meant.

"When do you leave?" I sighed sadly, looking down at Will as I told him I only had a month, and that we were away for four. "Seriously? Four months? Could JT not sort something shorter out?"

"There was another tour we could've done, and that one was two months long. But that way, Tia would've been touring at eight months pregnant, and that's not fair to her. She'd also have gotten less time off from touring after the baby was born." He seemed to understand the reasoning behind our choice, but was clearly unhappy.

"Jon told us today that we're touring in a month too." My jaw dropped and I felt my stomach dip slightly. Before I could ask how long for, he answered my question. "Four months long. Are you touring with other bands, because we are and I get the feeling you're gonna be one of them?" I smiled a little at the idea of touring with him again, but my smile fell when I realized that'd mean both of us being away from Will for four months.

"It sounds like it. Give me two seconds and I'll go and ask JT." With that, I walked out of the dressing rooms - still dressed in my sweater and denim shorts, mind you - to find our manager. "JT!" I yelled when I saw him walking into the bathroom. He stopped and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.