Snow

Chapter Thirty Four

I was surprised by the person who met me at the airport. Juliet, whom I'd spoken to quite often since our first meeting, had turned up to drop me and Willow back home. "How was the tour? I heard Dakota got ill." She asked as she pulled a trolley of luggage out of the airport and towards her car. I could feel Andy's eyes on us as I walked, and knew he'd be getting a cab back to the house.

"Yeah, she did. I missed the last three weeks and stayed with my family instead. It was better than touring, to be completely honest." She laughed, smiling down at Will in her carrier.

"She looks like she enjoyed herself." I nodded in agreement, pulling the suitcase I held in my free hand harder so it'd get over the bump in the pavement. "Here's the car." It took us over ten minutes to fit all the bags in her car, and I was still unsure of why she'd come to pick us up.

"Juliet... Why are you here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the help and everything, but I'm kind of confused." She laughed and started the car up, glancing at me before she started driving.

"I figured you could use the help, with everything you've got going on." She shrugged nonchalantly, and I nodded. "I mean, it's obvious you and Andy are haven't problems, and I thought you'd need a ride." I thanked her and glanced back at Willow, smiling as she waved happily. "I also thought you'd want to see Peanut straight away."

"Is she in the car? Where is she?" She shook her head with a grin, telling me we'd stop by her place on the way back to the house. "You're great, you know that right?"

"Of course." We both laughed at that, and I let out a sigh. It was lovely, knowing I had friends outside of my band and Andy's, but I couldn't help but feel his absence. "You two will be okay, you know." It seemed Juliet understood my sigh before I could explain it. "You've been together for three years - you must've had arguments before, right?"

I shook my head, biting my lip as I recalled his harsh words. "Nothing like this. I don't even know what this is, to be completely honest. He just started yelling, and I haven't spoken to him since." Her forehead scrunched up, but she dropped the subject and moved on to telling me how great Peanut and Crow had been for her.

I'd asked Juliet to watch our cats whilst we were touring, seeing as she was comfortable with them and had the stuff to look after them already. "Femme really enjoyed the company." She told me as we pulled into my drive, and I smiled and climbed out of the car. "Come on, let's go get your cat."

*

When we got back to the house, Andy was already there. His bags were inside, and he was sat on the sofa with a beer in his hand. "Where d'you want your suitcases?" Juliet asked as I took Willow out of the carrier. "Shall I just put them by the stairs?" Her eyes were on Andy as she spoke, but neither one of us acknowledged his presence.

"Yeah, that'll be fine. Thanks, Jules." She smiled and dropped the case by the stairs. Placing Will on the couch, I followed Juliet outside and helped her drag the bags inside. "I appreciate the help, Jules." She just threw a bag into my arms with a laugh.

"Let's not get all soppy. Just take the bags in so we can play with your cat." I did as she said, taking two of the final three bags and dropping them beside the ones we'd already taken in. Going back outside, I took both cat carriers and closed the front door behind us both.

Willow squealed happily as I let Crow and Peanut out, and I grinned and brought her to sit by me and the cats on the floor. "Look who it is, Will. Have you missed Peanut?" She giggled and patted my cat's head as I stroked her fur. "What about Crow - did you miss Crow?" She nodded happily and moved on to pat Crow's back with heavy hands. "Be careful, Will."