The Girl In The Dirty Shirt Noel Version

Chapter 148

March 12, 1999

Jack's birthday went off without a hitch, I can't believe he's two already, and I really can't believe Mom's been gone for over a year.
Sally is putting on a brave face like she always does when people bring up Mom and how sorry they are, but it's not hard to see that it really bothers her.'

I wish I knew how to make it better, but I guess there's not really any way I can fix it.

December 2, 1999

For the first time since Mom died last year, Noel left on tour yesterday.

It feels really strange not having him here; he won't be gone for long, sixteen days total, until the 18th

Sally is here for now, but she'll be heading to Montreal to spend the holidays with Pierre and his family while we go to Liam and Nic's; after that the band is starting to tour again to promote the next album.

March 5, 2000

It's Jack's third birthday and everyone was here except for Noel, he's touring in Japan and won't be home until the beginning of May....at the earliest. He was home for so long that I forgot how hard it was not having him here.

May 8, 2000

Noel comes home tomorrow and I can't wait.

Sally has been spending more and more time with Pierre in Montreal and I'm getting lonely here by myself.

It was almost twelve thirty, Noel was due home any minute and I wasn't the only one excited to see him.
I sat on the front steps and tapped the ashes off the end of my smoke while watching Jack run around the front yard; every few seconds he would look up from his toys to make sure he hadn't missed Noel's car coming up the road.

I chuckled to myself when his car finally did come through the gate, Jack had been completely oblivious.

"Jack, who's that?" I asked nodding towards the approaching car when he looked up

"Wait on the sidewalk!" I called after him as I pulled myself up from the stoop

I laughed watching him bounce with excitement as they pulled up in front of the house, but he didn't move from his place on the sidewalk

I stood just behind Jack as Noel climbed out of the passenger side with Liam and Guigs

"Hiya, babe!" Guigs smiled closing his door.

I smiled watching Jack run as fast as his legs would carry him into Noel's waiting arms "Hi Guigs" I said turning my attention to him long enough to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Did y'miss us?" Liam asked lighting himself a smoke as Noel came over to where I stood

"Always do, Liam" I rolled my eyes turning my attention to Noel

"Hi," I smiled before giving Noel a quick kiss and picking a leaf from Jack's hair "Did you miss us?"

"Always do" he smiled

**

Before I knew it, Noel was leaving again; I can't even remember where he was going this time, just when I think I've got it straight he's going somewhere else.

He'll be gone for almost two and a half months before he comes back home again; I wish it was easier to go visit him, but with Jack being as young as he is, flying with him by myself is extremely difficult and even if it weren't, I really wouldn't want Jack around what goes on while the guys are on tour.

Being a stay at home Mom was something I was going to have to get used to, it had been three years and I still hadn't been able to wrap my head around the concept of being someone's mother.
I'm hoping it's something I'd be able to grasp eventually....like before Jack went off to college...

I'd adapted to the rock 'n' roll lifestyle quite comfortably, maybe it would be just as easy to adapt to this lifestyle too....maybe.

The End