Backstage Smiles

Chapter 28 -- Michael

Twenty-Eight — Michael

I woke up to the sun shining brightly in my face. That was weird. There weren't any windows by my bunk. I cracked my eyes open to see Brooke snuggled up beside me on the couch, the blankets and pillows bunched up around her body, her breathing slow and even. The events of last night suddenly rushed into my head.

We were friends again. I know that should make me happy, but I wanted more than that. I wanted to be able to hold her and kiss her like I used to. I supposed I'd have to take what I could, and right now, being just friends with her was as good as it was going to get.

I felt her shift beside me, and her eyes squinted open.

"Morning, sunshine," I murmured with a smile. "Did you sleep okay?"

She rubbed at her face with the edge of the blanket. "I did, actually. Surprising well, considering we were on this lumpy couch all night."

I chuckled and gave her a squeeze. "That's my other superpower," I joked. "People are always well rested after they sleep with me. Just ask Calum, we do it all the time." She laughed, a bit harder than necessary. Then I realized how that must have sounded to her. "No, I don't mean...I meant actually sleeping, not...Aw hell."

"No, it's fine," she said, still laughing. Her face was buried in the blankets. "I know what you meant, it just sounded..."

"Mommy, is that you?" Sara called from her bunk. I heard her scamper into the seating area, and her eyes lit up. "Michael? Why are you here?"

"Your mum and I got to talking last night, and we stayed up too late," I said. With a pang I remembered the last time we told her that. It was the morning after Brooke had told me her story.

"Was it past your bedtime?" she asked. She had wandered over to us and climbed on top of the small mountain of blankets.

I nodded and poked her nose. "It was way past our bedtime."

Sara peeked at Brooke, who was still buried in the blankets. Both of them were grinning. "Mommy, you're smiling again!"

"Of course I am, sweetie," Brooke replied. "It's because you're here, and I love you."

Sara giggled and kissed Brooke on the nose. "I love you too, mommy." She turned to me and placed a small kiss on my nose too. "And I love you, Michael."

I ruffled her bedhead. "I love you too, Sharkbait."

Sara sat between us, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. It was good to have them both back.

"Michael, I have to ask," Brooke said from her cocoon of blankets. "Why on earth are there feathers in your hair? That's so 2011."

~~~~~

The show that night was probably the best we had ever played. The guys noticed a change in my attitude, but didn't question it. I think they just liked that I was back.

Brooke and Sara had come to hang out with us in the dressing room before the show, which was a nice change of pace. Ashton had raised an eyebrow at me when they came in, but said nothing. Luke and Calum just took it all in stride, and began dealing Brooke into our poker game.

It soon became routine for Brooke and Sara to join us before the show, once all of Brooke's responsibilities were taken care of. Sara was beside herself with joy at the fact that we were talking again, and used every opportunity she could to force us to sit right next to each other. I was still convinced that she was trying to Parent Trap Brooke and me back together, but I didn't tell Brooke what I was thinking. It would probably just scare her away again.