~No One Knows~ A Green Day Story

•Chapter Thirty Seven•

Anyone who walked into Mom's kitchen right now would see a peaceful dinner. But if any one of us could say out loud what this dinner felt like, it would be "anxious" "tension" and other words like that.

We all knew this dinner was special. Everyone was eating quietly, making pity conversations about children and weather and how so and so's getting so big. Everyone wore a flat smile and kept having to refill their drinks so it wouldn't look like they were sitting waiting for someone to break the news.

We never got together and just ate dinner. That call from Tom came four weeks ago, and in those four weeks, this two hour dinner is the longest time I've seen Mike all at once during the time span.

Either they got the record deal or they didn't, and we all knew that's why we were sitting together.

Billie and Adrienne sat a cross from me and Mike. Mom sat at the end of the table and one of the boys on either side. The only sound at the moment was Jakob gurgling juice from his silly cup and forks clunking in plates.

Me and Adrienne send glances to each other and she gives me a secretive smile. Obviously Billie had spilled some kind of news to her before they came.

I smile back before returning my gaze to my plate.

"So, Velvet..." I look up at the sound of Mom's voice. I get nervous, picking at my nails under the table as more eyes lock on me.

"Um...yes?" I take a drink of my water and it hurts as I swallow it down. I place a hand on my chest to keep from choking.

Mom chuckles.

"What's new?" I shrug, moving the food around on my plate.

"I don't know, nothing really. Things have been pretty quiet without Mike around all the time" And that starts the conversations.

Mom ignores me and goes to the guys, asking all kinds of questions about the record deal and if they even got one.

"Yeah, Daddy! Tell Grandma what that man said!" Joey stands in the chair, and Billie carefully gets him to sit back down.

"Yeah, Billie. Come on, I've been waiting this whole time" Adrienne rubs her hand on his arm, smiling at him.

Billie looks over at Mike and they both smile. My knees begin to bounce.

"Well, there's two things actually..." Billie steals a glance at me and my eyebrows knit together in confusion. What did a record deal have to do with me?

"We got the record deal. We signed with Reprise Records the first week we were there" I gasp even though I expected it, and everyone is smiling and cheering congratulations.

"Then why have you guys been gone for four weeks?" I raise an eyebrow, skeptical.

Mike decides to speak up.

"We were organizing for the tour we're going on. They liked our new songs and in a few months well release the new album. We set off for tour on the release date..." My eyes go back and forth between his, my mouth feeling dry.

"That's- That's great! I'm so happy for you guys!" I was and my smile was honest, but it also meant Mike leaving me.

I needed him more than I wanted to admit I did, and him being gone for four weeks without much contact had been hard enough. How would I survive tour?

Billie sighs, mumbling something under his breath.

"What?" Adrienne nudges Billie's shoulder. He sighs at her.

"Adrienne is coming along and we're bringing the boys with us on tour, you know, so they can see the world and travel. So..." Billie frowns at first but then smiles a little "You did set us up with Tom in the first place. It would only be right to let you come along" I felt lightheaded as Adrienne nods eagerly and Joey cheers.

Mike and Mom and Billie all look at me for an answer.

What about my job? What about...everything? Things would be so different. I knew I didn't want Mike to leave, but I never dreamed of going with him again. The only reason I went on the first tour was as a punishment.

This time Adrienne would be there, though. I would have some company while the guys were playing.

"Come on, Velvet. The boys would love it if you came" Adrienne encourages, Joey standing up again.

"Yeah, Auntie V. We can build forts together. And there's more hiding places on the bus! Daddy showed me already!" I sigh a little, looking over at Mike.

He smiles, putting a hand on my knee.

"Come on, V. Remember how much fun we had last time?" I look away from him to keep from blushing at his secretive remark.

Now I look at Mom. She smiles.

"Are you okay with all this?" She begins to clean up our plates.

"I think it'd be good bonding time for you and your brother, and you like to travel anyways. I think we all know that. Not saying I wouldn't miss you, Velvet. Because I would terribly, but I also think you should go" I chuckle to myself.

"Thanks for not putting pressure on me guys..." Nobody says anything, they're still waiting for an answer.

I sigh.

"I'll talk to my boss about it, but I'm not promising anything" They cheer anyways, figuring that meant a yes. And in my heart as I chuckle and Mike kisses my cheek, I knew it meant yes, too.

"Me and you, V. Just me and you" He whispers, a chill running down my spine at the thought.

We help clean up dinner before leaving as I try to process everything through my head. Whatever way this turned out, the whole thing would be chaos. And that I knew for sure.