Never Let You Go (sequel to Where do we go from here)

Touring

The next 9 weeks crept by and Joey is little over halfway through the tour, I'm now 8 months pregnant and essentially the size of a Buick. Joey has made it home a couple times but it's been far and few between. I finally was able to get off of bedrest and I can't tell you how happy that Made me. Jessica was flying in today for my baby shower that Alma,Betty,Marlene and Kay all planned for the weekend. The guys have tour dates for the next 10 days before Joey would even have a day off let alone if it was even gonna be feasible for him to fly home.

As the days have passed I've been so depressed with Joe being gone, sure Ma and everyone did everything they could to try to make me cheer up but let's be real I just couldn't being this far along and next to never seeing Joey except on FaceTime. I always thought that first tour was the worst but that pales in comparison. It was 11 o'clock when I finally turned the lights off and climbed the stairs to Joe's room. Kids and Kay have been asleep for sometime leaving me alone downstairs to sit with my thoughts. I turned back the covers of the bed and climbed in watching the snowfall peacefully outside the window my mind drifts to Joe and exactly how much of this pregnancy he has missed. A tear slides down my cheek as sleepiness took over and soon enough I had fallen asleep.

I was woken up in the morning to a huge flop on the bed that caused my body to jolt up "get up whore I'm here" my eyes shot open "skank your here" I push up and sit up in the bed and Jessica immediately threw her arms around me pulling me tight. She immediately tossed the comforter off me and put her hands on my stomach. "Ummm Jess I'm not a zoo animal at a petting zoo you know""I know but I had to feel my baby.""Well he is still there killing me but still him there""I'd ask you how you were feeling but that just answered my question.""Yea it's been a fucking great time""seems like it.""I just can't wait for it to be over, you have how long""I'm 8 months and 2 days today""boo your so close""I know but I'm still broken at the fact that Joey is going to be on the road when Jayden comes""You don't know that""Jess I know it I feel it""that's just your anxiety, have you seen loverboy""not for three weeks""damn""I know"" this has been far harder than any other tour I have had to deal with""I'm sure, come on get up and dressed we have to go shopping eeekk""shopping really Jess just throw a tent over me that might be about the only think that will fit at this point.""Oh shut up your all baby and at even at 8 months pregnant you still look like a rockstar""thanks Jess""anytime,now get your ass up and get ready I have Nicks black card and it's calling my name""I've got Joey's black card too""Ok get it going whorebag I'll hit Starbucks on the way, I'll be waiting downstairs with mama Kay..I love her she is so cute""everyone loves Ma""I know right now come on." Jessica bounced off downstairs and I tried to find the ambition to roll my fat ass outta bed. I crawled out after laying there for a few minutes, showered threw on some of Joeys clothes given it's the only thing that fits brushed my teeth and hair. I headed down to find Kay in the kitchen trying to teach Jessica to make cookies and Jessica with a bewildered look on her face. " Jess you ready""Yea mama Kay was just teaching me how to make cookies""did you figure it out Jess""no""so where you ladies off too""shopping for my baby shower dress Ma""well have fun darling""I should be home by 2 to get the kids""remember Marlene was going to pick them up from school""Oh yea that's right I'll still be home before they get here""darling go have fun I'm here""I know ma it just""just what""you do to much for joe and I as it is"nonsense now go get going""well if Joe calls""I'll tell him to call your cell""thank Ma" and with a hug we headed out.
We jumped into the Bentley and headed out "you know Joe's mom is fuckin adorable right""I know right,I couldn't ask for a better Mother in Law. But I'm telling you what that woman got some fire in her too""whatcha mean""Well Joe and I pissed her off a couple weeks ago and she flipped""why what the fuck y'all do" Just then we pulled up to the speakerbox at Starbucks "welcome to Startbucks what can I get for you?""what you want Jess""quad espresso skim milk""Ok Hi can I get a quad espresso with Skim and A Venti Carmel latte decaf with skim please""$16.25 please pull up""thank you" I pulled and paid and grab the coffee, "ok now spill"" Well when Joey came home for the night when they had the tour stop here Kay may have walked into Joeys room when we were getting it in""are you seriously Kay walked in when y'all were fucking""yep Joeys ass on full display in the air just pushing away""oh my god did you just die""I thought she was going to tear his head off""that mad""duh""you two are unbelievable you know that right""what are you talking about""you two, you can't even keep your hands off eachother even when you are on bedrest""we only did it a little""so let me guess it was just the tip right" both of us giggled, "no I can tell you it wasn't just the tip, I felt that shit in my guts""ummm ewww""shut up it's just like you telling me what Nick's ball looked like after he caught it in his jean zipper""that's different""how is that different I'm sorry Joey has a Anaconda in his pants and isn't part of the itty bitty penis committee""oh god will you shut up on Joe's dick!" We both laughed, Jess helps take my mind off all the shit going on even if it's just for a while. We shopped for a couple hours but after a while my feet and back hurt and I was hungry and all I wanted to go home eat and FaceTime Joey before the show.

I walked back into the house it was a little after 2, Jessica had headed back to her hotel to change and check in with Nick. Kay was busy in the kitchen making god knows what and I flopped down on a chair at the island, "So darling find a dress""Yea if that's what you call it it's more like a tent.""Sweetie don't be so hard on yourself you over 8 months pregnant""I know I'm just so big and uncomfortable and..""and what""and..""and you miss Joe""I do Ma""sweetheart I know it's not easy on him either to be away this long. It's not easy for the kids either that's why everyone has kept them so busy so that don't have time to think about it, plus you need to take it easy too""I know I can't seem to shake the feeling that he isn't gonna make it.""Sweetheart you know he is gonna move mountains to be there when Jayden comes and Harley is gonna be there and of course I will be there""I know Ma and I love you for it but it's just how am I supposed to do this without him if he doesn't make it.""I'm going to play devils advocate and say if he doesn't make it you are still going to be fine because you are one of the strongest woman I have ever known. You make me proud everyday that god dropped this little brown eyed girl all these years ago into our lives, you changed him you have no idea. I know I've told you before your not just my daughter in law but my daughter. It's been a honor to be such a huge part of you growing up. You gave me 2 beautiful grand babies and angel baby and you love my baby unconditionally. The love you two share is all I every wanted for him and if all this was to disappear tommorow I know your still going to be there for him.""Always Ma". I got up tears in my eyes and waddled around the counter throwing my arms around Kay into a hug, I felt the wetness from the tears that escaped her eyes on my shoulder. " I'm going to head upstairs and FaceTime Joey before they have sound check""alright darling". I headed up to the room and flopped on the bed and dug the phone out my purse, it ran twice before the most comforting sight pops up " Sweetbaby" "Hi my Joey Joe""I love when you say that""I know""did you and Jess find a dress""you mean a tent""baby your 8 months pregnant""Yea and""and your still beautiful""Joey you always say that""and I always mean it""you know I love you Mr McIntyre you always know what to say""I'm glad I make it better""when is sound check""already did it""really this early""Yea dunno why but we did""well at least it's outta the way""Yea hey ""Yea""you know I miss you right""I miss you too"" have you finished the Christmas shopping yet""Yea got everybody but Jess and Nick""wow what you get me""have to see whenever you get back""about that""about what""Christmas""what about it Joe""we have a show Christmas Eve we aren't going to be able to make it home". I started to giggle, "Sweetbaby""Joe your not seriously""I'm sorry sweetbaby""NO JOE"" I'm sorry". The hurt and anger and sadness all hit right then and I threw my phone it hitting the wall. I grabbed my keys and ran down the stairs tears in my eyes " Leesa darling what's wrong" Kay said worried " I..I gotta get outta here can you keep the kids Ma""of course but darling what happened""I don't wanna talk about it". I jumped into my Mercedes and peeled out. I speeded up the interstate pulling into the driveway 10 minutes  later and banged on the door " damn it Marky answer", a second later  the door opened tears still streaming down my face " Lee what's wrong""Marky", Mark stepped to the side and I walked in and sat down on the couch he sits down next to me. "Lee why are you crying are you ok is it the baby?""No it's Joe""what happened""he told me he wasn't coming home for Christmas""Donnie never said anything to Ma or me". I feel his arm wrap around my shoulder and he pulls me into him. I continue to sob, how could he not be coming home for Christmas. Suddenly I feel Mark reach over and before I had time to think or even react I feel his lips on mine.