Breakeven

Chapter 77

It took about an hour and a half for Danny and the lads to wrap up what they needed to do before leaving the venue. Tiredness was starting to hit me and I wished I didn't have to face a 2 hour drive back to Dublin tonight. I poured a cup of coffee, hoping that the caffeine would give me the energy to stay awake for the drive back.

"I think we're ready to go" Danny finally announced. I rolled my eyes, 'I think we're' doesn't always mean 'we are' when it comes to Danny.

"Are you sure you've got everything?" I asked, my eyebrow raised slightly.

Danny thought for a second. "I've got everything I need for tonight" he said as he pulled me towards him. "Whatever I've forgot, I'll get tomorrow."

"Right, so are we heading straight off or do yous want to meet some fans?" Glen asked

"You're not meeting fans" Sean said before Mark or Danny could even draw breath, "it's pouring with rain out there and Quinner will kill me if I let you get ill."

"Well that's decided then, straight back to the hotel, straight into the bar" Mark chuckled

"But not for us" I said as I winked at Danny.

"We'll party tomorrow night Kay, don't you worry about that" Mark said as he flung his arm around my shoulder and we headed out to the cars. As the arena door was opened for us I saw that Sean wasn't exaggerating when he said it was pouring down, and unlike the cars for everyone else which were parked at the arena door, our car was at the other side of the car park.

"We're going to have to run for it" Danny said as he hovered behind me holding my shoulders.

"Really?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I turned to face him "Shall we swap shoes first as well?"

"Oh yeah" Danny said as he looked down.

"See you guys tomorrow, we're going to get wet" I said with a chuckle as I grabbed Danny's hand and we strolled out into the rain.

The fans gathered at the arena gates started shouting over as soon as they saw us appear, but there was no way we were going to stop. We walked over to the car, giggling as we went "You didn't even need a shower when you got off stage Danny, we're getting one now" I said as I stood still and let the rain wash over me, we couldn't actually get any wetter than we already were.

"You're crazy" Danny giggled as he hooked his arm over my shoulder and led me to the car.

We got into the car and both just burst out laughing as we looked at each other, the rain still dripping from our hair. "Tell me you've got a towel in that bag" I said hopefully, not ever thinking he actually would have. As Danny rummaged through his hastily packed bag he pulled out a towel and a hairbrush before rummaging further and finding 2 dry t-shirts.

I dried off as best as I could, brushed through my hair and changed my top for the t shirt Danny had provided. He was still rummaging. "What you looking for?" I asked

"I can only find one pair of sweatpants in here" he said, offering them to me while his focus remained on his bag in the hope that another pair would magically appear.

"You wear them babe, I don't think I could change my trousers in the car anyway" I told him.

He threw the bag onto the back seat and then wriggled around trying to get out of the jeans that he was wearing. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight, I mean I couldn't have done it any better myself but then that's why I opted not to change my trousers. Eventually we were both changed and ready to leave.

"Take me home" he said as he leaned over to kiss me.

I started the engine and tentatively pulled the car away. The crew opened the gates to allow our car to get out but despite their best efforts I still had fans banging on the windows of the car as I tried to drive by. I was relieved to get away from the arena and onto the open road.

Danny's hand wandered up my thigh suggestively as we drove. I turned to look at him and he was smiling contently. "Danny that's not really helping me concentrate on the road" I said, trying to hide to fear I was feeling as the roads were treacherous.

"You're a good driver Kay, you can handle a little distraction" he said as he leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Danny, seriously, just let me concentrate" I said as I picked his hand off my thigh and returned it to his side of the car. He sat there like a scolded school child, I did feel a little guilty for snapping at him but also felt I was justified in what I had said, I could barely see the road in front of me it was raining so hard.

We drove for about half an hour in complete silence. I think Danny was a little scared to talk after I snapped at him, but I did have one piece of news that I thought would lighten the mood in the car.

"So, I thought tomorrow I might go and see that solicitor friend of Mark's" I said breaking the silence that had consumed the car for so long.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Danny looking at me intrigued by where this conversation was going.

"Aren't you going to ask me why?" I asked as I put on my indicator to turn and started checking for a safe time to pull out.

"Yeah, of course I am" Danny said.

As I rounded the corner and my eyes focussed back on the road, or what little I could see of it, I finished my sentence. "I think it's about time we took 50/50 parental responsibility for the kids again"

"Are you sure Kay?" Danny asked, seeming shocked by the thought of this.

"Are you clean Danny?" I asked in return.

"Kay, I literally don't know what to say" he told me, I could hear that he was fighting back tears.

"Thank you for never asking me to do it, thank you for getting clean and going back to being the responsible father I always knew you were. And I hope that throughout this time you've never felt any less of a father because the kids have never seen you as any less but I know that it was incredibly hard for you to give up your rights, and now I want to make sure you have them back."

"No, thank you for being strong when I couldn't, thank you for keeping our family together through this, and thank you for giving us another go because I couldn't love you any more than I do right now" he said as his hand found its way back to my thigh and he stroked it gently.