Standing By

Eavesdropping

(Chance)

Several hours ago, I was ready to fall asleep on my feet. I had started off tired; hadn't slept well last night, then had the two-hour drive home where people were driving like complete morons. I'd almost been hit twice before I even got to the state line! Then, in Alabama, I'd had the misfortune to be going the exact same direction as an Alabama state trooper was. He followed me down 65 all the way to the outskirts of Huntsville before veering off towards the east. Luckily, I hadn't gotten pulled over, but it was mentally exhausting being constantly on hyper alert for every mile per hour I was going, concentrating on following every driving rule I knew to a tee. By the time I got home, I wanted a nap, but I had to pack. I threw stuff together and moved ass to the airport, then wound up delayed anyway due to winter weather, which I wasn't even seeing outside the airport window. Just grey. I tried to nap on the flight but couldn't really settle into a good restful sleep; it only left me as tired as before.

By the time I got to the hotel, the others were already there and apparently the check-in guy was being a bit of an ass to Tim and Austin. Rob and Adam had had to rescue them with the corporate card. Then some asshat in the elevator decided to offer up some unwanted parenting advice to Rob that had really struck a chord with me. I'd had to throw up walls, mental walls, to preserve my sanity. Guess there are are some ghosts you just can't outrun. I tried to ignore them and to block their words, but I couldn't turn my ears off without actually having to stick my fingers in them like a child. Adding to my degree of discomfort, my friends kept shooting awkward sideways glances at me. I knew they weren't trying to make an uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable for me, but in actuality, they were. Then Rob kept on harping about a purely hypothetical parenting situation, wanting to resolve it right now, and asking me for advice. Me. I'm not a parent; I wouldn't have the slightest! I don't know much about children!

My stomach clenching in anxiety, my heart pounding, my head throbbing, I babbled something practically unintelligible to them and retreated into my room, wondering if this anxiety was how Tim always felt these days. Oh my God. If he did, I didn't see how he could handle it. This was too much for anyone. I dug a shaky hand into my toiletry bag and fished out my Trazodone. I took one and laid my pounding head and exhausted body down on the bed, praying I wasn't on my way to a migraine, and barely even rising when my friends barreled though Tim's door and into my room a little later. Somehow, they got a very groggy me downstairs to eat some dinner.

I kept on nearly drifting off waiting for my food and barely registered much of what was said between Pentatonix and us. Something about a super-early meeting tomorrow. I finally got my brain somewhat working when my food arrived and managed to wake up enough to not choke on my dinner. Food in my belly, I felt a lot better and much more alert, especially when Tim had a panic attack of sorts and dumped glasses of water and tea on Scott. I actually felt good when Adam adjourned the meeting, evidently having accomplished whatever he wanted to accomplish. I made a mental note to ask someone what we decided on, 'cuz I wasn't exactly sure. I corralled Austin in the lobby.

"Psst, got a confession to make," I hissed, dropping my arms to trap him by the TV. "I didn't entirely catch everything in there. What exactly did we decide on?"

He snorted at that. "Yeah, you were three sheets to the wind in there."

"So, ah... what did we say in the meeting?" I asked embarrassedly.

Austin shook his head at me, smiling slightly. "Meeting tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM with Rick Ross, the producer of this New Year's Eve gig. Meet down here at 6:30. Adam's arranging transportation. We're going to be singing Pentatonix' Rather Be, which you agreed to, by the way."

I nodded slowly. That did sound familiar.

"And Pentatonix is doing Alabama Sampler."

That got a bouncier nod. I did remember that decision. I gave him a grin. "Good deal."