The Shadow of Me

Chapter 20

Walking into the lobby of the airport, I saw just about every band that Death Punch was friends with that was playing the festival in Japan. Avenged, Hellyeah, Chelsea Grin, Volbeat, In This Moment, Trivium, and so many more.

Jeremy was the first to pull me into a hug, being mindful that I was pregnant.

"Our baby sister is all grown up!" Michael Poulsen exclaimed as he pulled me into a hug after Jeremy let me go.

I had kept in touch with all of them even after I wasn't Jeremy's drum tech anymore. And I have to say, the most emotional of them would have to be Jeremy, Matt, Zacky, Syn, and Corey.

"I'm not a baby anymore, Mikey," I told him, laughing as we all decided to walk back to their hotel.

"And so, are we having a niece or nephew?" Alex Koehler asked me as we walked, Chris and Jeremy carrying my bags.

"Alan and I plan on waiting to find out until the baby arrives," I told them, chuckling. "Laura, Alexis, and Zsazsa asked already."

"That definitely sounds like Laura," Chris commented, laughing.

"And Zsazsa," Zoltan added, laughing as well.

I rolled my eyes at them as I felt myself being picked up off my feet. I looked at who was carrying me bridal style, seeing that Paolo Gregoletto was the culprit.

"At least this is a sibling thing we have going, Paolo," I said, laughing as we made our way into the hotel. "Oh, and you finally get to meet Alan, guys."

"We already met," Maria Brink stated, laughing as we all headed to our rooms.

I was sharing a room with Jeremy as usual. Which I was ecstatic about. It was always our thing to do.

"But, we didn't," Matt Heafy added motioning to himself and the guys that didn't meet him before Paolo put me down.

"Thank you," I told him with a smile. "But, you'll get to meet him soon. Don't worry."

Jeremy opened the door to our room and he and Chris took my bags into the room. Chris patted my head before he left Jeremy and I alone.

"Hey, are you ready for some lunch?" Jeremy asked as he put my suitcase on my bed. "Matt wants ya to go with him."

I nodded, "And I'll have dinner with you," I told him as I decided to get freshened up.

******

After I got changed into something more comfortable, Matt and I were at this small restaurant.

"So, how's things going?" Matt asked before taking a sip of his soup.

"Pretty good," I told him. "Other than the hate I'm getting from his fans. Well, a few of them love our relationship. Oh, and can I tell you something before I tell Jeremy?"

"What is it?" he asked, confused as he set his bowl down.

I grinned and held my hand out to him, showing him my left ring finger.

He went wide eyed and grabbed my hand, inspecting the ring.

"Are you serious, Holls?" he asked, almost like he wasn't believing it.

"Very, he proposed the day after I told him the news," I explained with a grin. "And, I have the feeling that Jeremy is gonna act like one hell of a mama."

"You better believe it," Matt replied, laughing.

We were interrupted by someone walking up.

"Are you Holly Heyde? Alan Ashby's girlfriend?" She asked with a smile.

Matt and I looked to her. She was wearing an Of Mice and Men tee, black jeans, and red converse. Her black hair was pulled into a ponytail.

I nodded with a smile, "What can I do for you?" I asked.

"I was wondering if I could get a picture with you," she responded.

I nodded and stood as Matt offered to take the picture. She handed Matt her phone and I put my arm around her, smiling as Matt held up the phone to take the picture.

Once he took the picture, he handed her phone back to her with a smile before she thanked me and took off.

Both Matt and I took our seats, laughing. My phone went off, letting me know someone was calling me on Skype.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and answered the Skype call, seeing Alan's tired, smiling face.

"Hey, Beautiful," he greeted before yawning. "I'm sorry I didn't get to call you earlier. We had a ton of promoting to do, meet and greets, the works."

"It's fine, Alan," I told him, laughing. "Oh, and I have a friend that wants to say hey."

I turned the phone around, showing Matt to him.

"Hey, nice to finally speak to ya," Matt told him with a wave. "How's touring going for ya?"

"Pretty good," Alan told him. "Just missing my girls."

"Uh, Alan, we don't know if we're having a girl or not," I stated, laughing.

"From the shape of her belly, I assume you two are having a girl," Matt told us with a grin.

"You too?" I asked, looking to my friend.

I could hear Alan laughing along with Matt. I rolled my eyes at them.

"Let's see, we actually have a poll going," Alan said, laughing. "Almost everyone I know says we're having a girl while only maybe five say we're having a boy."

"Let's see, Matt, Paolo, Corey, Jeremy, Jason, Ivan, Chris, Syn, Zacky, Shadz, Arin, and Maria say we're having a girl while the rest say we're having a boy," I said as I moved the camera so both of us were in the feed.

"We'll just have to see, won't we?" Alan asked with a grin.

"Yes we will," I replied, grinning as well. Before someone shouted for him.

"I have to go, so, have a good time with your family," he told me with a grin.

I nodded, "I love you," I told him.

"I love you too," he said before our chat ended.

I chuckled as I put my phone away, looking to Matt.

"So, any specific names picked out?" he asked me as we continued with our meal.

"Laura Alexis Marie and Alan Anthony Jr," I told him, laughing.

******

I was back in the room with Jeremy after lunch, eating dinner that he had brought in. We were watching the David Tennant era of Doctor Who.

He didn't really care for it, but I loved it. It was funny but sad at the same time in some episodes.

"Hey, Holly, isn't your due date a couple days after Christmas?" Jeremy asked as soon as commercials started.

I nodded, "Yep," I told him, laughing as I adjusted the way I was sitting on my bed. "We're so excited."