Got Enough Balls?

Sixteen

Calum

She didn't come back...

I checked.

Ali didn't rejoin the tour crew while we were in Miami. And now we sit hours away in another part of Florida without her. And I can't help but think it's my fault she is avoiding the tour.

"Stop." Crystal gives me a pointed look, sitting down beside me in the green room.

"How am I supposed to stop thinking about it when she has literally avoided me for days, almost a week except for that one fight in Atlanta. She is avoiding me, and risking her own need for physical therapy to do so." I sigh, leaning my head against her shoulder.

"Or, she hasn't been home in forever and found a way to spend a couple more days with her family and she'll be back soon." She chuckles, "Don't think every last thing is your fault, Cal, you aren't that powerful."

"It feels like it's my fault." I sigh.

"It's not." Her voice carries an air of sincerity in it as she brushes her hand over my head, "I've talked to her a little bit. She's just enjoying being home too much. She's coming back on tour soon."

"You've talked to her?" I turn to look at her.

"Ya. I texted her when she didn't get back on tour Thursday. She's my friend, Cal, I have her phone number."

"And it's not all my fault?"

"No. I mean she said she wanted some space from the craziness of tour, and time with her family. So if you want to read into that go for it. But I think she just liked the normalcy of being home."

"And she is coming back?" I push.

"She should be back sometime today. Stop moping around and try to think about something other than the girl stuck in your head and heart."

"Fat chance." I chuckle, "And thanks, Crys."

"No problem. Honestly, I'm rooting for you. Ali seems perfect for you."

"Ya, no kidding." I sigh, wishing she would believe it as much as the rest of us do.

Alison

"Alright, what's been bugging behind those big brown eyes of yours, Ali." Britney glances over at me as she drives north.

"So much." I laugh humorlessly. "I really needed a four hour drive with you to make any fucking sense of it."

"Well we got it. So tell me." She grins.

I can't help but look over at her and smile. The best thing dad ever did was marry Brit, she fills every hole my mom left in both dad's and my lives, and she has been a huge instrument in our healing since then. "It'a a guy." I sigh.

"Could have guessed that one." She laughs, "More details?"

"Ugh, okay from the beginning I guess." I push my hair back, shifting in my seat to face her slightly.

"So, you know that dad sent me to Sydney when I was twelve and put me in the custody of Pat and LuAnn? Because my mom was coming with a vengeance for custody rights."

"Yes, what does this boy have to do with that? It was so long ago." Her eyes automatically look scared as I bring up the topic.

"A lot. I'll get there. It's part of why I'm so confussed. Anyway, you know dad didn't bring me home until the custody issue had been fully hashed and done, and it took three years. I mean you and he had been together for almost a year when I finally came home and met you and your three kids. But those three years in Sydney were huge for me. I wasn't stupid, I knew I was there because my mom was causing issues again, even if dad refused to badmouth her to me on our calls, refused to tell me the full picture at the time. I knew. Anyway, that's not the important part about Sydney."