To Keep Her Safe is All I Know

Chapter 9

Melanie ran around the house, trying to get everything clean and together. Not that it really mattered. Chris had seen her house when it looked like a bomb had gone off. However, Melanie wanted to try and make it look like things were okay. She didn't want to have her house look like as much of a disaster as her life was. Things weren't terrible, but they definitely weren't great either. Melanie was actually very worried about John. He'd seemed so weird lately. And Melanie definitely wasn't sure she could just believe that John was just going to be okay with Sadie's slight gender change. Something very not right was going on with John. Melanie just couldn't figure out what.     

Chris was coming home today. Actually, he'd returned the night before and almost came over then, but Melanie insisted he go home to get some rest given the fact that he hadn't slept in a real bed since October. It was now December. Christmas was in a week and Melanie's birthday would land two days afterward on the 27th. Melanie planned to punch Chris if he actually did go through with his plan to get Melanie a vibrator either for her birthday or for Christmas. She was definitely excited to see him again though. She always was excited and anxious to be with her best friend after being away from him for so long.     

Melanie remembered the first real time Chris ever left for a tour. Up until then, Chris and Melanie had never been apart for longer than a few days, maybe a little over a week since they were in preschool. Now, Chris would be gone for a couple of weeks. It wasn't much; they were just playing various small clubs and venues on the east coast, but this was the first time they were ever going to be doing club tour like this.     

Melanie showed up at Chris' house that morning to help him and the band get all of their things loaded up and to come say 'goodbye'. She'd brought everyone coffee and breakfast from Sheetz too and wanted to spend as much time with her best friend as she could before he was to leave her. Once they got the van all loaded up, Chris turned to Melanie with a smile.

"Well, that's it."

Melanie smiled as well, "I can't believe you're actually doing this."

"I can't either." Chris sighed, contently, "So. What are you going to do for six whole weeks without me?" He asked, jokingly.

"Well, I've still got John, so what you should be asking is who I will be doing."

"Gross."

"Like you and Carlie aren't fucking like bunnies when I'm not around?"

"You got me there."

They laugh, then Melanie grew serious.

"Text me when you can, okay? I have to know you're safe."

"God, you're starting to sound like my mom."

"Too bad, you're gonna text me so I know you're safe."

Chris chuckled, "You know I will." He said before hugging her again.

When they came apart, Melanie was smiling again, "Are you nervous?"

Chris shook his head, "Nah."

"Really?"

Chris looked back over his shoulder at his band and the loaded van, then he turned back to Melanie and lowered his voice, "No...I'm so fucking scared."

"Why?"

"Because...What if this is the only time I get to do this? What if the band breaks up in two months and I don't ever get to do a tour again?"

"Chris, you can't think like that."

"But what if I'm right? What if this is the only time I get to do this? And what if the tour goes terribly and the only tour memories I have are the worst? This might be the only time I get to do something like this, so it has to be perfect."