FALLEN (NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

33.

Ash: It isn't. It makes me happy your dreams are coming true, just like mine. So it's not boring, I completely understand.

Me: Thanks.

I have nothing more to say, but somehow I really don't want the conversation to stop. I look up to see which station we are at and notice we are almost there. I put my phone back in my purse and notice an old man coming in. I wait to make eye contact and get up to offer him my seat. He accepts it with a large smile and I ravish under the warmth I feel to have done this simple act of kindness.

Sophie gets up seconds after when we get to our station. We walk in the airport and out to catch our bus. I tell her about stopping at ASDA before coming home. She decides to not accompany me and clean a little before I get back and Marcel arrives.

The second I get out at my stop, I put back my headphone in my ears and listen to the album again. It's a really good jam. And I remember that I was texting Ash. It makes me wonder about what they are doing during the day. Do they have a show tonight?

Me: What are you doing tonight?

He doesn't respond instantly and I have the time to do my whole grocery shopping before my phone vibrates again.

Ash: Caleb wants us to go to out. And these days, all Lucas and Mike want to do is drink since they miss their girlfriends. I think it will be fun.

Me: Is your schedule pretty hectic?

I write quickly as it comes my turn at the cashier, so I take off an earbud. I put all of my groceries in front of the employee. She scans it all and I present her my reusable bag I always keep at the bottom of my purse. I pay and thank her with a smile. I put back my earbud and head towards the exit. I hook the bag to the crook of my elbow and take back my phone.

Ash: It isn't now that we've come to the end of the UK tour. We fly to Ireland tomorrow morning. Dublin. Then we head up north to Belfast and we come back to Glasgow for the show. Then, Edinburgh. After that, Europe.

Since he told me he would be in Scotland next weekend, it means he has a pretty hectic week ahead. I just hope he is well-rested and that they are all taking care of themselves. They are responsible. I don't have to worry about them. I want them to have fun. I would love to be in their place and get to travel the world with my music. Their music is so good.

Me: What are you the most excited to see?

By the time I have walked the two kilometres separating ASDA from home, I feel my phone vibrating again. I walk to the kitchen to put the bag on the counter and come back to the door to take off my shoes. I turn off my music with the intention to connect it Bluetooth with the stereo, but something else catches my attention.

I walk silently to Sophie's closed door and I hear her undoubtedly crying. She is talking as well. I don't want to pry, so I head back to the kitchen and put my groceries in the fridge. I am glad I have bought wine. I think that might be exactly what she needs right now.

I get two wine glasses on the higher shelf of the cupboard. I have to climb on the counter to get them, but climbing is something I have always enjoyed. When I was little, I used to climb the shelves at home and on all the furniture.  At one point, my mum got tired and punished me by forcing me to only eat bananas since I was acting like a monkey. Since then, traumatised, I hate bananas. The taste, the texture, the smell, I can't stand it. I guess it worked.... I stopped climbing. Now, I am old. I can do as I want. I should go to the zip lining kind of parks where I could climb in trees and stuff. I wonder if it's the kind of activities Sophie would be down to do with me.