Happy Never After

Chapter 22

In the darkness of the late night, the moonlight shine through the thin curtains on my window and glistened on Tom's chest. I watched it rise and fall slowly, perplexed at how one guy could be so perfect. And how one evening could be so perfect. Last time we were both drunk, hardly aware of what we were doing and unable to remember much the next day, but this time was so much more...magical. The whole evening had been.

"Emily... I love you." Tom said and kissed me on the head.

"I love you too." I looked up as I said it, then rested my head back down on his chest. It was just gone ten o'clock and, despite it being a long evening, I didn't feel tired. Not yet anyway. So me and Tom started talking instead.

"How do you reckon Jo Jo is gonna cope with the pregnancy?" I asked Tom.

"Pretty well I reckon. She's a strong person and she loves Dougie so much I think she'll be great." He replied.

"Aren't you worried that it will get in the way of the band?"

"Well...I guess it's a little concern. But we can work around each other - obviously there will be days when Dougie will have to stay at home with the baby and we'll work around that. But then if there are days when we have to do something and there's no way around it, I'm sure the managers would be happy to pay for a babysitter."

"What do you mean 'you're sure they would'? Haven't you discussed it with them?"

"We er, we haven't told anyone yet. It's only us four that know." Tom said sheepishly.

"What? Tom you have to tell the others! This is huge!!" I exclaimed, sitting up straight in bed.

"We will, we will...I just don't know when. It's up to Dougie after all." Tom said and he sat up too.

"I'm going with Jo Jo to tell her parents tomorrow. Can't you do it then?" I suggested.

"Hmm...I'll ask Dougie. I agree with you, I think the sooner we tell them the better. I'm just not sure what he'll think. He's quiet at the best of times, and even for a confident person this is a big thing to just say to your manager and bandmates."

"I suppose so. Just try and talk him into it okay? I really do think it's for the best..." I said. I didn't want to be too controlling, but they were my friends. Jo Jo was my best friend. Until I met Tom I didn't really have any others...and I want to be as supportive as I could through the whole thing. She was when I was pregnant - or at least for the short while I was. But then if they weren't going to sort it themselves then someone had to step in right? And if I was going to be the supportive friend I wanted to be then it ought to be me. I'd made my start by agreeing to be with her when she told her parents tomorrow but that wasn't going to be enough. There was no way they could possibly get through the whole thing without talking to them...I kept thinking about it until I felt Tom's deep breathing and he was asleep, then I very carefully unwrapped his arms from around me and got up to go to the bathroom. I slipped into an old shirt and shut the door quietly, turning on the light once I was inside and I squinted at the brightness. I debated flushing but decided not to - I didn't want to wake Tom up. Then I crept into the kitchen and poured myself a small glass of water. Once I'd finished sipping it I placed it by the sink and returned to the bedroom. I stood, smiling, and watched Tom sleep for a bit. The slow rise and fall of his chest, the gentle way he rested his hand on the duvet, the perfect shape of his soft lips. I desperately wanted to crawl in next to him and fall asleep in his arms but I still didn't feel tired. I was too excited by everything that had happened today. I looked around at the floor and, me being me, I had such a desire to fold them away, but I couldn't do anything with Tom's. Although I soon had an idea...

An hour and a half later I'd finished rearranging my drawers and picking out clothes when I heard Tom stir.
"Emily?" he said groggily as he shuffled into a sitting position.