A/N: This is a double update(: Also there's no song for this chapter!
CHERRY'S POV:
I sit in the kitchen as Theo comes home from the studio, and it's late.. It's a lot later than normal, and my heart shakes seeing him as he goes straight for the piano. He throws his stuff down, and moves with such a pace it's almost like the rest of the world doesn't matter, only the piano in front of him. He just left the studio, he was just there, spending almost all day there.. I used to be the same way, I'd itch to write even right after I had just finished, and I know he isn't writing, but he's-
He hums the pitch before he starts which isn't something he normally does, and I know I shouldn't be watching him right now. I know he thinks I'm upstairs and sleeping, and that's why he's doing this so openly, but I can't peel my eyes away. His fingers are heavy, and I love when he plays heavy... He's been trained by me and other professionals about the importance of the weight in his fingers so I know that when his fingers are heavy that he means for them to be. I know when he presses down heavily it means he feels passionate about the song too. He doesn't sing... He hums. He hums a tune, his voice seeming to be light and airy, and hardly there at all. He starts over, and looks down at the keys, and this time... This time he opens his mouth.
"When I feel cold... I'll keep you close... and if I could hold you..." He shakes his head, and as he stops I feel like I should go now, I feel like I shouldn't look in anymore because I know this isn't my place. I move quietly, wanting to walk around, but my steps I assume to be quiet obviously aren't quiet enough.
"Vi, is that you?" I hear his voice, and I freeze, wondering if I should just stay quiet, but I know he knows someone is here.. He's not dumb.
"It's me.. I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt." I admit, turning myself back around. He looks at me from the piano bench, and I watch as he contemplates what he should do, and in that moment I watch him scoot over, giving me a space to sit next to him. That's something I always know about Theo, no matter what I know he's always going to have a place for me.. Oddly enough I thought it would be the other way around all my life.. I thought my daughter would cling to me, and if I had a son I hoped he'd cling to my husband.. I'm fine with things the way they are, it just wasn't what I had expected.
"I keep writing mom.." He turns around, sitting on the piano bench, but he turns away from the piano, and faces the rest of the room.
"Do you like it?" I ask, wondering why he seems so upset about the thought.
"I like it when I come up with something that isn't completely mediocre.. I just.. I.. Nevermind." He shakes his head, and I turn around too.
"Tell me... You don't have to, but maybe I can try to help." I metaphorically reach a hand out, and I know there's a giant chance he won't take it, but I hope he does.
"Everytime I write even a few words it doesn't come close to describing her... and everytime I leave a session I feel like I have to figure something out, because my head can't keep it in but then... I just can't.. I can't write her the way I see her.. I don't really know how I see her either." He shakes his head, and it's obvious he's confused, anyone could tell even just by looking at him.
"You seem hesitant... What's going on Theo?" I ask, and he shakes his head.
"Everything is changing here with us, and I know that I've dated before, but this is different... and I'm not dating her, I don't know if I ever will because there's something going on with her in her personal life, something isn't right, and I feel like it might be trouble..Like she might be in trouble, and it's not my place, but if she needs help I wont hesitate... I.. I know you're leaving soon, and I'm happy you and dad and Violet are going, and I'm happy you trust me to be here, but I... I just feel like there's too much going on, and too much to take care of... Too much to handle to focus on this, especially when I have no idea how to talk to someone like her.. I just don't know." He confesses, and my heart sinks, now understanding that he's not as happy about us leaving as he originally stated.
"Everything always works itself out for the better... I.. Theo, your dad and I love you both... We want what's best for you, and.."
"I know mom.. And I love you for that, and dad too.. I just hope Vi is okay, even though she's mad at me right now." He gives a soft laugh, and I like that he jokes about it, me on the other hand can't seem to completely wrap my head around her being mad at me the way that she is, and has been for months. "I think I'm going to go to bed, and I'm spending some time with Dani, and Vi tomorrow while you and dad are with uncle Mitch, and Aunt Sarah, and Sandy.." He tells me, and I nod, watching my son walk away and back up the stairs.
My son who asks for help without knowing he did. My son has many soft spots, many fragile parts of him that he never wants to show but doesn't realize he shows them on his sleeve, just like his father did with me so many years ago. He's an open book without meaning to be one, and right now.. Especially after hearing him talk tonight... I know it would be incredibly unfair to completely leave him. It would be unfair for me and Harry to just ditch him to take care of Violet... All I can do is hope Harry understands too.
Harry walks out of Mitch's house with two drinks in hand, and passes the second to Easton as he holds the other, and sits down next to me, holding his empty hand out for mine. My mind wanders, jumping in and out of the conversation as I look to the house, knowing Violet, and Theo are inside with Dani, knowing they're all talking, and Violet is probably going on and on about how she's going to be leaving with me and Harry soon, about how she-
"Hello, earth to Cherry?" Sandy waves her hands in my face, and my attention snaps back.
"Sorry, I zoned out." I shake my head, and Sarah shakes hers too.
"You've been zoned out almost the entire time you've been here, what's going on?" She asks, and now Harry is looking at me with questioning eyes, and I see a bit of concern too.
"Theo came home last night, and without saying too much about his personal life he just talked to me about how he felt.. How he wasn't sure what he was going to do with both of us gone as well as Violet.. He's working on some big things, and this girl is... He basically asked me for help without asking, and now..." I trail off, and Easton nods his head.
"You feel guilty for leaving?" He finishes my sentence, and I nod.
"So don't go... You stay with Theo, and H, you go with Violet... I assume you won't be gone for longer than two months right?" Sandy asks, and I look to Harry for his response to that. I had been thinking about it myself, but I hadn't spoken it out loud. Thank god for Sandy.
"The goal was to take her away to wherever she wanted in hopes she'd have some realizations, work through some stuff.. Maybe write music if she wants to. I don't want her to feel trapped, I want her to see that there's a world outside of LA again, now that she's older.. I want to remind her of that so I don't know how long but one thing I do know is that I can't do this by myself.. I can't take her across the globe by myself." He shakes his head towards me, and I laugh, looking down to my knees as I move my hands down my legs.
"It's not like I would have been much help with Violet in the first place... It's not like anything I say would matter to her, and it's not like me being there wouldn't bring anything but fights.. I think.. I think it would be good for her to be without me for a while, and with you." I nod my head to Harry. "But we have to be on the same page about all of this... It's a big deal, it's not just something we can push to the side, and deal with later."
"You still haven't told her about Dean I assume?" Sandy asks, and I cringe at the name.
"No. I've given her every one of my journals, she has my songs.. I'll talk about it with either of the kids.. I'm open about all of it, I just want them to ask me.. I'm not going to bombard Violet with information about my past life even if it relates to hers... I know that she won't take it well unless she's specifically asking for it, and I know you have to tell them what they need to hear, not what they want to hear, but Violet... No matter what I say to Violet she learns by doing, not by listening.. Theo on the other hand is a listener. People think they know how to parent a kid that they don't. People think they know the answer, but they don't... Violet isn't just some easy thing, this isn't an easy solution... Theo was always easy.. Always." I know that some people might disagree with my words, but I know my kids and I know what works and doesn't.. I know that the time will come that she'll want to know everything, it just hasn't happened yet. And things aren't going well right now, but I know that something has to give... Something always has to give.
"Yeah, that's why he hasn't gotten laid yet." Sandy chimes in, and I choke on my drink.
"He's gotten laid.. Right?" Easton defends, and questions me, and I shake my head.
"I mean he's quiet but he's had girls over before.. He's dated, I'm sure.. I'm sure he's.. Ew, I don't want to think about it. I don't know." I shake my head, stifling my laugh.
"Okay... So back to this whole travel thing..." Mitch starts. He's been almost as quiet as Harry this entire conversation, and it alarms me now that I think about it.
"What about it?" I ask.
"Well father Mitch has come up with a solution...The ladies and Easton will stay here, and help Theo get laid.. And The debbie downer and I will travel with Vi, and help her discover the true meaning of peace and serenity or whatever." Mitch shrugs, and looks at me and Harry.
"Absolutely not."
"That would be fun." I speak at the same time as Harry, and he shoots me a look. "What? Why not? You and Mitch have traveled the world together before, and besides that, he raised Dani.. I'm sure he could help with Violet, as well as with music if she needs it just like you can... I don't know, I feel comfortable sending Violet off with the two of you." I nod, and Harry looks across the way at Sarah.
"What about you and Dani? Won't you miss him? Doesn't she need him or something?" He asks, looking for a way out of this.
"Ehh, he'll be home soon enough.. Plus Dani has me, and Gia, and Theo... She's got all the family she'll need.. Yeah she'll miss her dad but.. As long as he's back before her senior year starts I don't give a shit what he does." Sarah nods, and Mitch smirks at that.
"How romantic." He smiles.
"So it's settled, Team Theo is gonna whip this kid into shape, and get him date ready, and give him all kinds of advice, and Team Violet, the weaker link is gonna make sure her hair stays blonde, and her mind stays stable right?" Sandy clasps her hands, and Harry takes hold of mine once more.
"I guess so..." He has the slightest smile, almost like he enjoys the thought and though being away from him is always a downer, I know it's going to be worth it in the end because I know that Violet is going to be happier this way, and I know Theo will feel more secure.
THEO'S POV:
The three of us walk back upstairs, and through Dani's door after talking with all of our parents, and Easton and Sandy too. We talked to them and I'm shocked to find out that I won't be alone in the house for months and months on end. I'm relieved too. I'm relieved knowing my mom will be there if I need help, If I have a question, or simply just to make me feel comforted in knowing someone is in the house with me. I could handle it on my own.. I just don't want to. I'm happy it's my mom too.. I'm happy to know that she'll be here because my dad he.. He's amazing. He's talented. He's smart.. But he's not me.. We don't connect the way I do with my mom, and I think he sees it too.
"I still hate you." Violet breaks my thoughts, and I roll my eyes before I look at her.
"I didn't rat you out Vi.. I suggested that they take you somewhere that isn't here, okay? And I'm glad I did because you like to make stupid decisions, and though you're still going to do it when you're away, they can't be as dumb as the ones you've made in the past few months. And you get to travel wherever you want to go with uncle Mitch and dad." I tell her, looking her straight in the eyes as I call her out.
"You're irritating... Insufferable.. Annoying... Did I say annoying? Annoying, yeah that's perfect." She goes on.
"Don't forget the word right.. Because he is right, you're a dumbass." Dani speaks out to Violet as she stares straight at her phone.
"Says the one who was fucking her girlfriend with her door unlocked. What did you tell your mom?" Violet asks, and I hold in my laugh, knowing this story is dumb, but still loving to hear it due to Dani's embarrassment.
"I told her we were having a tickle fight, and she believed me so fuck off." She defends, and I laugh now, looking back to my sister as she looks to the side of her, holding tight to one of the pillows on Dani's chair. Silence washes over the three of us, and I hear Violet sigh.
"I'm going to miss you when you're gone Vi.." I speak first, airing out the words no one has decided to say.
"Says the one who's shipping me off in the first place... With two grown men that fight like children mind you.." She rolls her eyes, and I shake my head.
"I'm serious... I just got you back Vi, I don't want you to leave again but I know it's going to be-"
"No you don't Theo.. You don't know anything that it's going to be and I know I talk about it like I'm joking but I'm not. I don't want to leave. I never asked for this, or anything that is happening. I never asked you to share that song without parents, I trusted you and you ratted me out. I'm fucking pissed off, and I am going to miss you but it doesn't matter how I feel obviously. I don't care if you'll miss me because you did this." She throws her hand at me, and stands up, walking towards the door. Dani starts to move but I just shake my head, knowing it won't help a single thing.
I know she's not upset with me. I know she's upset with the situation, and thought I know it's wrong that I showed my parents the song. I have apologized about a hundred times for it already... I don't regret showing them because I know the time she spends away it's going to do what needs to be done. It'll break Violet into the realization of who Alex is, and I know.. I hope more than anything that my dad, and uncle Mitch can do that.. I hope they can keep her on track until she cracks.. Until she opens up to them like she did to me when she wrote that song.. I hope with everything in me that something really good comes out of this for her... For all of us, no matter how long it takes.
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A/N: KEEP READING!! There's another chapter!
Also the next chapter the song doesn't completely relate to the story, it's just a good song and it fits the vibe so yeah.