"Alright, steady, steady– Jake, hang on–"
They'd been moving things for 3 straight days and Evie could plainly hear them straining to move a giant bookcase from the living room into the moving truck. It was hell to move, something Evie was astutely aware of having moved several times herself, but it was even harder to move during a pandemic. Just a few days ago, the governor had announced several more deaths from the virus that had been very rapidly taking over the town. While she had helped with moving some small things, Josh would soon find out she was doing something and tell her to sit. He had Jake here to help and she needed to avoid him as best she could. So, Josh had planted her in the living room with a mask on while she watched the news.
It was really the only thing you could watch. Both in the literal and non-literal sense. The pandemic, though terrifying, was fascinating to watch unfold from the comfort of a sofa.
"COVID-19 is a serious threat to the health and livelihood of our state that must be treated seriously by Tennesseans so that we can slow the spread of this virus, keep our people healthy and get our lives back to normal as soon as possible." The Governor was on TV again for the hundredth time. Evie wondered if he was getting tired of making all these announcements. "Which is why I will be enacting a stay at home order for all citizens. All non-essential activities are to be put on hold. If you must be out, we strongly encourage it be for groceries or going to work. Do your part, stay apart!"
A soft sigh comes from behind her and Evie turns to see Josh is standing at the doorway, hands on his hips while his chest heaves in and out deeply. His twin was propped on the doorway and they were both sweating considerably. "I think we gave that bookcase a run for its money," Josh sighs out, wiping his face off, "Should be secure."
"No shit..." Jake huffed, "We still have your whole couch and bed to move."
They had tried and failed to get movers. Everyone was closing up shop and even then, Josh put his foot down, saying that was too many people for Evie to be around. For all of them to be around. They had an album that needed to be worked on. "You know, I could just sit outside while you guys move things if you want to bring in the rest of the Greta van Crew to pack up Josh's stuff," Evie said, "But you might have to do it in the cover of night."
Josh frowns, "What? Why?" Evie points to the TV with the remote, "They're enacting a stay at home order. Non-essential activities are banned."
Jake audibly groans from the doorway while Josh reads the text on the TV screen with squinted eyes. "God damn, this is the most inconvenient pandemic ever, I swear," he mutters under his breath.
"Well, pandemics aren't exactly convenient in the first place, dumbass," Jake snorted, "Can I at least come in for a second to get something to drink?"
"No, you stay in the doorway. I'll get you something," Josh barked back, turning heel quickly to go to the kitchen, leaving Evie to sit quietly with her possible future brother-in-law. He glances over at her with confusion in his eyes and Evie only offers a shrug. She wasn't sure what to say to Jake and apparently he didn't know what to say to her either. So, he stood quietly at the door and she sat on the couch, arms crossed over the backside. But before the silence could get too awkward, Josh appeared with yet another Olipop to give to his twin. "I guess you can come in," Josh said finally, "Just keep your masks on and the door open. I know we've been good at quarantining, but you never know."
Jake wastes no time in taking a seat in one of the smaller chairs just across the room from Evie, and stretches himself out in it. Evie could hear his joints cracking as he did so, a sigh of relief leaving his mouth. "I'm struggling not to take this mask off completely right now," he mumbled, his eyes shut tightly, "It's unbelievably stuffy."
"I know," Josh said, "Listen, we got the whole downstairs done besides the living room, I think that's a good stopping point. Maybe... we will get the guys to come over tomorrow." He glances over to Evie as he says this. She could hear in his voice he was nervous even bringing that up. "I'll be fine," Evie said, "I told you I can just wait outside."
"It's just going to be chilly out tomorrow," Josh complained, "I don't want you to get cold."
"You know, I don't remember you caring this much about people being cold when we were moving Sam's stuff," Jake snorts, "Maybe we should put a baby in him."
"Oh you're so funny Jacob," Josh rolls his eyes playfully, "You think I'm stupid but I've been reading those baby websites, yeah?" He's pointing at his brother as he's speaking now, "Did you know that miscarriages commonly happen within the first few weeks? It's better to keep the mother under low stress so it's less likely to happen. Being sick is stressful. Just you wait until you have one."
"Mmm, negative. Not for a while. I'm careful when I go to pound town," Jake pulls his mask back to take a quick sip of his soda, "Why don't you go shower? I can smell you from here."
Josh opens his mouth to say something but stops mid-thought to smell himself, "... Do I really smell that bad?"
Jake and Evie glance at each other and nod and Josh grimaces. "Ouch, you could have just said you didn't want me here. Fine," he gets up, palms in the air, "... I'll leave you two to bond." Josh leaves the room and heads upstairs, leaving Evie and Jake alone in the silence once again. Jake places his soda on the table, "You know it's funny, he's usually not this neurotic. I thought that him having a kid would cool him off more but it seems to be making him even more neurotic," Jake commented quietly, "But I have to admit it's nice to see him doting on someone again."
"Has he... dated anyone else before me?" Evie was curious now, and she turned the TV's volume down even more. Jake nodded, "Oh yeah, but that was way back in high school. Forming and maintaining this band really consumed most of our time. It's kinda crazy. I have trouble keeping up with my own girlfriend. She's a saint. But," he shook his head, "How are you feeling?"
"About me or... in general?"
"Any of it. I can't imagine you feel great being pregnant in the middle of a pandemic."
She wasn't happy. It was lonely, she lost her best friend and her home in just a few short days. Most of her stuff was still in her old apartment and her clothing was starting to get tighter. She had a bump already and the app she'd been using to track said that wouldn't happen until at least 10 weeks. And her boobs were so sore. So incredibly sore and tender. But Jake wasn't her therapist. "Oh, I'm fine," Evie shrugged it off, "I've been through worse." That she wasn't lying about. She'd weathered many storms in the past and made it through. A little battered but she'd always came out the other side okay. She changes the subject, "So, are you going to be living near us?"
"Yes," Jake said, "I'll be in a condo, about 10 minutes from the place Josh picked out. I'm trying to get my girlfriend to come. Her job moved her to being work-from-home last week. I told her she could come live with me for a while. She's kind of on board but her parents are worried." Evie tried to think about how it might be having Jake living beside her. A good babysitter for sure.
"What's your girlfriend's name?"
"Jade."
Jade. Interesting name. She had to be a hippie. "We've been together since before Greta van Fleet. Kinda like Danny and Makaylah. You know, once this pandemic clears up, you can join the crew of girls out in the crowd. They try to come to all of our shows. We can even get the little dude you have some baby muffs." Evie frowns at the sentence, "Dude?" she laughs, "What makes you think I'm having a boy?"
"Just a hunch," Jake shrugs, "We have lots of boys in our family." Evie shuddered. Boys. The boys she'd cared for back at home were hellions that she never wanted to deal with again. Her little brothers had given her a run for her money before she'd left home. Though, having a little Josh run around would be cute. Heaven forbid they looked like her. "I was kinda hoping for a girl," Evie said shyly, "But... don't tell Josh. I'm trying to be neutral about it. I think we both are."
"I'm down with whatever," Jake said, "All is great. Our family is gonna be happy, the other girls will probably dote on the baby. Speaking of that, have you been found by our adoring fans yet? They're ravenous when it comes to finding out who's dating who." Evie rapidly shook her head, "I think I'm lucky because we can't go out much. I've been trying to make a slow appearance on social media but, to be honest with you, I've been so nervous. I don't know what to post. I'm not sure I'm ready to have a bunch of people paying attention to me. Getting into my personal life. It's scary."
"It can be," Jake takes another sip of his drink, "Did you make a private profile?"
"No," Evie was confused, "Was I supposed to?" Jake only replied with a small laugh, "Here, pull out your phone. I'll show you what I mean." Evie takes her phone out of her pocket and opens her Instagram which Jake promptly follows from his public account. "So," Jake explained, "You can have a public profile where you post stuff you want people to see. But if you want to be more post whatever you want, make another account, set it to private, and give it a super random name that doesn't get back to you. Then you can post baby updates so we can all see it. Because I want baby updates. I can't possibly be a cool uncle if I don't know this kiddo pre-birth." Evie couldn't help but smile as she's typing in the details for her new secret account. He was so nice. Some people got absolutely jerks for in-laws but she felt lucky that Jake was such a gem. She wondered if Sam was this nice.
"I have my open profile, and I've been posting some pictures kinda out of frame. I see you guys are cryptic so, I wanted to try and be cryptic too," Evie said, handing Jake her phone, "Do you think these are cryptic enough?" Jake takes her phone and looks through the few meager photos she'd posted. Lots of them were zoomed in photos of Josh; his clothes, hands and feet. They had minimal likes. "You're gonna wanna be a little less cryptic if you want people to actually find you," he said, "I mean if you really wanna stir the pot, I could take a picture with you and you could post it. The caption could be... "one of my very hot and sexy movers" or something."
This time, Evie giggled. Maybe that wouldn't be too terrible. She'd gotten some pictures of the guys moving yesterday and thought about posting them. Eventually, someone would find her. She wasn't exactly a private person when it came to social media. "Why not?" she relented finally, opening her camera. She holds it up to get most of herself and Jake in the photo, Jake offering a very kind smile through his eyes since you couldn't see him grinning under his mask. "Now, make sure you use tags with "#gvf" in it. That's how you get people to come in. And then you wait. Don't think you'll be waiting long either."
Evie posts the photo with the caption, "One of my very attractive movers decided to snap a photo with me! Isn't he sweet?" along with the tags that Jake had suggested. And within just a minute or so, a fan account liked her picture. Then the account liked all of her other pictures. Evie suddenly felt worried. What if she'd done something bad? A comment comes in:
gvf.vanfleet commented: ummmmm jake??? @jake_gvf explain???
"Oh boy," Evie whispered, "I've opened a can of worms, haven't I?" Jake sits back in his seat and finishes off his drink with a sigh. "It's better they find out in a positive way," he said, "Post what you want, just in moderation. I personally like to leave them hanging. Social media isn't my forte, so I don't put much out on my page. But I don't mind if you take pictures with me to post. Josh is pretty much the same way." And soon, the likes came flooding in. Evie decides to silence her phone before things get too crazy. Jake was stretching himself out again, "Mmm, I could just stay here and sleep. Ugh..." he gets up from the chair and grabs his drink, "But I should probably go. I've got my own packing to do."
"And leave me with the fallout?" Evie laughs, also getting up from her seat. Jake chuckles, shrugging his shoulders, "Not my fault, people are people. Just keep your phone on silent or block the notifications. You're gonna get a lot, trust me." She follows Jake outside to his car to see him off. It was late in the day now, the sun sitting heavy in the sky, washing everything out in a deep orange glow. "You know, I didn't think you were going to like me at first," Evie admits quietly, "I was so worried that you and the rest of the guys would be mad that you know..." she motions to her belly, "... this happened."
"Being mad isn't really my style," Jake replied, "Life sometimes throws hard curveballs and you have to deal with it. Sure things don't always go as planned but, that's part of the fun, isn't it?"
Evie smiled, letting the mixture of gratitude and relief wash over her. Talking to Jake was so easy. "Yeah," she nods, "You're right. I guess it is a lot more fun that way."
"And now you're part of the family," Jake said, "I'd like to say it doesn't get crazier but, it does. But we'll be here to help you. I promise. But, I'd better go, busy day tomorrow."
With one last goodbye, Evie lingers outside just a few moments longer to watch Jake's car disappear down the road. That had gone even better than expected. Her worst case scenario was that he'd hate her. As she turned to go back inside, her phone buzzed again. There were 64 notifications from Instagram, a good amount of them were comments that she was going to have to read later. Evie couldn't help but laugh at Jake's earlier advice, "Block the notifications," she mused to herself, letting her thumb swipe Instagram notifications into silence for the first time in her life.
Heading back indoors, Evie found Josh in the living room, drying his hair with a towel. He looked up as she shut the door, a warm smile on his face. "I see you and Jake hit it off well," he commented playfully, "You thinking of leaving me?"
"Maybe," Evie laughed, "But in all seriousness, your twin is really cool. You're lucky to have such an awesome brother. Our baby's gonna have a super awesome set of uncles."
As Evie settles down on the couch, Josh nestles up beside her and sighs contentedly, "Yeah, they sure are, aren't they?"