MARCH 18th, 2015
"So, what theme are you thinking this time, Reggie?" Athena asked as she leaned back into the couch.
"Well, I was thinking of blue," Reggie said, "Maybe go for a Spring wedding this time!"
"Not a bad idea," Athena nodded as she made a note on her laptop, "Do you have a date in mind yet?"
Reggie glanced at Adam for confirmation before replying, "We were thinking of the first weekend in May. The weather should be nice, and the flowers will be in full bloom."
Adam reached for Reggie's hand, a soft smile playing on his lips as he added, "It's also close to our anniversary."
Athena nodded, her face unwavering from her steely resolve as she continued typing out their ideas for the next hour, occasionally throwing in a few words—but mostly letting them plan their own second wedding.
As they finalized the details for the wedding, Athena suggested incorporating a touch of silver to complement the blue theme. "Silver is always a nice touch," she proposed, glancing up to gauge their reactions. Reggie's eyes lit up with excitement, and Adam nodded in agreement. They all started brainstorming ideas for how to incorporate silver into the decor, from shimmering table runners to delicate silver flower arrangements.
Athena leaned forward, her mind already racing with creative possibilities. "And what about the music? Have you thought about your first dance song?" she inquired, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Reggie and Adam exchanged a knowing look before Reggie spoke up, "We were thinking of something classic and romantic, like 'Unchained Melody' by The Righteous Brothers."
Athena smiled warmly, pleased with their choice. "It's perfect," she declared, typing it into their wedding planning document.
"I'll bet she'll turn into Bridezilla," Adam laughed.
"You were Groomzilla at our last wedding," Reggie defended, "I was pretty much fine."
"You totally will," Adam laughed, "You're a nit-picker on stage."
Reggie raised an eyebrow playfully, "And you're not exactly the picture of relaxation yourself, Mister 'I-Need-to-Have-Everything-in-Order'."
"I'll be the calmest person on that wedding party," Adam matched her mischievous grin with one of his own, his eyes dancing with amusement. "I'll have everything organized down to the minute like Athena and Michael did at their wedding—you'll be the one forgetting where you put your makeup brush." he added, "Meanwhile, we've got your sisters. Riley will end up crying at the drop of a hat, Renae will roll her eyes at everything, Rachel will channel her inner diva, Reagan will end up trying to take over the planning," he laughed, "And then we have Athena. Inevitably, an Athena Tyler song is going to start playing," he added as he motioned to Athena herself, "So my guess is she will be the one who disappears with a plate of food to avoid having to dance when Hips Don't Lie inevitably starts playing."
Athena scoffed in mock disbelief, "Why, I never!" she said, "Maybe you should play Michael Jackson instead!" she added as she motioned to Michael, who had his arm around her.
"Not only that, but she will also be the one who hides behind the bar and starts drinking all the whiskey to avoid family pictures," Adam added.
"Well, I didn't think of that before," Athena said thoughtfully, "But now that you mention it...." she added as a smile slowly started forming on her lips, causing Michael's eyes to widen.
But as the wedding day approached, Athena found herself swept up in the whirlwind of last-minute preparations. The silver accents shimmered elegantly under the soft glow of the lights, the delicate flower arrangements exuding a subtle fragrance that filled the air. As 'Unchained Melody' by The Righteous Brothers played softly in the background, Reggie and Adam shared a tender dance, lost in their own world of love and happiness.
True to Adam's prediction, Riley was indeed shedding tears of joy, Renae was rolling her eyes at some minor mishap, Rachel was striking dramatic poses for the camera, and Reagan was busy giving last-minute instructions to the caterers. Amidst the joyful chaos, Athena couldn't help but chuckle at the accuracy of Adam's predictions.
And then it happened. A familiar beat filled the room, sending a wave of excitement through the guests. Athena's eyes widened as she recognized the unmistakable intro to her own song 'Hips Don't Lie.' She shot a panicked look toward Adam and Reggie, who were busy mingling with the guests, oblivious to the impending disaster. Without a second thought, Athena grabbed something off the snack table, bolted from her spot, and made a beeline for the nearest exit, desperate to escape the inevitable embarrassment of being the center of attention.
And eventually, 'Popular Monster' came on—and it struck a cord in her, causing her to make a swift move and jump over the bar, landing behind it.
As Athena landed behind the bar, she found herself face to face with the bartender, a middle-aged man with a bushy mustache and a twinkle in his eye. He raised an eyebrow at her sudden appearance but said nothing, used to dealing with unexpected situations at events like these.
Without missing a beat, Athena flashed him a quick grin and pointed to the rows of gleaming whiskey bottles on the shelf behind him, "Looks like I'll be needing one of those," she quipped, trying to keep her voice light and breezy despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach.
The bartender chuckled and poured her a generous measure of whiskey, sliding it across the bar to her with a knowing smile. Athena took a deep breath and raised the glass to her lips, letting the smooth burn of the alcohol calm her racing thoughts.
Meanwhile, outside the bustling reception hall, Michael had heard the intro to the song and noticed Athena's abrupt departure.
He excused himself from the conversation he was in and followed after her, concern etched on his face. As he stepped outside, he spotted Athena behind the bar, a glass of whiskey in her hand, her usually composed demeanor slightly ruffled.
Michael approached her quietly, not wanting to startle her, "Athena," he said softly, causing her to startle slightly before she turned to face him, her eyes wide with a mix of emotions.
"Michael," she responded, trying to muster up a smile despite the unease in her voice.
Michael leaned against the bar next to her, his gaze gentle yet probing, "Is everything alright?" he asked, his tone filled with genuine concern as he noticed all the empty bottles on the counter, "How many of those did you drink?"
Athena hesitated for a moment before taking a fortifying sip of her whiskey, the burn of the alcohol grounding her thoughts. She then met Michael's gaze and held up one finger to answer the question.
"Bottles or glasses?" Michael asked.
"Hmm..... bottles," Athena shrugged as she brought the bottle to her lips again.
Michael's brows furrowed in concern at the realization of how much Athena had consumed. He gently reached for the whiskey bottle, setting it aside before turning his full attention back to her.
"Athena, you know that's not the answer," he said softly but firmly, his eyes searching hers for any sign of vulnerability, "What's going on? Why did you run off like that?"
Athena looked down, her fingers tracing the rim of the glass as she tried to gather her thoughts. She knew she couldn't keep hiding behind a facade of bravado, especially not from Michael.
Taking a deep breath, she finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's the song—it's 'Popular Monster.' Everything came rushing back." she added as she pulled a flask out of her bag and started drinking from that.
As Athena took a long swig from the flask, Michael's expression softened with understanding. He reached out and gently took the flask from her hand, setting it aside before wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a comforting gesture, "Baby, you know alcohol is not the answer."
"It is right now," she protested, trying to reach for the bottle or the small flask again, whichever she could reach first.
Michael tightened his grip around Athena, preventing her from reaching for the bottle. He gazed into her eyes, their depths mirroring a tumult of emotions, "Athena, please," he pleaded, his voice filled with a mixture of concern and love, "Let me in. Talk to me."
"Hey, Hena. Do you want some?" Riley asked, tossing her half-sister a vape as she walked by and noticed the tense situation.
Athena caught the vape pen mid-air, a surprised look on her face at Riley's sudden appearance. She glanced at the vape pen in her hand, examining it—she had never used one before, but she had seen people use it.
"It'll help take the edge off," Riley added before walking away.
"Can I please have the bottle back?" Athena asked as her eyes teared up.
Memories of late-night studio sessions with Kayden flooded her mind, his laughter echoing in the silence of her heart. The weight of loss pressed down on her shoulders, threatening to crush her spirit once again.
Michael hesitated for a moment, torn between his concern for Athena and her desperate plea. He knew that giving in to her request would only be a temporary solution, masking the pain she carried within her.
With a heavy heart, he shook his head gently, "No, Athena. Not the bottle, not the vape. You don't need to be drinking and vaping—you'll develop health issues and we have three beautiful children who need you."
Athena sighed and brought the vape pen to her lips, "It's too much, Michael. It's just too much." she frowned before walking away, blowing a cloud of mint-scented vapor as she exhaled. Michael watched her retreating figure with a heavy heart, the worry etched on his face deepening. He knew that Athena needed to confront her past, her grief, but he also understood the immense pain she carried within her.
As the strains of 'Popular Monster' continued to drift through the air, mixing with the laughter and chatter from inside the reception hall, Michael sighed, hoping for a sign from Kayden himself.
"Come on, man," Michael muttered, "Help me help your sister." As the wind blew, he paced back and forth, "What would Kayden say?"
And that was when he remembered a conversation he had with Kayden in 2001 when he was fighting with Athena, who had closed in on herself and refused to talk to anyone. Kayden's advice to him was simple: "Love her, Michael. Just listen and love. Have patience and she will come to you."
Michael closed his eyes, letting the memory of Kayden's words wash over him like a soothing balm. He realized that Kayden had always been right about Athena, understanding her in a way that no one else could. With newfound determination, Michael made a silent vow to follow his late brother-in-law's advice and be there for Athena in the way she needed most—by listening and loving her unconditionally.
Steeling himself, Michael entered the reception hall once more, his eyes scanning the room until he found Athena sitting alone at a table near the back. She was hunched over, staring into the distance with a haunted look in her eyes. Without hesitation, he made his way over to her and took a seat beside her, offering her a gentle smile.
"Athena," Michael began softly, "I'm here for you. I want to listen if you're ready to talk." He reached out and took her hand in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Athena turned to look at him, "I think I left my credit card in your wallet."
"Hm," Michael hummed, "What's this really about, baby?" he asked, his tone a blend of patience and concern, "You can tell me."
"Even though it's been over ten years since Kayden died," Athena sighed, "It still feels like just yesterday that I had to give his eulogy speech. I remember seeing him laying there and.....it was like he was breathing, but I know my mind was playing tricks on me."
Michael listened quietly as Athena poured her heart out, the pain of losing her brother still raw after all these years. He held her hand tighter, offering her a silent anchor to hold onto in the storm of memories that threatened to overwhelm her.
"I miss him every day, Michael," Athena whispered, her voice breaking with emotion, "I miss his laughter, his presence.....part of me died with him," Tears welled up in her eyes, cascading down her cheeks unchecked.
Michael pulled Athena into a comforting embrace, letting her cry as he held her close. He knew that some wounds never truly healed and that grief was a journey with no fixed destination. All he could do was be there for Athena, to be her rock when the waves of sorrow crashed over her.
As Athena's sobs quieted into sniffles, Michael brushed away her tears gently and lifted her chin to meet his gaze, "Kayden will always be a part of us, Athena," he said softly, his voice filled with understanding, "Kaden and Asher, his children, they're with us now."
"Kaden looks so much like Kayden," Athena shook her head, "I find myself thinking 'Is this my brother reincarnated as a child?'" she sighed.
Michael nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of Athena's grief. He caressed her cheek, his touch gentle and reassuring as he whispered, "Maybe he is, in a way. Maybe he's watching over us through Kaden and Asher, reminding us that love never truly dies."
"I like to think he is," Athena frowned as she checked the time, noting it was nearly midnight, "What do you say we head home?"
"Okay, baby," Michael nodded, "Let's go home."
Leaving the reception hall behind, Michael and Athena walked hand in hand to their car, the night enveloping them in a shroud of silence. The drive back home was filled with a quiet understanding between them, each lost in their thoughts yet connected by an unspoken bond forged through shared sorrow and love.
As they stepped into their house, the familiar scent of home surrounded them, offering solace in its comforting embrace. Athena kicked off her shoes and sank onto the couch, exhaustion weighing heavy on her shoulders as she let out a weary sigh.
Michael sat down beside her, his arm wrapped protectively around her, pulling her close. In the stillness of the night, with only the soft hum of the air conditioning breaking the silence, he gently kissed her on the lips.
Sometimes all someone needs is silence and someone to sit with—for Michael and Athena, no words were needed. This was a moment of mutual understanding, a sanctuary in the storm of emotions that threatened to drown them. They remained there, wrapped in each other's arms, finding solace in the simple act of just being together.
In that moment of solitude, they both knew that no matter how heavy the burden of grief felt, they would always have each other to lean on. And as the night deepened around them, they drifted off to sleep.