I heard a light knock beside my head.
“Andy, time to get up.”
Danny. Tour bus. I opened my eyes and saw the back wall of my bunk. With a sigh I rolled over and pushed the blue curtain cloth to the side. I blinked in the brighter light and heard a male chuckle.
“There she is. I told you she would get up before Jr.”
“Yeah, Yeah,” Jason said gripping the curtain and pushing it aside.
I smiled nervously at Danny and ran a hand through my hair. Eek, I had bed hair!
Danny laughed again and tugged a stray lock of hair that had been sticking out into submission. “Don't worry Andy. You're the first one up so you can call dibs on the bathroom.”
I smiled at him gratefully, grabbed my straightener and makeup kit and headed to the bathroom to fix myself up. Glancing in the mirror I could barely stifle my groan. Not only was my hair a mess but I had a crease from my pillow down the side of my face and my makeup I had put on this morning while light had smeared all over my face. I quickly washed it off and set about fixing it. Then I tamed my hair with the new iron Danny had gotten me. When I looked presentable I slipped out of the bathroom and back to my bunk. De was giving Brian a hard time about getting up but Ash was waiting by her bunk. She gave me a wink and then whispered as I passed, “I heard Danny woke you up.”
I blushed and she giggled which brought De's head out of her bunk.
“What?! What's going on?”
I just shook my head, my cheeks turning pink, as I hurriedly stashed my makeup bag and iron in my bunk and rushed toward the front of the bus. Ash's giggles followed me until I bumped right into MB's chest.
“Hey where are you off to in such a rush?”
“I'm supposed to be teching Matt remembering? Sorry, for not paying attention.”
“I remember a lot,” MB said with an arched eyebrow not moving from the doorway.
I blinked at him my mind turning over what he said.
“I just about got myself in more trouble didn't I?” I asked with a sheepish smile.
“Yeah,” he said and held a radio out to me. I sighed and he quirked his eyebrow again before retracting the radio and calling Matt to come get me. I meekly sat on the couch showing him I wasn't going to try to leave and he pinned me with a look before moving to the bunk area. Ash came out with a smile having fixed her hair and makeup as well. She dropped down beside me with a smile.
“Brian had to threaten to take away De's makeup before she would get out of her bunk and JR is still in his bunk.”
“Can you imagine the end of tour?” I said with a small smile. Ash giggled and shared a knowing look as Matt and Danny entered the bus.
“You ladies ready?”
“Yes!” We said as we heard De's shrill voice complain about Brian rushing her.
Danny shuddered and Matt cast a sympathetic glance toward the bunk area.
“Dan why don't you take them to the stage. I should make sure Jr gets up.”
Danny nodded as my heart pounded in my chest. Ash tried hard to bite back her grin but her eyes were dancing with mischief. I suppressed a moan but barely. This was going to be an agonizing five minutes.
Dan waited for us at the bottom of the steps so we quietly followed him down. He shut the door to the bus and then turned to lead us into the venue. Ash nudged me and nodded toward Dan wiggling her eyebrows. I elbowed her lightly as Dan turned around. He raised an eyebrow giving us an assessing look as we pasted on our most angelic faces.
“I'm pretty sure I don't want to know. Andy, when we get in I'll drop you off at the center stage so you can start working with the microphones. In addition to Matt's you are going to have Zacky's too. You'll be on stage with some of the other crew and I expect you not to leave got it?”
“You're leaving me?” I said in surprise.
“I need to drop Ash off with Quentin who started setting up the merch booth, then I'll be back.”
“Oh, ok,” I said as we left the asphalt path and passed through the door to the venue that Danny was holding open.
“Andy?” He asked as he closed the door behind me. I turned towards him. “You heard what I said right?”
“Yes, Danny.”
“Good I'm holding you to that.” He led us to the stage first and dropped me off talking to a couple of the crew members. I tried to focus on the microphones and the stands as the guys he was talking to kept glancing over at me. I had worn cargo pants and a tee although this was a girls tee and not one of the band tees I normally wore so it fit a little different and I was feeling a little more self conscious.
“Be good Andy I'll be right back,” Dan called as he left the stage.
I sighed and moved the stands to the spots already marked off on stage. I had paid enough attention to the tour details that I knew about where everything needed to be located without the markers but they made it easier. The next fun thing was making sure the microphones all had batteries and would turn on. Uncle Zacky's was working fine but Matt's was only turning on for a few seconds then turning back off. I didn't know if it was the batteries or a lose wire so I attempted to open the battery case. It wouldn't budge. I sighed and tried harder. Still no luck. Juvenile as it was I stomped my foot and pulled even harder which resulted in the case popping off and the batteries going flying. I groaned and dropped down to my knees quickly picking up the battery case cover and one of the batteries. I had to quickly crawl across the stage to grab the other one that was rolling away. I slipped them into my pocket and reached for the pack of batteries on the guitar case. I froze and closed my eyes please god not now. I felt a familiar pain like a knife in my stomach and my eyes popped open. Why of all days did I have to pick today to wear khaki colored cargos? I looked around quickly but I didn't see Matt or Dan. I bit my lip. Both Matt and Dan had stressed the rules but this was an emergency. I glanced around and saw that most of the crew on stage were guys. There was one woman off to the side, Cassie who had been with Avenged in the crew for about four years. John who had been with us for ages was working to get Arin's kit on stage. I quickly walked up to him.
“John I need a huge favor.”
“What's up Andy?”
“I need you to radio Dan and tell him I had to do something off stage...”
“Whoa missy, I wasn't born yesterday. Matt...”
“John, this is an emergency! I'm not going by myself Cassie...”
“An emergency? Why don't you just wait...” he said reaching for his radio.
“I can't,” I gasp as another pain hit. I wrapped my arm around my stomach and stumbled toward Cassie. She looked up as John's voice raised up. I could tell he was saying something but I was focusing on the pain. How had I not seen this coming? Cassie was by my side in a flash and she was helping me into the bathroom. I made my way into a stall just in time to throw up my breakfast. A dull pain was starting in my head as I pulled out my emergency kit. I swallowed the pain pills and grabbed a tampon shoving the kit back in my pocket I quickly took care of business and made sure I had no visible signs. I left the stall and washed my hands splashing some cool water on my face. I then dug my kit back out of my pocket and quickly brushed my teeth and washed my mouth out. God bless whoever invented travel size bottles and those little one use tooth brushes.
“Are you ok Andy?” Cassie said worried.
“Yeah, I just didn't pay enough attention. I should've been drinking more water and watching my diet closer.”
“Or taking medication. You know that PCOS is not something to take lightly. Look at your mom.”
“I know but I don't want to take a pill everyday either.”
“It's got to be better,” a loud knocking on the door, more of a pounding really, interrupted her.
“Andy?!” Dan's voice was higher than normal and I could tell his breathing was labored.
I opened the door meekly and leaned against the frame.
“Sorry Dan. I just wasn't feeling well.”
“Are you alright now? Do you need to go back to the bus?” He asked his eyes quickly running over me looking for signs of injury or distress.
“I'll be alright to finish. I didn't have much left, just Matt's microphone.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“You don't need to see a doctor or anything?”
“No, I'll be fine.”
“Andy?” Matt's voice reached me his eyes were slightly widened and his forehead creased with lines.
“I'm ok now really guys. I'm sorry. I didn't want to cause trouble today.”
“It's ok, we're just worried about you. Should I call Dr. Henderson?”
“No Dad, really, I'm fine.”
Matt looked at me for a minute and then his eyes turned to Cassie. “What do you think?”
“Andy's a smart girl. If she says she's ok then she's ok,” Cassie said.
Matt nodded but neither he or Dan budged.
“Ok guys you are going to have to move to let me out you know.”
They parted ways Dan to my right and Matt to my left. I sighed and started walking Matt and Dan keeping step beside me and Cassie trailing behind me. We reached the main stage and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at me. I quietly went back to the front to work on Matt's microphone. My cheeks were burning by the time I reached it and picked it up.
“Ok guys back to work. We have a show to prepare for here,” John yelled and I turned to give him a grateful smile. He gave me a sympathetic smile back and I popped the new batteries in and attempted to replace the battery case. I squinted at it my head pounding, a dull throbbing ache still in my stomach. I felt Dan's hands cover mine and the battery case slid back into place easily. I turned it on and this time it stayed on. I checked the sound levels and everything was good. As soon as I put the microphone in the stand I felt Dan's hand on my shoulder. I glanced up into his worried eyes.
“Andy, you still aren't feeling well.”
“I'm fine,” I insisted not wanting to bring down the first show any more than I already had.
“No you aren't. I'm taking you to the dressing room and I want you to lay down on the couch in there. Brian's in there hiding from De who's still sulking so you won't be alone.”
I had to smile a bit at that and Dan gave me a weak grin but it didn't meet his eyes shining with concern.
“I'll be fine really.”
“We're going.”
I didn't argue just followed him to the dressing room. Brian looked up from the chair he was sitting in as we came in. His eyes followed me to the couch. I sat down and glanced up as Dan hovered over me with a frown. I gave an exasperated sigh and lay down on the couch. Dan grabbed his jacket from the back of a close by chair and put it over me.
“Take a nap or whatever. I'll be back when the show starts and then I'll take you back to the bus after the show.”
“But...”
“No buts. Tonight I'll tear down and load out for you.”
My mouth snapped shut as Danny's face settled into a stern look. He hovered for another minute and satisfied that I was going to stay on the couch turned and left.
“Are you alright?” Brian asked from his chair. I glanced over at the smell of a lit Marlboro.
“Yes?” I said raising my eyebrows.
“What Chelle doesn't know won't kill her.”
“You have to get on the bus with De tonight. If you smell like smoke she could use that as leverage to get her way with Aunt Chelle,” I said sitting up. I felt a little dizzy and lay back down.
“I know. I'll be careful,” he said looking at me. “Andy?”
“Mmmhmm?”
“Do you think your hallucinations could be caused by your...condition?”
“They aren't hallucinations.”
“Andy...”
“Uncle Brian.”
“You're going to be obstinate aren't you?”
“Yes.”
He sighed. “Just give it a thought would you?”
“No.”
He sighed again and took a long drag on his cigarette.