CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Over the next few weeks, Meg and the baby accompanied Sky out on the road with the band. Each night, she watched as Larissa drank herself into oblivion while Sky and the band performed.
One night, when they were back on their bus and having a bite to eat after the first show of a three-show run, Meg said to Sky, “I’m concerned about Larissa. Did you ever notice how much she drinks?”
He took a swig from a beer bottle. “We all drink, Meg. Some of us more than others. I used to drink a lot more when I was traveling on the bus with all the guys.”
“Only reason I mention it is because she fell down tonight. And it wasn’t the first time.”
Sky’s eyes grew wide as Meg recounted the number of times she tried to help Larissa back stage after she had stumbled and fallen. “I didn’t realize that. Wish you’d told me sooner. I’ll try to keep an eye out for her, going forward.”
“You might want to talk to her about it, too. She’ll listen to you.” Because she sure as hell won’t listen to me.
“Yeah. I’m not crazy about the guys in her band. She hired the cheapest musicians she could find, instead of the best ones, and a couple of them are pretty sketchy. And she’s the only woman on that bus at night. I wouldn’t want any of them to take advantage of her when she’s wasted.”
“Thanks.” Meg picked at her salad, wishing she could have a bite of the pepperoni pizza her husband was wolfing down. But I’ll never lose the rest of this baby weight if I do that, she thought, wondering if Sky was still interested in her as a woman. We used to have sex every day, but we haven’t done it once since the baby was born.
As she chewed, she contemplated what life was like from Larissa’s point of view. I’ll bet she thought it would be easy once she got a record deal. But not everyone makes it in the music business. She stole a glance at her husband, who was absentmindedly picking the pieces of pepperoni off his pizza and eating them first before finishing the rest of his slice. And I’ll bet she thought she’d end up with someone like Sky, someone who would take care of her, and help her career.
She shifted her gaze towards her husband, who was staring out the bus window. “Sky?”
“Mmm…what’s up, baby?”
She reached out and took one of his hands in hers. “Maybe we can make it an early evening tonight. Quint is sleeping, and I thought maybe we could…”
He looked at Meg, and felt the uncertainty and questions in her eyes. His pulse quickened, and he felt a stirring in his groin for the first time in months. He squeezed her hand, and nodded his head. “It’s been way too long. Go on back and get ready for bed. I’ll take care of the clean up, and I’ll meet you in a couple of minutes.”
Meg slid out of her side of the built-in booth and smiled at her husband while stifling a yawn. She leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks. See you back there.”
Sky wrapped the leftover pizza and placed it in the refrigerator. He flipped through the channels on the television until he reached the Sports News Network, and lost track of time while waiting for the NBA playoff scores.
“Shit,” he said, as he opened his eyes and checked the time on his watch. “I must have dozed off.”
He got up and walked to the bedroom at the back of the bus. When he slid the pocket door open, he found Meg asleep on top of the bed, hugging a pillow and wearing a sheer black negligee. “I can’t wake her up for sex, even if it was her idea”, he said under his breath.
“I love you, baby,” he whispered, before turning around, exiting the bedroom, and closing the pocket door behind him. He stripped down to his underwear, and climbed into one of the guest bunks.
Before he fell asleep, Sky prayed. “Dear God, please help us. We’ve drifted so far apart, and we need your help. I’m putting our marriage in your hands. Please, God, help us find our way back to each other.”
When Meg was feeding Quint the following morning, she noticed he was warm, and when she took his temperature, found he had a high fever. She called the pediatrician, who advised that she take him to a hospital.
“I know you can’t go with me,” she said to Sky. “But we’re only a short flight from Nashville, and maybe I should just fly home so he can see his own doctor. And, besides, I don’t want you to catch what he has and get sick.”
“Yeah, I agree,” Sky said, as he picked up his phone to call the Johnson Bishop tour manager, who arranged all their transportation. “Hey, Mac, I need you to book a private jet for Meg back to Nashville right away. The baby’s running a high fever, and needs to see his doctor.”
“I’m sorry,” Meg said, once Sky ended his phone call. “I hate to leave you, but I’m worried about Quint.”
“Me too,” Sky said, as he took Meg into his arms. “I wish I could go with you.” His cell phone rang, and he released her. “Hey, Mac.” He listened, and when he hung up, explained, “There’s a private jet waiting at the airport to fly you home.”
“Okay. Great.” Meg quickly packed a bag with the bare necessities for the trip, and strapped Quint into his car seat. She slung the bag over her shoulder, and followed Sky towards the van that was waiting to take her to the airport.
After Sky secured the car seat, he wrapped his arms around Meg. “I know you’re nervous, but it’s going to be all right,” he said. He tilted her chin up and kissed her on the lips. “Call me as soon as you get to the doctor.”
“I promise.” She climbed into the van, and lowered the window. “Have a good show tonight.”
“Will do. I’ll fly home right after the show tomorrow. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
Sky watched as the van drove away. He was deep in thought, and didn’t realize that he was not alone.
“Wife up and left you?”
He jumped, and turned around to find Larissa standing next to him. “What did you say?”
“So, your wife up and left you?” She moved closer to Sky, and placed an arm around his shoulders.
“What the hell?” He jerked his body away from her, and looked her in the eyes. “Although it’s none of your business, our son is sick, and Meg is flying home to take him to the pediatrician.”
Larissa’s face fell. “Oh…I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” He ran his hands through his hair, and took a deep breath. “Listen, Larissa, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. Meg mentioned that you’ve been drinking a lot each night after your set is over, and that you’ve fallen down a few times. We’re both concerned.”
She flew into a rage. “That bitch! What the hell is she trying to do? Get me kicked off the tour?”
“Don’t you dare call my wife a bitch. She’s just worried about you.”
“No she’s not. The only thing she worries about is losing you. She flaunts her relationship with you all the time. That’s why she always carries that baby with her.” She began to march towards her tour bus, but Sky grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back towards him. “What? Leave me alone.”
He smelled whiskey on her breath. “Jesus, Larissa. Have you been drinking already? It’s not even noon.”
She was unable to look Sky in the eyes. “I just poured a couple of shots in my coffee this morning.”
He shook his head. “You need help. As soon as we get back to Nashville, you’ve got to join A.A., or maybe enter rehab. This isn’t normal.”
“Yeah, like you should talk,” she spat, before running towards her bus.
Sky watched Larissa trip when she tried to climb the stairs into her bus, and shook his head. He returned to his own bus, showered, and met up with Jack and the rest of the band for sound check. When they were finished, he related the conversation he had with Larissa earlier in the day. “I’m going to talk to her manager, but in the meantime, maybe Becky can also have a word with her. She might be more likely to listen to her.”
Jack agreed. “Yeah, you’re right. Larissa is so jealous of Meg that she can’t even think straight. It’s better coming from Becky.”
“Thanks, buddy.” Sky’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and saw it was Meg calling. “Hey, darlin’. How’s our boy?”
“He’s doing much better now. He still has a fever, but it’s not as high as it was this morning.”
Relief washed over him. “Thank God. I’m so glad he has you as his mother. You knew just what to do.”
Meg beamed at Sky’s compliment. “I’m glad we were able to get back to Nashville. I felt more comfortable with his doctor, and I think he’ll sleep better at home.” She paused, before adding, “I’ll miss you tonight. I’m sorry I fell asleep before you came in last night.”
“I didn’t want to wake you. We’ll catch up this week, especially since we’re not on the road next weekend. I’ve gotta go and get ready for the show. I love you, baby.”
“Love you too.”
That night, Sky kept a close eye on Larissa both before, and during, her set. He watched as she poured large plastic cups full of whiskey and gulped them down with the guys in her band. I don’t like these guys, he thought, as he watched the drummer and the bass player get a little too familiar with her. She’s so drunk, she doesn’t even realize that they’re coming on to her. This has disaster written all over it. I’ve gotta do something about it.
When it was time to perform “Heat”, Sky introduced Larissa. She stumbled onto the stage, and slurred her words as she sang. Sky caught Jack’s eye towards the end of the song, and gestured to him to help her off the stage.
After Jack parked Larissa next to Becky, he whispered in his wife’s ear, “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
Becky nodded, and watched while Larissa passed out in what was normally Meg’s chair. “God, I wish Meg was here,” she said aloud. “If she falls and hurts herself, I won’t have the slightest idea what to do.”
After the band’s encore, Sky, Jack and Becky assisted Larissa out of the arena. They strapped her into a golf cart and drove her to her bus, where the rest of her band was already assembled.
“I don’t like the guys in her band,” Sky said to Jack and Becky. “And I don’t like the idea of her inebriated on the bus with them. She’s completely passed out and incapable of…”
“Yeah, you don’t have to say it,” Jack interjected. “But what should we do?”
“I have an idea,” Becky said. “Sky, why don’t you let Larissa sleep on your bus tonight?”
“No! No way. If Meg ever found out…”
“I didn’t mean she should sleep with you,” Becky continued. “You can stay with us on our bus, and let Larissa have your bus to herself.”
“But she’s completely plastered. She might get sick, or need help,” Sky pointed out.
Jack’s eyes grew wide. “I’ve got it! Let’s ask Beau to stay with her on the bus. He’s an EMT, so he can take care of her if she needs help.”
Jack ran to get Beau, who agreed to stay overnight on Sky’s bus with Larissa. They managed to get her on her feet, and Sky looped his arms around her as he guided her up the stairs into his bus, while Jack, Becky and Beau trailed behind.
After showing Beau around the interior of the bus, Sky said, “Thanks for doing this, buddy. Call or text me if you need anything.”
When Sky boarded Jack’s bus, he was greeted by the aroma of pizza. He slid into the built-in booth that served as a dining table, grabbed a slice, and wolfed it down. “Just like old times,” he said. “It seems like a million years ago that it was just the three of us.”
“Sure does. But life is a million times better now,” Jack said. “Wives, babies…they make it all worthwhile.”
“Yeah,” Sky agreed. “I miss Meg and Quint tonight. And it’s too late to call them,” he said, as he checked his phone. “I’ll catch up with her tomorrow.”