Lost In Neverland

I can’t believe I was letting Stella come on tour with us, she normally went to either Wendy’s mom or my parents, where ever fit the occasion. Like my parents lived in the school zone still during the school year she’d go there but over summer or winter she’d go to Wendy’s moms. I loved what I did and I know Wendy loved being on crew but I felt bad because we didn’t get to spend all that much time with Stella and it seemed like we had missed a decent part of her life and I knew that was going to wear on me for a while, a lot of things did. I guess all the time we missed out on with her made every moment with her more special. I was trying to think like that more often; I hadn’t really voiced my thoughts to Wendy either, just let them eat at my mind.

I knew that the guys were going to look after Stella like she was their own kid but I couldn’t help but be worried about all of it. She was my little princess; I would take a fucking bullet for her. I also just knew how parties got on the bus and it wasn’t that we were necessarily dangerous but we weren’t really careful, I mean we broke a stripper pole and our ceiling before so that’s about how they always went. Stella better realize that she won’t be allowed to be a part of those, she was sixteen, she was still a fucking child. That wasn’t even debatable.

“Happy birthday Stels,” Jack yelled, running to pick her up.

I was still surprised that after sixteen years of marriage he and Kara hadn’t had a kid yet, I mean, he would be a terrific dad and he was great with Stella throughout all of her life. All these years later he was still the Jack that made this band this band. It didn’t matter that he was almost in his forties; he was still just as crazy as he was at sixteen, than again I think the only people that matured were Rian and I. Then again I only matured once I had a child on the way because that changes things a little bit. Things were still great though, in fact, I don’t think they could be any better than they were right now. We were a pretty huge band to say the least and everything we do is better than the last with the fans loving all of it. So things were looking up except Stella was looking at colleges the other day and that sounds so unreal, how could my little girl be going to college soon? She was still five and wore her hair in pigtails as she happily ran to us when we were picking her up from the grandparents.

“Hey old man, “ Zack joked sitting next to me.

“She’s growing up man and I wish I could pause time,” I told him.

“That’s what happens man, don’t you think that’s how our parents think when they see us?”

“That just sounds crazy though.”

“That’s probably how she feels too though, she wants to grow up and create her own path and I think if Wendy let you have your way then she wouldn’t be allowed out of the house.”

“I just want to keep her safe; the world is a dangerous path.”

“What about when she gets her heart broken Lex?”

“That’s not going to happen; she can date when she’s thirty.”

Zack shook his head and stood up. He was going to go talk to Wendy and Stella, he had also gotten along with Wendy pretty well and Stella was just like her so that made it really easy. I mean the guys had always loved her because she was practically their niece so I wasn’t worried about them with her. I was just worried about her; I mean I don’t think a day will pass where I don’t worry about her. I found the bunk that Wendy had picked out and threw the stuff I needed to sleep in there too before going to put my bags in the junk bunk. That’s also when I realized we didn’t have a junk bunk. I sighed and walked to the back, throwing the bags behind the mirrors in the back lounge. I was just on edge about this tour because I was so nervous about Stella being here. I was just assuming the worst which constantly seems to happen.

I felt small arms around my waist; I turned, looking down at my beautiful wife. I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at her, she was still as beautiful as she was the first time I ever saw her. It was still unreal to think back to that day, so much has happened since then and it feels like a lifetime away. I wouldn’t change a single thing though, in fact I think that every day I’m still falling more in love with Wendy if that’s even possible after twenty years but it has to be. I leaned down and pecked her lips softly, feeling a smile grow on my lips.

“Gross,” Stella said.

“Well, what do you expect,” Wendy laughed.

“I mean, you came from somewhere,” I added.

“Gross Dad,” Stella replied and Wendy lightly smacked my chest.

“I love both of my girls,” I said, pulling them in for a hug.

“Love you too Dad, and thanks for letting me come with,” Stella said, happily.

Notes

Hey guys, we're back about a year later if that isn't crazy. We really hope that y'all enjoy the sequel as much as we are going to enjoy writing. Have a sorta short little intro chapter to everything going on. I also realized that if for some reason I have a kid I would be like Alex at the end so yeah. Also, I did the math and they'd all be around forty in this story which is weird as hell to think about. Hope y'all like it!

- Jess