Almost Easy

Getting Home

Brian’s POV

So we managed to make it out of Nevada in one piece. The band was pretty supportive. Most were pretty surprised.  Jimmy had already known but for the sake of keeping Zacky off his back, he feigned ignorance. Johnny seemed a little confused but was genuinely happy that his childhood best friend and his bandmate had paired up. Matt was worried about what Michelle was going to do to me. I admit, I was pretty scared of that myself.  Val made it known that she wasn’t the happiest but managed to be polite in congratulating Zoey and I. I was thankful for the small favor. 

Her ominous whisper of “You’d better be the one calling Michelle to break the news,” was almost as scary as Zacky’s speech. 

After getting past a few tabloid reporters through the Vegas airport, we all checked in and made it through security.

Zoey was headed back to LA for the night to check in at work and then bring her stuff to my place. I walked her to her flight terminal like any good husband would.

“You have everything?” I asked as we made our way to the assigned Delta gate.

She nodded, showing me her boarding pass. “You don’t have to walk me all the way. You can go back to the guys.”

“It’s not a big deal. I’d rather skip as many of Val’s death glares as I can,” I explained.

“That’s reasonable,” she said looking in her purse and pulling out a bottle of water.

I took it from her, much to her surprise and opened the top. Her eyebrows crashed together as I handed it back. “I could have opened it myself,” she mumbled.

“I know,” I said giving her a smirk.

“Are you going to be all right with Michelle?” she said as she brought her water bottle to her lips.

I nodded “I’ve handled an angry Michelle before. She’s going to be mad but it’s nothing I haven’t seen.”

She looked at me sympathetically “I’m sorry Brian. I never meant for this to happen.”

I looked into her eyes “Save it, Zoey. I know it wasn’t your big plan. It wasn’t mine either. It happened..”

“But I’m the one who suggested that we stay married,” she said trying to turn her face away.

“And I agreed. I’m a big boy. I know what I’m getting into. First rule of our marriage, we stop apologizing for the situation. Ok?”

“Okay,” she agreed in a low voice.

“So you’ll be in Huntington tomorrow, right?”

“Yes,” she said as she frowned “Right after work. I’ll pack up some stuff tonight.”

I put my arm around her shoulders “Aww come on Zoey, it won’t be so bad.”

“So you say. You’re not the one who has to drag your shit from LA to Huntington tomorrow,” she pouted but did not shy away from my arm.

“Do you need some help with that?” I asked “I mean I could drive in to help you…”

“And what? Help me pack my underwear?” she smiled up at me.

“Underwear? I thought we’d negotiated a no underwear clause in our agreement, ”I told her with a serious face.

Her eyes narrowed as she shook her head “I don’t think we got that far but I’m not agreeing to that unless you do.”

“I’m game if you are,”I tilted my head and waggled my eyebrows.

“You would be,” she punched me in the arm “So okay.”