Becoming

The Angel And The Gambler

After an uneventful flight to Cleveland, Ohio, Ade checked into the hotel that the band would be using as soon as they arrived from Toronto the following day and settled in with a pot of coffee to do his best to force himself to adjust to the time zone change as quickly as possible. He also remembered to leave a note at the desk that he'd arrived and was most likely in his room sleeping to make sure he'd be in good shape for the show that night. He left an extra key with the note, just in case he didn't respond when someone knocked on his door.

As it turned out, he woke up on his own just before noon and had time to shower and dress before he heard a knock on the door. With one trainer on and the other in his hand, Ade jumped up to open it, smiling to see Dave standing there. "Come on in, Davey, I'm almost ready," he said. "Everyone else is waiting downstairs, I take it?"

"Yeah," Dave said, stepping in and shutting the door firmly behind himself, then pulling Ade into his arms. "I'm glad you're back, love. How are you holding up?"

"I'm holding up," Ade said, dropping his trainer to wrap his arms around Dave. "Feeling better for being able to do this, though." He kissed Dave softly, then rested his head on his lover's shoulder.

Dave returned that kiss tenderly, gently rubbing Ade's back. "Are you sure you'll be okay performing tonight? You know Rod and Harry won't mind if you need another day or even a few more days." He paused and admitted, "Harry's actually more concerned that you're coming back so quickly – I think he's remembering how Clive took a full two weeks off when his da passed, and then was such a wreck after he did come back. Managed to work himself into a right state, torn between thinking you're coming back so quickly because you think he'll sack you if you don't, to thinking you'll fall to the same sort of depression he did and quit again as soon as the tour's over."

"Not gonna happen," Ade said firmly. "I'll not quit Maiden again. Not after living the last ten years with us having such different schedules and half the time not being able to see one another for six months and more at a stretch. I could've lost you, my Davey, and it would've been my own bloody fault if I had. No, for all it might've been the best thing to do at the time and probably did save me a trip to rehab or the loony bin, I've grown up since then and I'm sure everyone else has as well. I'll not deny I'm still mourning Da – losing him so suddenly and all. But I've got you here to lean on if I need it, and that's what Clive didn't have back then."

"True enough," Dave agreed. "He really only had his parents and Olivia back then – he lost his da suddenly, felt guilty for leaving his mum to come back to the tour, and Olivia couldn't afford to take a holiday from work to come out to be with him. Sure, we were all friends, but he wasn't especially close with any of us either, so he likely didn't feel comfortable asking any of us to give him a shoulder or whatever."

"Exactly," Ade said. "Whereas I know you'll be there for me if I need you." He stole another soft kiss and pulled back. "I s'pose I'd best get my other shoe on and head down with you to meet up with the others. Is there a signing or a meet'n'greet or anything we'll need to do before the show?"

"Not today," Dave said as Ade retrieved his dropped trainer and sat down to pull it on and tie the laces. "Bruce and Harry have a radio interview, but the rest of us haven't got anything in particular aside from sound check."

"Good," Ade said as he stood up again. "I know I'll be okay onstage, but I'd as soon not have a bunch of fans asking if I'm okay, y'know? I'm uncomfortable enough at meet'n'greets when I'm at my best, so I might ask Rod to excuse me from any of those for a bit longer."

"I'm sure that won't be a problem," Dave said. "The last few years, it wasn't uncommon for one or another of us to not attend those for whatever reason. Not feeling well, had to deal with an issue at home and needed to be able to call at a convenient time there, whatever. Like that time in Albany when you came to see us, and I got us away from the others by claiming that we were gonna do a conference call with us and Nathalie and Tamar to make plans to visit after the girls were born, because it was teatime in Hawaii."