Becoming

Gates Of Tomorrow

Dave looked up as the medic pulled the curtain back, trying to smile at everyone, although it looked more like a grimace. "Sorry, Harry," he said. "I tried to catch myself before I went off the stage and hit my hand right on the edge." He wrapped his good arm around Tasha as the little girl scurried over to him with a worried look on her face. "I'm really okay, Princess," he tried to reassure her. "It hurts, but I'll heal up just fine."

"Accidents happen, Davey, it's not your fault," Steve said. "No more than it was my fault when I fell and landed wrong and mucked up my knee so badly that time."

Ade and Jan looked at each other. "We've been learning each other's solos, but we're not yet at the point where the two of us can do all Dave's solos on the current set list," Ade said. "Maybe three or four more days if we push."

"Yeah, I agree, that time frame sounds do-able," Janick agreed.

"Right, then, I'll cancel the next three shows to be on the safe side," Rod said. "That will give you two four full days plus whatever you can manage around our travel to El Paso on the fifth day, with a show on 5 August. I can send the bus and crew ahead and we'll fly out, that should gain us a few hours extra as well. You'll all stay at my place starting tomorrow, of course, save money on hotels whilst we're at it, right? And there's plenty of space in my studio for Janick and Adrian to practise in as well."

"That's probably the best plan," Jan said. "We'll be at the hotel tonight, and I assume we can drop Tamar and Nathalie and the kids at the airport on our way to your place, Rod? Or have you ladies got plans in place already for your travels?"

"We have plans already, since what was supposed to be your next stop was in the opposite direction to LAX," Nathalie said. "I don't see any need to change them, especially since both of our flights are earlier than I'm sure most of you will want to be up and moving," she added, with a pointed grin at Ade.

Dylan, Brittany, and Natasha all broke into giggles at that. "Daddy never wakes up before 10:00 unless someone shakes him hard," Natasha announced to grins from all the adults present, even Dave.

Ade played up to his daughter's words to try to lighten the mood a little more, crossing his arms across his chest and pouting. "Natasha, you didn't have to tell on me," he said in a petulant tone, causing more laughter.

Dave, beginning to look somewhat loopy as whatever painkiller the medic had given him started to really kick in, made a show of telling Natasha, "It's a good thing your da needs someone to shake him awake – I can not only shake him awake, I can also get him to tie my shoes for me until I've healed up enough to do it myself again!"

All the kids giggled again, and Tamar shook her head. "Okay, if that's how you're thinking right now, Dave, we'd best get back to the hotel as soon as possible, before you say or do anything really embarrassing."

"Good idea," Steve agreed. "Rod, you coming with us, or are you going to stay here to handle the cancellations and all that?"

"I'll stay here," Rod said. "I've got all the paperwork I might need here with me, and the sooner I get to it, the better."

"True enough," Steve said. "Right, then, you lot, let's head for the bus. Ladies, kids, you'll just have to put up with our stink on the ride over, but under the circumstances, I think we're better off waiting to shower until we're in our own rooms. Especially since Davey's going to need help."

"Good thinking," Tamar agreed. She tried to help Dave up, but he wobbled and sat back down hard, nearly pulling her over with him.

"Let me help, Tamar," Ade said. "Lord knows he's gotten me out to the bus any number of times over the years, when I've been far more out of it than he is now."