Becoming

Wildest Dreams

After breakfast, during which Eeva learned the names of Bruce's kids and proved that she correctly associated the different names with the proper faces, Dave and Ade laid out clothes for the following morning and packed everything else to be ready for the upcoming trip to London. By a little after midday, they and everyone else in the house were ready for the next day's travels, and they were waiting for Riitta and Seppo Vuorinen to come over for a visit.

Ade and Dave, feeling a bit awkward about being outsiders at a family gathering, decided to go for a walk, saying that they'd return in time for lunch, but that they preferred to give Bruce's kids the chance to meet Emppu's parents without extra people hanging about. As they'd gotten to know the area over the last few weeks, Bruce and Emppu only made a token protest, although Emppu also made sure the couple had their phones on the off chance they did get lost. They promised to stick to the roads to make sure that didn't happen and set off.

"Thanks for suggesting this, Davey," Ade said after they'd strolled quietly for a little while. "I mean, I know Emppu said his parents will be fine with us being there and all, but... yeah. They're coming to meet Bruce's kids, not us, so..."

"So, yeah, we'll give them a chance to meet the kids and get to know each other a bit before we show our faces," Dave nodded. "We're just the friends and houseguests, after all."

"Exactly," Ade agreed. "Think Bruce and Emppu will mind hosting us again sometime? I really like it out here, there's so many places to fish and as much as I enjoy the city, I do like getting off into nature at times."

Dave laughed. "Well, I'm shameless enough that I'm willing to ask Bruce if he's good with it. I doubt they'll mind, though, I'd like to think that we're decent houseguests. I mean, we've helped with the cleaning and cooking and all that, and done our best to not make work for anyone."

"Yeah," Ade said. "Do you like the local golf course, now you've played on it without us fucking up your game?"

"Yeah, I do," Dave laughed again. "And whilst you might've fucked up my game, you lot were bloody hilarious to play with - might have to drag you and Bruce out with me and Nicko at some point when Maiden's on the road, cos he'll find you two as funny as I did!"

"Wanker," Ade laughed. "I can't speak for Bruce, but sure, I'll go... if you and Nicko come fishing with me sometime!"

They checked the time and decided to turn back, just enjoying the stroll and holding hands as they walked. They let themselves back into the house and left their shoes in the cubbies and opened the entry's inside door in time to hear Emppu saying, "...still taste good."

"What will taste good?" Dave called from the entry. "Nothing flavoured like salmiakki, I hope." He and Ade made their way into the kitchen.

Bruce laughed. "We're talking about that cake Emppu made the other morning," he said. "His mum just found out Kia's birthday is Saturday and was scolding him for not telling her so she could make a cake. So, he confessed that he'd already made one."

Riitta smiled. "Anteeksi for spoiling the surprise, Erno. I still wish you told me, though. Anyway, now everyone is here, it is time to start the karjalanpiirakka. And then you will introduce your friends." She turned on the oven and started pulling out the prepped karjalanpiirakka, then putting them into the oven as soon as it beeped that it was up to temperature.

Austin, with Eeva in his lap, handed the baby off to Milla, who took her upstairs to change her as Kia teased her brother for being scared of a messy nappy. Meanwhile, Emppu smiled at Dave and Ade as his mother loaded the oven. "Let me guess, one tea and one coffee?"

The Maiden guitarists nodded. "Please," Dave said with a return smile.

Emppu poured the requested drinks and handed them over. Then as soon as his mother closed the oven and set the timer, he introduced the couple. "Isä, äiti, this is Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, Bruce's bandmates and good friends of ours. Dave, Ade, these are my parents, Seppo and Riitta Vuorinen."