What She's Doing Now (Sequel to The Great Pretenders)

Trade Mistakes

By Panic! At The Disco

I may never sleep tonight,
As long as you're still burning bright.
If I could trade mistakes for sheep,
Count me away before you sleep.
I'll stay awake 'til I trade my mistakes
Or they fade away

Lucy was in the middle of making lunch the next day as Charlie kicked the ball in the back yard with her friends. Something she hadn't done in a while (as far as she was concerned juggling with Matt didn't count) and Lucy was desperately trying to figure out what to feed them.

When her phone rang she picked it up absently. "Hello?"
"Lucille, why aren't you in Grand Prairie with the band?"Zoey's cantankerous tone asked.
Lucy scoffed "Don't pretend you don't know Zoey Elizabeth Baker."
"Haner," she corrected "and I do know but that doesn't tell me why you aren't in Grand Prairie."

"The whole situation should speak for itself," Lucy said as she pulled the Pizza Hut menu out of the drawer. "Wait, are you there with them?"

"No," Zoey replied "I had to fly back to LA for a press junket."

"Oh, wow that sucks. I know Brian's birthday is today."

"Don't remind me. He's not happy that I'm not flying out."

Lucy gave a hollow laugh "Poor Johnny, Zack and Arin. Matt and Brian are probably in the worst mood."

Zoey laughed too."Do you really think Charlie is going to let him go? I mean now that she knows."

Lucy sat on the barstool "Who knows? She hasn't really said a word yet. He denied her and I guess she's still processing."

"Well she doesn't have much time to process anymore."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked curiously.

"I guess you haven't seen Tumblr this morning."

"I don't look at that stuff. Charlie does."

"Then I guess Charlie hasn't seen Tumblr yet. Give me a minute," Zoey said and it was silent for a minute "Okay, check your email."

"My email?" Lucy said grabbing her iPad and clicking the mail icon. First in her list of unopened mail was one from Zoey Haner.

Lucy held her breath as she double clicked. A large deathbat was on the page.

Welcome a new member to the Avenged Sevenfold Family!

Hello everyone,

We are pleased to announce a new addition to our A7X family. M Shadows would like to announce that he recently connected with his daughter Madison Charles Bass, aged 15 from Anaheim, California. In an effort to get to know her better, Shadows invited "Charlie" and her mother Lucy Bass to tour with them. The pictures that the press has taken of the unidentified high school sweetheart are in fact of Lucy Bass. M Shadows asks that at this time that his fans respect the privacy of all of his family and allow them the time to get through this period. 

Welcome Charlie to our family.

Much Love,

Matt, Syn, Zacky, Johnny and Arin

"Oh my God," Lucy whispered.

"He announced it...formally," and Lucy could practically hear Zoey nodding.

"What am I supposed to do now?" Lucy asked "Go running back?"

"No, you don't have to do that," Zoey assured her.

"Then what?" Lucy pleaded.

"Well you can start by opening your front door."

===============================

It had been 12 hrs since the press release and Matt still hadn't heard a peep from Lucy. He had hoped she'd call him and had considered calling her but he remembered from years past that she didn't answer her phone when she was angry with him. So he waited.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He needed to fix this. He had to. 

The telephone rang and he glanced at Val's face on the display and decided to answer on the 5th ring.

"Val," he said as he walked the backstage area. He hadn't considered what the press release would do to his wife. How it would make her feel. Since she didn't consider his feelings going out on a date, he didn't even think to consider hers.

"I thought you were going to call us before the show."

"It's early," he replied "Where is River?"

"Right here."

"Put him on." There was a pause and their three year old son got on the line.

"Hey little man. What are you doing?"

"Pets, dada."

"Are you watching the Wonder pets shows?"

There was lots of breathing, then he said "Yeah."

"Did you have dinner yet?"

"Yeah."

"What did you eat?"

"Ate noodles."

Matt smiled. Noodles were his favorite and could mean that he'd had anything from spaghetti to chicken noodle soup. Lord, he missed him. Maybe he should consider patching things up with Val, if only so he could be with River all the time. "I love you, River."

"Love  too, dada," he repeated back to him.

Val got back on the telephone "Are you still planning on flying in this weekend for River's birthday party?"

He sighed as he remembered Val had postponed the party for a time period where Matt could fly in for the weekend. "I'll try to get there in Saturday morning and leave Sunday."

"Why? I thought we could at least spend the weekend as a family."

Matt closed his eyes. He wanted to remind her that she asked for separation. But maybe her dating life didn't turn out to be what she expected. So there it was. The tentative thread, reaching across the distance to wrap around him. Drawing him in like he always let it. She wanted to reconcile. But now that he'd been with Lucy, he wasn't sure that was what he wanted.

"It's just too hard to try to stay longer. River doesn't care if I'm there three days before his party, the day of his party or three days after. It's all the same to him." It was a sad fact to consider.

There was a long pause and then she said "Okay, I guess." Which meant it wasn't okay at all. "Well as long as you're here at the house with us for the night."

"Actually after the party, I'll probably just stay with my parents."

"Why would you do that?" she said angrily.

"Because we're separated Val, remember? You asked for it and now you're pretending like it didn't happen. I'm sorry but I'm not a dog. You can't kick me one minute and then expect to pet me the next. It doesn't work that way. I don't work that way."

"For God sake, Matt, it's just one night. Maybe we could talk about...fixing us."

"I don't think that's a good idea right now, Val."

"Why?" she asked.

Because the whole time we were having this conversation, I was thinking of Lucy, he thought. Because you want more than I can give you. "Let's just leave it alone right now. I gotta go. I'll call before I head out."

"I love you, Matt."

"Love you too, Val," he replied automatically even though he knew it wasn't the right kind of love. Perhaps it never had been.

He ended the call and straightened. He had a show to put on and that was what he needed to focus on.

Brian clapped him on the shoulder "You okay?"

Matt smiled "I'm fucking fantastic," he lied.

"Me too," Brian gave a side smirk, another lie. "What do you say we go out after this show? Hit the strip clubs. My treat for my fucking birthday."

Bad idea, Matt's conscience told him...bad for you and bad for Brian. But that didn't stop him from nodding his head and saying "Fuck yeah, Syn, let's do it."