Patience

Chapter Thirty Three - How Will It Go

The bus ride was bumpy and loud. It was hard to hear myself think, with the noise of the bus, and the guys always screaming incoherent nonsense. Duff seemed to be having fun though, and that's all that mattered to me. Sometimes it seemed like he had too much fun. I would ask him if he had been drinking, and he'd always tell me no. But I could always smell the faint smell of alcohol on his lips, and mint. I would ignore it, all of the guys had a few drinks and who was I to tell Duff that he couldn't?

Sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night feeling so incredibly sick. It was the fact that I was pregnant, mixed with motion sickness. Nights like those I prayed we would get to the hotel as soon as possible. 

I rolled around in my bunk until I couldn't handle it anymore. I climbed out and padded over to where the guys were sitting. Duff turned and smiled at me. He opened his arms, gesturing me to come to him.

I smiled and went over to him, plopping down on the couch next to him. 

"What's up buttercup?" Duff chuckled

"When do we arrive at the hotel?" I asked

"Soon, baby, soon." Duff said soothingly

"I know you hate being on this bus, but we'll be there soon." Duff stroked my hair

"Okay, good." I murmured

"Hey, tomorrow is your birthday, is it not?" Sophia-Elizabeth asked

"Shhh!" Izzy hissed

"That's right it is!" Slash shouted

"How old will you be?" Sophia asked, turning the attention back to me

"Twenty-seven" I answered

"Fun, fun." Sophia smiled

"Not really. You can't say anything because you're young." Izzy mumbled

"That doesn't mean anything, Jeff." Sophia fired back

I ignored everyone's bickering and went back over to the bunks. There was one larger room with a bed that I wanted to have, but somehow Axl ended up with it. No matter all the pleading and crying I did, he wouldn't give it up.  

The first shows that the guys played went well, Axl showed up a bit late to a few of the shows, and I caught Duff drinking vodka from a water bottle. 

The reason Izzy doesn't particularly like birthdays anymore is because, after out mom died, normal things that we did never felt right without her. My mother would always bake Izzy and I a cake, Izzy and I, being bug eyed toddlers would sit in front of the cake lit up with candles. Caroline would sit at the end of the table and sing with our mom. Our father would be passed out on the couch or asleep in his bed. 

The bus lurched forward and then stopped all together, which meant we probably we are at the next hotel. I looked out the window and saw fans swarming around the bus, and annoyed security guards pushing them back. 

"Hey Taylor! We're here." Duff squeaked

"I know." I called back and padded over to him

"Here, put these on." Duff handed me a pair of aviator sunglasses

"So you're not blinded by paparazzi." Duff mumbled

"Why thank you." I giggled

Duff smiled. He was wearing his signature leather pants, a black tank top from Harley Davidson, and his blonde locks were wild. He pulled his glasses down from his head and over his eyes. 

The roadies had already started taking things out of the bus, and soon we all followed. As soon as we stepped of the bus we were greeted by screaming people and flashes of cameras. Duff squeezed my hand and kept me close. Fans reached out and yanked on my shirt, and arms, and I cried in pain.