Breakeven

Chapter 55

"Where's Dad?" Adam asked as he kicked of his shoes at the front door.

"He'll still be at the rehearsal studio" I told him, "How was school?"

"Yeah, ok" he replied dismissively, he clearly had something he wanted to tell Danny so he won't be very talkative until Danny gets home.

"Who's got homework?" I asked. The girls admitted their homework immediately and I sent them to the kitchen to make a start. Adam, on the other hand, didn't answer the question.

"Adam?" I prompted.

"No, none" he replied, a hint of defiance in his voice.

"Sure?" I asked again

He nodded before giving me a hug which came unexpectedly. I kissed the top of his head to reassure him that we were ok. He smiled before heading to the music room.

I went and helped the girls with their homework, they were super organised and didn't really struggle with anything so within an hour their homework was done and they were off to get changed out of their uniforms.

I glanced at the clock in the kitchen, it was only 5pm so I didn't really expect Danny home anytime soon but I felt like I wanted to eat with him tonight so I didn't want to make dinner until he got here. I lifted my phone and pressed it to my ear. Just as I expected, it went to voicemail after a few rings.

"Hey, it's just me. Can you give me a call when you get a minute, I just wondered if you would be home for dinner tonight? Hope it's going well, speak to you soon"

I went to check on Adam, as I walked in I saw him sat at the piano playing a melody that he wrote with Danny last year. He seemed to be lost in the music and I watched for a while before going and sitting down next to him on the stool.

"It sounds good, I remember when you wrote that one" I said as I sat down.

Adam smiled. "I think we could do better now" he said.

"Be proud of what you've done, maybe after your Dad's finished this tour you could work on another song." I suggested.

"Mum..." Adam said as he looked at me with regret showing "... I don't want Dad to go on tour again."

I threw my arm around his shoulder and puller him towards me in a hug. "Neither do I son, but he has to go, that's his job" I told him, trying to sound happy about Danny going away.

"Do you think he would stay if I asked him?" he asked me.

I always hate the lead up to Danny going on tour, no matter how much I know I'm going to miss him, I have to watch the kids getting anxious about him leaving too.

I stroked Adams cheek, "I think he'd love to stay but then I think it would be really unfair for you to ask him to stay. Adam, what you have to understand is that your Dad loves his job, he may hate leaving us to go to work but I know that he loves being on tour and I know that it makes him really happy, so we've just got to be brave and let him go, because he always comes back to us doesn't he?"

Adam nodded solemnly, "And he always skypes us" he said defeated.

"So, can you be brave?" I asked, just as my phone started to ring.

"Yeah" he agreed.

I looked at the phone screen, it was Danny calling. "You wanna answer?" I asked, turning the phone to Adam.

He took the phone from me and answered the call. "Hi Dad"

".... No Mum's with me, I just wanted to say hi."

".... It was good, I've just been playing some music. Do you think that we could write another song together when you've finished your tour?"

".... What time will you be home tonight?"

".... No, just that I want to see you."

"....Ok, I'll put Mum on, I love you Dad."

He handed the phone to me, "Hey babe" I said to Danny as I kissed Adams head before walking out of the music room.

"You rang?" Danny almost sang down the phone, causing me to giggle.

"Just wondering if you're coming home for dinner?" I asked.

"Well, we've just got to run through the encore now. Should be home by 8ish. So, I wondered if you might like to go out for dinner with me tonight?" Danny asked.

"Did you have somewhere in mind?" I asked, not really wanting to go out but being aware that Danny often goes ahead and makes plans for us to be somewhere without telling me until the last minute.

"No, why? I just wanted to spend some time with you tonight, I missed you" he said

"Danny you saw me this morning" I laughed.

"Doesn't mean I can't miss you" He replied

"Well, I'd love to eat dinner with you tonight but do you mind if we don't go out?" I asked.

"Not at all babe, whatever makes you happy. I'll pick us up some food on the way home."

"Deal, I'll just make dinner for the kids, but make it 8ish and not 10ish" I laughed

"See you soon babe, I love you." He replied.

"Love you more" I said before hanging up the call.