KISS: In The Band

Ch 10: No Please Wait (Gene)

By the time I got home, I was really pissed at myself and in no mood to talk to anyone. All I wanted to do was go to bed and sleep away everything that happened. I pushed open the front door with a sigh. Shannon looked up from the tabloid she was reading, giving me a furious glare and crumpling it up.

"How long have you been cheating on me?" she snarled. I blinked, staring at her in shock. "No Shannon it's not--" "Did you think I'd never find out you were sleeping with groupies behind my back?!" "Shannon no, no I never slept with them, I just sometimes made out with them, I didn't think you'd care if--" "You didn't think I'd care if you cheated on me?! And were you ever going to tell me?! Or was I always supposed to figure it out by reading tabloids where you stab all of your friends in the back!?"

"That's not what happened! I would just kiss them and talk with them about things I didn't want to talk to you about because I didn't want to worry you! I'm sorry!" "Do you have any idea how humiliating it is?! To find out your husband has been cheating on you, probably for years?! To find out through a fucking tabloid that you talk to other women because you don't trust me?! Because you don't love me?!" she screamed.

"That's not it! That's not it, I love you Shannon, I do! I just didn't want to talk to you because I didn't want you to worry!" I cried. "I'm sorry!" She shook her head, face burning, angry tears in her eyes. "Why would you do this?! To me, to your family?! You have a son, Gene! You have responsibilities!" "I don't know why!"

"Well I do! It's because you're a selfish asshole, that's what you are! You always have been!" she shouted. "Then why did you marry me?!" I cried. "Because I loved you!"

"Oh, loved me? Past tense?" That was obviously a bad thing to say, and I knew it was. Her face went white and she drew herself up to her full height, shaking. "As of now, yes. I can't stay in a relationship with you if all you're going to do is cheat on me with dozens of women every time you play a show! So get out."

My heart shattered but I just covered it up with anger like the huge fucking idiot I was. "Get out? Of the house I bought for you?" "Get out of the family you're trying to tear apart! Get out of my life, get out of my son's life, just go! I'm sure one of your groupies will welcome you with open arms!" she screamed.

Heart pounding, I didn't even bother to get together any things. I just left, leaving my wife standing behind me. Although after everything I had done, who knows if she would even still want to be my wife.

I walked aimlessly through the streets, not sure where I was going to go, since everyone else was rightfully mad at me too. Heaving a sigh, I kicked a loose chunk of pavement and drew to a halt, looking around. I had really just fucked up my perfect life. Shaking my head, I leaned over the railing on the bridge, staring at the river below. The water was dark and dirty, just like the city. "Hey, you're Gene Simmons! Mind if I get an autograph?"

I didn't even bother to turn to look at the fan, just shook my head. "Not in the mood. Sorry." "Yeah I can see that. I was just joking but damn you look awful. You okay?" he asked, joining me at the railing. It finally clicked who I was actually talking to and I tried to force a smile, with no success. "Uh...no. Shannon kicked me out of the house and she had every right to because I seriously fucked up and I don't know what to do."

"Yikes. What'd you do?"

I shook my head, staring at the water again. "I don't want to talk about it right now, sorry." "Nah, you're fine. You need a place to stay though? We don't have a guest room but we do have a couch you could borrow."

Blinking back tears, I gave him a thin smile. "Y-yeah. Thanks, man," I mumbled. He smiled back, punching me affectionately on the arm. "Of course. You want me to call a cab or you fine with walking? We're pretty close to home." "No we can walk, it's fine. Why are you out here though?"

He shrugged, motioning for me to follow him down the sidewalk. "I went out to get a bite to eat. I was hungry," he said sheepishly. I grinned in spite of everything, shaking my head. "When are you not hungry?"

We finally made it to the apartment, and he fumbled with the doorknob for a bit before letting out a curse. "I knew I was forgetting something, oops," he said, knocking aggressively. The door was yanked open a minute or so later, and Bruce looked at us in confusion, face shifting into a dark scowl as he locked eyes with me. "Eric, what did I say about remembering your keys?" he asked, not even acknowledging me.

"Make sure I remember them? Anyway so Gene got...kicked out of his house and so I invited him over here, I'm assuming that's okay?" Eric said hesitantly. Bruce shrugged, opening the door wider. "It's whatever. I mean he's gonna have the couch, obviously. Why though?" I took a seat on the couch I was going to be sleeping on, running a hand through my hair.

"Okay so...you know the band's really taken off, more than any of us thought it would. So we're like...rock stars now, and it's a lot for all of us. It's kind of overwhelming. We've all got some issues. And um...yeah I mean there's been a lot of groupies and I've..."

"Gene tell me you didn't," Eric said softly.

"Well-well I never slept with any of them! I never had any sex, just like-like making out and stuff! And--and talking to them. But it was still wrong and Shannon's not happy about that. And she shouldn't be happy with it," I mumbled. "Yeah you fucked up. Big time," Eric said after a pause.

"Yeah. I did. I really did. And I don't know what to do now. And everyone else is mad at me too because of that bullshit tabloid and I'm screwed, I've ruined my whole life. And I don't know how to fix it."

They exchanged glances. "I mean...you should probably apologize, for starters. Admit you messed up, which you did, and not do it again, because that's messed up." I nodded, heart sinking. "Y-yeah. I'll try and think of how to say I'm sorry. Thanks for letting me stay here."

"Of course. Even though it's been awhile, we're still friends!" Eric said cheerfully. Bruce just stared silently at me.