KISS: In The Band

Ch 14: Shannon I'm Sorry (Gene)

I rang the doorbell to my house, freaking out and trying not to cry. There was a long pause before the door creaked open and Nick gave me a huge smile. "Dada!" he cried, running into my arms. I scooped him up, hugging him tightly as he buried his face in my shoulder. "I miss ya Dada," he said quietly. "I've missed you too buddy," I said, giving him a kiss on the forehead before ruffling his shock of black hair. "But what did your mother and I say about opening the door for strangers?"

His face grew red and he shrugged, chewing on his lip. "Sorry Dada," he mumbled. I shook my head, kissing him on the forehead again. "It's okay, don't worry about it. Just remember for next time. Is your mom home?" "Yeah! Up da stairs!"

"Alright, you go run outside and play in the backyard while your mom and I talk for a bit, okay?" I said, closing the front door behind me, still holding him tightly. "Okay!" he said cheerfully, squirming out of my arms and running outside, not a care in the world. I took a deep breath, running a hand through my hair before heading upstairs.

Shannon was folding clothes, unaware I was even back home. "Hey," I said quietly. She jumped, whirling around and throwing down the shirt she had in her hands. "What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped, scowling at me. I took a deep breath, shaking my head. "I don't know. I don't know how to apologize to you. I don't know how to make it up to you or fix the really fucking terrible mistake I made. I'm...I'm so sorry for what I did. You were right, I was being a selfish asshole and I didn't stop to think about how it would affect you, I just thought about myself. And I'm so, so sorry for that. You deserve a better husband, I don't deserve to be married to you. I'm sorry," I choked, fighting back tears.

Her scowl softened but didn't fade and she stared at me. "Nick really missed you. He was hurt you didn't say goodbye," she said after a pause. My heart sank even lower and I nodded. "I'm sorry. What did you uh...what did you tell him?" "I told him that his dad was working on stuff with the band and wouldn't be home for a bit."

"Shannon I'm so sorry, I fucked up so badly and I know you're mad and you have every right to be because you deserved better. Whatever you want to do f-from now on, I'm willing to do," I whispered, absolutely terrified she'd tell me she wanted a divorce. There was a long pause as she kept staring at me. "Why did you do it?"

"I...don't know. It wasn't to try and hurt you, it wasn't because I didn't love you. I guess I finally had the future I dreamed of as a kid, where I was rich and famous, and I sort of lost the future I had already made, with a perfect wife and son," I said quietly. 

"When we first started dating, my mother told me you were trouble. She told me you'd break my heart. I said she was full of shit and you loved me and I loved you. She told me the same thing when I told her we got married. I told her the same thing in response."

"I know. I'm sorry," I murmured. "And when we got married and when we found out about Nick, you swore to me you'd be the best husband, that you'd never hurt me, you'd never do anything that might make our life difficult. You swore you'd never hurt us the way your father hurt you, that I was the only woman you loved, the only one in your life. I believed you, because I love you."

I bit back a sob, nodding miserably. "And...oh fuck Shannon, I know you don't believe me anymore, but I'm so sorry for what I did and I wasn't lying then and...and I know I messed up but I want to still say that to you, I want to be a good husband and a good father, because I love you, you really are the only woman I've ever loved, the only woman I want to spend my life with," I whispered, breaking down and crying.

Shannon took a step forward, placing a hand on my cheek. "Gene. Come sit down, okay?" she murmured, taking my hand and leading me to our bed. I sat next to her, trying to get myself to stop crying with little success. "S-shannon I love you, more than anyone, and w-whatever you want me to do I'll do it, even if it means quitting the band or--or anything! I'm so sorry," I sobbed.

Shannon sighed, crossing her arms and looking away. "Gene I wanted a divorce." "W-what?" I choked. "I wanted a divorce. I can't be married to a man who treats his marriage, his commitment, like a joke, like something that only applies to him when he wants it to. If you don't want to be committed to this relationship then I don't want to either."

"But Shannon," I whispered. "I d-do want to be committed to our relationship! I do wanna be married to you! Please, I'm so sorry, please. Don't do that, please don't do that. I'll never do it again, I swear, I swear on my life I'll never do it again." "You promised me. You promised you would love me forever. When I was pregnant with Nick you spent eight months worried you'd be a bad father, that you wouldn't know how to raise him, that you would make the same mistake as your father, and you have. You've done the exact same fucking thing! You hurt me!" she screamed.

Chest heaving, I took her hand. "I'm sorry, Shannon please I swear on my life I'll never do it again. It was the worst mistake of my life, the worst mistake I've ever made, and I swear I'll never do it again. Please, please just give me a chance, give me a chance to prove to you I love you, to prove I'll never d-do it again." 

She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I was so, so mad at you. And so, so hurt. Why would you do this?" she whispered. I pulled her into a tight hug, holding her against my chest. "Because you were right, I was a selfish asshole. I never should've done that to you. I'm so sorry," I murmured. She clung to me, closing her eyes and letting tears roll down her face. "You're damn lucky I've had long enough to realize I don't want a divorce. Child support for two kids would've been rough for you." 

I stared at her in shock. "Two...kids? Y-you mean you're pregnant again?" She nodded, tears still rolling down her face but a faint smile on her lips. "I found out the same night I found out you cheated on me. That was supposed to be a good night. But you were a selfish asshole and you ruined it." Heart racing, I held her tightly, kissing her gently. "Shannon I'm so, so sorry. B-but also I'm really excited," I said. 

She laughed, sitting up and throwing her arms around me. "Gene Klein Simmons, you listen to me right the fuck now. I love you. That's why I married you. That's why I have a son, and soon to be another child, with you. But if you ever, ever kiss another woman and cheat on me again, that will be it and I will divorce your ass. Do you understand me?" 

I nodded, wrapping my arms around her and holding her close, kissing her gently before wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Fuck Shannon I'm so sorry. I wish I hadn't done it, I wish there was a way I could go back and punch myself in the face, I'm so sorry." She laughed, kissing me. "I know you're sorry. But I love you enough to forgive you." "I promise though, I never slept with any of them. It never went beyond kissing them, I swear, I swear on my life." Shannon smiled, snuggling against me. "I know. You're not that bad of a husband." 

We sat in silence for a moment, with me just holding her close and wishing desperately I had never hurt her the way I had. After awhile, she heaved a sigh, closing her eyes again. "You are okay with it, right?" "With what?" I asked, kissing her on the forehead. "Having another kid. A baby." "Shannon, I'm fucking stoked to have another kid! I'm absolutely thrilled! Are you?" 

She smiled, nodding, eyes dancing. "I very much want to have another baby! I was so excited to tell you after dinner, but then I saw that tabloid in the grocery store and...well..." She trailed off, and I nodded, heart sinking. "I know. I'm sorry," I murmured, stroking her hair. "But I'm also really excited to be a parent again!" 

Shannon laughed, shaking her head before lying on my lap, looking up at me with a smile. "We're still parents to Nick even if he's not a baby," she teased. I grinned, kissing her again. "Shut up, I'm too excited to think straight. B-but how pregnant are you? Like how long until the baby's born?" "Mm, probably eight months? Seven if they want to come early like Nick."

"Okay, okay, I'll make sure I'm in the state this time. I'll make sure that we don't have a tour that time." "Yeah you better. No chance in hell you're allowed to be out of the country when I give birth, let alone the state. Or the city. Hell, I want you in the same room as me when I go into labor."

I nodded, grinning like an idiot. "I will, I will, I don't want to have to deal with that again. And I promise on my life I'll never do anything to hurt you again." She nodded, running a hand through my hair. "I'll hold you to that. And I'm still pissed at you, so you better treat me nicely for the next few years. I want to be absolutely pampered while I'm pregnant. Now come on, we need to figure out how to tell Nick he's going to have a sibling."