4 years later

What a life...

Who would’ve thought I, Megan Hills, would be the one to end up leading a family life. Never in my wildest dreams had I assumed I’d be a wife and a mom. Or that I’d be in a band or married to a playboy who happened to be a rockstar. Apparently.

Right now, when it’s 8 AM and I’m sipping on my coffee, smoking Brian’s strong Marlboro’s and watching the sun rise over the light blue California sky, I can’t wish for it to be any different. Who would’ve known...

It was Brian’s day off, meaning, this was his day with Nina. And I absolutely don’t care that he swayed his drunk persona in our bedroom just four hours ago. I made it clear that he shouldn’t be drinking when he knows he has to look after a three year old. Do you have any idea how active they are? Oh and did I forget to mention that Alex is bringing her twins over? Yea, that thing I said to Matt a couple years ago, the thing... you know what I’m talking about... Yea, the thing where I promised to look after the twins so they could have their time together. Well, it happened to be that I have to go to the studio today. Guess who’s the lucky one to look after those three crazy chipmunks?

That’s right. The dude who’s hangover hasn’t quite kicked in. And I don’t even feel sorry for him. He knew what he had signed up to when putting that ring on my finger and he also was very well aware that he has a daughter at home when he went drinking his life away yesterday. I mean, I don’t care if he wants to go out with the guys - perfectly fine by me, but, dude, remember that your wife too has a job and you have a daughter.

A squeal of pain came from somewhere inside the house.

„Stop torturing the dog, Nina!” I shouted, taking last three drags of the cigarette, before putting it out against the side of the ashtray. Her smiling face peeked around the patio door, „Yeah, I’m talking to you.”

Right as I was starting to walk to the glass door, she slid it closed and ran off giggling. So she thinks this is fucking funny. Thank god she doesn’t know you have to actually lock the door in order to keep someone out. I bet Brian’s gonna be super stoked by her joyful nature this morning.

As I slid the door open and walked inside, I saw only the light brown cloud of her hair disappearing up the stairs. I rolled my eyes, placing the half empty mug on the kitchen island, before I went after her, running up the stairs and wrapping my arm around her waist from behind and raising her up in the air. Such a spoiled little girl. She was getting heavy and I swear she was getting bigger by each passing day.

„You thought dad’s gonna save you?” I questioned, pushing her against me after turning her in my arms. Nina wrapped her arms around my neck and soon after giggled in the nape of my neck.

„Yes,” Her tiny little voice chimed. I sighed, wishing away the urge to shake my head. Man, she’s in for a big surprise when she figures dad’s not very active today. Out of a sudden she bit my neck.

„Nina!” I exclaimed, hitting her butt and putting her on the ground. The smile disappeared from her face and she frowned. Deeply hurt apparently. She reached out, asking me to take her back in my arms, seconds away from bursting out into tears. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. I carried on with going to the bedroom to take my guitar.

„Mommy!” I heard her scream as she took off after me. „Mo-Mom-my!”

I stepped into the bedroom right at the moment, when she glued herself to my leg. For the love of—

„Nina, let go,” I said, trying to manage my way deeper in to the bedroom, with a certain chipmunk on my leg. Brian let out a silent yet frustrated grunt. I stopped, resting my hands on my hips, giving her a patient look. Her cheeks were still moist from the tears, but she was back to her joyful self again as her grey’s looked up at me. „Look, baby girl, why don’t you go and wake dad up?” Yes, I was an evil creature. Strongly believed there’s a special place in hell for me.

„Yaaaay!” She yelled and ran to climb on the bed. I knew I had to get going, but I just couldn’t bare to stop and look over the scene with a smirk on my face. By then Brian was sleeping on his back and what did that crazy chipmunk do? She sat beside him and opened his eyes with her tiny little fingers. „Dad... dad... dad wake ‘p...”

„Fucking hell...” Brian muttered, pushing her away with his arm.

„Language, honey,” I sneered noticing his deep frown as he opened his eyes. Obviously super hungover. His browns shifted from me to Nina and back. He rubbed his hands over his face, „Oh god...” He sighed, „Is it morning already?”

„Yeah, and I’m leaving,” I said, taking my leather jacket from the closet.

Brian pushed himself up a bit and looked over Nina with a pained face. She had already somehow gotten to his wallet and now was inspecting his each and every card. Not speaking about ripping some banknotes in two. „Nina, god damn,” he huffed, taking the wallet away from her and putting it on the nightstand. The chipmunk wasn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer this morning and she just climbed over him and reached out for the leather piece he had just taken away from her.

„Remember, Alex is bringing the twins over,” I said, taking the guitar case. His face dropped and he was out of the bed in an instant.

„Nononono, don’t do this, babe,” He pleaded, taking me by arm and turning around to face him.

„God, you stink,” I grimaced in disgust. He smelt like tequila and scotch babies. Which wasn’t a good thing, obviously.

„Meg, you see me... I’m not in shape to take care of three of ... these!” He pointed back to Nina, who was sitting with a wallet in her lap and a pile of teared up dollars scattered around her.

„Brian, you knew I needed to go to the studio today. I told you to go easy on the liquor, dude,” I said. „Call Zack or Suzy or whom ever to help you. I have to go,” I tried to pull away, but to no avail.

„What? No kiss?” The corner of his lips raised in a small smirk.

„You stink.” Yea, it appeared the protest had fallen on deaf ears, because he just pulled me close and crashed his lips on mine. Son of a gun. He tasted even worse than he smelled, but that didn’t keep me from letting out a silent moan, before I pulled away.

„God, you look beautiful.” He whispered.

„Take care of Nina, yourself, don’t let her burn the house down and maybe I’ll be nice to you in the evening.” I smirked, „Go take some advil and make some breakfast.”

His smile turned upside down, „breakfast? You’re joking, right?”

„I, in fact, am not.”

„I’m fucking hungover,” He whispered, „I can’t even look at food right now.”

„And who’s to blame for that?” My eyebrow arched as I fished my car key’s out of the pocket of my jacket. „Feed your goddamn daughter, Haner.”

He just glared at me, before turning around to face Nina, „What the hell are you doing, Nii?!”

With a grin and a roll of my eyes, I left the room. I think they’ll be just fine without me.

Brian’s POV

Okay, I can honestly say that the fact that I feel like I’m about to throw up is just an additional feature to the misery. Wanna know a fun fact about my daughter? She couldn’t give a single shit about anything besides having fun even if she tried. Apparently. The pile of ripped Ben Franklin’s on the bed approves it. I don’t know who’s to blame for lack of value for money, but someone’s definitely to blame for it. Maybe she’s indeed all me since I too didn’t value those dollars last night when tugging them behind that black thong of that big breasted stripper.

Why oh why did I think I could do this after a night of excessive drinking? I’m getting old...

„Okay, what do you want for breakfast?” I questioned, placing her on the high stool beside the kitchen island. Please don’t fall off, please, please don’t fall off.

„Cookies!” She screamed, her arms shooting up. Jesus fucking Christ, did God broke her volume switch? What the hell?

„No, Nina, no cookies,” I said opening the fridge to figure what actually could I prepare, knowing I can’t prepare anything.

„But... cookies!” She exclaimed once again.

„Okay, baby, can we, please, keep it down a bit? Dad’s having a freaking headache...”

„Coo-kies! Coo-kies! Coo-kies!” She slammed her hands against the kitchen island in a monotone yet fucking annoying manner. God, why have you forsaken me...

„Mom’s gonna be mad if we eat cookies for breakfast,” I boosted my hands against the island. She had one of those looks that screamed – I don’t fucking care.

„Mom gone away,” She pouted, resting her chin on the marble surface.

„That’s ‘went’...” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose, enjoying the silence for a change. „Okay, maybe you want juice?”

„No,” She frowned, „I want cookies. Daaaad!”

For fuck’s sake. I opened Meg’s junk drawer and took out the package of Chips Ahoy, opened them and slid it to Nina. „Happy?”

„Yup.” She smiled, before devouring them.

„Just, please, don’t feed them to the dogs, ‘kay?”

„But Pinkly loves them,” She made her best puppy dog eyes and either she thought I was extremely dumb, blind or too hungover to notice Lady strolling around her and that hand of hers dropping from the counter.

„Nina!” I exclaimed, rushing around the counter to take the cookie out of her hand right before she had fed it to Lady, „I said ‘no’.”

Oh jeez, here comes the waterworks. I was ready to facepalm myself. I didn’t want to be the bad guy, I didn’t want to yell at her, but she just never listened. Feeling the guilt washing over, I picked her up and hugged closely to my chest. I knew she was fucking playing me, but what could I do? It felt like only respect she felt towards anyone was Meg. And gran. That old hag really scared her.

„Dad?” She questioned weakly.

„What?”

„Let’s go swim...”

„No, baby. We have to wait for River and Owen,”

„they’re coming too?” Suddenly her face lit up and as if speaking of the devils, the front door opened to reveal the twins fighting over something yet again and Matt looking too exhausted to handle the situation. Well no wonder, he practically drowned himself in booze yesterday.

„Mornin’ sunshine,” I sneered.

He mouthed a single ‘fuck you’. Nina kicked herself free out of my arms and ran to the twins. As for Matt? He simply let them be and walked over to me, flunking his behind on the stool where Nina had previously sat. „Make me a coffee?”

I scoffed, „You have hands, don’t you?”

He raised the aviators, letting me see how miserable he really was. Those bloodshot eyes alone lead on on what he was going through. „Come on, we’re in this shit together, help me out here, Gates.”

We’re in this shit together? What? „Isn’t this yours and Alexis day?”

„Yea, after I destroyed our coffee table during my drunk stupor and puked on her? Our day together? Give me a brake, man,” He rolled his eyes, before his fingers traveled up to start circling his temple.

„You didn’t puke on her...” I chuckled, imagining the view which was kinda disgusting yet hella funny.

„Oh I did,” He sighed, „So that’s why she’s having a spa day and then she’s going to the studio to have supper with Meg. At least that’s what I got out of her calling me an asshole, a dick and the president of all jerks.”

„Seems too excessive for a simple puke marathon, don’t you think?” I propped my elbows on the kitchen island, „You said something to her?”

„The hell should I know! I don’t even remember how I got home...”

„Arin drove you.” I explained. At least as far as I could remember.

„Oh great, he wasn’t even with us... Did I call him or something?”

„No, but you called Alex.” His eyes widened.

„Are you serious?”

„You really don’t remember anything?” I cocked an eyebrow.

„After the bottle of Patron? What do you think?”

„I think you’re lucky to be alive.” I replied, „You didn’t even tell Alex you’re going drinking. More than four years together, man, and you still don’t know what pisses her off. I swear I know your wife better than you do.”

„I didn’t even want to drink!” Matt exclaimed, „You assholes made me!”

„Hey, don’t blame this all on me and Zack, man, we didn’t hold a gun to your head.” I waved him off, managing my way to the coffee machine. Lady’s bark was what made me realize we’re not alone here. Twins and Nina were trying to open the patio door and I guess they figured it’s a good call to go swimming. „Hey!” I shouted, „ Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

„Lady and Pinkly wanted out,” Would you just think about it, my own daughter lying straight to my face.

„You know you’re not allowed on the patio without mom or me.” I said seeing her let out an exasperated sigh, „Now get back in.”

„But dad—„

„No.” I swear she’s growing up to be just like Meg. Neither of them have any respect for me or anything I say.

She stomped her leg.

„Nina, stop!”

„She’s quite the handful,” Matt sneered right as she walked back to the living room.

„Tell me about it,” I rolled my eyes. Not even a minute passed when the little brunette ran up to me and held out my smokes. Somehow she had gotten the idea that I only went outside when I wanted to smoke, which wasn’t necessarily a lie. If I wanted to swim, I went to the beach, Meg was the one who lounged by the pool on her days off with Nina. „Can you give me five minutes? Just five minutes, Nina.” She had a puzzled expression to her features. I knelt down beside her and pointed to the clock on the kitchen wall. „See, baby, when that long black stripe will show to the number four, we’ll go outside, ‘kay?”

She was thoughtful for a moment, „Okay.”

„Where’s River and Owen?” Matt frowned, inspecting the room.

„They went upstairs,” Nina replied, playing with my pack of smokes.

„Shit,” Matt whispered.

„Chillax man, there’s nothing to break there,” I assured.

„Yea, well how about your guns?” My...

„Then what the hell are you sitting here for? Go get your kids!”

Notes