This Town
Chapter two
I never meant for things to get so out of hand. All I wanted was to hold her one last time, but it wasn’t really her was it? No, it was someone who looked like her. Someone who had their own feelings and struggles. Someone who deserved so much more than what I had given. I deserved every ounce of sorrow that was coursing through me. To satisfy my own needs, I hurt someone else. I went against everything I believed in for my own selfish reasons. But the worst part about the whole thing was I hurt someone I had come to love.
“Please don’t go.” But she was long gone. Saint wasn’t coming back and even though I knew that, I kept staring at the door hoping she’d walk back through it and into my arms. Five minutes went by and I still hadn’t moved. I would’ve stayed there all night it wasn’t for my phone pulling me from my trance. “Hello?” I answered brokenly.
“Austin what the fuck happened?!” Alan demanded loudly. “Saint just showed up here crying asking if she could borrow money and if I still had her passport. She was so distraught I don’t know how she drove here without wrecking.”
“She found out about Taylor,” I replied. I heard his sharp intake of breath but he didn’t say anything. “I lost her again Alan.”
“Alright Austin you’re done for the day,” Aaron informed me. I gave him a thumbs up and took the headphones off and exited the booth. “Sounds pretty good, wanna hear it?”
“Sure,” I replied with a smile. I sat in the chair next to his and crossed my ankles. I listened intently as he played back the recording. When it was done, I looked at Aaron with a large smile. “This album is going to be so fucking sick!” I was excited for the deluxe edition of our latest album Restoring Force. The guys and I had been working for days to come up with the extra songs that would be added.
“Now we just need Alan to come in and finish recording and everything will be set to go,” Aaron announced proudly.
“Where are the others again?” I asked with teasing accusation. I knew exactly where they were. Tino was with his wife in Peru, Phil was with his wife at Disneyland, and Alan was with his cats at home.
“They’re off having fun while we work our asses off,” Aaron joked. He was also leaving on a trip with his fiancée but wanted to help get the last of my vocals recorded.
“Get out of here Aaron,” I instructed and nudged him with my shoulder, “I can finish up here.”
“Are you sure?” Aaron questioned but I could tell he was excited to start his vacation.
“Yeah. Tell Amanda I said hi. You guys have fun in Paris for me,” I confirmed. Aaron patted me on the shoulder then grabbed his jacket and let the studio. Grabbing my phone from my pocket I scrolled through my contacts until I got to the one I was looking or.
“What do you want!” Alan whined when he answered the phone.
“I’m coming over,” I informed him. I put him on speaker so I could do some last minute things before heading to Alan’s.
“Ooo a secret visit from Mr. Carlile I’m a lucky girl,” Alan teased. I chuckled and shook my head. “Don’t shake your head at me mister.” He knew me all too well. “When you get here go through the back. I don’t want paparazzi putting our secret love affair in the tabloids.”
“Alan, sometimes I think you’re stuck in the mind of teenage fangirl.”
“I’m your teenage fangirl.”
“Whatever weirdo. I’ll be there soon.” I hung up, not giving him time to respond, then grabbed my own jacket. Everything was saved and turned off so I was free to go. Keys in hand, I got up from my chair and left the studio as well.
“I’m in the game room!” I heard Alan yell as I walked through the front door. “Wanna play?” I looked over at the TV and couldn’t help but laugh. “What?” He asked with genuine confusion.
“Plants Vs Zombies? Really?” I explained as I plopped down next to him in a large bean bag.
“This game is awesome!” He exclaimed. I watched Alan play the game for a while and eventually gave in. With a bit too much excitement he passed me a controller and switched the game mode to multiplayer. Needless to say, I had more fun than I thought I would.
“What the hell?!” Alan demanded when I suddenly paused the game to answer my phone. Rather than answer him I checked the caller ID. It was an unknown number so I let it ring. If it was important, they’d leave a voicemail. I waited a minute or so and sure enough they left a voicemail.
“Hey Austin it’s Macy,” my late wife’s sister informed me. She sounded sad which was never good considering she always such an upbeat person. “I finally built up the courage to clean out Taylor’s room here and I found some things that I thought you would want. Give me a call when you get a chance.” I set my phone down and looked at my hands sadly.
“What’s going on man?” Alan asked when he realized that the call was important.
“That was Taylor’s sister. She found some of Taylor’s things and said that I might want them. I don’t know if I do Alan,” I confessed. Alan set his controller down and a second later embraced me. I wasn’t normally one to cry in front of people but as soon as Alan hugged me I broke down. “I miss her Alan,” I cried.
“I know you do Aus. We all do,” Alan replied with a sad sigh. It had been a year since Taylor and my daughter were taken from me but it still felt like it had happened hours ago. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to meet my daughter, Taylor wasn’t due for another two months. But then someone decided to take them from me when I wasn’t around to protect them.
I cried for twenty minutes before I could gather myself. I felt terrible for pretty much ruining the vibe, but Alan insisted that it was fine. “How about we go to the store and get stuff to make fried Oreos,” he suggested. I wanted to decline but I couldn’t ruin the hopeful look he had on his face. “I’ll drive!” He cheered as he ran out of the game room to grab a jacket and his shoes.
“Anything else?” Alan asked as we looked at our nearly overflowed cart. Initially we planned to just get fried Oreo stuff but ended up going overboard.
“No I think-“ I started to say but someone grabbed my attention. I thought I was just imagining it but when she walked past Alan and me to the register I couldn’t deny what I was seeing. “Actually, grab some beer. I’ll be right back,” I said distractedly then walked off. I heard Alan mutter something under his breath but couldn’t make out what it was. I didn’t really care either.
“Thank you,” the woman I was making a beeline for said to the cashier and grabbed her things. Just before she made it to the door I pulled her into a tight embrace before I could stop myself and register how impossible what I was thinking was. “Get off of me!” She demanded and pushed me away from her.
“Taylor is it really you?” I asked breathlessly. Tears built in my eyes and I was filled with so much happiness I hadn’t even realized that the woman was looking at me like I had grown a second head.
“Who the hell is Taylor?” She blurted out. That simple question brought me back to reality and I realized that I was being ridiculous. I hadn’t even realized that their voices were completely different.
“Oh my god I’m sorry. I thought you were my wi… I thought you were someone else.” I had correct myself at the last minute. Accusing someone of being my late wife wasn’t exactly a great way to explain an already awkward situation.
“Austin are you ready to go?” Alan whined and walked up beside me. He glanced over at the woman who most definitely wasn’t Taylor for a second and then looked back at her sharply. “Tay-“
“No this is…” I cut him off quickly. The woman already look uncomfortable enough, but as I went to try and cover up the situation I realized I didn’t know the woman’s actual name. Luckily she saved my ass.
“Saint.”
“This is Saint. I accidentally bumped into her and was just apologizing. I’m Austin and this is my friend Alan.” I continued.
“Hi. Anyway, sorry for… bumping into you. Have a good day.” Judging from her tone it was obvious that Saint was ready to leave; and that was exactly what she did. I watched her walk through the parking lot until she got into her car then I looked at Alan who was still watching her.
“Is it just me or did she look exactly like-“
“Yeah. She did. Let’s go back to your place. I need a beer.”
“Please don’t go.” But she was long gone. Saint wasn’t coming back and even though I knew that, I kept staring at the door hoping she’d walk back through it and into my arms. Five minutes went by and I still hadn’t moved. I would’ve stayed there all night it wasn’t for my phone pulling me from my trance. “Hello?” I answered brokenly.
“Austin what the fuck happened?!” Alan demanded loudly. “Saint just showed up here crying asking if she could borrow money and if I still had her passport. She was so distraught I don’t know how she drove here without wrecking.”
“She found out about Taylor,” I replied. I heard his sharp intake of breath but he didn’t say anything. “I lost her again Alan.”
“Alright Austin you’re done for the day,” Aaron informed me. I gave him a thumbs up and took the headphones off and exited the booth. “Sounds pretty good, wanna hear it?”
“Sure,” I replied with a smile. I sat in the chair next to his and crossed my ankles. I listened intently as he played back the recording. When it was done, I looked at Aaron with a large smile. “This album is going to be so fucking sick!” I was excited for the deluxe edition of our latest album Restoring Force. The guys and I had been working for days to come up with the extra songs that would be added.
“Now we just need Alan to come in and finish recording and everything will be set to go,” Aaron announced proudly.
“Where are the others again?” I asked with teasing accusation. I knew exactly where they were. Tino was with his wife in Peru, Phil was with his wife at Disneyland, and Alan was with his cats at home.
“They’re off having fun while we work our asses off,” Aaron joked. He was also leaving on a trip with his fiancée but wanted to help get the last of my vocals recorded.
“Get out of here Aaron,” I instructed and nudged him with my shoulder, “I can finish up here.”
“Are you sure?” Aaron questioned but I could tell he was excited to start his vacation.
“Yeah. Tell Amanda I said hi. You guys have fun in Paris for me,” I confirmed. Aaron patted me on the shoulder then grabbed his jacket and let the studio. Grabbing my phone from my pocket I scrolled through my contacts until I got to the one I was looking or.
“What do you want!” Alan whined when he answered the phone.
“I’m coming over,” I informed him. I put him on speaker so I could do some last minute things before heading to Alan’s.
“Ooo a secret visit from Mr. Carlile I’m a lucky girl,” Alan teased. I chuckled and shook my head. “Don’t shake your head at me mister.” He knew me all too well. “When you get here go through the back. I don’t want paparazzi putting our secret love affair in the tabloids.”
“Alan, sometimes I think you’re stuck in the mind of teenage fangirl.”
“I’m your teenage fangirl.”
“Whatever weirdo. I’ll be there soon.” I hung up, not giving him time to respond, then grabbed my own jacket. Everything was saved and turned off so I was free to go. Keys in hand, I got up from my chair and left the studio as well.
“I’m in the game room!” I heard Alan yell as I walked through the front door. “Wanna play?” I looked over at the TV and couldn’t help but laugh. “What?” He asked with genuine confusion.
“Plants Vs Zombies? Really?” I explained as I plopped down next to him in a large bean bag.
“This game is awesome!” He exclaimed. I watched Alan play the game for a while and eventually gave in. With a bit too much excitement he passed me a controller and switched the game mode to multiplayer. Needless to say, I had more fun than I thought I would.
“What the hell?!” Alan demanded when I suddenly paused the game to answer my phone. Rather than answer him I checked the caller ID. It was an unknown number so I let it ring. If it was important, they’d leave a voicemail. I waited a minute or so and sure enough they left a voicemail.
“Hey Austin it’s Macy,” my late wife’s sister informed me. She sounded sad which was never good considering she always such an upbeat person. “I finally built up the courage to clean out Taylor’s room here and I found some things that I thought you would want. Give me a call when you get a chance.” I set my phone down and looked at my hands sadly.
“What’s going on man?” Alan asked when he realized that the call was important.
“That was Taylor’s sister. She found some of Taylor’s things and said that I might want them. I don’t know if I do Alan,” I confessed. Alan set his controller down and a second later embraced me. I wasn’t normally one to cry in front of people but as soon as Alan hugged me I broke down. “I miss her Alan,” I cried.
“I know you do Aus. We all do,” Alan replied with a sad sigh. It had been a year since Taylor and my daughter were taken from me but it still felt like it had happened hours ago. I hadn’t even gotten the chance to meet my daughter, Taylor wasn’t due for another two months. But then someone decided to take them from me when I wasn’t around to protect them.
I cried for twenty minutes before I could gather myself. I felt terrible for pretty much ruining the vibe, but Alan insisted that it was fine. “How about we go to the store and get stuff to make fried Oreos,” he suggested. I wanted to decline but I couldn’t ruin the hopeful look he had on his face. “I’ll drive!” He cheered as he ran out of the game room to grab a jacket and his shoes.
“Anything else?” Alan asked as we looked at our nearly overflowed cart. Initially we planned to just get fried Oreo stuff but ended up going overboard.
“No I think-“ I started to say but someone grabbed my attention. I thought I was just imagining it but when she walked past Alan and me to the register I couldn’t deny what I was seeing. “Actually, grab some beer. I’ll be right back,” I said distractedly then walked off. I heard Alan mutter something under his breath but couldn’t make out what it was. I didn’t really care either.
“Thank you,” the woman I was making a beeline for said to the cashier and grabbed her things. Just before she made it to the door I pulled her into a tight embrace before I could stop myself and register how impossible what I was thinking was. “Get off of me!” She demanded and pushed me away from her.
“Taylor is it really you?” I asked breathlessly. Tears built in my eyes and I was filled with so much happiness I hadn’t even realized that the woman was looking at me like I had grown a second head.
“Who the hell is Taylor?” She blurted out. That simple question brought me back to reality and I realized that I was being ridiculous. I hadn’t even realized that their voices were completely different.
“Oh my god I’m sorry. I thought you were my wi… I thought you were someone else.” I had correct myself at the last minute. Accusing someone of being my late wife wasn’t exactly a great way to explain an already awkward situation.
“Austin are you ready to go?” Alan whined and walked up beside me. He glanced over at the woman who most definitely wasn’t Taylor for a second and then looked back at her sharply. “Tay-“
“No this is…” I cut him off quickly. The woman already look uncomfortable enough, but as I went to try and cover up the situation I realized I didn’t know the woman’s actual name. Luckily she saved my ass.
“Saint.”
“This is Saint. I accidentally bumped into her and was just apologizing. I’m Austin and this is my friend Alan.” I continued.
“Hi. Anyway, sorry for… bumping into you. Have a good day.” Judging from her tone it was obvious that Saint was ready to leave; and that was exactly what she did. I watched her walk through the parking lot until she got into her car then I looked at Alan who was still watching her.
“Is it just me or did she look exactly like-“
“Yeah. She did. Let’s go back to your place. I need a beer.”
Notes
perpetual again, here's chapter two. I'll work on chapter three tonight as well but it probably won't be finished until later tomorrow. I have a couple other stories that need to be updated. I hope you enjoyed the first two chapters to this story and continue to follow along. Leave me some comments and let me know what you think. But if comments aren't your thing then you could leave a vote or subscribe.
Thanks for reading,
perpetual
Amazing!
6/4/17