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06-24-2006, 01:26 AM
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#63 (permalink) |
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Chapter Seven
Unfortunately within the next few weeks, the new couple knows they won’t be spending much time together. Evan has to leave a few days after the wedding for some shows. A week after his departure, Riley will have to leave for a short promotional tour in honor of the Format’s new CD and, after a few weeks’ worth of break, their worldwide tour. “Do you really have to go?” Riley whines. She tugs at Evan’s shirt collar and pulls him down onto their couch. “Yes, I really have to go…” Evan loosens one of her hands and kisses it, struggling to stand and balance the weight of his book bag and his wife. “You could just stay, you know. Let Jeremy and the guys play the shows for you and you can stay with me and tour.” “I don’t think touring is what you have in mind right now.” “What do you think is on my mind?” Evan runs a few fingers along her bare arm. “I think you already know. Man, you want to work on making babies this soon?” Riley squints at him. “Babies? I didn’t say anything about babies. Where’d you get that from?” “Yeah, well, I…I don’t know. Just kidding.” He clears his throat. “Besides, what would my band do without me?” He succeeds in letting her go and adjusts his bag. “Oh, they wouldn’t miss you…” She stares up at him sadly. “I just feel like I haven’t had enough time with you. I mean, I know we’ve toured and had to be apart, but now it’s different. You’re my husband and we’re in a marriage.” “I know that, I agree. It’ll make me miss you more. But at the same time, we’ve always known we would have these obligations and we’ll have to work through them.” Evan sits beside her and puts an arm around her, shaking her gently. “We can do this. Right?” Riley nods confidently with tears in her eyes. “Right.” “Baby, don’t cry.” Evan wipes away a few tears and kisses her on the nose. “If you cry, I’ll be upset.” “I know, I just can’t help it.” “Try. I really do have to go now.” He bends to kiss her for what will be the last time in several weeks. “I love you and I’ll see you soon.” “I love you too.” She reluctantly lets him go and curls up into the couch and the door shuts. I miss him already, she thinks. Riley allows herself a few minutes to wallow in her sadness and then straightens up the apartment. There isn’t much to do, considering they’re moving into the new house soon. Several boxes are stacked into the corner of every room. She stares forlornly at her suitcase, which she has been slowly packing for tour. Back to the crazy life, I guess. She folds a t-shirt and lays it gently inside the suitcase. Why was Evan talking about babies, she wonders. We’ve been married for a week. That’s way too soon to even think about babies! I can’t have in the near future, not with our careers. Then when? A tiny voice in her hand asks her this. “I don’t know,” Riley mumbles, the answer surprisingly making her sadder than she had thought it would. She doesn’t have much time to reflect on it though because the promotional tour keeps her busy. It may be short, but it’s full of appearances, interviews, and acoustic shows. As she settles into it, she becomes used to it. The highlight for Riley is when Riley and Mark are playing an acoustic show in Atlanta. “Are there a lot of people here?” Riley asks Dave, their tour manager. “Look for yourself,” Dave replies with a grin. She peeks out of the record store window at the crowd in front of it. It’s packed. “Whoa…” “It’s exciting,” Mark says, coming up behind her. “It really is…” “I like it when we do acoustic shows together, just you and me.” Mark blushes. “I mean, I like playing as a band, but I like doing these kinds of shows as a change.” “Do you remember back at the diner when we used to make up stupid songs when we worked after hours?” “Yeah.” He laughs. “That was fun. ‘If you want some fried grease, get on your knees and say please.’” He laughs again. “From Big Mike’s to big stage.” Mark sobers up. “What do you think we’d be doing now if this hadn’t happened?” “I’m not sure” Riley says thoughtfully. “I’d like to think we were good enough to make it either way.” “I’d like to think that too.” “All the same, I’m grateful that we met Evan.” Riley winces visibly. Not the right thing to say. “He didn’t even like you at first,” Mark scoffs. “Yes he did! He just pretended not to.” “And you believe that?” “Why shouldn’t I? I love him, he loves me, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk about my husband that way.” Riley crosses her arms defiantly. She’s upset the conversation has turned bad so drastically. “I’m your band mate. I was here before him,” Mark shoots back. She sighs and gazes out the window at the fans. “Why are you being like this? I don’t want to fight with you over this. You apologized to me for it at my wedding. Did you mean it or not?” Dave pokes his head in. “You guys are on.” Mark picks up his guitar. “I am sorry. It just gets to me sometimes.” Riley picks up her guitar too and they walk outside. “Well, hold it in. It’s not worth losing our friendship over.”
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06-24-2006, 01:28 AM
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#64 (permalink) |
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The crowd becomes louder as they catch sight of them. Riley smiles and waves. They sit on the stools and spend a few minutes hooking up and tuning their guitars.
“Mark is hot!” someone shouts. Mark winks and says into his microphone, “Yeah, that Mark dude is such a hottie.” Satisfied that Mark seems alright, Riley relaxes. She taps her microphone. “Hey everybody! We are half of the Format. Thanks for coming out to see us!” She turns to Mark. “What should we play?” He shrugs. “How about ‘Take It or Leave It’?” She nods and he begins the introductory riff. They play five more songs from their first two CDs before Mark suggests something new, so they a new song, ‘Another Way to Fall.’” “So I will find another way to fall, with someone who will be there when I call, when I don’t have to say anything at all, you’re the only one who holds me back and pushes me against a wall, so I’ll find another way to fall,” Riley sings and they finish the song. Mark clears his throat. “I would just like for everyone to give Riley a round of applause. She got married a few weeks ago and she’s already here, putting on shows for all of you guys.” She purses her lips and gives him a ‘What the hell’ look. She has to smile though because some girl in the audience shrieks “Evan!” and points. “Yep, that’s his name.” Mark nods. “And…” He squints. “He’s…over there?” “What?” Riley looks in that direction eagerly. Sure enough, Evan is standing next to Allison on the side of the stage, talking. He hears his name and waves at the crowd shyly. Riley leaps off of her stool, nearly dropping her guitar. She flicks her microphone off. “Why is he here?” “A surprise!” Evan shouts to her and everyone in the audience cheers and “Aww’s.” Mark looks back and forth between them. Then he stands and hands his guitar to Evan. “Here, you guys should play,” he suggests cheerfully. Evan hesitantly takes the guitar. He smiles as he sits on Mark’s place beside Riley. “Do you mind if I play?” She shakes her head. “No, I’m just really surprised!” Out of her peripheral vision, she can see Mark’s face, watching closely. She and Evan play a song they wrote together, “Before You.” Then the set is over. They pile into the van and head back to the hotel where the other guys are. Mark and Evan chat quietly and Riley is silent. Once at the hotel, Mark disappears to his room, leaving Riley and Evan alone. “You’re very quiet,” Evan points out. “Are you okay? Did you not want me here?” “Yeah, of course I want you here! I was just really shocked!” Riley leans into him, one of her arms around his waist. “How’d you get here?” “We’re playing a show in Tennessee tonight and I thought, it’s not far from Georgia. So I hopped on a plane to here.” “How long do you have before you go?” She slides her key card through the hotel room door. “A few hours…not too long.” Evan gently pushes her into the room. He shuts the door and instantly kisses her. Riley kisses him back and lets her hands roam underneath his shirt. But Mark’s attitude from earlier keeps popping up in her mind. “Evan…” “Hm…” He pauses kissing her neck. “I’m worried about Mark.” He straightens up. “Why? Is he sick?” “No, it’s just…lately he’s been…saying stuff to me about how he and I used to be together and it makes me feel uncomfortable.” “What kind of stuff?” “Like, what did I do wrong, why did we break up, you know.” “I see.” Evan looks off to the side. “I guess he’s just kind of bitter that I got you and he didn’t.” “It’s not even that! He’s fine with you. He respects you and he talks to you normally. With me, he’s not normal. It’s ruining our friendship.” “Well, pumpkin, the only thing I can think of is that now he realizes he really can’t have you and, since he’s the only single one in the band, he’s probably reflecting a lot on past relationships. Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll get used to it, find someone, and be fine.” “I guess you’re right.” Riley loops her arms around his neck. “So, a few hours, you said? What are we waiting for?” * * * * *
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06-24-2006, 01:31 AM
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#65 (permalink) |
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Registered User
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Evan smoothes his hand over Riley’s hair and kisses her softly. “Amazing.”
“You weren’t too bad yourself.” Riley pulls him closer to her and lays her cheek against his bare shoulder. “Does this feel…different to you now?” “Maybe…closer, I guess…” “Yeah. That’s the word I was looking for.” She tilts her face up and kisses his jaw line. “Do you have to go yet?” “In a few minutes.” Evan turns so that he’s facing her more. “You know, sometimes I forget I’m married.” She raises her eyebrows. “That’s not good…” “No, I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Just sometimes I’ll be lying in a hotel room and I’ll think about you and be like ‘Whoa, she’s my wife.’ Or I’ll see your name somewhere and it says ‘Riley Thomas’ and I’m like ‘It’s Taubenfeld now.’ I guess I didn’t think about being married at this point in my life because nothing appealed to me, but of course, you have to be unconventional and turn my life upside down, in a good way. So see, it’s not bad.” “Yeah, that’s not bad. But you better get used to it soon, mister.” Riley pinches his nose. Evan smiles and bites his lip. “You know I love you, right?” “Yep. And I love you!” “Yeah…so I feel I need to be honest with you about something.” “What is it?” He tugs at his ear lobe, a nervous gesture Riley noticed when they began dating. “Do you remember before I left I said something about making babies but then I said I was kidding?” “Yes…” Riley sits up, wondering where this is going. “I wasn’t kidding.” “I’m not following…” Evan lies back onto the pillow. “I mean, I wasn’t kidding about making babies. I do want a family and I want to start as soon as possible.” “When is…as soon as possible?” “When I get off this tour.” “What?” He shifts around. “I said, when I get off this tour.” “I know what you said! I just can’t believe you said that!” Riley pulls her hair back with her hands. “We are not going to start a family at this point in our lives.” “Why not? We’re married now!” Evan’s face is turning red, though in embarrassment or anger, she isn’t sure. “Evan, we’ve been married for a few weeks! And we’re just not ready for kids! Come on, we hardly have time for each other, much less a kid! And who would be home with it, huh? I’ll tell you who: me! I’m the one who would be pregnant and have to give up my career. No way would you stop for one second!” “How can you say that? A family is important to me! Of course I would!” Evan says indignantly. “What if your career never slows down, Riley? When do we have kids then? Is your career all that matters to you?” Riley whirls around to face him. “My career all that matters to me? Look who is talking, Mr. Workaholic, Mr. I Make Tour Arrangements Right After My Wedding! You--” “You had a tour at the same time! So don’t--” “At least I have my priorities in line! And at least I’m realistic! I know I’m not ready to have a baby! But you, you’re so idealistic and think you can handle anything! God, you’re so selfish sometimes, you really need to--” “Shut the fuck up!” Evan shouts. “I’m selfish? I’m idealistic? I came here on the shortest break in touring history just so I could see you! I spend all my time thinking about you! And I make decisions based on what I think you will like, yet I’m selfish? All I’m doing is being a husband who is asking my fucking wife to start a family with me!” “And this ‘fucking wife’ says no!” Riley matches his tone. He stares at her, his eyes glittering. “Is this what you came to see me for? To seduce me and try to make me have a baby? I’m telling you, plain as anything, I’m not ready to have a baby.” Evan says in a low voice, “I just really want a family.” As angry as Riley is, she can’t help but feel slightly guilty. At least he’s not telling me something bad or disgusting, she thinks and rolls her eyes. “Evan,” she says softly, “I will give you a family and as many kids as you want…but not today and not for awhile. Come on, baby, I’m twenty-two and you’re twenty-five. We have plenty of time.” “I know, I’m sorry for yelling at you and getting in your face about it, I just…” He moves closer to her and hugs her. “I just grew up with a strong family atmosphere and I’ve always known I wanted one, so…kind of got excited.” “It’s okay. We’ll talk about it some other time and decide when we want to try. Is that okay?” “That’d be awesome.”
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yay for updates!!
