Front & Center (Book 2 of the Back-Up Series)

by A. m Madden

  “She is still sedated, but yes, you both can see her.”

  I turn towards my parents. “I need to go.”

  Evan steps towards me. “Go.”

  Anthony and I follow the doctor through the doors towards Leila. “Thank you,” I mumble to no one in particular. God, I guess or whoever listened to my pleas.

  Anthony places his hand on my shoulder and squeezes affectionately.

  I pull in a jagged breath as we walk towards her door. Anthony walks into her room before me.

  The bed looks massive. Seeing her lying there attached to tubes and wires scares me to death. In spite of all that, she looks peaceful. She looks like she’s sleeping. A large bandage covers her head above her temple. I move to her left and Anthony moves to her right. My brain function slowly returns. Consciously, I know I should give Anthony some privacy. This is his daughter…his only daughter. But I can’t leave her. I can’t offer to leave or apologize for being here.

  “She’s good. She’s good.” Anthony says, as if he needs the words to ensure that she is.

  We each pull a chair up towards her bed and settle in. It’s obvious that neither of us is leaving anytime soon.

  I rest my head on her arm, while holding her hand and resume my praying.

  Chapter 26 - Leila

  I’m struggling to wake up. I’m struggling to stay asleep. Stuck in between, not sure which I want more. Warm lips kiss my hand, helping me decide what I want more.

  Jack.

  I want Jack. I continue to struggle, willing my eyes to open, willing my mouth to speak. The best I can accomplish is a subtle shift of my aching head.

  “Baby.” He squeezes my hand. He saw it. He saw me move. My head is killing me. My whole body hurts. My side stings uncomfortably. The touch of his hand dominates over all the pain.

  Slowly, I regain control of my body. I can flex my foot. I can lick my lips. I can return his squeeze. The last to cooperate are my eyes and my voice. I need to see his gorgeous face. I need to say - I love you.

  “Lei, we’re here. Your dad and I are here. Come on baby, wake up.”

  I take a deep breath, wincing from the pain, and slowly open my eyes. He looks directly into them.

  “Baby.”

  I’m unable to keep them open and they flutter shut. Frustratingly, I try to force them open again and continue to squeeze his hand to communicate that I’m trying. I’m desperately trying to come back to him.

  “Leila, come on baby girl. Wake up.” My dad’s voice sounds hoarse, raw. I’m causing them so much pain.

  I blink a few times and focus on first Jack and then Dad. Dad looks older. I move my eyes back to Jack. He looks so tired.

  “Hey, baby.” He coaxes, gently caressing my hand that is sandwiched between both of his.

  My dad moves to a button on the wall and pushes it.

  “Thirsty.”

  Jack flies up and grabs the pitcher to pour me water. “Here, baby.” He puts the straw to my lips, wiping my chin when a few drops escape.

  My dad holds my face in between his hands, placing a lingering kiss on my forehead.

  He pulls away, his eyes moist with emotion. “You scared me, kiddo.”

  “Sorry.” I rasp, barely audible to my own ears.

  He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’ll go fill everyone in. I’m sure Evan wore a hole in the floor by now.” He kisses my cheek and leaves Jack and me alone.

  “What happened?”

  “What do you remember?”

  The whole experience comes rushing to my memory. “My last memory is of you running towards me.”

  Jack frowns, as if he is in pain. He pulls his chair closer so we are merely inches apart. “The van took off. I couldn’t get to you. I tried desperately, and I just couldn’t.” He swallows before continuing. “Baby, the scariest thing I’ve ever witnessed was watching that van pull out of the parking lot.”

  He lowers his head and rests his forehead on my arm. “That was nothing compared to the horrific sound of the van crashing into something.”

  I search my memory, unable to picture what he’s describing.

  “I don’t remember any of that.”

  “They think you hit your head when he threw you in the van. You were unconscious when they pulled you out.”

  “Where’s Danny?”

  “I don’t know.” He tightens his jaw, failing to hide the rage that I can see so clearly in his eyes.

  I squeeze his hand encouragingly. “Jack, it’s over. I’m here and we need to move on.”

  He levels me with his gaze. “Leila, the only thing that stopped me from killing him was you. I had to tend to you.”

  A nurse stalks into the room. “So how are we feeling?” She asks me in a calming voice, as she flips switches and turns knobs on a computer next to my bed. She looks so sweet and it calms me. She is short and portly with grey hair and rosy cheeks.

  “My head hurts.”

  “I know, dear.” She pulls a wire off the side table that is attached to an I.V. “You push this when the pain becomes too much to handle.” She places the thing in my hand, patting it before resuming her inspection of the monitors.

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s six a.m.” Jack responds.

  “Six?” I just lost seven hours of my life. “Where is everyone?”

  “They are in the lobby.”

  “I’ve ruined their night.”

  “Lei.” He chastises. “Please.”

  I want nothing more than to continue to stare at him. But I’m so tired and my eyes betray me by closing heavily.

  “Sorry. I’m so tired.”

  “Ssh. Sleep, baby.” He says quietly. Now that I have his permission, I slowly slip into a deep sleep.

  

  Dr. Williams stands at the foot of my bed reviewing my charts. Jack is in his usual spot, in a chair pulled up to the side of my bed. He has refused to leave. I’ve been in this room for three days and I am ready to leave. I’ve had a parade of family and friends coming through the day after the accident. I was so out of it, I barely remember any of the conversations.

  We’ve had to cancel our shows in Jacksonville and Atlanta. I have horrible guilt over it. The guys and Jack have all taken turns telling me off. Regardless, I can’t help how I feel.

  “So, Miss Marino. Your vitals are good. How do you feel?” He glances up from the clipboard and smiles.

  “I’m ready to get out of here.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Are you sure she is ok?” Jack asks in his usual threatening stance, arms folded, eyebrows puckered with concern.

  “Yes, Mr. Lair. She is absolutely fine. She will need to have those stitches checked in a few days, but otherwise she’s good to go.” Jack continues to frown as if not believing him.

  “Miss Marino, I am discharging you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Isn’t it too soon?” Jack questions.

  “Stop.”

  “What? I want to make sure they are not pushing you out because they need a bed.”

  “No, Mr. Lair. She’s ready to be discharged…but, I’d like you to remain on bed rest for a week or so.”

  “I can’t.”

  “The fuck you can’t.”

  “Jack.”

  “Sorry. But there is no way you aren’t following doctor’s orders.”

  “He’s right. Take the time to mend. You can resume all normal activity in a week.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Williams.” My fiancé patronizes. Once he leaves my room, I roll my eyes.

  “Don’t give me that look.”

  “Jack, I’m fine.”

  “I. Don’t. Give. A. Crap.” He leans closer, enunciating each syllable.

  Angry, unshaven, sitting in a hospital room for three days – Jack looks fucking hot.

  “I know I am better. Do you want to know how I know?”

  “How?”

  “Because I want to jump you right now.”

 
His cheek twitches as he tries to contain his smile.

  “If I wasn’t all yucky from being in this room for three days, I would pull your hot ass into that sterile bathroom and devour you while on my knees.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Yeah. So stop. I’m fine.”

  “Ok…you’re better, but you are still going to be on bed rest,” he quips.

  “So what’s the plan?”

  “No sex for a week.”

  I gape at him while blinking.

  He widens his eyes in exasperation. “What?”

  “I meant with the band. But why?”

  “Doctor’s orders.”

  “He never said no sex. Go. Go out there…go and ask him!”

  Jack smiles at my panic. “Fine, I’ll clarify. But if he says no sex, no sex.”

  I huff out a frustrated breath. “This sucks ass.” I mumble to myself.

  “What’s that?”

  “Nothing. What about the band?”

  “I’m calling Jen. She’ll have to cancel Nashville, Charlotte and Richmond. We’ll fly home tomorrow. Rest up, and pick up the tour in D.C.”

  “Goddammit.”

  “Stop.”

  “Jack, we were doing so well. This isn’t going to go over well with our fans.”

  “What is your point?”

  “We can continue with the shows. I’ll rest on the bus and perform at night. Please, go ask Dr. Williams.”

  “We will make up the dates next tour. Stop being so difficult.”

  “Please?”

  He growls and leaves the room in search of Dr. Williams. There is no way I’m going to have this band cancel a total of five major cities.

  Jack comes back with Dr. Williams in tow. “Ok, ask him.”

  “You have questions?”

  “Um. Yes. I was, um…” I bite my lip as I feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

  “She wants to know if we can have sex?”

  Dr. Williams laughs at Jack’s question. “This is a good question. Yes, you can have sex. Just be careful with her side wound.”

  I smirk at Jack and he blatantly ignores me.

  “Anything else?”

  “Yes. If I promise to do nothing else, can I please perform at our shows?”

  “When’s your next performance?”

  “We are supposed to play in Nashville day after tomorrow and Charlotte the next day.”

  “I’ll tell you what, you cancel Nashville, then you can resume in Charlotte, but no other activity. Please schedule a follow-up appointment in a few weeks.”

  “I will. Thank you, Dr. Williams.”

  “Sure, dear. Anything else?”

  Jack and I exchange glances. “No, I think those are the two most important things.”

  “Ok. Good luck to you.”

  The minute he leaves my room Jack barks, “I am furious with you right now.”

  “Why? You get to get lucky because of my insistence.”

  “I’m talking about the tour.”

  “Jack, I sit at a keyboard and I walk ten steps to you and then I sit at a keyboard. I can handle that.”

  I hold my hand out and he surprisingly takes it.

  “Don’t be mad.” When I pull him closer, he sits on the edge of my bed. “Kiss me.” He bends and plants a chaste kiss on my lips, and then another.

  “Am I forgiven?”

  “Do bears shit in the woods?”

  “Thank you. Now get me out of here.”

  

  “Oh my fucking GOD!” I exclaim, but yet again. He laughs at my enthusiasm and brings my hand up to give it another kiss.

  “Jack, he walked right here. He stood right here. I sat right out there, and there, and there.” I point out to the various empty seats at the far corners of the concert hall.

  “I know, baby. You keep telling me.”

  “I’m not a Springsteen fan, but I have to admit this is pretty fucking exciting,” Hunter says from his drum set behind us.

  I make another round on the stage, committing to memory what he has seen the many times he’s played here. I cannot believe we are at the Asbury Park Convention Center. Last stop on our tour before New York City. We pulled in late last night. We’re home. We are back in New Jersey, and we are finally home.

  Since the “incident” in Miami, Jack has been extremely protective…to the point of lunacy. Danny is in jail awaiting trial, bail denied. The charges wracked up against him will hopefully have him there for the rest of his life. I am not looking forward to his trial. I don’t want to see him ever again, nor do I want Jack anywhere near him. But our presence is necessary and we will have to testify. I’ll worry about it when I need to.

  Jessa also decided to press charges against Danny. Besides assault, kidnapping and attempted murder, he is facing aggravated murder charges on Jessa’s unborn baby, possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, and grand theft auto. The van used to try and kidnap me was stolen earlier that day. Jack has not pressed charges against Jessa. I agreed with his decision. She has suffered enough. Dragging her through the courts is not something I want to take on. She is grateful that we are moving on. She has decided to as well and will move to Los Angeles to pursue her modeling career.

  Good riddance.

  Jack still feels Danny can try and hurt us from the confines of his jail cell. It’s unnerving to have to go through life with such fear. I cannot allow myself to be in that constant, unproductive state of vulnerability. We’ve had a few arguments over it. Jack feels Danny has not accomplished his goal, and we need to be cognizant of that.

  The upside of Jack’s paranoia is he hasn’t left my side since the “incident”.

  The downside of Jack’s paranoia is he hasn’t left my side since the “incident”.

  I confessed I didn’t want us getting sick of each other. We each have to have our separate lives, interests and ventures. Another argument later, and he slowly backed off…slowly.

  To placate him, I suggested we go to my apartment tonight and hibernate in Hoboken until we are due in New York City for our last two shows in a few days. We will have a mini vacation of sorts, take-out, pay-per-view, and sex on every flat surface, all the things we desperately craved while on tour.

  We haven’t had time to go home yet. As a favor, Lori and Alisa are heading over to my place to stock the fridge and romanticize for our secret rendezvous.

  “Maybe he’ll be here tonight,” Scott says nonchalantly.

  “What? What do you know? Tell me? Is he coming?”

  “Holy shit, Leila. I was just speculating.”

  “Do not speculate!”

  Hunter blatantly laughs at him and Scott mumbles under his breath. I feel bad I yelled at him, but Springsteen attending our show is no joking matter.

  “Babe, I tried to get Jen to arrange it. He’s in Europe.”

  “Ok. That’s good. I would be a nervous wreck if he was here tonight.”

  He measures my facial expression and quirks one side of his mouth in disbelief.

  “Honestly. Thank you for trying.”

  “Are you ready to rehearse?” Jack asks tentatively.

  I nod distractedly, my mind now wondering if he would have come if he were in the States.

  Chapter 27 - Jack

  The fantasy I had months ago, the one with the big ass stretch Hummer and screaming fans chasing us down the street? Yeah, it’s a reality now. Well, we don’t have screaming fans chasing us yet, but we are recognized daily now.

  Our tour ended last week in New York City, five months after we embarked in September. The media coverage we received was insane. Being endorsed by several rock bands such as, *Bayou Stix and MACE, as well as one of the top music critics in the industry catapulted us to the number one spot on the charts. Our album is selling so well, the label feels we may achieve Gold status within the year. My song to Leila is in the top ten. Leila’s single is as well. We’ve made it. We’re there. The fans are aggressive, interrupting us constantly fo
r a photo-op or an autograph. It’s a strange, scary feeling knowing someone is always watching you. I sometimes feel like we are living in a fishbowl. But I wouldn’t trade any of it. The best part is having Leila right by my side.

  In the few days since coming back to our normal lives, it has been anything but normal. Leila and I have been bouncing between my place and hers due to commitments Jen arranged with reporters. I still feel homeless and out of sorts.

  I will be an official Hoboken resident as of tomorrow. I’m not exactly thrilled with the situation. Leila knows all about my Jersey induced affliction. She just rolls her eyes and reminds me it’s temporary. Truth is, I’m not as upset as I am letting on. I really am just trying to conjure up some sympathy from her. The more guilt she feels from dragging me across the Hudson, the more sex I get. I get a hard-on just thinking of living with her, in a real home, with many rooms at our disposal. I could care less what state we live in. Besides, it’s only a few months until we get married, and she already knows the day we return from our honeymoon, we will be apartment hunting in the city.

  I will miss living with Hunter. It was a blast. I owe him so much. He was there for me many years ago when I was lost, confused, and scared as all fuck with my career decision. The label of best friend isn’t adequate. He is a brother to me.

  Hunter and the love of his life, Mandi, will soon be roommates as well. She plans to move in within the next few days. Scott is planning to propose to Patti soon. She isn’t aware of it yet. I told Leila the day it happens will undoubtedly spawn a five-foot-four blonde bridezilla.

  Trey and Lori are officially through. They both maintain it was mutual. She has succumbed to Matt’s endless pursuit. They are officially a couple. I unfortunately know more details than I need to. Lori held nothing back a few nights ago while visiting. That girl has no shame. Hearing her play-by-play was both unnecessary and enlightening. I actually tried a few of her descriptive moves on Leila later that night.

  We have all grown in so many ways. Mainly in our careers, now that success has found us. Granted, we worked our asses off for it. We have also all significantly matured in the relationship department. Even Trey has morphed into a different person. Not one with marriage on his doorstep, but he’s softer, more approachable, more sensitive. Hell must have frozen over.