Page 18 of The Only Thing That's Real

“You three are too sweet. I absolutely love it!”

“It will be perfect on the side of the stage. From there you can see all the activity behind the scenes, the band, and the crowd. It’s the best spot for you to get a true picture of what goes into the show,” Kristen explains.

“Seriously, this means the world to me that you would think of something like this. Thank you so much.”

Thanking each of them individually with a hug they insist I try it out. They even make me look over my shoulder so they can take pictures of me with the “She’s a big deal!” stitched into the canvas.

I’m not sure they’ll ever realize how much their kind gesture warms my heart. Everyone on this tour is a member of the Hollow Knocks family and the girls have made sure to make me feel like I am too. I’m not sure how I got so lucky.

Jennifer has just taken her last photo when our focus is diverted.

“Joann’s here with the baby,” Marie says, stepping away to greet the woman approaching with a young boy, who must be four or five, and a baby in her arms.

“That’s Roger’s wife,” Kristen explains.

I watch as Marie takes the baby out of Joann’s arms and returns to us.

“Thought I would give her a bit of a break and get my baby fix before my ovaries explode.”

“So. Truth time, Ryan. How are things going with the guys?” Kristen inquires.

“Fine, I guess.”

“But…?” Marie asks.

“Knox is still avoiding me. I don’t mind earning his trust, but I’m not sure I can when he won’t even speak to me. Not that I know why.”

“Off the record?” Marie asks.

“Of course.”

“We’ve all noticed the cold shoulder he’s giving you. Please don’t take it personally. It’s not you. Something happened a couple months back. Couldn’t tell you what, but it’s got to be something serious. He’s changed and I’m not sure if it’s for the good or bad. Maybe a bit of both?”

She moves in closer, bouncing the little one on her hip, turning so the stage is behind her as if Knox can read her lips and will know she’s talking about him. “Everything was going great, and he was stoked about a video call scheduled with his brother, Angus. Something must have happened during the call because he bailed on rehearsal for several days, and he hasn’t been the same since. Hasn’t told any of the guys what happened, so it’s likely family stuff.”

Connor walks by, quieting the conversation until he passes.

“His usual MO when something is wrong is to get a little too drunk, which leads to him spewing stupid stuff we know he doesn’t mean. This time has been different. I’m not sure I’ve seen him do more than sip a beer since that call with Angus. If I were to guess, he’s had his world wrecked andneeds help. If he doesn’t want to talk to the guys or even us, then he needs to talk to someone.” She turns her attention back to the stage. “All I know is I’m not the one to suggest he talk to a therapist. Nope.”

“Thank you for telling me,” I say, looking toward the stage. “I’ve been so confused by his reaction to me being here, but I get it now. If there is something going on in his personal life, a journalist following him around is likely the last thing he wants.”

“Enough about boys. How was your trip home? You stayed with your sister, right?” Kristen says, changing the subject.

“I did. It was good to see her and my niece and nephew. I helped in her coffee shop like the old days.” I don’t mention that Becks and her husband are barely speaking to each other. Abe is apparently tired of sharing her with the kids, the shop, and the family. She does everything for everyone, and he’s sick of not being at the top of her very long list of people and things to take care of.

“How was your mom’s party?” Jennifer asks.

“It was good. There was a big turnout. I swear most of the town was there. Most importantly, I got to see my grandpa while I was there.”

“How’s he doing?” Kristen and Marie ask simultaneously.

“I lucked out, he was having a good day when I was there. It’s been hard though. I feel bad that my mom and Becks have to watch him get worse every day. I can tell it’s taking its toll on them.”

“Didn’t you say the family recently moved him into a new care facility?”

“We did. They’re taking great care of him. Luckily, it’s only twenty-minutes out of town.”

I don’t mention how expensive his care facility is, or that I took this job to pay for it. They don’t need to know that this wasn’t a dream gig for me. I will always care about the quality of my work and I’ll never half-ass anything, but the truth is... I’m here for the money.

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