Page 15 of Thick as Thieves
We all look at each other, the irony making us all smile. “What a set of fuck ups,” I state and start to laugh. And once I start, we all start laughing, and can’t stop.
Tim storms back in. “Why did you show her that? She’ll stop Marcus from coming out?”
“She won’t,” I tell him. “She knows what we all are, we don’t have to hide ourselves in front of her. In fact, I won’t. I never have, and I’ve decided I’m not at all. She either deals or not.” I shrug and they all look at each other.
“Well don’t start hacking bits off each other before we get away, I can’t cope,” Tim says and unties Gabe. “I’ve stopped the doctor, paid his call out fee. I can’t wait to get out on tour. Never thought I’d say that.” Tim blows out a breath as we leave the party.
7
Xander
Chile
Marcus turns up a week into the tour. Apparently Evie ‘kicked him out’ to South America. Said he needed to get out from under her feet.
He spends a lot of time on the phone to her and the babies. I join him for the babies, Marshall, and Pinky bits, but he tells me to fuck off when it’s just Evie. He wants phone sex with his wife.
“You’ve only just left her. You are not going to survive, brother.” I pat him on the back in jest, shaking my head at his antics. He looks gleeful, content.
But my twinge of jealousy stuns me, and the words are out of my mouth before I even realise it. “And I’m so fucking jealous. You lucky bastard.”
As he looks into my face, he knows I’m not joking on that one. It’s written across it. But he recovers quickly and flaps his hands at me to leave as Evie appears back on the screen, minus the children.
“All back working well then?” I ask him when he finally comes out of the bedroom of our tour bus, his face flushed and so fucking happy.
“Fuck yes.” He smiles as we set off down the steps of the bus and out into the festival grounds, a noticeable spring in his step. “It’s the weirdest thing, Xan. When I’m there I want to be with you lot, but I get here and all I want is her and the kids. I might ask her to come out. The babies need all the jabs and stuff, but once that’s done, if we’re still on tour, I’ll see if she’ll come. I mean, I don’t see why not. She’s not back at work officially.”
We’re striding towards the backstage areas, but it’s still a wide open space, when his tone changes, his voice dropping into a low growl. “I’ve had to tell Jude to fuck off a few times when he’s tried to get her to go up to London and help him out. If she’s doing that, she’ll start back to work and then no time for me or them. He’s a real dick at times.”
“Get her out here, then. Or better still, get her out to LA. She can stay at the beach and we can fly up and down. It’ll be less flying time.”
“Well, weirdly, it isn’t. I thought about that, too, but the flight times are the same more or less. She just needs to be here staying with us all. That’ll be much better. Even if just for a while.”
“Hey, Dad.” James comes towards us, kissing Kellen and ruffling his hair. Then does the same to me, the little shit. But he’s as tall as us both, and getting as broad, filling out as he’s getting older. Well that and the work out regimen I discussed with him. If he gets any wider, he’ll be picking us both up in one hand next. We both grin at him, we can’t help it, the boy is total sunshine on any given day.
“You singing with us tonight, sunshine? Give your old dad a night off?” I ask him.
“Fuck no.” He turns his grin on his dad. “He’s out here, so he can sing. I’m on first with my lot, so I’ll watch you afterwards. Great crowds in the Latino countries. Really know how to party, it’s amazing.” He walks off, every eye in the place on him.
“He’s so fucking good. They’re going to be bigger than us, way bigger. Have you seen the numbers?” I ask Marcus.
He nods, his face turning serious as he watches his son confidently cut through the throng of people hanging around the bar areas. He’s waving and smiling as people acknowledge him. Everyone wants to know him, everyone wants to be his friend. He doesn't stop though until he reaches his band mate.
Marcus sighs as he runs his hand through his hair. “We need to make sure he’s alright. That sort of shit messes with your head. Look what happened to us. I know I had other issues, but being so big, so famous, so well known so fast.”
He looks at me, his face a picture of pride in his son’s achievements. But trepidation lingers in his eyes knowing the huge pitfalls and how far and how fast things can get out of control, and in a mess. “Promise me you’ll help me with him, Xan. I don’t want to lose him to the shit we did.”
I nod at him ruefully. “Not sure how you’re going to stop it. It’s a fucking gravy train.”
“But we’re also driving the train, so let’s not let him get out of control. I’m a bit worried about Bucky already, which is why I want Evie out here as well. If she comes, Jonno will, and he’ll watch them all.”
I chuckle. “Fucking Jonno. He’s like Big Brother. Called me in LA asking me why I’d gone into a supermarket at 12:30 p.m. What did I buy? Then he cackled like a maniac and hung up.”
Marcus laughs. “He’s certainly not fully sane at times, but I’m glad he isn’t. He’s helped us out a lot with the Giles shit, and all that stuff with Grace. She’s left London, did you hear? Gone up north, Newcastle way I think. She didn’t dare go near Yorkshire.”
I nod and say, “He said he’ll keep tabs on her. I actually wanted to speak to him anyway. I have an idea for your birthday in March. Do you want another party?
He looks at me suspiciously. “What do you mean? A party, party? Not just a party?”
