46
Dillon
The past seven months has, hands down, been the best seven months of my life. This tour has been the best touring experience of my career. And it’s all thanks to Vivien and Easton. Living on the bus with them has been amazing, and we’re as close as we can be.
Easton has taken to life on the road like a pro.
Seeing his obvious joy at being a part of my world has meant everything to me. During the day, when we’re sleeping and later rehearsing, he does the tourist thing with Ash and Vivien after his schoolwork is done. They’ve managed to squeeze in tons of activities in the various cities we’ve visited, and we have mountains of photos for new albums when we get home.
Vivien rejoined social media, and she’s amassed quite a loyal following who go crazy for the daily posts and pics she shares. Being on the road has done wonders for her anxiety. She no longer cares what people say about her, and the interest in us has eased off from the intrusive levels of the early days.
She conquered her fears and sang on stage with me in Ohio. It was just me on guitar and her singing to a packed stadium. There wasn’t a peep from the audience as she delivered the haunting lyrics with so much emotion I know it came straight from her soul. They were as hypnotized as me, and at the end, they gave her a standing ovation.
I was so fucking proud of her.
Videos of her performing were all over social media the next day, and it garnered a lot of good will.
Tonight is our last night on the US tour, and it’s extra special because Easton is joining us on stage. This will be his first time up here, and I’m stoked to be accompanied by my son on guitar. Originally, I had planned on letting him join us more often. Until Viv and I talked about it and she explained her concerns, which were all valid. She doesn’t want him living under a media glare, and she’s done her best to protect him over the years. Kidnapping is also a very real worry.
I thought East would throw a fit, but he’s happy getting to jam with us on stage during rehearsal, and now he’s getting his wish to play before a packed stadium. We’ve been practicing like crazy to get this performance right, and his perseverance, talent, and determination have impressed me to no end.
Vivien doesn’t know I’m about to embarrass the shit out of her, but she’s going to find out in a couple of minutes.
“Are you ready to hear our new single, Las Vegas?” I shout into the mic, grinning at the deafening roar of approval from the massive crowd. I pace across the front of the stage, wiping my sweaty brow with the back of my arm. “This is an extra special performance tonight because we have an extra special guitarist joining us.”
I turn around, grinning when I spot East standing in the wings with Vivien. We planned this together because I need to get her out on this stage. I want to sing the words to her so she has no doubt how much I love her, and then later tonight, I’m going to propose. “Please welcome my son, Easton, to the stage,” I shout, facing him as the crowd whoops and hollers.
Easton struts across the stage like he owns it, and Jamie cracks up laughing at his swagger. He’s holding Vivien’s hand, beaming proudly at me for playing his part. “Thanks, buddy.” I lean down, and we do our special handshake with our elbows and our arms. The crowd goes nuts because he’s the cutest fucking kid. He turned six in May, and we threw a special party for him backstage at the venue in DC.
“What’s going on?” Viv mouths, looking a little nervous.
“Stay put,” I tell her, smirking.
Helping Easton up onto his stool, I fix his guitar around him, and then I reposition his mic so it’s at the right level. “Hellooooo, Las Vegas,” he booms into the mic, and Jamie almost pisses his pants. Ro nearly falls off his stool he’s laughing so hard. Conor is as zoned out as ever. Vivien and I exchange smiles as the crowd screams for our little wannabe rock star.
“I asked my son to help me tonight because this is the first time I’m singing this song in public, and as it’s about the love of my life, I wanted to make it personal by singing it to her.”
Oohs and aahs echo around the giant stadium, as one of the crew rushes out with a high-backed stool for Vivien.
Vivien’s eyes pop wide as I walk toward her. I pull her flush against me. “In case you’re confused, that means you.” She slaps my chest as laughter wafts around the large arena. I spin her around to the front of the stage, wrapping my arm around her waist. She’s wearing a short, tight strapless black leather dress that has panels cut out at the waist and sky- scraper heels that make her slim legs look even longer. I’m on a permanent horn looking at her. “How hot does my woman look tonight?” I ask the crowd. A chorus of catcalls and wolf whistles rings out, and I flash the audience a trademark grin.
“You are so dead,” Vivien says, turning around to look at me.
Discreetly, I move the mic closer. “I can’t hear you,” I mouth.
“I said you are so dead.” Her statement projects through the mic, bouncing around the venue, and everyone laughs.
“That means she wants me,” I tell them, winking. “This is our version of foreplay.”
“Jesus, Dillon!” she shrieks, gesturing toward Easton.
“Shit.” I had almost forgotten he was there.
“A dollar for the cuss jar, Daddy Dillon!”
After the laughter has died down this time, I turn her around in my arms. “I love you.” Before she has a chance to reply, I lower her back a little and kiss her hard.
“That is just gross, Daddy,” Easton says into the mic.