Hearing Adrian Lee’s name, the first image that popped into Tripp’s head was that green electric guitar of Dez’s and the story behind it. As much as it sucked hearing about what had happened to a band he greatly admired, he couldn’t imagine how bad Dez would feel when he woke to learn the news.
Maybe.
Glancing around, he remembered tossing his phone in the basket on the table, much like he’d gotten used to doing at the Spa. It had been awesome spending the bulk of most days unconnected, but now he shot off a quick text to Zakk, hopeful that he’d see it and be able to cushion the blow for Dez a little.
It shouldn’t have shocked him when he was met with an immediate reply that he already knew, but that Dez had managed to get to sleep a few hours ago and he wasn’t going to wake him to give him the news. He’d just make sure that Dez didn’t find out online the way they had.
I’m trying not to think about how it could be any one of us at any given time,Zakk texted.
That’s lifeTripp replied.Anywhere anytime, it can be snuffed out without warning. Isn’t that why we do what we do as fast and hard as we do it? ‘Cause we know it could all be gone in an instant and at least we can say we lived.
The last thing they did, before getting on that helicopter, was something they loved and poured their hearts and souls into. If that isn’t a life well lived I don’t know what is.
My first thought, when I heard musician and accident, was Winter. I was relieved that it wasn’t him, but, damn, didn’t want it be people I admired and looked up to either.
We don’t get to pick and choose who goes and who stays. The universe has that already planned out before we’re hatched into it. You just have to go with the flow, take the good with the bad, breathe, and keep putting one foot in front of the other until you can’t walk anymore.
And what happens then?
I carry you.
Three words, but they were as powerful as an I love you. Tripp wished he was on the RV with Zakk so he could hug him and sit with him through the rest of the long night, but asking for the vehicles to pull over would just disturb everyone else’s sleep.
His phone rang a moment later, Zakk’s voice low and rolling in his ear.“Hey.”
“Hey back. I was just thinking about you and wishing I was there.”
“Same. James needs to switch off, so we’re pulling in at the next rest stop. You wanna come over and keep me company while I tackle the next leg.”
“Hell yeah. Let me let George know.”
“Hey, if we’re swapping people, tell Damien to get over here!” Kane bellowed.
Tripp could hear Zakk chuckling through the phone before he responded.You wanna tell him that Damien has been riding shotgun with James and is ready to crawl into bed and pass the fuck out until late afternoon.
Kane’s response to the message wasn’t at all unexpected when he invited Damien to come crawl on into his.
“What the hell, am I your messenger now?” Tripp asked, only to have Kane pluck his phone from his hand.
“Hey, can you put Damien on?”
“Give me my damned phone back for fuck’s sake,” Tripp growled, grasping at it. Kane just held it higher, forcing Tripp to try and climb up on a counter to get it back. Kane turned his back, making it harder, so Tripp hopped on him, sending him off balance when George hit a particularly rough stretch of road. They spilled onto the couch, bounced off, and went rolling on the floor, Tripp’s phone sent skittering as they wrestled with one another.
“Hey, uncool,” Bobby yelped as he narrowly avoided being an unwilling participant in the fray.
Dimly, Tripp could hear Zakk asking what the hell was going on, before Kane reclaimed his phone, again, and once again asked to talk to Damien. Zakk better have put him on, because Kane started sweet talking and it wasn’t words he wanted directed at Zakk. Was hard to tell what was happening when the look on Kane’s face was just intense, like his eyes as they focused on some spot on the side of the bus as he tried to cajole Damien into excepting his invitation. Finally, he gave the phone back, pouting as he stalked back to the couch.
“I take it the answer was no?”
“Pretty much, though Damien did say he was going to teach him not to be such a naughty puppy when he wasn’t too tired to deal with him.”
“That’s something then, I guess.”
“Look, we’re going to make this a fast stop, so throw some stuff in a bag and be ready to come over. If the motion stops for too long…”
“Dez will wake up. Got it. I’m already moving.”
“Then let me get off the phone so I don’t slow you down.”