Four Months
Part two
"Hey Mom, we've got a letter!" Thomas called, rushing into the house, still wearing his rain and mud soaked boots.
Nicole stepped away from the sink where she had been washing the dishes to see her eldest child standing on her clean kitchen floor in rain-soaked boots and jacket, holding a letter up to her.
"Thomas, my floor!" she gasped. "Get those boots off. No, better yet, get off my floor! I just cleaned it!"
"But Mom, the letter," Thomas protested. "It's from-" But he was cut off.
"I don't care if it's from the President of the United States. Get off my floor first," his mother scolded him. She turned and headed for the closet to get a mop. "You're a smart kid, you should know enough to take off those muddy boots before you come into my kitchen." She frowned to herself as she began to clean the floor.
A few moments later, Thomas re-entered the kitchen, in his socks, still holding the letter. His wet boots and jacket were now hanging, drying safely on the porch.
"This better, Mom?" he asked. His mother glanced up at him momentarily before returning to her mopping, dunking the mop in the soapy water again.
"Much," she replied, satisfied.
"About this letter, Mom," Thomas began again. "It's from Dad." His mother dropped the mop.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, taking the letter from him.
"I tried to," Thomas reminded her, but his mother paid no attention. Nicole sat down in the closest chair and ripped open the envelope, beginnning to read. "What's it say?" Thomas asked. "Read it."
"Ok, ok," Nicole agreed. She gan to read aloud. "Dear Family. Here I am on the road. It's only been three days but I'm already missing you a lot. I'm sorry if the handwriting's bumpy but I'm writing thins on the the bus. Micky's sleeping, Mike's reading, and Davy's talking to one of the crew members. Our first concert and the one we had tonight went really well. I wish you guys could have come. There were so many people.
"I'll try to call one night so I can talk to you but the last few days we haven't gotten in until after midnight, and I don't want to call that late...or is it early? I would write more but it took me a long time to find the right words to write this much. I love you all and miss you very much. Just remember: only four more months!"
Nicole sighed as she folded the letter again and handed it to Thomas. "Four more months," she repeated to herself. She placed a hand on her stomach and frowned to herself.
"A day off? Are you serious?" Peter asked. Mike nodded.
"Yep," he replied. "Believe it or not we don't have a show tonight or a trip on the bus. Feel free to enjoy yourselves."
"This is great!" Davy cheered. "We can go out, check out the area!"
"I'm not sure there's much of a club scene here," Micky told Davy, but the Englishman was undeterred.
"That's okay, man we'll find something to do," he replied optimistically. "You guys coming?"
"No thanks, Davy, I'm gonna stay here," Mike replied. "Y'all have fun."
"I'm staying, too," Peter added. "I've got a phone call to make."
"Okay, suit yourselves," Micky told them.
"You're coming, right Mick?" Davy asked.
"You bet," Micky replied. "Just gimme ten minutes to get ready."
"Right," Davy replied. "Meet you downstairs in the lobby, alright?" Micky agreed, and they both headed off to their respective rooms to change.
Mike shook his head, chuckling to himself as he headed into his own room. Peter glanced at his watch. It was only seven o' clock. Plenty of time to make that phone call. He stepped into his room.
