spring sweet rhythm dance in my head
slip into my lover's hands
kiss me won't you kiss me now
and sleep i would inside your mouth
don't be us too shy
knowing it's no big surprise
that i will wait for you
i will wait for no one but you

Her fingertips ran over his form on the tv screen. They had already boarded the plane when they pulled them off. “Look at him, he’s exhausted. He needs to come home.” Her eyes were fixed on the image on the tv. His head was down and he was walking quickly between Dre and Lonnie. They all looked frighten, but he looked ready to break. She knew that he was worried about Justin and was trying to take care of his friend, he wasn’t taking care of himself.

“He’ll be home in a few days. You need to just be patient, you know it isn’t his fault that he’s stuck there.” Her mother-in-law’s voice broke her trance.

“I need to take care of him, he needs me to take care of him. There is no one there to help him or to hold him or to let him know it’s going to be alright. You know how he is about this kind of stuff, how he’s going to internalize all of this. He’s taking care of Justin, not himself.” She ran her hands through her hair.

“I know this is hard for both of you, but YOU need to take care of YOURSELF. You aren’t going to be any good to him if you collapse from worry.”

“I’m not going to collapse, I’m fine.” She growled in frustration. “I should have gone with him.”

“You couldn’t go darling. You know you’re not allowed to fly right now. He has been calling every hour, he’s fine.” It was at that moment the phone rang.

Lunging to pick it up, she couldn’t help be feel relief at the sound of his voice, “Hey Lover.”

“Hi. How are you holding up? They were just showing the footage of you guys being pulled off of the plane in New York. How is Justin?”

“They still don’t know anything. They aren’t sure what time his Aunt Lily was supposed to leave Boston, no one knows anything right now, except that this is the most God awful thing...ever.”

“I know. You need to take care of yourself.”

“Are YOU taking care of yourself?”

“I’m having a hard time sleeping.”

“Lay down Lover...get some rest.”

oh please lover lay down
spend this time with me
together share this smile
lover lay down
spend this time with me
walk with me, walk with you
hold my hands your hands
so much we have dreamed

She sat at the edge of the lake, staring at the ripples in the water. It would be at least three days longer. He couldn’t fly out until Saturday at the earliest, he might miss it. She was so frightened that she was going to have to face the whole thing alone.

“There’s my girl.” His voice was soft and gentle, trying not to startle her.

She turned around on the bench, “Oh God! You’re home!” The tears began instantly and he wiped at them with his thumbs. He hadn’t shaved in days, and his hair was not done. She had never seen him look better. “How?” She whispered as her arms went tightly around his waist. Her face pressed against his stomach.

“We drove straight through. We took turns. Johnny loaned me a car, he knew I had to get here. The guys came with me, to help me drive. I had to be here.”

“I thought you wouldn’t make it home in time.”

“I’m not going to miss this for anything.” He crouched down in front of her, “I love you more than life itself. I’m not going anywhere for a long time, you’re stuck with your husband for a long time.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

“Walk with me. Hold my hand. BE here with me.”

Holding out his hand, he helped her to her feet. Their fingers laced together and the walked around the entire lake talking quietly, making plans.

and you were so much younger
hard to explain that we are stronger
a million reasons life to deny
let's toss them away
see you and me we
lay down look see
she and he
by my lover's side
together share this smile
lover lay down

Laying in their bed, he held her tightly, “God I missed you. I never should have gone, I should have stayed here with you. I never should have left you here alone, I’m so sorry.” His breath was warm on the back of her neck.

“It’s your job, I know that. I had you’re Momma here with me, I was fine. When I saw the footage of you at the airport, my heart broke. Justin’s poor family...Aunt Lily...”

“Shh.” His fingertips lightly covered her mouth, “Only happy talk in bed.”

She laughed, “We did make that promise didn’t we?”

He sat up, “And we’re sticking to it. There are a million things happening in the world right now, that we can’t control. But we can control what happens here, the only tears that will ever fall in this bed will be tears of joy.”

“You sound like a self help book.” She grinned.

“New rule, no teasing in the bed.”

“Lay down Lover. No new rule Lance.” She pulled his hand back to her lips and kissed each finger lightly.

oh please oh please
please lover lay down
oh please lover lay down
and you weep lover lay down
cause it's over lover lay down
say love, say love, say love, say love, say love
could i love you
could you love me
darling it's all the same

Kissing his temple lightly she rubbed his shoulder, “Lance...Lover, you need to wake up.”

“Gramosjfdd.” He rolled onto his side.

She giggled, “We have to go.”

His eyes instantly flew open, “It’s time to go?” He was out of the bed and pulling on his shirt before she could even straighten up.

He tripped down the stairs waking everyone in the house on his way. Beth stopped at the top of the stairs, breathing deeply. Chris walked up next to her, hair standing on end, “Am I going to have to drive you? I think he forgot about you.”

“He’ll remember.” She smiled over at him, “Nice hair by the way.” She roughed it with her hand.

“I did it special for the occasion.” He grinned.

Justin stumbled out into the hall, “He forgot you?”

“He’ll be back.” She started down the stairs and Justin offered his arm for support.

Lance ran back through the front door, “BETH! Where are you Lover?” He had a suitcase and a pillow under one arm, a CD player under the other.

“She’s right here you idiot! I think we should drive you. You need to get there alive.”

“I’m fine, I just need to get my wife in the car!”

Beth settled into the car and smiled at Lance, “We waited for you.” She rubbed her hands over her enormous stomach.

“I know it.” He could not stop smiling.

'til we dance away
chasing me all around
leading me all around
leading me all around in circles
say.......

Justin was quietly talking in the corner of the room on the phone, his back turned to the group waiting there. Chris and JC were arguing over the crossword puzzle in the paper. Joey was snoring, his mouth hanging open slightly when Lance burst through the door, “IT’S A GIRL! We have a little girl.” He wiped at his eyes, “She’s perfect.”

Chris hugged him tightly, “Congratulations man! Did you hear that C? It’s a girl!”

JC joined the hug, “I heard! Good job Lance! How’s Beth doing?”

“She’s tired, but fine. She did great...I’m so proud of her.”

Joey smacked him on the back, “I’ll get the cigars!”

Justin smiled, but Lance could tell he’d been crying, “Justin? Your Aunt Lily?”

Justin nodded, “She was on the plane from Boston. They found her wedding ring.”

“I’m so sorry.” Lance’s face fell.

Justin nodded then rubbed his hand under his nose, “When can we see her buddy?”

“As soon as they bring her back from the nursery. About half an hour.”

Beth was sitting up in her bed with Lance next to her, his arms wrapped around his wife and their new baby cradled between them. Justin knocked lightly on the open door, “Mind a visitor?”

“Come on in. There’s someone waiting to meet her Uncle Justin.” Lance grinned proudly.

Justin set a huge bouquet of pink and white roses on the table and crossed the room to lean down and look at the baby, “She’s beautiful...she doesn’t look like an alien at all.”

Laughing, Beth rubbed the baby under the chin, “Come on Lily, open your eyes for Uncle Justin.”

Justin’s eyes flew to Beth’s, “Lily?”

“For your aunt. Do you mind?”

He wiped at the tears rolling down his cheeks, shaking his head he whispered, “Thank you.”

Lyrics from: Lover Lay Down by Dave Matthews Band off of the Under The Table & Dreaming album