Home Sweet Home Read online

  She yawned again and he felt terrible for waking her and keeping her up. “Listen baby, go back to bed and I’ll call you tomorrow, ok? Go sleep.”

  “It’s ok. I can talk,” she said softly.

  “No, sleep. Take care of yourself and my baby,” he murmured. “I love you, Sam.”

  “Love you too. Good night,” she whispered before hanging up the phone.

  He hung up the phone even more frustrated than before. Sam sounded so exhausted and he hated that he wasn’t there to help her. He was going to call Lisa and his mom tomorrow to have them check on her and maybe help her out if they could. He felt guilty for being on the road away from her when she needed him the most.

  He took a sip of the beer he’d opened and shook his head. It wasn’t enough. He needed something more, something stronger. He checked the mini-bar again and found some whiskey. He opened it and drank the bottle in a few swallows.

  He flipped on the TV and thought about heading back to the strip joint to join the other guys, but nothing good would probably come of that. He could take a shower, jack off, and go to sleep.

  He knew he shouldn’t drink, but he felt so isolated on this tour. He wasn’t into the rock star lifestyle anymore and he missed Sam. He couldn’t sleep for shit at night without her; the alcohol helped to calm his mind and helped him get some rest at night. Once he was back home, he would be fine and be able to stop. This was just temporary. At least that’s what he kept telling himself.

  Chapter Six

  Sam checked her phone. If Renee didn’t get there soon, they were never going to make her appointment with the doctor. She offered to pick up Sam since she had agreed to go with her for the results of her tests a couple of weeks ago.

  She had to admit she was nervous about this appointment. What if Renee did have cancer? And what if it was too advanced to do anything? She shivered at the thought. Lance would be a mess.

  She heard a horn honk and glanced out the window. It was Renee, finally. She grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Jason’s wife Lisa was watching Emma for a few hours while she was gone.

  She got into the car and her shoulders slumped when she saw Renee. She was a mess. Her eyes were red and she had bags and dark circles under her eyes.

  “Hey,” she greeted her quietly, settling into the passenger seat and adjusting the seat belt around her swollen belly.

  “Hi, Sam,” Renee replied softly as she put the car in reverse and headed to her doctor.

  They didn’t speak the whole way there. Sam wasn’t sure what to say. Small talk didn’t seem right and she certainly didn’t want to speculate about the outcome of this appointment. It wouldn’t do either of them any good.

  At the doctor’s, Renee changed her mind and wouldn’t let Sam come with her to find out the results, even though she insisted. Instead she was sitting in the waiting room, impatiently watching for Renee to come out. Her mind was going a million miles a minute. She tried to go through some notes on her phone for the book she was writing, but she couldn’t focus.

  She put her hand on her belly, feeling the baby kick. A smile played on her lips; this baby sure had strong legs. She was pretty sure it was a boy. She was going to find out in about two weeks. Lance was going to try to make it home to go to the appointment with her and she couldn’t wait to see him.

  The door opened to the doctor’s office and Renee came flying out. She walked past Sam quickly, not saying anything. Sam stood up, confused, her heart pounding. This couldn’t be good. She looked back over to the doctor’s door but no one was there. Even if she went to ask the doctor what happened, he probably couldn’t tell her anyway. Her best bet to find out what happened would be to follow Renee.

  She waddled after her as fast as she could. It seemed the larger she got, the harder it was to move with any speed. It made chasing after Emma interesting at times.

  When she finally made it out to the parking lot, Renee was leaning against her car, sobbing. Sam went to her, putting her arms around her. “What happened?” she asked, trying to sooth her.

  She shook her head and cried against her. Sam bit her lip, trying to fight back her own tears. If Renee was reacting like this, she was sure it wasn’t anything good.

  She held Renee for a few minutes, letting her cry in her arms. She finally pulled away to get a tissue from her purse. She blew her nose and took a deep breath.

  “It’s cancer--bone cancer. And they don’t know how long I have. They think it’s pretty advanced, but I need a few more tests. If I do chemo, I can have maybe another year, if not, three to six months,” she choked, her voice breaking as she tried not to start sobbing again.

  “Oh Renee,” Sam said, running a hand over her face. “I’m so sorry.”

  Renee nodded and unlocked the car. “Let’s go. I want to see my granddaughter.”

  Sam went around and got in the car, stunned at Renee’s news. She’d known it had been a possibility, but she had been in denial, thinking it couldn’t happen.

  They drove to Lisa’s, neither of them saying a word. The sounds of “I Remember You” filled the quiet car and Sam panicked. It was Lance calling her. She couldn’t talk to him now. She looked over at Renee.

  “I can’t talk to him right now, Renee,” she admitted.

  “I know. Me neither,” she replied, glancing down at Sam’s phone.

  “You have to tell him soon--like tonight or tomorrow. He needs to know what you are going through.”

  Renee shook her head. “No,” she said. “I’m not going to interrupt him while he’s touring. Other than you and Emma, music is his life. I won’t mess it up for him.”

  “Renee,” she admonished, frustrated. “You are his mother. You mean more to him than music. He has to know. If you don’t tell him, I will.”

  “No, you will not tell him,” Renee urged, pulling up to Lisa’s. “He’s my son and I will decide when he needs to know.” She took a deep breath and put her head in her hands. Sam reached out and rubbed her arm. She needed Lance right now. He was always her rock.

  Renee looked up. “I’m sorry, Sam,” she said. “I’ll tell him. I promise. Now how about you go get Emma and let me keep her tonight. I need some grandma time. You can sleep or write or whatever.”

  “Are you sure? Do you want me to stay too?” Sam asked, not sure if she should leave Renee alone.

  Renee nodded firmly. “Yes, I’m sure. I think it will do me some good to keep busy with Emma tonight. It will keep my mind off of it if only for a little while.”

  Sam agreed. She had to admit the thought of getting some writing done and sleeping in the next morning sounded good. Maybe she could have some sexy time on the phone or video chat with Lance too.

  She got out of the car to get Emma. Maybe one more night of pretending life was perfect wouldn’t hurt.

  ***

  Sam managed to make good headway on her novel since Renee kept Emma for the night. She had trouble concentrating at first given the news of the day, but eventually she got lost in her characters.

  Lance had called her quickly before his show to check in and she’d let him know she was home alone tonight. He was almost as giddy as a teenager when they agreed that he should call her after his show so they could have some adult time on the phone. He wanted to do video chat, but she didn’t feel so sexy right now with her pregnant belly.

  She’d brought her laptop to bed with her, propped up on the pillows they kept on their bed. She was still going strong when Lance finally called her.

  “Hey you,” she smiled. It was good to hear his voice. She closed her laptop and set it aside to give him her full attention.

  “Hey baby,” he replied. “Just got done with the show--another sell-out crowd. It was awesome.”

  She couldn’t help but smile at the excitement in his voice. She had no doubt that Lance loved her with all his heart, but performing did something for him that she couldn’t do.

  “I bet you look hot right now,” she teased. She usually attacked him
after a show. His sexual energy was so high and she was hot and bothered watching him play the guitar. He had amazing hands.

  “Hot and sweaty, yeah,” he chuckled.

  “Yum. Just how I like you,” she grinned, squeezing her thighs together.

  “Oh really now?” he asked.

  “Mmhmm,” she murmured, nodding. “Are you alone?”

  “Yes,” he replied, his voice getting deeper. “I’m in my dressing room and I locked the door so I won’t be disturbed.”

  “Good.”

  “Where are you? What are you wearing?” he asked.

  “I’m in our bed. I could lie and tell you I’m naked, but I’m wearing one of your t-shirts and some yoga pants.”

  He groaned. “Now that I know you don’t wear panties under those things, they are the sexiest things ever. I can totally picture you lying there.”

  She heard some rustling on the other end and what sounded like his belt buckle. “Undoing your pants?” she asked, her tight nipples rubbing against the cotton of her t-shirt.

  “Yes, the thought of you in yoga pants makes my dick hard. Not to mention I haven’t fucked you in six weeks. It doesn’t take much.”

  “Poor baby,” she laughed softly. She moved her hand between her legs, slipping it inside the waistband of her pants. “If you were here, what would you do to me?”

  “More like what wouldn’t I do to you, Sam,” he growled. “First I would take off your clothes and then tie you to the bed because I plan on teasing you for a long time. I don’t want you to go anywhere.”

  Sam gasped. They’d done some bondage play and it was pretty intense. She loved being helpless and at his mercy. Her fingers found her swollen clit between her legs. Oh how she missed Lance’s fingers and tongue there.

  “Then I would spread your legs wide and devour you. I’d bury my face in your pussy, licking and sucking until you came hard all over my face. Then I’d lick you until you did it again,” he murmured as she fingered her sensitive nub. “Are you touching yourself for me, Sam?” he asked gruffly.

  She nodded, and then remembered he couldn’t see her. “Yes,” she panted breathlessly.

  “Good girl.”

  She shuddered. She loved when he said that to her.

  “Slide your finger inside that pussy of mine,” he commanded her. She whimpered, inserting her finger into her dripping wet sex. “Mmm,” he murmured. “Add another finger.”

  She moaned, adding another finger to the one buried deep inside her. Her hips were moving in a slight circle on the bed. Her orgasm was building deep in her womb.

  “Now fuck yourself with your fingers. Move them in and out slowly. Not too fast. I don’t want you to come yet.”

  She did as he commanded, working her pussy with her fingers. She was soon panting on the phone. “Lance,” she whimpered.

  “What’s wrong, Sam? Do you need to come?” he asked.

  “Yes, Lance, please,” she begged. She hated when he teased her like this.

  “Finger your clit for me. Imagine it’s my finger there, touching you,” he groaned.

  “Are you touching yourself?” She asked him as she ran her finger back over her clit, touching it the way he did.

  “Fuck yeah,” he mumbled. “I’m so rock hard right now, but I want you to come with me.”

  She bit her lip and moaned. She pictured Lance stroking himself and her hips came off the bed slightly. She was so close to coming.

  “Tell me when you are going to come, baby,” he urged, his voice thick with desire.

  Her legs starting shaking as she got close. “I’m going to come, Lance. Now!” She cried out as she came hard, moaning into the phone. She almost dropped it as her orgasm washed over her in waves.

  He moaned softly when he came, his breath ragged with his release. “Fuck baby,” he muttered.

  “Yeah,” she replied, her breathing almost back to normal.

  “Phone sex with you is so hot. Of course I’d rather it be real sex, but I’ll take it!”

  She laughed. Yes, real sex with Lance was so much better, but she was happy that they’d found a way to be intimate while he was gone. When he came home in two weeks for her doctor’s appointment, she had a feeling they would barely leave the bed.

  “I gotta get to bed now. It’s late and I’m tired.”

  “And I have a mess here,” he chuckled. “Good night, Sam. I love you.”

  “I love you, Lance.”

  She hung up the phone and snuggled into bed. She grabbed his pillow and hugged it against her body. Phone sex with him had been just what she needed. Tomorrow she would face reality again.

  Chapter Seven

  Lance was tired. This crazy schedule that had seemed like a good idea when they were planning this tour now had him exhausted. They did a show almost every single night, hopping on a bus or a plane right after to take them to the next city. He was getting too old for this shit.

  It was early Sunday morning and they were on the tour bus headed God-knows where. Lance couldn’t even keep track of where they were anymore. Maybe it wasn’t even Sunday. He was too spent to care.

  He rolled off of his bunk and slipped on some sweats. He was going to make some coffee, listen to some music, and write some stuff for their next album. As much as he loved to perform, he felt like writing songs was what really fulfilled him.

  In a few days, he would see Sam and Emma. He was flying home for Sam’s ultrasound appointment and he couldn’t wait. He needed a couple of days with his girls to recharge.

  He settled with a pad of paper, a beer, and his headphones on chair towards the front of the bus. He was the only band member that usually got up so early but he didn’t mind. He liked the solitude for a few hours each morning. It was a nice break from the chaos that usually occurred the rest of the day.

  He looked up, noticing some movement out of the corner of his eye. It was Nicole coming out to use the bathroom. He tried not to roll his eyes and turned his attention back to the piece of paper before him.

  He hadn’t been able to convince Rick that Nicole was no good. She’d wrapped him around her finger and barely left Rick’s side. Lance managed to avoid her for the most part and thankfully she stayed away from him. Once in a while he would catch her looking at him, but that was it. He’d muttered maybe two words to her since the first night he found her on the bus and he didn’t plan on saying anymore.

  Lance glanced over when a shadow came across his paper and there she was, sitting next to him. She was wearing one of Rick’s shirts and probably nothing else underneath. He’s heard them still going at it when he got up. Her long red hair was messy, hanging to the middle of her back. She was pretty enough, but Lance wondered frequently what he had seen in her all those years ago. You can tell she’d lived hard by the lines on her face.

  He continued to work, ignoring her presence. Maybe if he seemed really busy and ignored her, she would go away.

  “What ya doing, Lance?” she asked in that too sweet voice she had. Just hearing it made him want to cringe.

  He looked up at her. Ignoring her clearly wasn’t going to work. “Just writing,” he shrugged, turning back to paper. Maybe she’d get the hint he didn’t want to be disturbed. Then again, she hadn’t been the smartest back when they were kids; he doubted much had changed there.

  “Anything good?” she asked, leaning over, trying to read what he’d written.

  He covered his scribbles protectively with his arm. “Not sure yet. Just doodling.”

  She sat back in the chair with a pout. “Why do you keep avoiding me, Lance?” she asked.

  He sighed and pulled out his earphones. “Really, Nicole? Do you really need to ask?” he asked her, trying to keep his voice down so he didn’t wake the other band members.

  She crossed her arms over her ample chest. He had a feeling that’s what Rick liked most about her. “That was ages ago,” she said.

  He set his piece of paper and pen aside. “Your lie almost ruined my life. I lost Sa
m,” he sighed.

  “But you found her again, so it’s all good,” she responded with a snort.

  “I got lucky. We got lucky. It’s a miracle we are together again after all those years apart. And it’s no thanks to you.”

  “Whatever, Lance. You’re still an ass. She can have you,” she muttered, getting up from the chair and stormed to the back of the bus by Rick, slamming the door behind her.

  Lance couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit at her reaction. He got up and snuck a beer from the fridge. It was early, but after talking to that woman, he needed one. He opened it and took a drink before he stuck his earphones back in and turned the music up. Hopefully that would be the last time she tried to talk him.

  ***

  The next few days went by in a blur. The band spent most of their time on the bus or at shows. They were looking forward to a four-day break and getting some rest. Lance was most looking forward to seeing Samantha and Emma.

  Sam had been able to get an appointment for her ultrasound while he was home and he couldn’t wait to go and find out the sex of their baby. They didn’t find out what they were having with Emma, but this time they wanted to know so they could plan better. He knew Sam was hoping for a boy so they could have one of each, but he really wanted another girl. He could totally see himself living in a house full of women and he loved it.

  He was throwing a few things into a bag when Rick came over and sat down by him. “Hey man,” he said.

  Lance glanced over at him. “What’s up? Any big plans for the break?”

  Rick shook his head and ran his hand over his face. “Not really,” he sighed. “Listen, the other night Nicole came back to bed pissed off after talking to you. What’s up with you two?”

  Lance shrugged. “Nothing,” he replied, zipping up his bag. He sat next to Rick. “She talked to me briefly the other night, but that was the first time since she’s basically been on tour with us. I have no desire to get into a fight with her, much less even really talk to her. Sorry, man.”

  Rick sighed. “I know. I know your history and I know what she did to you. I’m sorry about that. But I think she’s different now. I really do.”