GraceRyan
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
This bit is much shorter. It's fiction. You know the drill. The saga will continue in a few days.
Abby wouldn’t meet Larry’s gaze when she returned. Members of Pearl Jam and Billy Joe Armstrong had joined the party. She sat herself with Eddie and Bono at one table. Her head had cleared from the earlier drinks and she chose to stay with water. It was a big day tomorrow and hangovers would not be tolerated. Eddie and Bono provided some distraction from her thoughts. She couldn’t help but steal glances at Larry and Ann. His expression was blank. He sat dutifully beside Ann with Ezra on his lap.
After dinner, Abby wandered down the beach alone. She felt empty. Hurt, anger and despair had run their course for the day. Suddenly, she wanted to be home in New York with her family. She longed for the cold air to sting her lungs and the Rockefeller Center tree overlooking skaters. Earlier in the day, she dreaded the end of the tour – now she counted the hours when she could board a plane.
Larry puffed on his cigarette by the water. He managed to escape for a few minutes while Ann put the kids to bed. He was still numb. Checking his watch, he should’ve been slipping into a warm frothy tub with Abby by now. He rubbed the back of his neck. They hadn’t discussed the future beyond skipping the after-party tomorrow. Now what was he to do? His promises found him in Hawaii.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her figure walking down the beach. Her sandals swung from her hand as she traced the water line with her head down. He glanced over his shoulder at the party through the trees. It raged on fine without them.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“Just getting some air. And you?” he flicked his cigarette in the water.
“Stretching my legs after dinner. I feel kind of full,” she said casually.
Larry rubbed the back of his neck furiously. He looked around them. “Look, I had no idea.”
She held up her hand. “I know,” she whispered. “Let’s not talk about it now.”
He moved a little closer. He just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close. “Abby, I….”
“Larry, don’t,” she looked down. “Everyone’s around.”
“I don’t know how to make this right,” he touched her arm.
She pushed passed him. “You can’t make it happen tonight.”
“I know I can’t. It was the last thing I expected,” he searched the right words.
“Yes, it was,” Abby nodded slowly.
Voices from the party drew closer. She turned to walk up the beach. He grabbed her arm and stared at her. “Abby, I just….”
“Don’t say another word,” she scrambled up the beach.
“Fuck,” he scowled. There was no time tonight to unravel his feelings and decide what to do next. He needed to be a father, a partner and a member of a band.
Laughter from the party floated to where he stood. A wave of guilt swallowed him whole. He turned down the beach, not ready to rejoin the party.
Adam stepped out from the trees where he had been enjoying a cigarette. He stared after Abby. It confirmed what he suspected all along. Larry and Abby had fallen in love.
Abby stared at Andrew’s Christmas tree. In the background, It’s a Wonderful Life was on the television. For Christmas Eve, her heart was heavier than a fruitcake. It was two weeks ago that the tour ended. After Ann turned up in Hawaii, she didn’t talk to Larry much beyond small talk about what he needed for the concert. She should have won an Oscar for her performance that last day. She joked and laughed. She avoided Larry as much as she could, but when they did have to talk – she displayed her best poker face. Larry never attempted to talk with her much beyond concert talk.
Abby left the after-party early as planned. She collapsed against her hotel suite door and cast a gaze at the spa in her room. Finally, the tears flowed. Her body ached with pain and disappointment. The scene she just left was too much. Ann’s arms were wrapped around Larry as he chatted casually with Edge. He looked like belonged there. He didn’t belong with Abby. He was hers for two wonderful weeks, but it was just a dream. Hastily, she pulled her suitcase out of the closet and stuffed it with her clean and dirty clothes. She managed to get on an afternoon flight on Sunday. At breakfast, she would make her apologies for not staying on in Hawaii longer, but work called. She didn’t know that Larry looked for her at the party.
“Have a great holiday,” Abby hugged Ali tightly.
“Are you sure you have to run off?” She asked.
She nodded. “We’re heading into our busy season and we have loads of movies premiering.”
“We’ll see you soon,” Edge collected her in his arms.
“Look after yourself,” Adam said earnestly. She caught something in his eye that momentarily disarmed her.
“Say hello to your beautiful bride for me,” she gathered her carry-on.
As Abby made her way out of the hotel, she ran into Ann and Larry. Both looked freshly showered. Her stomach lurched.
“Are you leaving?” Larry frowned.
“Yes, the movie business calls,” she said indifferently.
“What about us?” he asked.
Her heart stopped. She wasn’t sure how to answer. Did he mean the band or something esle? One look in his eyes, she knew he meant both.
She shrugged. “The tour’s over. I have to get home and get ready for a full week ahead – never mind Christmas.”
Ann nodded. “I have nothing up home.”
Abby forced a smile. “See? I’m in the same boat.”
Ann grabbed her into a hug. “Have a safe journey home and a wonderful holiday.”
“You too, Ann,” she knew it would seem odd if she didn’t give Larry a hug. It was strained. She was afraid that if she lingered, she would melt into him. “Merry Christmas, Larry.”
“Merry Christmas, Abby,” he said softly. Ann turned away to met the others in the dining room. Quickly, he kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Larry never called. There was never an email. She hoped everyday that he would contact her. Everyday, her heart died a little more. She knew that he was home with his family. At that moment, Larry was probably curled up with Ann in bed. Abby was alone. Sure, she was with her family. Even Jake was in California with his family.
Sighing heavily, she walked into the living room. “I’m going to bed.”
“This early?” Andrew asked.
“I’m tired. I’ll see you in the morning,” she yawned.
“Merry Christmas, Abby,” he called after her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t feel very merry at all.
Abby wouldn’t meet Larry’s gaze when she returned. Members of Pearl Jam and Billy Joe Armstrong had joined the party. She sat herself with Eddie and Bono at one table. Her head had cleared from the earlier drinks and she chose to stay with water. It was a big day tomorrow and hangovers would not be tolerated. Eddie and Bono provided some distraction from her thoughts. She couldn’t help but steal glances at Larry and Ann. His expression was blank. He sat dutifully beside Ann with Ezra on his lap.
After dinner, Abby wandered down the beach alone. She felt empty. Hurt, anger and despair had run their course for the day. Suddenly, she wanted to be home in New York with her family. She longed for the cold air to sting her lungs and the Rockefeller Center tree overlooking skaters. Earlier in the day, she dreaded the end of the tour – now she counted the hours when she could board a plane.
Larry puffed on his cigarette by the water. He managed to escape for a few minutes while Ann put the kids to bed. He was still numb. Checking his watch, he should’ve been slipping into a warm frothy tub with Abby by now. He rubbed the back of his neck. They hadn’t discussed the future beyond skipping the after-party tomorrow. Now what was he to do? His promises found him in Hawaii.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her figure walking down the beach. Her sandals swung from her hand as she traced the water line with her head down. He glanced over his shoulder at the party through the trees. It raged on fine without them.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked.
“Just getting some air. And you?” he flicked his cigarette in the water.
“Stretching my legs after dinner. I feel kind of full,” she said casually.
Larry rubbed the back of his neck furiously. He looked around them. “Look, I had no idea.”
She held up her hand. “I know,” she whispered. “Let’s not talk about it now.”
He moved a little closer. He just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close. “Abby, I….”
“Larry, don’t,” she looked down. “Everyone’s around.”
“I don’t know how to make this right,” he touched her arm.
She pushed passed him. “You can’t make it happen tonight.”
“I know I can’t. It was the last thing I expected,” he searched the right words.
“Yes, it was,” Abby nodded slowly.
Voices from the party drew closer. She turned to walk up the beach. He grabbed her arm and stared at her. “Abby, I just….”
“Don’t say another word,” she scrambled up the beach.
“Fuck,” he scowled. There was no time tonight to unravel his feelings and decide what to do next. He needed to be a father, a partner and a member of a band.
Laughter from the party floated to where he stood. A wave of guilt swallowed him whole. He turned down the beach, not ready to rejoin the party.
Adam stepped out from the trees where he had been enjoying a cigarette. He stared after Abby. It confirmed what he suspected all along. Larry and Abby had fallen in love.
Abby stared at Andrew’s Christmas tree. In the background, It’s a Wonderful Life was on the television. For Christmas Eve, her heart was heavier than a fruitcake. It was two weeks ago that the tour ended. After Ann turned up in Hawaii, she didn’t talk to Larry much beyond small talk about what he needed for the concert. She should have won an Oscar for her performance that last day. She joked and laughed. She avoided Larry as much as she could, but when they did have to talk – she displayed her best poker face. Larry never attempted to talk with her much beyond concert talk.
Abby left the after-party early as planned. She collapsed against her hotel suite door and cast a gaze at the spa in her room. Finally, the tears flowed. Her body ached with pain and disappointment. The scene she just left was too much. Ann’s arms were wrapped around Larry as he chatted casually with Edge. He looked like belonged there. He didn’t belong with Abby. He was hers for two wonderful weeks, but it was just a dream. Hastily, she pulled her suitcase out of the closet and stuffed it with her clean and dirty clothes. She managed to get on an afternoon flight on Sunday. At breakfast, she would make her apologies for not staying on in Hawaii longer, but work called. She didn’t know that Larry looked for her at the party.
“Have a great holiday,” Abby hugged Ali tightly.
“Are you sure you have to run off?” She asked.
She nodded. “We’re heading into our busy season and we have loads of movies premiering.”
“We’ll see you soon,” Edge collected her in his arms.
“Look after yourself,” Adam said earnestly. She caught something in his eye that momentarily disarmed her.
“Say hello to your beautiful bride for me,” she gathered her carry-on.
As Abby made her way out of the hotel, she ran into Ann and Larry. Both looked freshly showered. Her stomach lurched.
“Are you leaving?” Larry frowned.
“Yes, the movie business calls,” she said indifferently.
“What about us?” he asked.
Her heart stopped. She wasn’t sure how to answer. Did he mean the band or something esle? One look in his eyes, she knew he meant both.
She shrugged. “The tour’s over. I have to get home and get ready for a full week ahead – never mind Christmas.”
Ann nodded. “I have nothing up home.”
Abby forced a smile. “See? I’m in the same boat.”
Ann grabbed her into a hug. “Have a safe journey home and a wonderful holiday.”
“You too, Ann,” she knew it would seem odd if she didn’t give Larry a hug. It was strained. She was afraid that if she lingered, she would melt into him. “Merry Christmas, Larry.”
“Merry Christmas, Abby,” he said softly. Ann turned away to met the others in the dining room. Quickly, he kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’ll talk to you soon.”
Larry never called. There was never an email. She hoped everyday that he would contact her. Everyday, her heart died a little more. She knew that he was home with his family. At that moment, Larry was probably curled up with Ann in bed. Abby was alone. Sure, she was with her family. Even Jake was in California with his family.
Sighing heavily, she walked into the living room. “I’m going to bed.”
“This early?” Andrew asked.
“I’m tired. I’ll see you in the morning,” she yawned.
“Merry Christmas, Abby,” he called after her.
Unfortunately, she didn’t feel very merry at all.
this did. Will there be a happy ending? Can't wait to find out, great writing as always, Grace 
