Bright Lights: Chapter 56 - Floating
hey guys, It’s been a while
Tagging: @fyeahproudglambert @msroxyblog@meghan12151977 who i think is @llfd1977 now @maulapaulawaula @teggles07 (if anyone else desires a tagging, lemme know)
I sat at the servery of Jared’s kitchen watching as Jared and Shannon played with Penelope. They were so good with her it warmed my heart.
“Phoebs,” I heart softly, I looked up at my sister. “This is a lot,”
“What do you mean,”
“Like, you just changed my life, and my daughter’s life, and what if I can’t deliver,”
“Riley,” I laughed.
“how is this funny?” She snapped.
“You’re right,” I said putting on a serious face. “you were saying?”
“I’ve not played drums in years, and I wasn’t even that great, how am I supposed to do this justice?”
I couldn’t help it, I started laughing. “I’m glad you’re taking your career seriously,”
“I am,” I said letting the laughter subside.
“Phoebe!!” She snapped. I felt Jared and Shannon look over at us.
“Look,” I said actually getting a grip of myself. “I’m sorry, I’m super tired but I just had a glimpse of how I sound to the Leto’s” I smiled
“Right,” she said crossing her arms just as Shannon walked over. There was also a knock on the door, which I assumed was Connie. Jared asked her to get a couple of supplies for the baby. “as for the other stuff, we’ll figure it out tomorrow, okay?” I said making sure I was being as sincere as possible, her anxieties were kind of valid right now. “You’ll pick everything up like a pro,”
“Drums?” Shannon asked as he put his arm around my back. I looked up at him and nodded. “Phoebs is right, we’ve got time,”
“A week,” she grumbled.
“He’s a pro,” I smiled.
“Oh, and who is this little one,” I heard we all looked over at Jared holding Nelly up at the door. Connie was cooing over the baby in her son’s arms.
“Meet Nelly,”
“Hey there, little Nelly,” Connie smiled playing with her. I followed Shannon’s lead by walking over to the trio.
“Hey Mom,” Shannon said giving her a warm hug.
“Hey son, Phoebe,” she said hugging me tightly. “Congratulations, lovely”
“Thank you,” I grinned as she pulled back. “I see you’ve met my niece,” I smiled.
“She could pass as your daughter,”
“I think one of your sons said that” I grinned. “this is my sister, Riley,” I said motioning to Riley.
“Hey, Riley,” Connie said hugging her too. “Congratulations on your own little victory,”
“Thanks,” Riley smiled kindly. “Such a huge relief. “
“I bet,” Connie smiled. “I have supplies, they’re in the car, Jared why don’t you hand the baby over and you and your brother get them?” she ordered.
“Sure,” Jared said without hesitation he turned and handed Nelly to me.
“Which room were they taking?” Connie asked of her son.
“The one furthest from the studio,”
“Alright,” Connie called. “Ladies, let’s go set this room up for a child,” the three of us followed Connie down to the bedroom. It was a nice room, perfect for Riley and Penelope for the next little while. Jared had a TV and drawers and stuff so she could have her own space. “She’s at the crawling stage?”
“Correct,” Riley told. “She's starting to pull herself up tiny bit,” she added.
“Oh, they grow so fast,”
“They do,” Riley laughed.
“She has barely changed,” I said trying to be a part of the conversation.
“you met her like 2 weeks ago,” Riley pointed out.
“Not the point,” I laughed.
There was a noise down the hallway then Jared appeared in the doorway followed by Shannon.
“I think we need to take mom on a journey of what ‘one night’ means,” Jared teased putting stuff on the bed. Shannon did the same.
“Explain,” my Leto said as he unloaded. “there’s still another load each for us,”
“Babies are a lot,” Connie said walking to the bed. I looked down at the child.
“A couple of diapers and a change of clothes was all she needed? No?” I asked looking up to Shannon.
“That’s what I thought,” Shannon said. I felt we understood each other.
“Yeah, you obviously have never spent much time around kids,” Riley grumbled. I kinda wanted to punch her in the face.
“Hmm, it’s a lot more than people realize.”
“Right,” I said walking over to Shannon who was looking through a bag. “Well, you know you could teach us instead of telling us how wrong we are,” I said reaching into the bag pulling out a funny looking brush. “What does this do?”
“It looks like a toilet cleaner,” Shannon laughed as Nelly grabbed hold of it.
“Close,” Connie said walking over taking the bag off her son. “It’s a bottle cleaner.” She smiled kindly taking a bottle out of the bag. “I think Phoebe should take the sleepy baby and make a bottle, while Riley and I set this stuff up, and the boys finish their task too,” Connie said handing me a bottle then a big container of whatever.
“I’ve ne-“
“put water in it to the 600, then put four scoops in and shake it good, then nuke it for a bit, you want it lukewarm.” She told me.
“Right,” I said.
“Come on Rockstar, it’s just a bottle,” she teased. I shook my head and walked off.
“Hey,” I heard as I neared the end of the hall. I turned to see Shannon right behind me. “You have a really cute butt,”
“Thanks,” I grinned. “you have a cute smile,”
“Thanks,” he grinned, I stopped before the end of the hall and let him catch up and kiss me. “You fairing okay?”
“Yeah,” I smiled. “I kind of feel like I’m floating.”
“Yeah,” he said pulling me in doing the best he could at hugging me even with all the stuff in my arm. “Mom got some dinner, we’ll all stop and eat that soon,” he said I smiled at him.
“I should make this bottle,”
“Okay,” he grinned. “I love you,”
“I love you too,” I smiled he kissed me again
I walked in and around the kitchen doing what Riley and Connie had instructed me to do it was a lot easier than my brain was telling me it was going to be. I walked back t the room.
“Ri,” I said to her, and Connie were putting a portable cot together. “Is this okay?” I asked she held her hand out for the bottle tipping in her wrist.
“Perfect Aunty Pheebs” she smiled. I smiled back walking around the bed and climbing up sitting with the baby in a comfortable position. Letting her feed. “when she’d about half way, burp her,”
“Okay,” I nodded.
I watched everyone come in and out doing their thing, Jared and Shannon did whatever Connie ordered them to do until Jared announced he was serving dinner. Connie decided we would have it in here, so we could all help Riley get comfortable.
Shannon walked around the side of the bed when he finished the last task Connie set for him. Without saying a word hi climbed on the bed behind me and pulled Nelly and me back into him. He pushed his mouth into the exposed part of my neck. His beard tickling like crazy.
“Goosebumps?” he whispered a moment after the appeared on my body. “hmm,” he sighed kissing further up my neck.
“Stop,” I laughed.
“Really?” he laughed kissing my back again.
“Yes,” I said leaning back into him letting him kiss me before my ear. “for now, at least, I have a child in my arms,”
“Okay,” he said kissing my cheek. He stopped kissing me but kept holding me, which I was completely okay with. I looked down at nelly, she was almost asleep but halfway through her bottle.
“do I still burp her?” I questioned.
“Yeah,” Shannon whispered helping me sit her up properly. “the wind gives them a tummy pain,”
“Oh,” I said
“Alternate between petting her back and rubbing circles,”
“I thought Shannoebe was babyily impaired?”
“I fed a friend’s baby a few times,” he laughed “Don’t get any ideas,”
“Not this vagina anytime soon,” I laughed.
“That’s why you’re my perfect kitten,” he laughed kissing my head.
“perfect Career Kitten,” I said just as Penelope let out a massive burp. “Woah,” I laughed looking down at her.
“Now I can tell she’s related to Phoebe,” Jared said as he walked into the room.
“Because there was any doubt?” Riley laughed. “I’m her clone, but Nelly is her clooone”
“Well,” Jared laughed. “Riley’s case is getting more and more proven.” He grinned handing me my dinner.
“That’s why I like your brother better,”
“He probably agrees,”
“Yeah, but his mou-“ Shannon’s hand went over my mouth.
“Mother in the room,”
“And baby,” Riley laughed pointing at the squirming child in my arms. I looked down at her and gave her the bottle back picking at my dinner as she ate hers. The talk was mostly about the day, how well I did, how thankful Riley was. Something about rehearsal. Something about an aeroplane… I closed my eyes for a small moment.
“Hey, kitten,” I heard, man I loved Shannon, but he needed to not right now. “Phoebs,”
“Hmm,” I groaned leaning into him.
“Let’s go to bed,”
“I’m in bed,” I groaned.
“You’re in my bed, sis.”
“Riley?” I opened my eyes and looked at her…. “I really need to get used to you being around,”
“Yeah,” she laughed dorkishly.
“Your laugh is dorky,” I said sitting up. “Where’s the kid?” I asked looking around seeing her with Connie as I heard a sniffle. I furrowed my brows and looked over at Riley. “Ri?” she shook her head and looked away. “What’s wrong?” I asked. She shook her head and held her hand up taking a deep breath composing herself. When she looked up at me her face was contorted, and she was fighting against her lip quivering.
“I haven’t heard you say that in so long,”
“Oh,” I said looking down at my knees. I guess small things were kinda big things in a family that was shattered to pieces. Shannon soothed my shoulder. “Well,” I shrugged driving across the bed tackling her down.
“Phoebe!!” she half laughed half screamed.
“Better get used to it dorky little RiRi,” I said pulling her into a bear hug over the top of me. I loved hearing her giggle. It was refreshing I couldn’t help but join in
“Guys watch ou-“ Connie called as we both fell off the bed into a heap. I couldn’t help but laugh my butt off as I held the elbow that hit the bedside table. “You’re both goofballs,” Connie laughed shaking her head.
“This one is my goofball,” Shannon said offering me his hand which didn’t hesitate in taking, helping Riley to a standing position as soon as I was confident on my feet. “Let’s go to bed,” Shannon said wrapping his arms around me from behind squeezing tight. My mind suddenly clicked to bed, but not sleep. He was so devious.
“Okay,” I smiled hugging my sister, Connie and Nelly before following Shannon to bed. Jared must’ve gone to bed or whatever. He was nowhere to be seen.
“You doing okay?” Shannon asked with his arm around my waist as we crossed the house.
“I’m okay enough to have sex,”
“I told you, your head is more important than me having sex,”
“I’m okay,” I grinned opening the door to the backyard. He grabbed me and pushed me into the wall between the main house and the guest house. He kissed me hard then put his head against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, his hands were on my waist. It was all I could think of.
“Talk to me,” he said softly, but I kinda felt like he was begging me too talk at the same time.
“I am okay,”
“Yeah, but you’re kinda not okay too,” he said sternly. I let out a reluctant breath. “Baby,”
“I don’t know how to vocalise this feeling,”
“I feel like I am floating, and not in a good drug kind of way,” I blurted. “I have a huge feeling of ooh my fucking god my dream is coming true regarding the showcase then I have a huge feeling of what the fuck did I just do regarding Riley!” I told. “I have to teach her my entire setlist in a couple of days, and what if she doesn’t have the stamina? What if I can’t trust her? What if leaving Penelope with Mitchell is the complete and utter wrong thing for her?” I spilt. “What if I let you guys down because I let my sister back in my life,” I told
“You won’t let me down,”
“She’s toxic for me Shannon!”
“She has been,”
“You want to have sex and you’re baiting me?” I snapped dropping my arms.
“I’m not trying too bait you, Phoebe!” he told. “You’re tired and overreacting,”
“Shannon,” I warned looking him in the eyes.
“Look, you’ve not had a good support system before like you do now,” he said I went to talk but he cut me off. “Not since your dad and your brother,” could he actually read my mind? “life is a long journey, baby,”
“I know,” I said looking down.
“The only constant is change,” he said I looked into his eyes. “I know you’re over being bitter towards her, I can see it, you said it,”
“But what if it’s not for the best?”
“Only one way to know,”
“Yeah,” I said wrapping my arms around him hugging him as tight as I could.
“Just keep an open mind,”
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” I whined. He pulled back, so I looked him in the eyes. “Not today,”
“Babe,”
“I just want to forget, Shannon… for a minute,” I begged his face soften. “Help me forget?” he rose his eyebrows. I gave as cute as a grin as I could. He pushed his lips back into mine grabbing my legs pulling to his hips as my arms went back around his neck.
He turned and walked to the guest house dropping me on the bed feeling anywhere and everywhere he wanted too.
“I have to use the bathroom,” he said hovering over me.
“Okay baby,” I smiled.
“get yourself ready,” he said seductively as he pushed off the bed. I let out a soft giggle as I moved up the bed positioning the pillows behind me so I could see him when he came out. I put my thumbs in the top of my pants, this was all about timing. All I had to do was wait.