Cantrell: The Middle Years

Farewell, Never Goodbye, a Cantrell: The Middle Years Update-4

Erik stood staring out of the window, his mind racing.  Last night he took his family to Midnight Services to ring in Christmas.  Tired, but not exhausted, he managed upon their return to catch a couple of hours’ sleep. He was anxious to spend this glorious day with his entire family, or at least the grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. He fully expected pandemonium.  The children were all pretty young, he could expect no less. 

He decided he would revel in it. Facing another World Tour, he had no real clue as to just when they would return. Could be months, could be a year or more. This is what he hated about such tours. Sold-out audiences meant additional dates were added, by location.  His only solace was this was for the benefit of his fans. As things stood at this moment, he was already booked for forty-four consecutive concerts, which could easily grow in amount over time. He was exhausted just thinking about it.

It simply was the nature of the Beast. He felt profound gratitude to Aaron and the others who worked so diligently to resolve the issues blocking his acceptance of this contractual obligation. While his personal coffers were comfortably full for the moment, he had experienced the fear of not being able to pay his bills, let alone finish building his house, after he lost his case and the court ordered his immediate payment to the contractors and the subsequent vendors who would service the individual concerts, set up by date. He was left nearly a pauper by the time his lawyer had sorted through all of the receipts. Erik simply refused to go through that again. Lessons learned.

He was grateful to Kayleigh for being able to see to the finishing of the interior of their newly constructed dwelling on that proverbial shoestring. He only changed the wall-treatment of one room, the dining room, in all of this time.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

As was their tradition, gifts would be opened, one at a time, so that all could see the reaction of the receiver.  This was also a fun way to extend the time together. 

Once his living room was basically trashed by this crew, Erik went to check on their Grand Feast. 

Grabbing his bell, he rang them all to their Nativity Feast.

When all was said and done, it was time to give their farewells.

"This is what it means to deploy, Baby. It's never easy."

Erik hung back. He was never one who liked goodbyes, and was prepared to say Farewell, only, which was just another way to say until we meet again. “I do promise,” he said, as the family slowly departed from his home, “we will be back! Sooner than you know it.”

They were catching the Red Eye flight to Windenburg. This would put them there around dawn. Erik was well aware he had a very early Sound Check the very next morning, shortly after they arrived, which barely gave him time to get his family into the rental. Getting settled would come later. Essentially, he was going to have to hit the ground running.

The jetliner was a private one. With his children being so very young, the last thing he wanted was to impose their sometimes-wayward behavior on the other passengers. Gazing at the twins, surprisingly, both of them had nodded off.  Melodie sat next to Harmony, who both drifted off, little hands clasping the other, a favorite stuffed toy under the other arm. Erik smiled.  Kayleigh had their infant, Cadence tethered to her in a special swaddling-type cloth.  Both she and the baby had managed to nod off. The baby girl simply hated to be held.

Closing his eyes, Erik finally drifted off to sleep. Before he knew it, the Flight Attendant was announcing their approach to the space port.  “Please place your seats in their upright position and fasten your seatbelts. Erik’s eyes flashed open with the less than friendly tones of the twins who were arguing over which side to the seatbelt belonged to them. “Boys, don’t make me have to come over there and strap you in like infants.”

With her eyes still closed, Kayleigh murmured, “And the adventure begins . . .”

“Welcome to Windenburg,” Erik grinned. “It’s still dark out. Did I mention to you how glad I am that you and our brood chose to accompany me in my misery? I am very grateful. Touring can sometimes be such a lonely business. If you weren’t sitting here next to me, I’d be missing you already.”

As the plane taxied down the runway and glided to a silky stop, once the word was given, Erik and his family debarked and loaded into the waiting taxi craft. “Wow,” Andrew said, “That’s a hot off the factory 2286 model Streamliner Seven. Nova.”
Harmony giggled, and repeated, “Nova!”

A short trek later, the family was deposited in front of a rather imposing, ancient castle.

“Erik?” Kayleigh said. “I know you teased about a castle. You weren’t kidding, were you?”

“I a princess,” Harmony giggled.
 
“Let me guess,” Jamison said, “as the Crown Prince, it’s up to me and my minion,” he gestured to Andrew, who scoffed at him, openly, “to stand guard.”
“Happily, that won’t be necessary. We may have to ward off a few fans, but nothing like the Obsessed few we left behind.” I hope. “Let’s get inside, it’s a bit cold out here,” With that he ushered his family into Castle Dragonheart for their oversees stay.

All for now, thanks for reading!