There are audible gasps as we make our way out into the hot Las Vegas air through the VIP entrance. Several fans wait outside the hotel, cordoned off by the hotel security so they can’t mob us. We head straight over to them and sign as much as we can while the rest of our entourage make their way to the two tour buses lined up together.
When I finish and turn around to walk to the bus, I see Yivi standing at the doorway watching me. She has a massive smile on her face. I pretty much skip over to her and lead her onto the bus.
“That was crazy to watch,” she says and then falls silent when we get to the living quarters of the bus. “Wow!” she exclaims.
“Zoey and I call the bedroom at the back.” Tate shoves past me with a mischievous look on his face.
“Jesus! Are you going to be fucking the entire way to Seattle?” Cameron climbs up the steps of the bus and flops down into one of the leather chairs.
“How long’s the journey?” Tate asks.
“About seventeen hours.” Austin, the band’s fountain of useless knowledge and a technological genius, replies as he plumps down on the table a backpack containing his homemade computer.
“In which case, we’ll need to stop fucking for a bite to eat, but yes, I’d much rather fuck Zoey for the journey than spend it playing computer games with you idiots.”
Cameron flips his friend off. “No fucking for you. We need new songs. Get writing.”
“Spoilsport.” Zoey is the next to arrive on the bus. She’s been making sure we haven’t caused any trouble that needed dealing with. “Although, I think it’s probably a good suggestion, Cameron. Seventeen hours with Tate inside me is going to lead to a lot of chafing.”
“Chafing?” Yivi questions next to me.
“I’ll explain later,” I tell her.
We had another three concerts in Las Vegas after the first, so I’ve now known Yivi for a week, and during that time, we’ve discovered a lot more about each other. I’ve enjoyed watching her learn about the modern world, even if some of it has been a little scary. The best bit has been witnessing her now lethal addiction to chocolate. She can’t get enough of it. Not that I mind, I’ll buy her as much as she wants.
She’s also been a godsend, helping Zoey out. In spite of not having what’s considered to be a conventional education, Yivi is incredibly bright and has some really good ideas to help keep us all under control.
The tour bus pulls away from the hotel, and Yivi screams, “Earthquake!”
I look at her puzzled until I realize it’s the movement of the bus that’s scared her.
“It’s okay.” I take her hand and help her to a seat. “It’s not an earthquake. It’s the bus moving. It’s like a car but a lot bigger. We live in it on the road.” I’d never thought to explain to Yivi what a tour bus was or its purpose.
“A hotel on wheels?” Yivi questions, turning to look out the window as we travel along the road.
“A bit like that. Do you want to explore it?”
“Is it safe to walk around? You have to sit down in the smaller cars?”
“It’s perfectly safe, don’t worry.”
Yivi gets to her feet and tentatively takes a step. Finding she’s not going to fall over, she follows me as I give her a tour of our state-of-the-art bus. She’s amazed at the kitchen area and even more stunned we have a working bathroom on board. I tell her I’ll show her the back bedroom later when I hear grunting noises coming from Zoey and Tate who went straight back there when the bus started moving. She doesn’t need to see Tate’s backside as he takes Zoey for round one of the road trip.
As we approach the bunks, Yivi looks at them with a mixture of excitement and nervousness on her face.
“This is where we sleep,” I explain and pull back the curtain to one of the bunks.
“All together?” she questions.
“Well, in individual ones, but yes. I normally have a top one. Austin prefers the bottom. Cameron tends to crash in whatever is left, but if you choose one, I’ll make sure he stays out of it.”
She looks at the bunks. I can see a thought flashing through her mind as she nibbles at her lip.
“What is it?” I ask.
“We didn’t really live as families. When the girls came of age, we were taken away from our parents and lived in dormitories so we could learn what we needed to know about being wives. We had bunk beds there. I was never allowed the top one, though. There was this mean girl who insisted it was hers.”
“You can have the top one now. I don’t mind. I can have this one, and you can have the one on the opposite side.” I open the curtain for her so she can see where she’ll sleep.
“I like it.” She smiles and places her bag on the bunk.
“You said when the girls come of age they’re taken away from their parents. What age is that?” I ask, not sure whether I really want to know the answer.
“Apparently, it takes ten years to prepare a girl for marriage. I was ten years old when I last saw my parents. I don’t really remember much about them to be honest. I spoke to them at my wedding that never was, but they were practically strangers to me. I’m just glad I was their only child. I’d be terrified for any siblings I’d left behind.”
I pull Yivi into my arms and give her a hug. It’s something we’ve taken to doing a lot recently.
“Do you mind if I sit in my bunk for a while and read the book you gave me?” Yivi asks.
I’ve given her a copy of Bill Bryson’s ‘History of Everything’, and she’s been engrossed in it ever since.
“Of course, we’ll stop for dinner somewhere, but other than that, we’re on the road until we reach Seattle. This is the downtime in the tour. The time we can be just be ourselves and rest. I’m pretty sure you need it. Las Vegas was crazy.”
“You could say that.” Yivi laughs, and it warms my heart to hear her so happy.
“I’m going to get a drink, and then I’ll probably sleep. Just call me if you need anything. The other guys are always around as well.”
“I will.”
I leave Yivi alone to settle down and find her own space on the bus. It can get intense, and I think she’s made the right decision to be alone and read for a bit.
When I reach the front where Cameron and Austin are sitting, I notice Cameron is on the phone.
“He’s here. I’ll hand you over.” He passes me the phone.
I frown as if to question who it is.
“Leo,” Cameron mouths.
I swallow deeply. I haven’t spoken to him since the morning I found out I was married. Zoey has been handling the fallout from Yivi touring with us and me not signing the annulment papers.
“Hi.” I move over to the side so Austin and Cameron can’t listen to the entire conversation and to make sure Yivi won’t be able to hear.
“Hi, how you doing?” Leo asks.
“Good. I’m guessing this call is about Yivi?”
“Partly, Zoey told me what’s been going on. I think you’re doing the right thing, protecting and helping her learn. I can’t imagine what she’s been through. Not sure being stuck on a bus with four testosterone fueled lads will do her much good, though.”