Live And Let Die
Chapter 5
By: Makena
The weeks went by slowly for Benji and he could hardly wait to get back to Waldorf. They had all picked out a house they would be renting - it was a large, four bedroom house, and Benji figured that Makena could either crash in his room or make her own apartment out of the basement.
"We're back," some one whispered from the bunk next to him. Benji opened his eyes and looked around to see Paul, standing between his bunk and Joel's bunk, quietly telling Joel they had arrived in Waldorf. Benji sat up and looked at the watch on his wrist. It was too dark to see, but he judged by the light that poured into the room it was early morning.
"Are we?" Benji asked. Paul turned to look at Benji and laughed.
"Yeah, dude," he said. "We're home."
Although the bus was still moving, Benji got up and began to get dressed.
"When are we gonna be there?" Benji questioned excitedly, searching for a t-shirt.
"Ten minutes," Paul guessed. "But we're in Waldorf."
Benji nodded and found his Distillers. He quickly yanked it from his duffel bag and watched as his half empty tequila bottle fell out and landed softly on the top of the mess. He stared down at it before looking at Paul. Paul blinked and looked up from the bottle.
"Benji, is that... tequila?" Paul whispered. Benji blushed and nodded, bending down to hide it in another one of his t-shirts. Paul sighed.
"I'm not gonna lecture you," he said. "And I'm not gonna tell anyone. But I don't want to see you with anything like that again."
Benji made a face at Paul's back before forcing the t-shirt over his head and walking into the main area of the bus. Billy was already there, looking for whatever he thought he might have left behind. Joel was the only one still in the bunk room.
Finally, the bus pulled to a stop in front of a white, two story house with a two car garage. Benji looked at it as the sun began to rise just behind it and smiled.
There were a couple of trees in the small, front lawn, but it was a nice house. He didn't know how the two car garage would be used for, but he knew it would get used.
Joel stumbled into the main room with his duffel bag and a couple of other things that he had accumulated over their touring days that wouldn't fit in his bag.
"Are we there yet?" he asked sleepily. Benji turned around and nodded before getting up to retrieve his own bag. He couldn't wait to get settled and finally get some rest.
-----
Makena waited nervously for her plane to arrive at the Detroit airport. She had to board a plane and ride a good thirty minuets to Detroit from Grand Rapids. She went through the past two week's events in her mind, trying to distract herself from feeling nervous about moving into a house with a bunch of guys.
'Give two week notice at work,' she began, watching Gavin trying to fit a dollar he found into a vending machine. 'Close bank account - that was $100 extra. Sell house and furniture - couple thousand. Sell whatever I didn't need - couple hundred. Give away what didn't sell. Bought suitcases at the Salvation Army. Packed everything we owned into three suitcases. Splurged on new outfit, which I'll change into before I reach Waldorf.' She stopped and sighed. She stood up and walked over to Gavin, helping him put the wrinkled dollar into the machine where he chose a small bag of Cheese Nips and got fifty cents back.
"Mommy, are we going to come back ever?"
Makena shrugged and they walked back to their seats where their carry On’s were sitting. "Maybe," she replied.
"Flight 117 to Washington D.C. at gate A now boarding," a voice over the loud speakers said. "Flight 117 to Washington D.C. at gate A now boarding.”
Makena sighed and grabbed her own back pack and Gavin's tiny Power Rangers back pack.
"Put your snack in here, sweetie," she said, opening her son's bag. Gavin obeyed and dropped his un-opened bag into the back pack. Makena zipped it up and took Gavin's hand as they walked to where they were taking tickets. The woman smiled and ripped their tickets before handing them back.
"Enjoy your flight," she said, handing Makena her tickets. Makena nodded and began to walk down the terminal with Gavin. She was stopped at the plane entrance where two more flight attendants checked her tickets.
"Okay, you're right through here," the man said, holding the curtain back. "First Class."
Makena frowned and took her tickets back. She checked to see if that was right. Sure enough, Benji had put her on First Class.
"Benji," she sighed under her breath as she led Gavin to their seats.
-----
Makena excused herself to the bathroom half way into the flight to change in the tiny bathroom that was on the airplane. It was a little difficult, considering there was hardly any room to go to the bathroom, but she successfully changed within ten minutes.
Her new outfit consisted of black dickie capris and a red sleeveless t-shirt with a black star outlined on the front. It wasn't exactly the nicest thing she could have bought, and not much of a new outfit, but considering the circumstances it was one of the better thing's she'd owned in almost seven years.
She tied her hair up in a half pony tail and re-adjusted her black, thick rimmed glasses before she put on a black zip-up hoodie and returned to her seat with Gavin.
"You look pretty, mommy," Gavin said. Makena looked down at her son, surprised at his comment.
"Why thank you, sweetie," she said.
"Is it because we're going to see Benji?"
Again, she looked down at Gavin in surprise.
"How do you know about Benji?" she questioned. Gavin shrugged and sipped on the juice one of the stewardesses had given him. She smiled curiously at him before sitting back in her seat, trying to enjoy the rest of her flight.
-----
Benji's eyes snapped open at the sound of loud music floating through his ears. He groaned and rolled over, placing the pillow over his ears. He gave up about five minutes later once he realized sleep was hopeless and he stared at the digital alarm clock that sat by his bed. 12:01 PM. Was that right?
He groaned and rolled out of bed to change. If he didn't hurry, he was going to be late picking Makena up and that wouldn't make for a good first impression. Again.
"Paul, I swear to god if you don't stop playing your music so fucking loud when people are tying to sleep," Benji threatened, pulling up his black bondage pants and walking out of his bedroom. He ran down the stairs and shut the music off, which had been playing the new Red Hot Chili Peppers song from the local modern rock station. Paul's head appeared from the kitchen as Benji shut the music off and frowned.
"Dude, I was listening to that," he complained. Benji rolled his eyes and began to search for his keys.
"I was sleeping," Benji grumbled. "Don't turn that shit on when I'm trying to sleep."
Paul frowned and looked at the clock on the oven. "You realize that you're supposed to be at the airport - which is forty-five minutes away - in about five minutes, right?"
"Yes, Paul, thank you for reminding me what a jackass I am," Benji said sarcastically. "Where the fuck are my keys?"
Just as the words escaped his mouth, the door opened and in stepped Joel and Billy, shortly followed by Makena and Gavin. Joel and Billy were carrying three suit cases between them, each case a different color - red, pink and an ugly blue. Makena carried a small Power Ranger's backpack while clutching the strap to her own backpack that hung from one shoulder.
She looked nervous and shy, like she didn't belong there. Benji watched as Joel laughed at one of Billy's jokes and put the suitcases he had been carrying down near the door. Makena looked around the house after she closed the door tightly behind her before her eyes fell on Benji.
"Hi," Benji said. Makena nodded and was able to get out a mild "hello." She stood in the entrance, waiting for some one to invite her into the band's house.
"Sorry I..." Benji began, but Joel cut him off.
"We already explained to her," Joel said. "You know, that you were a little to nervous to drive?"
Benji frowned at Joel, but the excuse was better than "I slept in too late," and it certainly made him sound like less of a jerk.
"Her flight came in early," Billy explained. Benji nodded and looked over at Makena, who was still standing by the door.
"Um, come in," Benji said, walking towards her. "Make yourself comfortable."
"Do you want anything to eat?" Paul asked from the kitchen.
"No," Makena said. "No thanks."
"I do!" Gavin said. Makena gave him a slight warning glance before timidly taking a step away from the safety of the door. She felt like she didn't belong there, like she had just walked into some one else's home and didn't know if she was welcome or not.
"Alright," Paul called. "What do you want, buddy? Grilled cheese?" Gavin looked up at his mother with pleading eyes.
"Alright," Makena sighed. Gavin grinned and ran into the kitchen to see Paul.
"So... did you want me to show you around?" Benji asked. Makena sighed slightly to herself and decided that, yes, she did want to be shown around.
Besides, it was better than standing by the door all day and perhaps, eventually, reaching the couch. She slid her shoes off and followed Benji up the stairs where he pointed out his own room, as well as Paul's and Billy's. Joel's bedroom was down stairs next to the smaller bathroom, the kitchen, the living room and the "computer room," which was nothing more than a set of speakers, a computer, and a CD player.
"I'll show you where you and Gavin'll stay," Benji said, working up his nerves. Makena nodded and followed him down the wooden steps that led down to the basement.
The basement had three separate rooms; the main room, which is what you walked into when you descended the stairs and contained the washer and dryer and the furnace; a slightly smaller room that was opened by a sliding, white door; and a room that was a little smaller than the second room. There was also a storage closet on the far end of the "laundry room."
Benji slid the door open to reveal the second room; it contained a queen-sized bed with soft red sheets and white pillows. Next to the bed on the left side was a nightstand, complete with a small lamp and a radio alarm clock. There was a dresser on the far wall, and a walk-in closet on the far left.
Benji opened the second room up after Makena had finished awing her new room. There was a tiny twin bed set up in the far corner next to the window that sat high up on the wall with blue sheets and cartoon-designed pillows.
There were some toys in the corner and a smaller closet on the opposite wall. The headboard contained a tiny bookshelf that was already filled with some books, and the top of it had a lamp.
Benji looked over at Makena for some sort of reaction. She looked at her son's new things and began to cry.
"Benji..." she gasped, placing her hand over her mouth as she looked on. "I don't deserve any of this," she continued.
"Do you like it?" Benji questioned. Makena looked up at Benji through watery eyes and flung herself at him, wrapping him in her arms.
"I love it," she cried, crying into his shoulder. "I absolutely love it."