Realistic or Modern Don’t Tell Me to Calm Down

[decadent-rider]

He frowned as he listened, running a hand over his face. “Alright. We will try to come down but I can’t promise that I can do that long a trip.” He told him. “But I’ll talk to max.” He mumbled, hanging up and seeing her come into the room, clearly listening at the door. “You stirring trouble?” He asked, reaching for her.

Maya nodded and smiled a little. “Please. Cause then I won’t be stressing about finishing boxes and everything before classes start.” She told him.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max came in after hearing Clay hang up and bit her lip hard "Not trouble....but I thought maybe we should try to mend fences with your family." She said as she made her way over to him kissing him gently as she sat on the side of the bed.

Eddie chuckled softly and pulled her into his side giving the top of her head a kiss "I got ya princess, don't you worry." He said happily before going back to eating his food.

 

[decadent-rider]

He sighed quietly and just shook his head "Maybe. But you're lucky I love you." He told her quietly, "Plus I don't know if I could do a two hour car journey." He sighed a little, "We might have to turn it into a 3 hour one if we go. Few small stops. Plus we'll have to take food with us for me." He watched her give him a look he knew all too well and just sighed "You're not gonna let me get out of this are you?" He asked her.

Carmen ate quietly, getting the girls to load the dishwasher after they were done and she went to check in on Lucas for a moment, leaving him to it when she found him still asleep, finally heading down to their home studio to just sit in and spend time with Eddie. After 30 years of knowing him , there we no pressure to make conversation. Half the time they were doing separate things in the same room, just enjoying each others' presence.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max frowned as he kept trying to make excuses and shook her head some "Nope you're not. I've already got everything pre-planned. But if you really are bad that day, we'll stay." She said softly before kissing him gently again

Eddie sat in their little home studio working on a few chords for a new song he had in the works. He had been planning on releasing a solo album here soon and he hadn't been this excited for music in years. He watched Carmen as she sat there reading her book "Good read?"

 

[decadent-rider]

She got to a stopping point and nodded, closing it. “You know… after Lucas is uh…. After he’s gone. I think we should take a break. Rent the house out and get out of town for a few months. No work. No responsibility… just taking our time to heal.” She told him frowning.

He just nodded and pulled her in closer. The day of the trip came around quicker than he would have liked and for once feeling like he was having a good day wasn’t a good thing for him. He’d done what he could to help bundle the kids into the car and then waited with them, lilah clinging to his arm the whole time until max came out and he had to pull away so he could get in the car.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie frowned deeply but gave a small nod to her "Yeah....yeah I think thats a good idea. Maybe head out to Malibu?" He said softly before placing his guitar down and going over to her.

Max came out with the lasy of their things smiling some at Lilah "Baby go get in your seat, Daddy is okay." She said softly watching as she hesitantly detached herself from Clay's arm. They had explained his cancer diagnosis to her, and while she seemed to be doing better with her anxiety towards Clay, it still worried Max a bit.

 

[decadent-rider]

Carmen smiled tiredly and lifted her legs so he could sit down. “You doin okay with your sobriety with all of this?” She asked him quietly, tying her hair up to get it out of the way.

Lilah got settled as they headed out of the drive, eventually getting distracted enough she wasn’t worried about her dad at all.

Clay was feeling alright and he was coping until they were about halfway, starting to feel a little off and by the time they arrived all he could think of was how they were gonna get home without the same thing happening. He got out and headed up to the front door, letting max sort the kids out while he was this bad, ringing the bell and just wanting to get laid down.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie nodded as he sat beside her "I could use a stiff drink, other than that I'm okay doll. I got it under control." He told her truthfully giving a soft smile to her.

Max got the kids situated as they arrived thankful she had planned this right so that they were there early. She smiled widely as Felipe opened the door and took a few looks at his son before hugging him tightly "Hey there Felipe, its good to see you." She said softly as she hugged him watching as Clay made it straight for his old room to lay down "The drive really took it out of him, he should hopefully be okay when people arrive."

 

[decadent-rider]

Lilah frowned and tried to immediately follow clay until she was pulled back by her mom, pouring some and looking up at the old man in front of her. She remembered him a little but not much and she just waved a little before following her mom inside.

Clay eventually heard maxs footsteps coming up the stairs, looking over when she stepped into the room and frowned some. “When does everyone get here?” He asked her quietly. “Kids doing okay?”

She nodded and smiled tiredly, trying to scoot a little closer to him. “Maya was happy. I think she’s just nervous about moving out. She’s not exactly a traveller like Grace.” She pointed out.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max got Lilah settled enough with Felipe before going to see Clay and check on him. She gave a soft sigh as she sat on the old bed taking his hand in hers "About two to three hours. I made sure to give us time. Lilah is doing okay, she is concerned about you, but your dad has them both distracted. Jose is being shy, but still friendly."

Eddie nodded and kissed the top of her head as she got closer to him "Yeah, she is our home body, but thats okay. I know she'll do great out there." He said proudly

 

[decadent-rider]

She smiled a little and shook her head. “That but I’m not concerned about.” She mumbled, “It’s getting late. And we have a long day tomorrow.” She sighed a little, getting up and reaching for his hand. “Come on you. Bed time.”

He frowned a little but nodded and gave her hand a squeeze. “You remember me hiding you under all the pillows in here when EZ ran in once?” He asked her quietly, smiling tiredly.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max laughed lightly and nodded some "Thankfully neither of ua were fully naked yet." She said as she remembered those days. "Remember when your Dad actually did walk in on us? He gave you the riot act downstairs while I had to stay up here."

Eddie pouted some but gave a nod "Oh alright, I guess that would be good huh?'" He murmured before getting up with her and heading to bed.

 

[decadent-rider]

He smiled a little and nodded. “Wouldn’t let me get dressed either. Just had to hold a pillow in front of me.” He mumbled, tensing up as a wave of pain went through him, gripping at her hand for a minute. “Just gotta wait til they can remove it.” He sighed a little.

Carmen nodded and smiled some, heading up and locking up the house, turning off lights as she went until they got to bed and she moved to lay down, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max gave a small smile and nodded softly "Soon enough baby, soon enough." She said softly before kissing him gently "Get some rest okay? I'm gonna check on the babies." She murmured.

Eddie woke up early the next morning to go look after Lucas giving a heavy sigh. He smiled some and sat by his side "Hey there you sleep alright?" He asked

 

[decadent-rider]

He nodded and frowned. “Wait… if lilah wants to come sit in here I don’t mind.” He told her before letting her go, ending up asleep within a couple minutes.

Felipe smiled at his grandkids while they were huddled together on the couch staring at him. “They both got his eyes.” He said, turning to look at max.

Emily walked into the kitchen after a short while and smiled, kissing Lucas’s cheek. “Morning. I gotta start packing while you guys are at the graduation but I won’t be gone til after you get back.” She told Eddie. “Ideally I should only be a few days but I don’t know how my mom is gonna cope with everything so we’ll have to wait and see.” She explained. In reality she already knew she wasn’t going to be coming back. Her and carmen had discussed it yesterday but she couldn’t bring herself to tell Lucas she was leaving for good. She wanted to remember him how they were together.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Max smiled happily at the kids and nodded some "Yeah they sure did." She said before motioning to them "Come say hi to your grandpa." She said sweetly trying to get them to open up a bit.

Eddie gave a small smile to Emily and nodded some "Sounds like a plan darlin." He murmured before getting up "You mind staying just a moment, I gotta use the restroom." He said before stepping out. He knew she was leavimg, he didn't need her or Carmen to tell him either, he knew the signs all too well. They were the same as his when he left.

 

[decadent-rider]

she nodded and sat down with him.

The graduation had gone as smoothly as they could have hoped and Carmen managed to have another few weeks with the girls in the house, the day they both left being the worst of them. She hadn’t even been able to be in the room while they said goodbye to Lucas and it had taken Eddie several minutes to calm her down before she’d let him leave with Maya but at the very least she’d finally had a few peaceful days with it being just her and Lucas and his nurse. He’d been a little more under the weather for a couple days but she hadn’t been thinking anything of it until that morning when she’d been downstairs with him while she made herself coffee and she’d heard, clear as day, Lucas say Tilly’s name. She froze and turned to look at him. “Lucas? Honey?” She asked, hearing him repeat it and she just nodded, taking him back to bed and getting him comfortable, calling his nurse and then calling Eddie, hearing the distinct sound of a restaurant in the background. “Hey… Ed… you need to come home. Now.” She told him.

Lilah shook her head and frowned looking up at max. “I want daddy.” She told her frowning still and almost ready to cry until she was allowed fo go sit with him.

Felipe chuckled a little and got a drink for himself and got one for max when she came back down. “I’m sure it’s been hard her having to adjust to him not being around and then being home again.” He told her. “She’ll grow out of it eventually.” He assured her.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie had been worried the entire time he had been gone with Maya. His mind continuing to think about Carmen and Lucas especially, but he kept up a happy face and persona for everyone. He frowned softly when he heard his phone and quickly answered "Whats wrong?" He asked when he heard Carmen tell him to come home "Carmen, doll what happened?"

Max got Lilah situated when she realized she was about to start crying and gave a heavy sigh "I really hope so, her anxiety is really high and its concerning me." She admits to him

 

[decadent-rider]

She frowned and glanced back into the room seeing he was sleeping for now. “He said Tilly’s name. Twice. Clear as fuckin day. I think it’s gonna be today. I know we were meant to have more time but he got that cold and he’s not been doing great with it. He’s been so depressed about Emily not being here…. I think it’s today.” She whimpered a little.

He shrugged a little, getting up when the doorbell rang. “Kids are resilient. She’ll probably be absolutely fine by the time you guys get him home and better after the surgery.” He told her, opening the door to his younger son. “You’re early.” He told him, letting him and his family in.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie took a shaky breath and nodded "Alright, let me finish up dinner with Maya and a few of her friends. I'll get the first flight home." He said quietly before hanging up and going back to the table.

Max gave a small nod and sighed heavily. She gave a small smile when she saw EZ come through with his family holding Jose close as he came to sit on her lap "EZ! Its good to see you." She said happily hoping Felipe had told him that they would be there.

 

[decadent-rider]

Carmen nodded even though he couldn’t see her and went to sit with Lucas again after he hung up, holding his hand and just watching him a little as he woke up. “You know when you were three years old, when we took you and Tilly and Jack to Disney world, you spent all day attached to me. I tried to go on the roller coasters but because you were just a little too small and you couldn’t you screamed any time I handed you to your dad or tried to put you in the stroller…. You have always been such a mommas boy and I am so sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you were a teenager the way you needed me to be.” She told him quietly, smoothing his hair back.

EZ smiled, pushing his sunglasses up onto his head. “Hey. Where’s the bean pole?” He asked her. His dad had filled him in on the whole situation as much as he knew at least and between the two of them they’d agreed to have a get together. He’d fallen out with clay years ago over clays drug dealing but he misses his brother desperately and now that he had a niece and nephew and especially hearing clay wasn’t doing too good, EZ didn’t wanna waste anymore time.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie had gotten the quickest flight he could to get home and be there with Carmen. He got out of the Taxi the next morning and frowned deeply seeing a car pulling from the drive way while Carmen stood at the door looking completely gone. He rushed over to her side and frowned deeply "Carmen? Carmen who was that?" He asked having not seen the funeral home's name against the other side of the car.

Max smiled as she stood up and hugged EZ with Jose on her hip "He is asleep with our daughter." She said before laughing softly as Jose tugged on her shirt "This is Jose, your nephew." She said before looking at her son "Say hi to your Uncle EZ baby, he is your daddy's brother."

 

[decadent-rider]

She frowned a little and just turned to go inside, going to see his hospice nurse and thanked her quietly, watching her leave before finally looking at Ed. “He died last night. About 4am. You didn’t turn your phone on when you landed.” She told him quietly. “Grace spoke to hjm. Maya didn’t want to.” She mumbled, sitting down at the kitchen counter and reaching for his hand.

EZ nodded and smiled at the little boy. “Jesus. This one looks like his dad.” He chuckled. “Our youngest is about to be three. You and her might get on if you wanna go play with her.” He told the kid, chuckling while he hid his face.

 

[Forever6A7X]

Eddie took a shaky breath and took her hand in his "Not....not again..." he whispered feeling the same immense guilt he had felt when he found that voicemail from Tilly the day before she had passed. He put his head on her shoulder and finally broke down holding her tightly to him "I'm so sorry...." he whispered

Max smiled some and gave a small nod "I'm sure he would, he's just a bit shy around so many new people." She said softly watching as the little girl ran into the room holding onto her Dad's leg.

 

[decadent-rider]

Carmen frowned and shook her head, holding onto him tightly. “Ed it’s not your fault. We thought he had more time.” She mumbled, rubbing his back gently and just stayed there with him, not saying anything else.

EZ smiled and nodded, picking her up and taking her to go get a drink.

Clay came down eventually half an hour later and headed into the kitchen slowly, smiling at his brother a little. “Been a while.”